? re passengers on world cruise

[casamariposa]

Can anyone tell me, on average, how many passengers on the Amsterdam are on for the full world cruise and how many do only segments? Is dining completely "fixed" with two seatings in both upper and lower MDR? Thanks.

[KirkNC]

Can anyone tell me, on average, how many passengers on the Amsterdam are on for the full world cruise and how many do only segments? Is dining completely "fixed" with two seatings in both upper and lower MDR? Thanks.

 

I can answer the second question, all dining is fixed. Not sure why as I would like to rotate and eat with different people on over 100 days of cruising.

[happyglobetrotter]

I have been on 8 world cruises with HAL.

 

The average ratio is about 450 to 650 being on for the full 120 days or so. However one year (2008 if I remember well), over 1,000 persons were for the full cruise creating headaches for the dining room staff when compatibility problems started to develop.

 

In the last 2-3 years, the WC has not been to capacity with average 950-1,100persons depending on the segment

[Shmoo here]

I can answer the second question, all dining is fixed. Not sure why as I would like to rotate and eat with different people on over 100 days of cruising.

 

I agree.

 

I have been on 8 world cruises with HAL.

 

The average ratio is about 450 to 650 being on for the full 120 days or so. However one year (2008 if I remember well), over 1,000 persons were for the full cruise creating headaches for the dining room staff when compatibility problems started to develop.

 

In the last 2-3 years, the WC has not been to capacity with average 950-1,100persons depending on the segment

 

That's why I agreed with Kirk. While I can stand pretty much any dining companions for shorter cruises, 100 days could possibly tax my comfort zone. And with a smaller number of passengers onboard (smaller ship) it's a great opportunity to meet many new friends.

[rafinmd]

Just because seating is fixed that doesn't mean people don't change tables. I was on the last segment and was initially assigned to a table where my tablemates rarely showed up and I ended up solo at a 6-top for a few days. The (I want to say head waiter but think HAL's title is dining room supervisor) moved me to an 8-top with about half segmenters and half people on the full WC. Most of them had started their voyages at another table and were eventually moved there.

 

Do not fear being assigned to a table with incompatible tablemates. It is possible but there is definitely a solution.

 

Roy

[alibabacruisers]

I have been on 8 world cruises with HAL.

 

The average ratio is about 450 to 650 being on for the full 120 days or so. However one year (2008 if I remember well), over 1,000 persons were for the full cruise creating headaches for the dining room staff when compatibility problems started to develop.

 

In the last 2-3 years, the WC has not been to capacity with average 950-1,100persons depending on the segment

 

Happy, wow 8 WC! That is amazing!

 

Also amazing to me is that so many do the full WC. That is so great that people can do the full WC. We did a segment on a WC last year and will do another longer segment next year. Our first cruise was 11 days and each cruise tends to be a bit longer. I have to laugh because everytime my husband says, "why longer? you may not like it"...LOL. Next years is 74. Maybe one day a full WC........I can dream...but until then I will love reading of anyone's experiences and blogs of their WC!

[TiogaCruiser]

So do those who are on for partial WC get all the perks as those on for the duration?

[Copper10-8]

.................The (I want to say head waiter but think HAL's title is dining room supervisor) moved me to an 8-top with about half segmenters and half people on the full WC. ....................Roy

 

Assistant Dining Room Manager ;); every ship has multiple

[take us away]

So do those who are on for partial WC get all the perks as those on for the duration?

 

You receive most of them, do not think you get the luggage shipment included as for full WC people . With categories F and above, you get shipment of 2 bags each up to unlimited luggage shipments for suite cruisers both to and from the ship. The gifts are the same for the segment but usually they do not provide all previous gifts.

[rafinmd]

You receive most of them, do not think you get the luggage shipment included as for full WC people . With categories F and above, you get shipment of 2 bags each up to unlimited luggage shipments for suite cruisers both to and from the ship. The gifts are the same for the segment but usually they do not provide all previous gifts.

 

That sounds very much like what I got, although I suspect also those on the full WC may also have gotten invitations to some special luncheons and the like which didn't happen with us.

 

As to the gifts, at least on our WC we had a swap meet in the final days of the cruise and if there was something given out earlier in the cruise that you really wanted, it wasn't hard to get. Of course that is only available to segmenters on the last segment.

 

Roy

[Hlitner]

I can answer the second question, all dining is fixed. Not sure why as I would like to rotate and eat with different people on over 100 days of cruising.

 

This is, indeed, one of the strangest policies on HAL! As you know, it is not just done on the World Cruise, but also on most (if not all) of the Grand Cruises. When we did a 62 day cruise it was all fixed sitting and made no sense to those of us who prefer to do Select or As You Wish dining. The Maitre d explained the policy by saying that HAL feels that fixed dining maintains more tradition, but even he could not explain why HAL only does this on the longer cruises. In fact, on longer cruises there is more reason to have an open sitting scheme and let folks make their own decisions. We got very lucky on that long Prinsendam cruise because we had a fantastic table. But we saw others who were not very happy, some who ended up by themselves because they gave up trying to get a decent table assignment, etc.

 

The big joke is that an awful lot of cruisers on the long cruises are only doing segments...and many of these segments are shorter then other cruises where HAL does not follow this antiquated policy. Somewhere in Seattle there are some executives (probably in their 80s) who think this is a wise decision. The fact that nearly every other cruise line has abandoned forced fixed sitting with assigned tables does not have much impact on these ole folks in Seattle. They figure if it was good enough in the 1800s it is good enough in the 21st Century.

 

Hank

[antique sailor]

AHOY SHIPMATES,

 

DW and I have done 5 complete World Cruises since 1997. That was the final one on the ROTTERDAM V and had mostly previous WC ers , Then in 98 on the new ROTTERDAM VI it was almost full of complete WCers. 2000 had over 500, but 2002 Had only 359+- due to all the cancellations because of 911. The segments only had about the same numbers of part timers.

2011 was my last one and had about 650-700 full timers and 300-400 part timers. It is almost CHEAPER to do the entire cruise , F cat with free luggage shipment,SBC, comp. gratuities etc. We live in Fl so travel cost is minimal.

When we started most of the passengers were every year repeaters

Many elderly widows spending their Insurance money. Going aboard was like a family reunion. Many have died and many went to other Lines after the 2002 treatment and general changes taking place to cut costs.

It aint what it used to be.

 

gary

[Shmoo here]

OK, way back in history, when I was young ;), my all-time ultimate travel experience that I would dream of was a world cruise.

 

Sadly, I didn't start cruising until my "older years". Happily, I took to it with a passion.

 

I was quite thrilled when I found HAL had World Cruises. Is it still worth taking one on HAL (with all the cutbacks and downgrades)?

[antique sailor]

ok, way back in history, when i was young ;), my all-time ultimate travel experience that i would dream of was a world cruise.

 

Sadly, i didn't start cruising until my "older years". Happily, i took to it with a passion.

 

I was quite thrilled when i found hal had world cruises. Is it still worth taking one on hal (with all the cutbacks and downgrades)?

 

ahoy shipmate,

 

yes

[antique sailor]

Ahoy shipmate,

 

 

 

yes

[Shmoo here]

Ahoy shipmate,

 

 

 

yes

 

:D Thanks.

[arzz]

From what I have observed on the Grand Cruises we have taken is that you have an assigned table -- but many folks do dine around some -- whenever someone dines in the Pinnacle, guests are invited to the table from other tables, etc. It does happen. And, as others have mentioned, you can switch tables. This happens particularly at segment breaks.

 

It did happen once that DH and I spent about 30 days eating alone at a 6 top when good friends who were only doing half the cruise left the ship and the other two left to dine elsewhere (we were glad to be rid of them). Somehow, the dining room manager was "unable" to find us table mates, except the option to rejoin the pair from whom we had fled.

 

It wasn't so terrible. We still had a table on the stern windows and good food and I do consider DH to be good company.

[casamariposa]

Thank you, one and all, for your input. My cruises are getting longer and longer (49 or 50 days or thereabout) and I'm thinking world cruise. If not the full itinerary, perhaps segments adding up to perhaps 60 days. My main concern has been that the PAX who do segments might be treated like "stepchildren" by the passengers doing the full cruise. That is why I wanted the numbers breakdown, and that is helpful. Actually, I prefer "fixed" seating rather than "open," where it is sometimes necessary to go through introductions each evening. Visiting Indonesia is on my "bucket list," so I see myself sailing someday from Port Everglades to Singapore.

[rafinmd]

If you do that I would really recommend that you reverse it and do Singapore to Ft. Lauderdale if there's any way that can meet your time available and ports desired. My WC segment was actually the last of a string of 3 cruises totaling 55 days at sea in a 59 day period (Bali to Ft. Lauderdale with a 4-day break in Cape Town). There's a supreme feeling knowing that your flying is behind you and the Amsterdam will take you all the way home.

 

Roy

[Scrapnana]

Thank you, one and all, for your input. My cruises are getting longer and longer (49 or 50 days or thereabout) and I'm thinking world cruise. If not the full itinerary, perhaps segments adding up to perhaps 60 days. My main concern has been that the PAX who do segments might be treated like "stepchildren" by the passengers doing the full cruise. That is why I wanted the numbers breakdown, and that is helpful. Actually, I prefer "fixed" seating rather than "open," where it is sometimes necessary to go through introductions each evening. Visiting Indonesia is on my "bucket list," so I see myself sailing someday from Port Everglades to Singapore.

 

I was at a table for ten and five of us were together for 118 days - we became like family. The other five places were taken up by various people doing segments and we enjoyed meeting them (and I don't think they were treated any differently).

 

I loved taking a World Voyage and am now saving for my next one!

[CaveDiving]

This is, indeed, one of the strangest policies on HAL! As you know, it is not just done on the World Cruise, but also on most (if not all) of the Grand Cruises. When we did a 62 day cruise it was all fixed sitting and made no sense to those of us who prefer to do Select or As You Wish dining. The Maitre d explained the policy by saying that HAL feels that fixed dining maintains more tradition, but even he could not explain why HAL only does this on the longer cruises. In fact, on longer cruises there is more reason to have an open sitting scheme and let folks make their own decisions. We got very lucky on that long Prinsendam cruise because we had a fantastic table. But we saw others who were not very happy, some who ended up by themselves because they gave up trying to get a decent table assignment, etc.

 

The big joke is that an awful lot of cruisers on the long cruises are only doing segments...and many of these segments are shorter then other cruises where HAL does not follow this antiquated policy. Somewhere in Seattle there are some executives (probably in their 80s) who think this is a wise decision. The fact that nearly every other cruise line has abandoned forced fixed sitting with assigned tables does not have much impact on these ole folks in Seattle. They figure if it was good enough in the 1800s it is good enough in the 21st Century.

 

Hank

 

We most certainly would not be happy with open seating on any cruise. Meeting new friends and sharing experiences are for us an important feature of any cruise.

 

Next winter we are booked on a series of B2B2B2B…..cruises on the Prinsendam extending from November 2014 through to July 2015. We would not be the least bit interested in open seating for any of these cruises. In fact, being forced into open seating might just be the first thing of which I have heard, that might well make us leave HAL after 6 world cruises, 6 other Grand Cruises and more than 15 trips through the Panama Canal.

 

I do not think the people in Seattle are living in the past. I believe they are simply listening to their long cruise mariners who overwhelmingly prefer the dignity of fixed seating dining over open seating.

 

I believe surveys have been taken of Grand Cruise mariners in the past and there has not been enough interest in open seating to dedicate a portion of the MDR on Grand Cruises.

 

Scott & Karen

[casamariposa]

I tend to agree with CaveDiving regarding "fixed seating." I've made such good friends (some of whom I've been sharing cruises with) as a result of "bonding" over meals in the MDR. Another concern I have about doing a segment of the world cruise is that the PAX booked on the full cruise might have first crack at EARLY "fixed," leaving me at LATE seating (which I can't do because of health issues). That would mean I'd be eating dinner in the Lido Buffet!!! You've all been so helpful and have given me food for thought.

 

The reason I'd like to sail from Port Everglades to Singapore is that I've never crossed the Pacific, and that's on my bucket list! (I've crossed the Atlantic four times.)

[USN59-79]

I also agree with CaveDiving on fixed seating. We always request fixed seating and enjoy eating with the same friends each night. We took the second half of this year's WC and were seated at an 8-top. Two couples were on the full cruise; others were taking various segments. So we did have some variation. If we want to meet new friends every day, we do that by dining in the MDR for lunch. So we get the best of both experiences.

Ray & Sara

[Lizzie1213]

Happy, wow 8 WC! That is amazing!

 

Also amazing to me is that so many do the full WC. That is so great that people can do the full WC. We did a segment on a WC last year and will do another longer segment next year. Our first cruise was 11 days and each cruise tends to be a bit longer. I have to laugh because everytime my husband says, "why longer? you may not like it"...LOL. Next years is 74. Maybe one day a full WC........I can dream...but until then I will love reading of anyone's experiences and blogs of their WC!

 

That is my dream too!!