I Guess I'll Stop Complaining.........

[sail7seas]

Seeing as we booked two more HAL cruises this week, I guess it's time I stopped complaining about the changes to HAL that I am not happy about. Admittedly, having four bookings in place is a tacit acceptance of 'how they are doing things.'

 

We very seriously considered the July 20 Rome to Rome cruise and the 18 day Rotterdam to Boston Maasdam transatlantic but, in the end, decided against them. Now that I finally was agreeable to considering returning to Europe, DH decided he really didn't care all that much now. :) (fine by me!!! :) )

 

We are now booked on:

 

Volendam 10 days October 26, 2005

Volendam 10 days January 22, 2006

Ryndam 14 days April 2, 2006

Maasdam 14 days (back-to-back) August 5, 2006 (Being able to board and disembark in Boston is so very wonderful for us we find it irresistible. "MY" :) Maasdam, that wonderful itinerary; the ease and convenience. It won again!!

 

 

Part of the point I want to make in this post is that while there are others like me who bemoan the changes to HAL, they are still booking. They are paying the higher prices and are booking early.

 

In investigating a number of ships/itineraries, I was shocked to discover the Suites in many cases were almost totally spoken for. We had no choice whatsoever for our Maasdam back-to-back. There was ONE suite available for both weeks. On each individual week, there were only 3 or 4 left. The price for the exact cruise we took this year is about $3,000 more than we paid for our June cruise. (This is an absolute apples to apples comparision. Same ship; same itinerary.)

[shipcafe]

I spent this past weekend in Vancouver and visited some ships including Zaandam and a Celebrity Cruises ship. While Celebrity might have a 'wow' factor, they are very deco, sterile, even clinical in its interior design, colors, etc.

I glanced over to see the Veendam (even before her SOE to be forthcoming) and felt an amazing sense of homesickness. Nothing compares to the rich, nautical décor and tradition of HAL. Change happens .. change is more constant these days than not, in fact. I had forgotten about experiencing "HAL envy" when on other ships in port until this past weekend in Vancouver.

Further details and photos are forthcoming.

[KAJOKG]

Prices have gone up considerably on every cruise line, AND choice cabins are booked way in advance. Sign of the times. Folks have money, and the demand is high.

[jhannah]

It is interesting, isn't it? But Steve is right on the mark that changes are constant all around us. It is apparent that Holland America offers us both tangibles and intangibles that we're willing to stick with even though some facets of change are not to our liking. And we're doing it in spite of large price increases. We must be crazy! (In a good sort of way.)

[KAJOKG]

It is interesting, isn't it? But Steve is right on the mark that changes are constant all around us. It is apparent that Holland America offers us both tangibles and intangibles that we're willing to stick with even though some facets of change are not to our liking. And we're doing it in spite of large price increases. We must be crazy! (In a good sort of way.)

No, not crazy. I like it that you want to continue in the fashion you have always done on your cruises. Just because some small changes are happening does not mean one must give up a long, and lovely, tradition. And I am ever so grateful for being able to cruise in spite of rising costs. If I had to, I would cruise at the cheapest rate I could find to continue this wonderful "habit."

[CDRMark]

We are now booked on:

 

Volendam 10 days October 26, 2005

Volendam 10 days January 22, 2006

Ryndam 14 days April 2, 2006

Maasdam 14 days (back-to-back) August 5, 2006 (Being able to board and disembark in Boston is so very wonderful for us we find it irresistible. "MY" :) Maasdam, that wonderful itinerary; the ease and convenience. It won again!!

 

 

Part of the point I want to make in this post is that while there are others like me who bemoan the changes to HAL, they are still booking. They are paying the higher prices and are booking early.

 

In investigating a number of ships/itineraries, I was shocked to discover the Suites in many cases were almost totally spoken for. We had no choice whatsoever for our Maasdam back-to-back. There was ONE suite available for both weeks. On each individual week, there were only 3 or 4 left. The price for the exact cruise we took this year is about $3,000 more than we paid for our June cruise. (This is an absolute apples to apples comparision. Same ship; same itinerary.)

Great. Congrats.

Do I compute correctly that you will be in St. Thomas the same time as Maasdam?:)

Cheers

MarkB

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Seeing as we booked two more HAL cruises this week, I guess it's time I stopped complaining about the changes to HAL that I am not happy about. Admittedly, having four bookings in place is a tacit acceptance of 'how they are doing things.'

 

We are now booked on:

 

Volendam 10 days October 26, 2005

Volendam 10 days January 22, 2006

Ryndam 14 days April 2, 2006

Maasdam 14 days (back-to-back) August 5, 2006 (Being able to board and disembark in Boston is so very wonderful for us we find it irresistible. "MY" :) Maasdam, that wonderful itinerary; the ease and convenience. It won again!!

 

 

Part of the point I want to make in this post is that while there are others like me who bemoan the changes to HAL, they are still booking. They are paying the higher prices and are booking early.

 

In investigating a number of ships/itineraries, I was shocked to discover the Suites in many cases were almost totally spoken for. We had no choice whatsoever for our Maasdam back-to-back. There was ONE suite available for both weeks. On each individual week, there were only 3 or 4 left. The price for the exact cruise we took this year is about $3,000 more than we paid for our June cruise. (This is an absolute apples to apples comparision. Same ship; same itinerary.)

 

 

Sail, Good for you in booking. I tried to post right after you posted this early this morning and the boards went down:( It is a good thing you booked when you did. I often say " There is No Place Like Home" and I know the Maasdam "Is Home" for you so I am glad you got the last remaining suite.

 

As for the Ryndam it looks like we will be doing the same as last year and following you with 2 weeks in between. We will board the Ryndam May 7th in Vancouver. I guess when you get off her in Tampa she heads thru the Canal to meet up with us in Vancouver. Now we just need to have a CC member that does the Canal to keep her active with board members.:D

 

I know that you are sure you would not like Alaska but I think some day you need to try it. If you like the Canada/New England I think you would like Alaska.:)

 

I also agree that I have also complained about the pricing for next year but with that being said even if we want to continue cruising we have to book early if we want those S Suites on the S and R class ships. I am glad we booked when we did for our cruises next year but..... I think the Vista Class ships are not getting the same response. I think they have out priced those SA cabins and now they are not selling that well. What is crazy is I can be in a S Suite on the Ryndam in Alaska (which is usually always more expensive) for $2000.00 less a $1000 per person less than doing the Mexican Rivieria on the Oosterdam the first of Feb. in a SA. Something is just wrong with that:eek:

[Krazy Kruizers]

sail

Like you we also had a hard time getting the same suite for a couple of back-to-backs that we booked over a month ago for 2006.

Statendam in June 2006 is booking up fast. We were able to get the suite that we wanted.

Volendam for Oct/Nov 2006 - many suites all gone - couldn't get our normal suite. Had to settle for a different one. But we will survive.

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

Didn't I say a fw days ago that it looked as though you should go on the Maasdam to celebrate your special birthdays and anniversaries?

Something just told me that you would be on "your" Maasdam again next year.

[sail7seas]

Great. Congrats.

Do I compute correctly that you will be in St. Thomas the same time as Maasdam?:)

Cheers

MarkB

 

Mark.....

I so hope you are right. Which cruise are you referring to?

[sail7seas]

It is interesting, isn't it? But Steve is right on the mark that changes are constant all around us. It is apparent that Holland America offers us both tangibles and intangibles that we're willing to stick with even though some facets of change are not to our liking. And we're doing it in spite of large price increases. We must be crazy! (In a good sort of way.)

 

 

Yes, Jim....I agree with you and with Steve.

 

That is why I 'titled' this thread that I shall stop complaining. Of all the things in the world (or even in our individual lives) that really merit complaining, HAL's prices and changes is not one of them. That is why DH and I considered all of our options; we really investigated and gave more thought than usual to what we wanted to do. When we made our decision, I knew we were deciding we still love HAL and those 'dam' ships.

Lisa.....it seems we lately are so close to being on the same ship at the same time and miss it by mere weeks. We have to try harder to finally said at the same time. I'd really enjoy meeting you.

Steve......."HAL Envy"......I love it and know just what you mean. The last time we cruised on Princess, we were in port with a "dam ship" and I was so sad to have to go back aboard Ocean Princess when we SHOULD have been going to our HAL 'home.'

[RevNeal]

S7S ... 4 booked cruises? Don't you mean 5?

[sail7seas]

sail

 

Like you we also had a hard time getting the same suite for a couple of back-to-backs that we booked over a month ago for 2006.

 

Statendam in June 2006 is booking up fast. We were able to get the suite that we wanted.

 

Volendam for Oct/Nov 2006 - many suites all gone - couldn't get our normal suite. Had to settle for a different one. But we will survive.

 

 

 

I really was surprised as we started to check out cruise after cruise and found there were few Suites left on the "S" and "R" ships. Vista ships had far more suites available and our favorite one was available for each cruise we looked at.

As I started to see the pattern, I knew we shouldn't drag our feet or we would have to settle for something less than our first choice. For the amount of bookings we've made (and the amount of $$), I didn't want to settle. I wanted what we wanted. So......we made our decisions and put down our deposits before we found ourselves disappointed. I truly was surprised how fast/how early these costly cruises were booking.

[CDRMark]

Mark.....

 

I so hope you are right. Which cruise are you referring to?

 

Sorry, the 10/26/05 Volendam cruise. But I have just looked and I think you are a day off. We enjoyed our Maasdam cruise last November and we are doing one this November (11/26) as well, but our company awarded an employee a Maasdam cruise on 10/26/05 and I was hoping you might cross paths. I hope that was less confusing than it appears. :)

Cheers

MarkB

[sail7seas]

Didn't I say a fw days ago that it looked as though you should go on the Maasdam to celebrate your special birthdays and anniversaries?

 

Something just told me that you would be on "your" Maasdam again next year.

 

 

Yes, KK........:) You DID say that. You were so right. You really do understand (maybe even more than me) just how much I love Maasdam. That really is where I want to be (with my very dear DH) to celebrate our birthdays and our anniversary. We've enjoyed and toasted a great many specail occasions aboart that beautiful ship in the past and I am happy that is where we will be next year.

 

Technically, we will not be aboard until a few days after.....(four). We are planning to go into Boston, book a Suite at the fabulous Four Seasons and stay those four days in the city waiting for Maasdam to come back from Europe to get us. (We came very close to booking the Rotterdam to Boston 18 dayer but made the choice to not. In that way, we will feel our Maasdam vacation has begun and we will feel the celebration four days later is a 'continuation' of the one we start at Four Seasons' fine restaurant.....Aujourd 'Hui.

 

 

 

********I positively refuse to get into another conversation as to whether my DH should request a birthday cake for me or for me to request one for him.

 

YA KNOW What.......The number of days we have w/ HAL, I don't think they'll mind in the least providing us with a cake. (Heck...let 'em charge us for it. Wouldn't bother me in the least. !!! :) :) :) ;)

[sail7seas]

Sorry, the 10/26/05 Volendam cruise. But I have just looked and I think you are a day off. We enjoyed our Maasdam cruise last November and we are doing one this November (11/26) as well, but our company awarded an employee a Maasdam cruise on 10/26/05 and I was hoping you might cross paths. I hope that was less confusing than it appears. :)

Cheers

MarkB

 

 

Darn!!! Think I'd have any luck requesting they make a 'small itinerary change???'

It would have been heaven for us to be in St. Thomas with Maasdam.

GREG........ :) Yes, I guess you're right. I forgot the back-to-back is two cruises. Wooo Hoo.......Five cruises and 48 days aboard to look forward to.

 

 

 

[KAKcruiser]

I, also, agree with Steve. There is something homey about HAL. We do not feel comfortable on any other cruise line now.

[RevNeal]

GREG........ Yes, I guess you're right. I forgot the back-to-back is two cruises. Wooo Hoo.......Five cruises and 48 days aboard to look forward to.

 

6, by my count, Judy. :)

[Krazy Kruizers]

Notice that I never mentioned anything about cakes or when you should have them. I remeber what happened last summer.

 

Love the Four Seasons - haven't been to the one in Boston, but did stay at the one in Istanbul for several days.

 

[RevNeal]

Notice that I never mentioned anything about cakes or when you should have them. I remeber what happened last summer.

 

S7S should have her cake and eat it too ... in HAL style. :)

[sail7seas]

6, by my count, Judy. :)

 

 

I will be so happy if you are correct, Greg, but........

 

Where do you count 6?

 

Are you counting Ryndam as two---thinking that it is a back-to-back? If so, NOPE, it is a single fourteen day cruise.

;) ....and thanks for agreeing "sail' needs her cake. :)

[K&RCurt]

S7S:

 

 

I have to pipe in and say that I never considerd any of your posts comparing the "Old" HAL with the current product as "complaining". I only wish that we had discovered cruising and HAL before we did. The camparissons that you and the other veteran HAL cruises make help us "newbies" to understand what is behind some of the traditions and appreciate why some things are the way they are.

 

I am, however, happy you are "all booked up" as it were. I'm sure you will have a great time on all of your cruises. You seem to always have the best attitiude about your trips. Others who have come down with the Novo Vius on cruises do nothing but complain and expect "compensation" etc. You reported back to us with class and factual information.

 

OK, I'm off my S7S love fest now!

[sail7seas]

Keith and Gina.....

 

Thank You. You made my day. What a lovely post and I greatly appreciate it.

I sincerely wish you many, many wonderful HAL cruises. I'm happy you do not see some of my comments as 'complaining'. I truly am very grateful (immensely so) at our very good fortune to have the means, the time, and the ability (healthwise) to do all this cruising.

:D Geez.....no need to feel you have to end the 'love fest'. I was 'kindalikein it!!!.. :)

 

[RevNeal]

I will be so happy if you are correct, Greg, but........

 

Where do you count 6?

 

Are you counting Ryndam as two---thinking that it is a back-to-back? If so, NOPE, it is a single fourteen day cruise.

 

Perhaps I missed it? Did you back out of the HAL-O-Ween Dam Cruise? If so, I'm sorry ... it is only 5. :)

[RevNeal]

OOOPS ... how did a duplicate get posted?