Volendam and Her Ten Day Cruises .......

[sail7seas]

sail7seas

 

Will you be doing 2 different itineraries on the Volendam in October and January?

 

We had some different ports on our second segment.

 

 

Yes, KK.......

One segment is Wayfarer and the other is Seafarer. I've always liked those itineraries.

In October, we go to Nassau , St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Dominica, Barbados and HMC.

In January, we go to Aruba, Curacao, Dominica, St. Thomas and HMC.

I like both of them and I'm particularly happy to get away from seven day Caribbean.

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

Those are the same ports we had on our back-to-backs.

 

[ryansmemom]

Interestingly, our first HAL cruise was an eleven day cruise on the old Westerdam. It was also our second cruise, ever. After our first seven day, we really liked the feeling that we did not have to get off the ship after seven days.

 

However, Chimera was still working, therefore we were limited as to how much time we could get away. Now that he is retired we have more freedom.

 

We have decided that we do not want to take a cruise that is less than ten days in length. Our last cruise was a fifteen day Circle Hawaii and that was blissful. The reason we prefer the longer cruises over the back to back cruises is that on the longer cruises there are more consecutive sea days. One of the reasons we really enjoyed the Hawaii cruise was that we had five sea days out and five sea days back.

 

We have two cruises booked. We are sailing on the Veendam this coming November for fourteen days. We are also booked on the Volendam in May of 2006 for ten days. Then next up will be Hawaii again.

 

Linda :D

[MrsSparticus]

We did our first 10 day cruise this past April on the Ryndam to the Mexican Riviera and we found it to be just the right length and now I think it would be very hard to go back to a 7 day.

 

BTW S7S we are also sailing on the Volendam in March doing the same itinerary you are doing in January. Hopefully you'll write a review when you return as some of the ports will be new to us.

[theduffys]

SANDY BEACH--We lived in Kent for 30 years and have kids in Stow and Munroe Falls. Are you close?

 

 

S7S--My brother is getting married on your sailing. Based on our reccomendation, they have booked an SS. This will be their first cruise. Hope you run into them.

[sail7seas]

SandyBeach......

 

What a special wedding that will be. Will they be married before the ship sails and some of the guests sail with them?

I hope we have the pleasure of meeting the bride and groom and can give them our good wishes.

[SANDY BEACH]

Theduffys, We live on Pontius Rd toward the Uniontown area. Yes we are close. Small world, isn't it?

 

S7S, It was theduffy's that had the brother getting married, not us. I hope you get to meet the happy couple and celebrate. I'm so looking forward to trying a longer cruise next year. Just need to find the right one. We have a 7 day on Holland in Oct and a 7 day on Celebrity in Feb. so it will probably be later in 2006. Enjoy your relaxation. Sounds like you have a number of wonderful cruises scheduled.

[BLStokes23]

7 days never seem long enough. We love the 10 day cruises - I'm usually ready to go home after 10 days. The 10 day cruises have given us the opportunity to see some of the ports that we'd never get to see on a 7 day cruise. Favorites include Aruba, Bonaire and Martinique. A couple years ago we were able to go on the "short-lived" Westfarer itinerary. Veracruz, Mexico gave us the most memorable welcome I've ever seen. Wish they'd consider bringing back that cruise.

[Lisa63]

We've made only one 10-night cruise, and I wish we were able to do it again. Now that DH is a teacher, and we have a school-aged son, finding a 10-night cruise that fits into our schedule is difficult. Of course, there's always Europe in the summer, and that is a possibility at some point in the future, yet I'd love to have a more relaxing ten-night itinerary to the Caribbean.

[O2cruise]

Sail and the 2of us .... The other great thing about the October 26 cruise is that it's a big band cruise!! Mom, sis and I are also bookedon this sailing. We're hooking up with a couple we met on board a couple of years ago. Hopefully we'll get a chance to meet you. Any more, we try and do at least 10 day cruises - 7 days just seems waaay to short.

[sail7seas]

I think it's great it's big band cruise. Fun.

 

The last time we were on a big band cruise was with a group from Canada traveling out of Brotherton Travel Agency. There were some nice folks in the group. We met a number of them and really enjoyed their company.

I hope we get to meet. As the time gets closer,we'll see what we can arrange.

Right now, I'm not sure how we'll all meet up on Maasdam in a week and a half. There are some CC'ers on both of our weeks. (I suppose it would be helpful if I went and read the Rollcall Board. I never read it so have no idea if there are any plans.)

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

I wish HAL would go back to doing at least 2 different 10 day itineraries with the same ship in 2006 like we had this year. Every time I see a star I keep wishing but it doesn't seem to be working.

 

[sail7seas]

I wish HAL would go back to doing at least 2 different 10 day itineraries with the same ship in 2006 like we had this year. Every time I see a star I keep wishing but it doesn't seem to be working.

 

 

 

This brings to mind the question I asked in a thread I started this morning. Does HAL make a higher profit margin on a seven day vs. a ten day Caribbean cruise? I think the seven dayers may reap a higher return per pax and that is why the ten dayers are fewer and further between.

 

I don't really know the answer but think that may have something to do with it.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I am thinking along the same lines as you are. I figure that HAL must be making more money on 7 day cruises than on 10 and longer cruises. Therefore they are moving towards that direction.

 

[peaches from georgia]

Well, certainly the big reason that there are more 7 day cruises offered by a mass-market line like HAL is that the market for a 7 is much larger than the market for a 10 or 10+ day. Same as selling shirts- a retailer is going to stock more Mediums and Large size than Sml or XL- the market is bigger in the middle.

 

As for profit margin, I would think the 7 day cruise market is more profitable, because as Carnival's CEO has said the cruiselines make their money getting people to spend on the ships- faster turnover of pax I think would provide more onboard spending.

[doone]

I have been doing 10-day cruises for about 9 years now. Seven days just doesn't seem like enough for me, but 10 days is perfect. I just wish HAL would be a little more creative with some of their 10-day cruises to the caribbean. It seems like they are keeping the same islands on the same ships from 2006 into 2007.

[elmorejj]

Sail, the Brotherton Travel Agency in Toronto has been closed for a couple of years now. My niece in TO used to use them.........jean :cool:

[the2ofus]

O2Cruise,

Glad to learn you are on this cruise also. I started a roll call thread some time ago, but as of yesterday there has been no action on it. Maybe it is time to bump it up since it is now several pages back.

 

We were pleased when we learned it is a big band cruise. I checked with HAL because some brochures had Oct. 26 and some had Nov. 5. Maybe it is both cruises. The Harry James orchestra will be playing. We enjoy ballroom dancing so are looking forward to increased opportunity over what is available in the Ocean Bar.

 

Just 147 more days until we fly out to FLL!!

[sail7seas]

Sail, the Brotherton Travel Agency in Toronto has been closed for a couple of years now. My niece in TO used to use them.........jean :cool:

 

Thanks for the info, Jean.

We were not a part of that group but met a number of folks who were. Mr. and Mrs. Brotherton hosted the group and we chatted with them on a number of occasions. I also remember a very senior gent, William (Hugh) Shorthill and his daughter, as great folks. We totally enjoyed Mr.Shorthill and shared cocktails with him in Ocean Bar on a number of evenings. Sorry to hear their agency is closed......but not totally shocked!!

[elmorejj]

Sail. I think my niece referred to the owners as Mr and Mrs Britton..could be wrong though.......jean :cool:

[Krazy Kruizers]

Well - guess I will stop wishing upon stars - mine didn't come true.

 

Just a new brochure in the mail today - and HAL has only 10 days cruises that keep repeating. Nothing through the spring of 2007 makes into a nice 20 day bqck-to-back as we have several times in the past.

Upon looking over their schedules we would have to back, get off one ship, move to another terminal, wait to board that ship, then once on board wait for luggage and unpack again. Not appealing.

[sail7seas]

Sail. I think my niece referred to the owners as Mr and Mrs Britton..could be wrong though.......jean :cool:

 

You're right, Jean. That is their name.

I couldn't remember it and was referring to them as "Mr and Mrs. Brotherton" figuratively. Thanks for jarring my memory.

 

 

[m steve]

:rolleyes: Will they be exhuming Harry James and if so, will Betty Grable be dug up too? :eek:

[the2ofus]

Sorry m steve, the orchestra lives on but hopefully Harry and Betty will stay where they are. Although.....this will be a Halloween cruise:eek:

[Sage]

We just left the Volendam today and are still in Vancouver watching her from our hotel window. We have decided to combine back to back cruises by cruising in April to Hawaii for 18 days followed by an Alaskan cruise for 7 days. The Volendam is in wonderful shape, and we really enjoyed being on her once again.