Big Announcement coming soon (Week of 10/26?)

[Topsham]

 

 

 

 

I think pax would care because the mutual management, buying, building, staffing, and identities of the three lines would merge and one would be 'too' much like the other. Those of us stubbornly loyal to HAL chose the blue hulled beauties, (many) Dutch Officers, Indonesian/Filipino (many) crew. We could have chosen Princess or Seabourn but we didn't. Same could be said for those cruise lines' loyalists.

 

We like the art, ship design, size, experience on HAL ships. :) It has already changed so dramatically, this kind of a merger would substantially make HAL disappear, as we know it.

 

JMO......

 

 

 

I think that the cruise lines in GROUP could well be quite different in feeling and product.... but anything else... as in beds... could all have the same. Same purchasing for lots of power. If not all this, why was Stein Kruse appointed as the overall man in charge this group? Had to be a reason somewhere along the line. I don't think it as a merger though. Mind, it has already been doing this for almost 30 years.

 

 

Stephen

[sail7seas]

Yes, they have been doing 'group buying' etc for 30 or so years BUT a lot of things changed (and continue to change) when Princess became part of the Carnival Family of Ships. We can trace so many changes to 'it happened first on Princess'. :) My guess is Princess was taken over by Carnival in the range of 15 years ago?

 

 

[wayzer]

It is likely a announcement that Princess is taking over more of Holland America's day to day operation. They have taken control of the Award Winning Holland America's Medical Team.:mad:

[Old As Dirt Mom]

I wonder if the October meeting is simply the regular get together for the senior officers on all of the HAL ships. I recall reading the following last week on the blog by “arzz” on the “Tales of the South Pacific 2015” cruise going on right now.

 

…It seems Captain Eversen along with Henk Mensink (Hotel Director) and Christel Mensink (Guest Relations Manager) will be leaving us on October 22 (when we are in Apia) and returning on November 4 (when we are in Papeete). According to today's "On Location" they are being required to represent the vessel for Holland America Line in a pending legal matter...

 

So the senior officers from at least the Amsterdam are likely attending the meeting. This meeting would, of course, be a great place to announce any future plans for Holland America.

 

Scott & Karen

 

Nope, sorry - wrongo, dongo!

 

Here's my (worthless) speculation to cause more exciting obfuscation and generally send this thread in an ever more meandering direction: Does the pending legal matter have to do with a canine who was on the Grand Pacific and Asia voyage last autumn (2014)?

[Topsham]

How about we are going to have some 'baby' HAL ships. The Seabourn ships will come into HAL... with Prinsendam and make a little 'baby' luxury brand of HAL.

 

I go back to my earlier posting... one large fleet under one Head Office.

[sail7seas]

If I recall, Seabourn's headquarters offices and most of their staff were let go because of cost savings. For Seabourn to have moved into HAL headquarters and to share Executives has to indicate less than booming success on the profit and loss statements of Seabourn. Why would HAL be able to make them more successful than Seabourn unless the greatly diminish the product and....... make it into HAL? :)

 

[Topsham]

If I recall, Seabourn's headquarters offices and most of their staff were let go because of cost savings. For Seabourn to have moved into HAL headquarters and to share Executives has to indicate less than booming success on the profit and loss statements of Seabourn. Why would HAL be able to make them more successful than Seabourn unless the greatly diminish the product and....... make it into HAL? :)

 

 

 

 

I think HAL could easily have a high end luxury division within the HAL fleet. If you wish... all Neptune Suite small ships. There are already plenty of people willing to go for Neptune.... and might even to sail on smaller ships... if all Neptune suites. Already there are small ships doing just that.

 

I just hope that the announcement is something good and positive... not just hype marketing.

 

No point is being good news if it is just something new to spend on board for revenue... if the meatloaf is always cold!

[UPNYGuy]

I personally feel that it is only a matter of time until HAL is folded totally into Princess. Both brands do compete for the same demographic (well heeled retirees and baby boomers). Having 2 separate brands that does this under the same corporate umbrella is a company competing with itself.

[Watson's aunt]

Hi

 

 

Hope the fix the solo double fare

 

 

Mary

[Copper10-8]

Here's my (worthless) speculation to cause more exciting obfuscation and generally send this thread in an ever more meandering direction: Does the pending legal matter have to do with a canine who was on the Grand Pacific and Asia voyage last autumn (2014)?

Check your inbox Moeder van middelbare leeftijd/MOM ;)

[dakrewser]

HAL has to recruit a new demographic in order to get out of this rut.

 

There is another way. As you say, the current loyal cruisers who book the longer sailings have become blasé but the answer could be to change the experience and cater once again to their taste. The new "Blend", for example, isn't a way to steal pax from RCCI or Carnival, but is an appeal to Seabourn and Crystal pax.

 

More moves like that could envigorate the brand. This would also help to encourage profitability in small ships.

 

HAL needs to maintain an identity very different from Carnival, Costa, and Princess and act as a bridge to Cunard & Seabourn.

[Topsham]

There is another way. As you say, the current loyal cruisers who book the longer sailings have become blasé but the answer could be to change the experience and cater once again to their taste. The new "Blend", for example, isn't a way to steal pax from RCCI or Carnival, but is an appeal to Seabourn and Crystal pax.

 

More moves like that could envigorate the brand. This would also help to encourage profitability in small ships.

 

HAL needs to maintain an identity very different from Carnival, Costa, and Princess and act as a bridge to Cunard & Seabourn.

 

 

 

Carnival has always maintained that they wanted a mass market and also for a luxury market and they made that bridge with HAL. I agree.

[AZNative2000]

In preparation for whatever this announcement is, I booked and paid deposit on another cruise today. Just in case prices go nuts. Now have two for 2016.:)

 

Looking at 2017.

 

Any reason will do!:D:D

 

Cheers!

[SilvertoGold]

Back to you.... and always with respect 'cause I'm not a business person either, but the statement....

 

 

"promises to take Holland America Line in a bold direction where no cruise line has ever gone before".

 

 

Doesn't say anything about 'passengers'. Could be anything. What I wrote earlier.... that might just be the tip of the iceberg. Could be passenger loyalty between all the cruise lines.... same beds o every cruise line.... all no smoking.... all vegetarian ships. :eek:.... Could be anything.

 

 

The statement refers to specifically 'Holland America Line'. Now Mr Kruse is the leader of HAL 'and' the group of HAL, CCL, Princess and Seabourn.... he is so the one to roll out this to the public.

 

 

Stephen

 

Thank you, Stephen

 

Surprisingly passengers are somewhat important to a business, I know that much, so I would think whatever the latest announcement will be, it must necessarily impact the customers positively and seriously.

 

The bit about "a bold direction where no cruise line has gone before" sounds so much like what was said prior to Fathom being announced.

 

Could be anything, as you say.

[SilvertoGold]

 

 

 

 

 

I don't understand this and previous references (which may not be yours). I know what Fathom is and what they do, but what is the connection of Fathom to HAL's announcement?

 

I mean that earlier this year there was a huge fuss about a big press conference by Carnival Corp. and there was a HUGE amount of speculation on this board about all the excellent possibilities and it turned out to be an understatement: the new brand, Fathom.

 

I am hoping this latest won't be a repeat.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Carnival has always maintained that they wanted a mass market and also for a luxury market and they made that bridge with HAL. I agree.

 

I've always thought that Carnival was smart in their acquisitions. They've got a line for just about everyone. There's no point in making all their lines the same. If they did that, they'd only need one company name.

 

Your comment about an all-Neptune suite ship is interesting. I book Neptunes on the Vistas, but not on the "S" ships because of the price difference. On a Vista it isn't a huge jump in price from the next level down (signature suite?). But on Veendam, the price difference between the vista suite (which looks a lot like a regular balcony cabin to me) and the Neptune was a lot. Granted, the Neptune suite is twice the size of the Vista suite, but I felt the cost wasn't worth it.

[3rdGenCunarder]

I mean that earlier this year there was a huge fuss about a big press conference by Carnival Corp. and there was a HUGE amount of speculation on this board about all the excellent possibilities and it turned out to be an understatement: the new brand, Fathom.

 

I am hoping this latest won't be a repeat.

 

Ah, I understand. A lot of advance hype and not such a big deal after all.

[Himself]

I've seen a couple articles online that don't work when I try to paste them in this post, that indicate HAL is going to be making a huge announcement in the next week or so that "promises to take Holland America Line in a bold direction where no cruise line has ever gone before". Other listings are referring to brand evolutions and some have hinted at large branding changes, fleet-wide enhancements and new brand initiatives. This is all supposed to take place at some huge event in New York City.

 

A couple of my contacts in the Seattle HQ have said there's a big meeting in the office early next week that seems like it may be related of course that doesn't necessarily mean that the NYC event and the news going public will happen the same day.

 

Seems like the next week or two could be some interesting ones for HAL

 

I will wait with Bated breath!

[3rdGenCunarder]

Where no cruise line has gone before... free unlimited internet for everyone?

 

(ok, you can stop laughing now)

[sail7seas]

In preparation for whatever this announcement is, I booked and paid deposit on another cruise today. Just in case prices go nuts. Now have two for 2016.:)

 

Looking at 2017.

 

Any reason will do!:D:D

 

Cheers!

 

I like the way you think. :)

[SteelMagnolia9]

There is another way. As you say, the current loyal cruisers who book the longer sailings have become blasé but the answer could be to change the experience and cater once again to their taste.

 

I'm going to say it will be quite the opposite. I think whatever the announcement will be, it will be geared to attract a new demographic.

[Zeta3]

Adults only...

[81Zoomie]

Time share model? Buy a week a year?

[sppunk]

I personally feel that it is only a matter of time until HAL is folded totally into Princess. Both brands do compete for the same demographic (well heeled retirees and baby boomers). Having 2 separate brands that does this under the same corporate umbrella is a company competing with itself.

 

Princess will fold more into HAL than the other way around. HAL branding isn't going anywhere, it worldwide is significantly stronger than Princess.

[TiogaCruiser]

Time share model? Buy a week a year?

 

From some recent ads, Disney has started branching into timeshare land resorts, and if I understand, cruise weeks.