Official: Oosterdam has been re-deployed April-Nov. 2017

[Lady Arwen]

Just received email from HAL. Oosterdam is going to Alaska. They are offering any Med cruise at the same per diem rate as originally booked with various amounts of OBC $50.00 per person to $100.00 per person. You can choose a northern Europe cruise with the OBC, but price will be the same as current, not as originally booked.

 

We're looking at the Westerdam doing 12 night from Rome to Barcelona June 4th. Would have liked Koningsdam, but unfortunately we'd have to pay going rate, not discounted.

 

Curious that no ships are shown (except Oosterdam, which is still showing on the HAL website) leaving from Barcelona, which would be our first choice.

[frankc98376]

Perhaps a ship or two are leaving sooner than originally anticipated. I still see Maasdam and Veendam through summer 2017 but that could change too.

[RocketMan275]

Oooopppssss I meant 2017 🙀 Sorry for any confusion!!!

 

Figured that was the case.

HAL still shows Oosterdam moving to the Med in March 17.

It comes back to Fort Lauderdale in Oct 17.

Curiously, it goes to California in Nov 17 and remains there until Mar 18 when it goes back to FFL. Rotterdam is sailing out of Tampa while Oosterdam is in California.

 

It's possible that the plan is to keep Oosterdam in California Mar 17 til Nov 17.

[Lady Arwen]

Figured that was the case.

HAL still shows Oosterdam moving to the Med in March 17.

It comes back to Fort Lauderdale in Oct 17.

Curiously, it goes to California in Nov 17 and remains there until Mar 18 when it goes back to FFL. Rotterdam is sailing out of Tampa while Oosterdam is in California.

 

It's possible that the plan is to keep Oosterdam in California Mar 17 til Nov 17.

 

HAL says Oosterdam is going to Alaska, so probably will stay in California for embarkment.

[CORealtor]

Yep, just got notification that my September 2017 Mediterranean cruise on Oosterdam has cancelled. I guess she is moving to Alaska. I booked this the day the itineraries were released so I could get the cabin I wanted. Unfortunately, there is nothing in September 2017 with that cabin left. I guess I'll wait another year! I hate it when this happens!

[sail7seas]

I li

I had posted about my suspicion of redeployment in another thread. I have a strong feeling they will follow Celebrity's lead and keep her in the Caribbean for summer 2018.

 

If Oosterdam is redeployed for Caribbean in summer 2018 I'd venture to guess shed move to FLL from Tampa for the summer

i aagree.

 

We liked when we sailed from Tamps b ut t he parks hold zip, zero no interestto me.I liked gthe level topography and we had somegrerat walks.

Edited August 24, 2016 by sail7seas

[Mosaic]

The letter also said "Due to increasing demand for more Alaska cruises",

but the people in the redeploy department in Seattle state, correctly, that it is due to the DECREASED demand in Europe (i.e. people are afraid to go to Europe.

 

There are no good substitutes for us, after 3 hours on hold, we are still trying to figure it out...

[freestyling]

I hope you find a suitable replacement. My B2B2B just as mame42's had a middle segment that was cancelled for Oct on the Koningsdam. Hal PCC was excellent in assisting us in piecing together a nice B2B in the same cabin.

[kqcallahan]

Guess this is why every time I click on the Med. cruise I wanna go on it brings me back to search. Sigh. I assume another boat won't be put into it's place with the same itinerary? (hey a girl can dream)

[Florida_gal_50]

Op, I hope you find a suitable cruise. Thank you for sharing this information.

[tgeonetta]

I noticed when I did an early morning price check that my sailing had disappeared. Later that day someone on CC spoke to a Hal representative and posted confirming a redeployment. In about three days my TA received notification from HAL, including suggested alternatives and offers. However, it took almost another week for HAL to set up a rep to prepared to exclusively handle rebookings from that cancellation. I must say that HAL bent over backwards to compensate for disappointment and inconvenience.

 

So I am in the same boat(no pun intended) and trying to reschedule, what did they offer? Our original included airfare and Explore 4

[mustgo]

I got an email today from Holland. Our fall 2017 TA is cancelled. The ship is redeployed to Alaska for summer 2017 to do 7 day cruises from Seattle. We were offered to book any other TA for the same per day price we had and for a balcony and up get a $100 onboard credit per person. An inside or window get $50 credit pp. I have been busy looking at other TAs. I have not yet called them.

[sail7seas]

hate going yto HAl'Sunfriendly Site but am eager to find where Noordam will be winter 2017I've been promised an Atlas but I have not yet received it.

[erewhon]

hate going yto HAl'Sunfriendly Site but am eager to find where Noordam will be winter 2017I've been promised an Atlas but I have not yet received it.

 

It appears that Noordam will again be with us for our "down under" summer 2017-2018.

I have checked the Port Otago website, Noordam is booked for October 30th 2017, November 12th and 29th, December 12th, 12th February,March 5th and 3rd April 2018.

[CORealtor]

Just booked a new cruise with additional perks. It is a negative that they cancelled the cruise, but will enjoy my substitute. Same cabin, Westerdam, different cruise.

[Mosaic]

For us, they offered to replace our 22 day cruise with a 14.:mad:

[Lady Arwen]

Just booked a new cruise with additional perks. It is a negative that they cancelled the cruise, but will enjoy my substitute. Same cabin, Westerdam, different cruise.

 

We, too, are probably switching to Westerdam in comparable cabin, but different itinerary. What additional perks did you receive? We've been offered a small OBC.

[Lady Arwen]

For us, they offered to replace our 22 day cruise with a 14.:mad:

 

That is really disappointing! I would also be upset!

[CORealtor]

We, too, are probably switching to Westerdam in comparable cabin, but different itinerary. What additional perks did you receive? We've been offered a small OBC.

 

We received the Explore 4, which we didn't have before. And since we are in a suite, we received the prepaid gratuities and $200 Internet credit as well. And we also received the OBC of $200.

[MaisonRose]

I just spoke to a HAL rep regarding our cruise in April and she confirmed that Oosterdam has been redeployed for the season. She said that we should receive an email from HAL sometime today advising the change and what substitutes are available, if any. She said this is new to HAL booking agents as of this morning.

 

 

I have been watching the March 31 TA from Tampa and noticed today that the Osterdam sailing disappeared. I called Hal res and although the phone agent had obviously missed the notice, I ended up finding out that the O dam is on a 7 day Tampa/Tampa sail on March 31 and is sailing to Seattle the following week.

 

From reading reviews on CC in preparation for my Eurodam Nov 4 TA, IT IS CLEAR that many unhappy campers had to deal with last minute itinerary changes due to the attempted military coup in Turkey. I guess the OPS dept decided to change their approach to the Eastern Med next year, and who can blame them?

 

However this leaves me with a dilemma for my TA. Spoiler Alert: here comes a "bitch". I wanted to stay away from Mia/FLL because I am getting sick of paying $250 a night for a pre cruise room in an out of the way Days Inn.

 

So, sadly, it looks like this loyal HAL client will have to switch to another cruise line. I'm really sad about this.

 

Anyone else?

Susan

[Tampa Girl]

I still see her sheduled to sail on March 31st for her transatlantic 22 day crossing to Barcelona? April 2017 has her in Europe.

 

Edited to say - the TA's for the fall of 2017 are there as well. Website glitch earlier, maybe? Or slight itinerary change?

 

Today it shows only two fall TA's: Prinsendam and Veendam, both to FLL. Where are all the others? There were more there a few weeks ago. It looks like the entire fall 2017 TA's are being changed around.

[StartrainDD]

However this leaves me with a dilemma for my TA. Spoiler Alert: here comes a "bitch". I wanted to stay away from Mia/FLL because I am getting sick of paying $250 a night for a pre cruise room in an out of the way Days Inn.

 

Susan

 

Susan, we stay in the FLL area at least a few times a year, and never pay that much for much better hotels than a Days Inn. There are a number of Hampton Inns in the area, some of which even offer port transfers for a moderate charge. There is a very nice Hilton Garden Inn near the airport as well. When does your T/A leave FLL?

 

Check the North American departures board for Florida - there is a lot of great information there! Hope this helps!

 

Arie

[Happily@Sea]

Today it shows only two fall TA's: Prinsendam and Veendam, both to FLL. Where are all the others? There were more there a few weeks ago. It looks like the entire fall 2017 TA's are being changed around.

 

 

We know the Koningsdam's departure has been moved up [earlier thread] that only leaves Westerdam and Zuiderdam to be adjusted if they are going to shorten the seasons.

 

Zuiderdam always [last few years] goes to New England and Canada before heading down to the Caribbean for the winter season. It will be interesting, but not fun for the pax affected, to see what their adjustments are.

[frankc98376]

I got an email today from Holland. Our fall 2017 TA is cancelled. The ship is redeployed to Alaska for summer 2017 to do 7 day cruises from Seattle. We were offered to book any other TA for the same per day price we had and for a balcony and up get a $100 onboard credit per person. An inside or window get $50 credit pp. I have been busy looking at other TAs. I have not yet called them.

 

Hmm.. Eurodam is scheduled for Saturdays in Seattle and Amsterdam has the Sunday schedule in 2017 at least right now

Edited August 25, 2016 by frankc98376

[Lady Arwen]

We've booked 14 night Koningsdam to replace the 12 night Oosterdam. We were given the same cruise fare for the 14 nights so the total price is only slightly more expensive to cover 2 extra ports. We also received OBC $100.00. Current price for this cruise is double what we've paid, which is a very good deal. Thank you HAL!