Already disappointed w/HAL - Asia help!

[travellovers2]

We have not even had the chance to get on a HAL ship and we're already disappointed.

 

We received an email today that 2 ports were changed and 2 were canceled from our May 2016 "christening" cruise on the Koningsdam. We were looking forward to visiting Malaga, Porto, Brussel and La Coruña not so much because we'll be there next year.

 

Instead they added one more day to Rotterdam to do the christening, I supposed, and a day in Amsterdam where we had planned two extra days post cruise.

 

So we're planning to cancel and head the other way.

 

Any suggestions on HAL cruises in Asia? We would like to start or end up in Japan.

 

Looking at April or May.

 

Thank you.

[chefestelle]

How long are you planning to sail? Where are you embarking from? I only saw one Asia cruise in your time frame and it is a Pacific crossing.

[Mary Ellen]

Fact is for inaugural/christening/premier cruises that things are not set in stone. We did the first three cruises on the Eurodam. We don't plan on ever sailing a brand new ship again. ;)

 

We've sailed a couple of times on the Volendam in Asia during April/May. One time we boarded in Kobe.

Edited August 18, 2015 by Mary Ellen

[chefestelle]

OP is looking for alternate cruises with HAL in Asia.

[travellovers2]

How long are you planning to sail? Where are you embarking from? I only saw one Asia cruise in your time frame and it is a Pacific crossing.

 

No longer than 14 days. We can embark from anywhere as long as it starts or ends in Japan. Reason is to spend at least a day pre/post cruise in Tokyo.

 

I didn't find much with HAL, the only one that has that route is mostly Princess, but we love how HAL covers so many ports so would prefer HAL if possible.

 

Are we missing something? Does HAL sail during other months in Asia? Thank you.

[travellovers2]

Fact is for inaugural/christening/premier cruises that things are not set in stone. We did the first three cruises on the Eurodam. We don't plan on ever sailing a brand new ship again. ;)

 

We've sailed a couple of times on the Volendam in Asia during April/May. One time we boarded in Kobe.

 

I will look into the Voledam. Thanks.

[sail7seas]

Sorry for your disappointment re: Koningsdam and think you made a good choice to cancel. If you know this is not the cruise you hoped for, no sense wasting your time and money. Hope you find the perfect Asia cruise.

 

[chefestelle]

Sorry, travellovers2. I meant where are you starting from? Canada, U.S., UK, Europe? I ask because the April cruise starts in Japan and ends in Vancouver. It's 17 days, though. I can't say about any special sailings but the website looks like the 14 day cruises are all in the September to March timeframe but not all go to or from Japan.

[rkacruiser]

There are many that will disagree. But, why not use a travel agent and allow that person to bear your issues and solve your concerns?

 

Their services cost nothing more and can help solve problems.

Edited August 18, 2015 by rkacruiser

[kazu]

Volendam is one of the HAL ships that does a lot of the Asia tours, but careful as one of our cruises was chartered.

 

Worked out for the best for us in the long run so no biggie, but it does happen in Asia.

 

It's easy to find Asia cruises on HAL. Just go to advanced on planning a cruise and tap in your time frame and leave the rest blank and you will see all the options.

[RuthC]

I will look into the Voledam. Thanks.

Check out both the Volendam trans-Pac cruise starting in Kobe, and the cruise before, ending in Kobe. One year there was a nice round-trip scheduled from Kobe, but that was chartered. It could be offered again, though, so it's worth looking.

[OlsSalt]

Do you know about the 90-day ticker website that lets you customize what you are looking for: cruise lines, dates, length, destinations, ports, embarkation and disembarkation cities. They cover most of the main cruise line offerings in their general search offerings, and you can custom search for the smaller more limited offering cruise lines.

 

Most of us longtime cruisers have had port changes after we sign up for all sort sorts of reasons. Comes with the nature of sailing. But if you chose a trip for a particular port, which is perfectly reasonable, and you are not getting it on this HAL cruise, by all means do keep looking. Take a look at 90-day ticker.

Edited August 19, 2015 by OlsSalt

[whogo]

Silversea's Silver Shadow, 2016:

DAY DATE PORT ARRIVE DEPART

Sat May 7 Tokyo (Yokohama), Japan 5:00pm

Sun May 8 At Sea

Mon May 9 Kushiro, Japan 8:00am 5:00pm

Tue May 10 At Sea

Wed May 11 At Sea

Thu May 12 Petropavlovsk, Kamchatka, Russia 7:00am 6:00pm

Fri May 13 At Sea

Sat May 14 Crossing International Dateline

Sun May 15 Dutch Harbor, AK 8:00am 1:00pm

Mon May 16 At Sea

Tue May 17 Kodiak, AK 8:00am 6:00pm

Wed May 18 Homer, AK 8:00am 5:00pm

Thu May 19 Anchorage (Seward), AK 7:00am

[dockman]

volendam march 31 2016 hong kong to yokohama 16 days

[Krazy Kruizers]

I don't blame you for wanting to cancel the Koningsdam what with all the changes.

 

Hope you get an Asian cruise you will like.

[grayjay]

I tried to find something in your time frame of April/May, but there really isn't much - mostly repositioning cruises, some Princess cruises out of Kobe for example and the Silver Shadow which is pricey.

As far as I know most cruise lines leave especially South East Asia after the months of March/April because it's then the hottest and (even if it's called the "dry" season) and most humid time of the year.

Japan, though, must be beautiful in spring!

[Tampa Girl]

Do you know about the 90-day ticker website that lets you customize what you are looking for: cruise lines, dates, length, destinations, ports, embarkation and disembarkation cities. They cover most of the main cruise line offerings in their general search offerings, and you can custom search for the smaller more limited offering cruise lines.

 

Most of us longtime cruisers have had port changes after we sign up for all sort sorts of reasons. Comes with the nature of sailing. But if you chose a trip for a particular port, which is perfectly reasonable, and you are not getting it on this HAL cruise, by all means do keep looking. Take a look at 90-day ticker.

 

Is it actually called "90-day ticker.com?"

[dakrewser]

Is it actually called "90-day ticker.com?"

 

No. But Google is your friend.

[USN59-79]

Is it actually called "90-day ticker.com?"

Just go to the top of this page and click on "Deals". Look at the sponsored ads in the right column and you will see the link.

[EDLOS]

No longer than 14 days. We can embark from anywhere as long as it starts or ends in Japan. Reason is to spend at least a day pre/post cruise in Tokyo.

 

I didn't find much with HAL, the only one that has that route is mostly Princess, but we love how HAL covers so many ports so would prefer HAL if possible.

 

Are we missing something? Does HAL sail during other months in Asia? Thank you.[/quote

 

I did two 14 days cruises last Jan/Feb from Hong Kong to Singapore on Volandam.

I did Princess for 9 days from Tokyo last October which turned into 11 days with Typhoons.

Wher are you thinking with every cruise line schedule on many web sites.

If it's not there, it ain;t going to happen by posting here

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Join us on the Volendam next year

[DeeniEncinitas]

Sorry for your disappointment re: Koningsdam and think you made a good choice to cancel. If you know this is not the cruise you hoped for, no sense wasting your time and money. Hope you find the perfect Asia cruise.

 

 

I agree with Sail,

Voledam would be a wonderful choice.

Denise:)

[travellovers2]

I looked at the Voledam and the only cruise that would suit us is the one on March 31st, but it's sold out. We want it to include Japan. Maybe we can wait and see if anybody cancels. I don't want to go in the fall, we already had that booked last year and had to cancel due to two typhoons. It was a long flight to get there and be on the ship the entire time. I don't mind doing that in the Caribbean, but not in a place we've never been to.

 

We're considering doing Japan on our own, but then again we prefer to cruise so we can see other places. Lots to think about. Maybe it will have to wait.

 

Thank you for all your responses.

[travellovers2]

Sorry, travellovers2. I meant where are you starting from? Canada, U.S., UK, Europe? I ask because the April cruise starts in Japan and ends in Vancouver. It's 17 days, though. I can't say about any special sailings but the website looks like the 14 day cruises are all in the September to March timeframe but not all go to or from Japan.

 

We are sailing from the U.S.

[travellovers2]

There are many that will disagree. But, why not use a travel agent and allow that person to bear your issues and solve your concerns?

 

Their services cost nothing more and can help solve problems.

 

The last travel agent I used was in 1984 and she made such a mess that I never used a TA again. With so much information on the internet, it doesn't make sense "to us" to have to use a TA. Maybe when we get older. :D

 

What we may do one day is take those organized tours where all you have to do is show up. But for now, we like to do our own planning and ask you guys if we have any questions. Thank you.:)