second Pinnacle-class announced november 2018!

[kangforpres]

I'm glad the are ordering the 2nd Pinnacle class, I think HAL is adapting to the market with bigger ships. Now if the next class after Pinnacle is bigger than 2650 pax I think they would be overreaching.

 

-Paul

[Vict0riann]

I seem to remember someone said on another thread that the new ship would not have a full "walk-around" deck. Anybody know for sure?

 

On our Maasdam cruise the FCC was busy selling cruises on the Koningsdam. Hope the timing stays the same for her inauguration!

[Copper10-8]

I seem to remember someone said on another thread that the new ship would not have a full "walk-around" deck. Anybody know for sure?

 

On our Maasdam cruise the FCC was busy selling cruises on the Koningsdam. Hope the timing stays the same for her inauguration!

 

 

http://www.cruiseshipdeckplan.com/ms-koningsdam/

 

MS Koningsdam Deck 3 Plan – Promenade

•World Stage (level 2 of 2)

•Casino (with gambling tables, slots, PokerPro digital touch screen table), served by Casino Bar

•Art Gallery (art works exhibitions, purchases, art auctions)

•Signature Shops (level 2 of 2)

•Queen’s Lounge

•Atrium (upper level 3 of 3)

•Grand Dutch Cafe

•Photo Gallery & Shop (photo-video services by professional photographers) The shop sells duty equipment and accessories.

•The Dining Room (upper level 2 of 2).

•Promenade Deck is an open-air deck space making full circle around the ship.

 

MS Koningsdam Deck Plan 3 layout - Promenade Deck

[jtl513]

I seem to remember someone said on another thread that the new ship would not have a full "walk-around" deck. Anybody know for sure?

The consensus opinion seems to be that the lifeboats will sit on (or even with) the deck, so that the promenade will be considerably narrower for the center half of the ship, and be greatly obstructed. IMO this will mean that the lifeboat drills will have to be done in inside locations.

.

Edited December 19, 2014 by jtl513

[sail7seas]

This should give confidence to all the folks who have been fretting about the future of HAL as a brand. I will enjoy having yet one more ship upon which I can sail solo.

 

Can't a solo sail on all HAL ships? :confused: Why would a solo not be able to sail all 15?

 

I suspect you reference because they have thrown those solo cabins into the bow on Koningsdam? Awful location IMO

I am now a solo but cannot imagine that location in terms of smooth ride, comfort, noise, anchor chain etc

 

 

 

 

http://www.cruiseshipdeckplan.com/ms-koningsdam/

 

<snip>

MS Koningsdam Deck Plan 3 layout - Promenade Deck

 

Seems some question about life boats sitting on the deck and whether we can actually walk all they way around. I have been confused when this has been discussed previously.

 

 

Sorry, John.

I didn't see your post before I typed mine.

Edited December 19, 2014 by sail7seas

[Copper10-8]

Can't a solo sail on all HAL ships? :confused: Why would a solo not be able to sail all 15?

 

I suspect you reference because they have thrown those solo cabins into the bow on Koningsdam? Awful location IMO

I am now a solo but cannot imagine that location in terms of smooth ride, comfort, noise, anchor chain etc

 

 

 

 

 

 

Seems some question about life boats sitting on the deck and whether we can actually walk all they way around. I have been confused when this has been discussed previously.

 

 

Check out the Deck 3/Prom Deck plan - You can walk all the way around (striped portions of the deck plan) and, yes, the life boats/tenders will be recessed alongside that deck (the white exterior portions of the deck plan)

http://www.cruiseshipdeckplan.com/ms-koningsdam/

[frankc98376]

My guess is that sooner than later Prinsendam will go (possibly back to Seabourn) and Amsterdam or Rotterdam will take over the "Elegant Explorer" role with HAL and specialize on longer voyages year round.

 

Comparing to the Vistas and up they are relatively "small" ships and lovely ships to sail on.

[PathfinderEss]

Thanks for the information. Well I guess that would mean the end of the 'S' class ships, bet they can't get rite of the Veendam so there goes the Maasdam or even the Prinsendam. Maybe Oceania will take them as they seem to think there is a market for smaller cruise ships.

[kazu]

Does not a scientist to work out that the big ships make more than the small they ones. The first thing they shout is, "Sell it!". Then along comes a buyer and the buy the small ship and still make money. The small ship stays popular and does the old itinerary that the big ship can't do. So... what do the passengers... they move from HAL and switch to another cruise. That means a lot of passengers are lost. A company like HAL should keep old and new, small and old!

 

 

 

Stephen

 

Stephen I totally agree.

 

The last thing I heard,, the Prinsendam was the most profitable ship on HAL. Go figure!

 

Oceania does well with smaller ships and are expanding.

 

HAL had a chance to do a niche market and chose not to.

 

 

I'm glad the are ordering the 2nd Pinnacle class, I think HAL is adapting to the market with bigger ships. Now if the next class after Pinnacle is bigger than 2650 pax I think they would be overreaching.

 

-Paul

 

You can go ahead and flame me but I am disappointed. I was hoping that they would reach for a niche market. Being one of many is not a niche market.

 

I guess each to their own. Time will tell if this was a good move for them or not.

[RuthC]

The consensus opinion seems to be that the lifeboats will sit on (or even with) the deck, so that the promenade will be considerably narrower for the center half of the ship, and be greatly obstructed. IMO this will mean that the lifeboat drills will have to be done in inside locations.

.

At least this ship will have plenty of public space on the same deck, so it's possible to hold the drill inside without further endangering the passengers in event of a real emergency.

Most of the current fleet doesn't have that advantage.

[frankc98376]

Check out the Deck 3/Prom Deck plan - You can walk all the way around (striped portions of the deck plan) and, yes, the life boats/tenders will be recessed alongside that deck (the white exterior portions of the deck plan)

http://www.cruiseshipdeckplan.com/ms-koningsdam/

 

I like this layout as it should eliminate obstructed view staterooms

Edited December 19, 2014 by frankc98376

[Lizzie68]

The deck seems to be awfully narrow in places, those walking 3 and 4-abreast will have to split up.:rolleyes:

[InTheWASide]

The deck seems to be awfully narrow in places, those walking 3 and 4-abreast will have to split up.:rolleyes:

 

oh god forbid... people walking in one direction can't take up the whole dam (pun intended) walkway and may have to be courteous to other walkers.

 

The horror :D

[sammiedawg]

Stephen I totally agree.

 

The last thing I heard,, the Prinsendam was the most profitable ship on HAL. Go figure!

 

Oceania does well with smaller ships and are expanding.

 

HAL had a chance to do a niche market and chose not to.

 

 

 

 

You can go ahead and flame me but I am disappointed. I was hoping that they would reach for a niche market. Being one of many is not a niche market.

 

I guess each to their own. Time will tell if this was a good move for them or not.

 

Well I can believe Prinsendam is the most profitable ship since I did not see a value added component over the other small ships such as Ryndam. We paid the premium to try it out and it did not deliver for the price we paid. Food and menus were standard for the fleet, the same pluses and minuses for food and service as on the rest of the fleet. Not to mention the ship is very old in the tooth, rotting outer decks, musty smelling cabins and corridors are not for me.

I don't think HAL is a niche brand, it is mass market. If I want premium or niche there are much better options out there.

[FRANKIEDNYC]

Linda and I had the pleasure of dining with the Captain on the Prinsendam during the South America/Antarctica cruise this past winter . He told us that the Prinsendam was guaranteed to be around for a minimum of four more years with HAL.

[MOcruiserman]

[quote name='sammiedawg']Well I can believe Prinsendam is the most profitable ship since I did not see a value added component over the other small ships such as Ryndam. We paid the premium to try it out and it did not deliver for the price we paid. Food and menus were standard for the fleet, the same pluses and minuses for food and service as on the rest of the fleet. Not to mention the ship is very old in the tooth, rotting outer decks, musty smelling cabins and corridors are not for me.
I don't think HAL is a niche brand, it is mass market. If I want premium or niche there are much better options out there.[/quote]

HAL does have its niche, but not as a small ship, premium line. I think those days are over. Carnival Corp. has decided that there's more money to be made by concentrating on bigger ships - 2,000 plus passengers, and they are probably right. But HAL will continue to have the classy, sophisticated layout that it's always had because there are many folks, including my wife and I, who find that very appealing.

[Typhoon1]

Thanks for the update,

Just what HAL needs another Mega ship.

[sppunk]

[quote name='Typhoon1']Thanks for the update,

Just what HAL needs another Mega ship.[/QUOTE]

Um these are FAR from a mega ship. They are small for new builds.

[InTheWASide]

[quote name='sppunk']Um these are FAR from a mega ship. They are small for new builds.[/QUOTE]


Smaller end of medium at least


Sent from my iPhone 6 using Forums

[Dave in NJ]

Who remembers the industry and media comments when the Statendam of 1993 was put into service? With just a few exceptions (Norway, QE2), most of the cruise ships of the time were in the 20,000 - 30,000 GRT range and there was much speculation that the S-class monsters were far too large and would never be able to find enough clientele to be successful. How times have changed in just 20 years!

[RuthC]

[quote name='Dave in NJ']Who remembers the industry and media comments when the Statendam of 1993 was put into service? With just a few exceptions (Norway, QE2), most of the cruise ships of the time were in the 20,000 - 30,000 GRT range and there was much speculation that the S-class monsters were far too large and would never be able to find enough clientele to be successful. How times have changed in just 20 years![/QUOTE]
[FONT="Comic Sans MS"][SIZE="3"][COLOR="RoyalBlue"]How well I remember. I was used to ships of about 20-25 thousand tons, and had a hard time getting myself to move up to the "big" 38-thousand ton ss Rotterdam in '93!
Once I got used to that it didn't feel like too much of a jump to the Statendam in '94, but anything more was just going to be out of the question.

It's more than the "times" that have changed. We have, too. [/COLOR][/SIZE][/FONT]

[sail7seas]

[quote name='mancunian']On our recent cruise in Australia, we were seated on the hotel director's table at the mariners' lunch. He was talking a lot about the fleet and HAL and said that in fact all the R and S ships are on the market but not much interest because small ships do not make a profit so I guess if the can sell them two more will go to be replaced by the larger model.

The thing about that that worries me is that we may lose out on itineraries[/QUOTE]

[B] I 'assumed', at the least, (sadly) Maasdam and Veendam are for sale and probably Zaandam and Volendam. Though Rotterdam is the oldest of the "R" ships, I wonder if she is for sale. Then again, just about everything in this world is for sale if the right price is offered. :)

What ship would do World Cruise if Amsterdam leaves the fleet? Vistas are too big, I would think.

[/B]



[quote name='Dave in NJ']Who remembers the industry and media comments when the Statendam of 1993 was put into service? With just a few exceptions (Norway, QE2), most of the cruise ships of the time were in the 20,000 - 30,000 GRT range and there was much speculation that the S-class monsters were far too large and would never be able to find enough clientele to be successful. How times have changed in just 20 years![/QUOTE]

[B] I WELL remember Statendam joining the fleet. We sailed her Inaugural Season to Panama Canal..... then again and again and again. :) We loved that ship immediately.

We were on Maasdam in Boston for a great Inaugural Party HAL ran when she made her crossing to U.S. It was fabulous!! And, indeed, seeing we sailed Maasdam aboutt 35 times, it's clear how much we love that ship and her crew.
I little piece of my heart will fade when she leaves the fleet.

I don't think a shrunken HAL fleet is necessarily a bad thing. The number of berths won't change much when Koningsdam joins the fleet and Ryndam/Statendam leave but there will be one less ship. When Pinnacle ship number two joins the fleet, I suspect the fleet will be down to about 12 ships.

My speculation is HAL would like to offer fewer Caribbean cruises and with fewer ships, they can concentrate on other itineraries. I doubt they'd fully abandon the Caribbean but perhaps one or even two fewer ships there.

Just idle speculation. :D

[/B]

[Folk Singer]

Thank you for all of this information.

[InTheWASide]

[quote name='sail7seas']



What ship would do World Cruise if Amsterdam leaves the fleet? Vistas are too big, I would think.



[/B][/QUOTE]


Not necessarily. Costa has offered world cruises on Deliziosa and/or sliminess I believe which are basically the same size. Cunard has done world cruises on all 3 ships currently in their fleet sometimes all in the same year.

Yes different clientele but if Costa can fill a costa platform based ship for one and Cunard can do the same with 2 plus the massive QM2 than surely HAL could fill one. Could make the world cruise more intriguing to some that haven't considered it before as well since the Vista/Signature ships have more onboard amenities.


Sent from my iPhone 6 using Forums Edited December 20, 2014 by InTheWASide

[rkacruiser]

[quote name='InTheWASide']Not necessarily. Costa has offered world cruises on Deliziosa and/or sliminess I believe which are basically the same size. Cunard has done world cruises on all 3 ships currently in their fleet sometimes all in the same year.

Yes different clientele but if Costa can fill a costa platform based ship for one and Cunard can do the same with 2 plus the massive QM2 than surely HAL could fill one. Could make the world cruise more intriguing to some that haven't considered it before as well since the Vista/Signature ships have more onboard amenities.


Sent from my iPhone 6 using Forums[/quote]

I agree with your thinking. Using a Vista or Signature Class for such a cruise mught make me consider another world cruise. I enjoy the increased amenities available on those classes of ships, particularly the Hydrothermal Pool and Thermal Suite.