Hal discriminates European cruisers

[cruising cockroach]

I don't think sales taxes are a factor for cruises prices as I don't believe they're subject to these taxes especially since the cruise doesn't even touch Europe. Cruises are also seen as transportation. Similarly, air fares are not taxed with sales, VAT or other such taxes - just the usual user/traveller taxes..

 

The only taxes are the usual port and customs fees and what have you applicable to all.

 

What MAY be a factor is what is included, such as gratuities. Other factor MAY be outdated exchange rates. Of course one cannot look into the foreign HAL sites without using a proxy.

 

FWIW, HAL currently prices cruises for people buying in Canada at a ~7% advantage. May be pricing to reflect a CAD being worth just below 1 USD while it is currently USD 0.91 per CAD.

 

I did find a HAL cruise (not all cruises are offered by U.K. TAs) and the cheapest rate there is GBP 999 while the USD price is 1,599 which implies 1 GBP being worth USD 1.6 while it is more like 1 GBP = 1.67 USD these days. Maybe another outdated rate.

 

More interesting is prices sold in the Euro zone as the Euro hasn't changed much against the USD in the past year. Haven't been able/inclined to research this

 

Of course the Europeans are having their revenge with rock-bottom Med cruises as the cruise lines can't fill them.

[pralientje]

When I asked the HAL office in the Netherlands why Europeans were paying more than cruisers from America/Canada, the employee told me there were two reasons:

1. Since Europeans have a higher salary, they (HAL and others) can charge more

2. It was forbidden by law for Dutch to book in the States!

 

After the call was finished I realised I have never ever heard of such a Dutch law! I really think this was just made up! Plus there are cruise lines where you can book, using travel agents and/or companies, outside the Netherlands.

 

About the (non) drinking Americans. When I was on board the Rotterdam last December, several bartenders told me they were quite happy that the ship would go back to the Netherlands, because they knew a lot of Dutch people would board the ship. According to them, they were ordering many more drinks per person than Americans and/or Canadians usually do, so their income would be higher.

There indeed was a lot of drinking going on, since the cruise covered Christmas and New Year, but have not seen any drunk people.

[happy_traveller]

May be we europeans drink a little bit more but we do it much lesser.

When we made the Alaskan cruise we saw huge quantities of food goiing into the stomachs off the English speaking people and to be honest every drink has cover charge so we should get extra credit instead of paying more

[chrispb]

I

 

What MAY be a factor is what is included, such as gratuities.

year.

 

Gratuities have never been included in our cruise prices. We've always paid when on board.:confused:

[happy_traveller]

This time when we booked the cruise nearly one year ago we got finally the graduity off free drinks but paid more as the americans and when i complained about it they said and showed me it was in the taxes and fat etc they might be wright we are not totally convinced but because off their standart in dining we take this long cruise again. This winter we had a different ship and it was a small disaster nothong was really quite finished and we don't want to get that risk on a long voyage qe want real holidays excellent food good service and are prepared to pay for it!!!

[doublebzz]

You may pay more because you are taxed at a higher rate. But you also get better education and better medical care for your taxes. Isn't that more important to you?

 

Maybe they need the better medical care because they drink more than North Americans.

[happy_traveller]

I should not know people in my surrounding don't drink so much because as you said it isbot really healthy and we all love cruising!!!

[serendipity1499]

May be we europeans drink a little bit more but we do it much lesser.

When we made the Alaskan cruise we saw huge quantities of food goiing into the stomachs off the English speaking people and to be honest every drink has cover charge so we should get extra credit instead of paying more

 

You may be right..We've eaten in many European, Asian & South American restaurants as well as in private homes over the years...Agree that in most places outside of the U.S. plates seem to have much less food on them than those which are served in the U.S.. However, I've always thought that many people outside of the U.S. seem to have more courses when dining than most American's do.. Growing up my Mom served a salad & main course.. Desert was only served after church at our Sunday afternoon dinner..

 

When we eat out in the U.S. we generally have one or two glasses of wine, a salad or cup of soup & then a main course & then just coffee..The other day we went to an Italian place & I had spaghetti with meat balls..I took home half of it, as it was huge! We hardly ever order dessert unless it's in an Italian restaurant & instead of at that meal we'll take home Tiramisu to share the next day (my downfall!)

 

When we were on the Prinsendam we made friends with a lovely Australian couple & they once remarked that they thought there were many more American's who were over weight than people from other parts of the world.. That remark surprised me :eek:.. I made a concerted effort to watch what I ate after that..LOL:D

Edited August 2, 2014 by serendipity1499

[cruising cockroach]

When we were on the Prinsendam we made friends with a lovely Australian couple & they once remarked that they thought there were many more American's who were over weight than people from other parts of the world.. That remark surprised me :eek:.. I made a concerted effort to watch what I ate after that..LOL:D

 

U.S. Census does show that while native-born U.S. citizens on average have not grown much in height, they have grown in weight and girth. Reported average height/weight/girth for the average 20 y.o.+ man and woman in 2007-2010 was 5'9.5" / 191 lb/ 39.7"and , 5'4", 164 lb / 37.5" respectively.

 

Back in 1960, the height/weight for M & F 20 y.o.+ was 5'8", 166.3 lbs and 5'3" / 140.2 lb.

 

As far as your Australian co-cruisers go, supposedly 25% of Australians are overweight (by whatever standards) but you do see obese people (defined as BMI of 30+) more frequently in the U.S. than there.

 

http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/body-measurements.htm

[cruising cockroach]

I should not know people in my surrounding don't drink so much because as you said it isbot really healthy and we all love cruising!!!

 

Either vote with your wallet/feet or take advantage of last-minute cruises when they can't sell cabins. That's what I would and do do. Never bought a cruise outside the 67 day window. :D

[happy_traveller]

Problem with us is the last minutes are most of time not announced we get them from your Americain sites and then we have to tell them we are from Europe and prices are different i should have known that when my son was studying at the American university but then we spend money for educating and not for cruising .but we don,t mind so much if we have a good time and elegant dining with of course some wine to it.

[cruising cockroach]

Problem with us is the last minutes are most of time not announced we get them from your Americain sites and then we have to tell them we are from Europe and prices are different i should have known that when my son was studying at the American university but then we spend money for educating and not for cruising .but we don,t mind so much if we have a good time and elegant dining with of course some wine to it.

 

I'd avoid booking through HAL completely and work with a travel agent. One in Canada is best for now as the rates seem to be the best.

[happy_traveller]

I keep it in mind but now we can't change it because we booked on our Alaska trip for upcoming september and up till now the price is allright we watch all your sights and the prices they offer on our trip even their last minute is up till now the same price if we count the graduities to it.so we are looking forward for our september trip but anyway we have a look at the Canadian sites too next trip will take us a lot

Off time to roam around if that is the proper way to express it in Englis by the way we are Dutch.

[Stratheden]

You may be right..We've eaten in many European, Asian & South American restaurants as well as in private homes over the years...Agree that in most places outside of the U.S. plates seem to have much less food on them than those which are served in the U.S.. However, I've always thought that many people outside of the U.S. seem to have more courses when dining than most American's do.. Growing up my Mom served a salad & main course.. Desert was only served after church at our Sunday afternoon dinner..

 

When we eat out in the U.S. we generally have one or two glasses of wine, a salad or cup of soup & then a main course & then just coffee..The other day we went to an Italian place & I had spaghetti with meat balls..I took home half of it, as it was huge! We hardly ever order dessert unless it's in an Italian restaurant & instead of at that meal we'll take home Tiramisu to share the next day (my downfall!)

 

When we were on the Prinsendam we made friends with a lovely Australian couple & they once remarked that they thought there were many more American's who were over weight than people from other parts of the world.. That remark surprised me :eek:.. I made a concerted effort to watch what I ate after that..LOL:D

 

When travelling in the US, a lot of Australians order just one main course to be shared between two. We find the serves to be very large and we would waste a lot of food otherwise.

[WrittenOnYourHeart]

Hal seems to forget that Europeans are the ones they can make money on. They do the drinking on board. People from the US and or Canada only drink the free coffee or water.

 

 

Really? So I imagined the hours the group I was just with on the Westerdam - all of us from the US and Canada - spent in the bars. And we had no free drink cards included in our cruise fare.

 

Trust me. People in the US and Canada drink.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[cruising cockroach]

Really? So I imagined the hours the group I was just with on the Westerdam - all of us from the US and Canada - spent in the bars. And we had no free drink cards included in our cruise fare.

 

Trust me. People in the US and Canada drink.

 

Maybe there was a generation, now mostly dead, that grew up during Prohibition who kept to these teetotalling habits and made a lasting impression on Europeans?

 

That said, My wife and I were having lunch in N****îmes, France last March and saw what appeared to be a N. American family having coffee (in big cups, not an end of meal café) with their lunch. Took us aback as we hadn't seen anything like that in months. Of course when we were eating in a restaurant in rural Canada a few weeks go, one restaurant had coffee cups and saucers at the dinner setting where coffee is offered with dinner (something you also see in Nevada casino diners). We hadn't seen anything like this for years, certainly not in a bit city like Vancouver.

[PROCRUISE]

Perhaps HAL offers promos like Exp. 4 to Americans because we are the ones that need a little "incentive" to spend the thousands of dollars in air fare to get to Europe. Seems to make good business sense. And from what I have seen across several other lines, pretty typcial. Some lines offer low cost air as the incentive. Some "free air".

 

I think you've nailed it! When airfare to cross "the pond" is more than the cruise, we do indeed like incentives. :)

[VMax1700]

I think you've nailed it! When airfare to cross "the pond" is more than the cruise, we do indeed like incentives. :)

 

Then why not reciprocate and offer it to Europeans to 'cross the pond' to take more Caribbean cruises? We have to spend thousands to get Stateside, just as you have to spend thousands to get to Europe. :(

[anniegb]

When travelling in the US, a lot of Australians order just one main course to be shared between two. We find the serves to be very large and we would waste a lot of food otherwise.

 

I am Scots and when eating in a NY diner returned my main course and asked them to reduce the portion by 2/3rds. The portion size was obscene and totally unnecessary.

 

An American friend of mine who is a retired director of Medicine blames the growing obesity epidemic in the world on lack of portion control. Unfortunately the practice of oversized portions is spreading.

 

Quality over quantity every time...... please.

 

Annie

[sapper1]

I am Scots and when eating in a NY diner returned my main course and asked them to reduce the portion by 2/3rds. The portion size was obscene and totally unnecessary.

 

An American friend of mine who is a retired director of Medicine blames the growing obesity epidemic in the world on lack of portion control. Unfortunately the practice of oversized portions is spreading.

 

Quality over quantity every time...... please.

 

Annie

 

When travelling in the US my husband and I routinely share one entree. Even doing that we sometimes cannot finish the mountain of food that is put in front of us.

[doublebzz]

The cruise lines have done a good job of reducing their portion size over the years although I suspect the reason has nothing to do with fighting obesity.

[RuthC]

Maybe there was a generation, now mostly dead, that grew up during Prohibition who kept to these teetotalling habits and made a lasting impression on Europeans?

More likely, the generation growing up during Prohibition were watching Auntie making bathtub gin. ;)

[babyher]

More likely, the generation growing up during Prohibition were watching Auntie making bathtub gin. ;)

 

 

*LOL* more than likely

 

Milton Berle used to tell the joke "I had a brother who was a doctor, a brother who was a lawyer , and if it wasn't for my brother the bootlegger, we all would have starved to death" :)

[iancal]

We also often share entrees in the US because of portion size. And what is with the fries with everything and so many of them?

 

There is price discrimination in parts of the travel industry in many countries....the UK included. As Canadians we can sometimes not access sertain travel offers in the UK or if we can they are more expensive. We have found ways to circumvent this. Fortunately we have several accommodation addresses that we can use to get around these artificial barriers.

[RollieUK]

Then why not reciprocate and offer it to Europeans to 'cross the pond' to take more Caribbean cruises? We have to spend thousands to get Stateside, just as you have to spend thousands to get to Europe. :(

 

Totally agree with this. People from US seem to think that it is further for them to get to Europe than it is for Europeans to get to US.

 

Apart from the cost, my main complaint is the situation of deposits. In the US if you cancel up to final payment your deposit is returned. When we book, however far before the cruise, we lose our deposit if we cancel.

 

I think that booking conditions should be the same no matter which country we are from.