Is the age of many HAL ships a problem for potential HAL cruisers??

[haikou]

I have not sailed on HAL but know Prinsendam is a refurbished Royal Viking ship, making her close to 40 years old. It is really an issue for some guests on the cruise line I usually travel on, about ships that are 16-21 years old currently(1995 and 2000 put into service),and I guess I don't see what all the hoopla is about, as long as they are kept up mechanically both at sea and in dry dock, and keep rust to a minimum .

Does anyone know the age of the HAL fleet? I am considering a HAL trip in 2017, but honestly hesitate only because of the slow internet speeds on all the cruise lines I have been on except my first Celebrity cruise in September. As much as I did not like a lot about my experience on Millennium, I would sail on Celebrity again PRIMARILY due to their far superior internet service than even my beloved Crystal offers! I have events that I want to watch which I cant watch in the USA when matches are held in the USA(geoblocked by the rights holders of various tennis tournaments) and would love to be at sea again as I was in September, and be able to strea Davis Cup matches on board. No other line offers internet with as little lag, and speed comparable to tha of what I have at home!

 

Not talking about the Konigsdam btw as it is brand new, but more about the older ships like Prinsendam...

Edited November 21, 2016 by haikou

[kevingastreich]

I have not sailed on HAL but know Prinsendam is a refurbished Royal Viking ship, making her close to 40 years old. It is really an issue for some guests on the cruise line I usually travel on, about ships that are 16-21 years old currently(1995 and 2000 put into service),and I guess I don't see what all th hoopla is about , as long as they are kept up mechanically both at sea and in dry dock, and keep rust to a minimum .

Does anyone know the age of the HAL fleet? I am considering a HAL trip in 2017, but honestly hesitate only because of the slow internet speeds on all the cruise lines I have been on except my first Celebrity cruise in September. As much as I did not like a lot about my experience on Millennium, I would sail on Celebrity again PRIMARILY due to their far superior internet service than even my beloved Crystal offers! I have events that I want to watch which I cant watch in the USA when matches are held in the USA(geoblocked by the rights holders of various tennis tournaments) and would love to be at sea again as I was in September, and be able to strea Davis Cup matches on board. No other line offers internet with as little lag, and speed comparable to tha of what I have at home!

 

HAL just commissioned a brand new ship, the Koeningsdam. I heard that it is real nice,

[CruiserBruce]

HAL just commissioned a brand new ship, the Koeningsdam. I heard that it is real nice,

 

And has a Koningsdam sister under construction, for a 2018 launch.

 

If you have a particular ship in mind, a Google ship will get the launch date.

 

If "the age" of the ship really means doesn't have ice skating rinks or water slides, that is a false comparison, as HAL is not into those things.

[haikou]

,,,

Edited November 21, 2016 by haikou

[haikou]

Actually she is "only" 28, commissioned(is that the right word?) in 1988, quite a bit younger than her sister ships or at least the RV Star, which I sailed on with my family of origin to Alaska in the summer of 1974, and to the Mexican Riviera in December of 1979! :)

[haikou]

And has a Koningsdam sister under construction, for a 2018 launch.

 

If you have a particular ship in mind, a Google ship will get the launch date.

 

If "the age" of the ship really means doesn't have ice skating rinks or water slides, that is a false comparison, as HAL is not into those things.

 

I am looking for alternatives to Crystal as I don't believe when their new build comes out in 2022, that I will be able to afford even the lower end category staterooms that I sail in right now:(

[catl331]

does anyone know the age of the hal fleet?

Prinsendam - 1988

Maasdam - 1993

Veendam - 1996

Rotterdam - 1997

Volendam - 1998

Zaandam - 1999

Amsterdam - 2000

Zuiderdam - 2002

Oosterdam - 2003

Westerdam - 2004

Noordam - 2006

Eurodam - 2008

Nieuw Amsterdam - 2010

Koningsdam - 2016

 

I prefer HAL's older, smaller ships, with Amsterdam being my favorite. DH likes the newer/larger.

Edited November 21, 2016 by catl331

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Holland is always replacing Stough on the ships

 

Sent from my SM-G930T using Forums mobile app

[wales4ever]

Plenty of us about who do not like the new huge mega ships.

[OlsSalt]

Yes, the age of HAL ships is a problem. We don't like the new ones. Smaller and more classic is better for us. :cool:

[TiogaCruiser]

Yes, the age of HAL ships is a problem. We don't like the new ones. Smaller and more classic is better for us. :cool:

 

I'll second that

[rafinmd]

Like many here I prefer the older ships, ESPECIALLY the Prinsendam. In your case, though, I wouldn't do it. The internet will not be any better than you're accustomed to on your preferred line.

 

If you must cruise during the Davis Cup, I would recommend that you take a look at Royal Caribbean's smaller ships, the Vision and Radiance class. I much prefer them to anything Celebrity has to offer, and they should have similar internet capabilities. I'll be on one in January and can then make 100% sure the internet would work.

 

You might also have a look at Azamara for a more upscale experience; they should share the RCI group internet technology.

 

Roy

Edited November 21, 2016 by rafinmd

[BruceMuzz]

Smaller, older ships are really charming, IF (and this is a really, really BIG IF) the cruise line is willing and able to maintain those aging ships.

The HAL fleet is getting older.

The ships are wearing out.

HAL and Carnival Corp have demonstrated a reluctance to spend the money required to keep those ships in great working order.

Internal systems like toilets, water supplies, elevators, lifeboat davits, generators, sewage systems, ventilation systems, and exhaust scrubbers are not working as they should. HAL makes many excuses, but the answer is money - that they are not willing to spend to deliver the product they promise.

[Randyk47]

We much prefer the older and smaller ships.

[catl331]

Have you ever wondered how old the plane you are traveling on is? You could be surprised.

 

Just off the Koningsdam and did a good amount of walking. When I was on the Prinsendam, I was surprised how quickly I went from one end to the other!

[jabcruiser]

We much prefer the older and smaller ships.

Us too in older/smaller camp. Our first cruise(about 1998) on old ocean liner from 50's I think. About 600 passengers as I recall. Rusty ship but crew always working on her and we had such a nice, large, unique OV cabin with huge windows. Captain very involved and out on deck directing crew on many occasions. Officers hung out with passengers in evenings and off hours. We enjoyed it sooo much. Nothing fancy but got to visit with other passengers so much more than on larger ships we have found. It was kind of like one big family at times.

Jane

[baggal]

The 2017 U.S. Davis Cup matches are taking place in Birmingham, AL. If watching them is so important, I would suggest you watch them in person in Alabama and then take your cruise afterward. This way you avoid any possible disappointment and you're free to sail on any ship you want.

[casper106]

I wouldn't count on the Davis Cup even being available onboard.

 

We were on a cruise during the last winter Olympics. They couldn't get the "feed" for the finals in the hockey championship.

[whogo]

I just finished a 30 day cruise on the Prinsendam. The internet was surprisingly fast, I checked email and pasted my message to my live thread in less than a minute sometimes. I do not know if the internet is always that fast, there may have been few people using it. The free New York Times and Holland America websites were not nearly as fast for some reason.

 

I experienced no mechanical issues. HVAC worked, toilets flushed, we had plenty of hot water, elevators operated, etc. There was a sewage smell on one side of the deck, never noticed it indoors.

 

I did see buckets catching drips here and there, especially after a downpour. There is some wear and tear. The mirror over the bathtub had lost some of its silver, for instance. Also, in spite of her aged clientele, Prinsendam has a lot of inclines, ramps, and steps that a new ship would not.

[OlsSalt]

Smaller, older ships are really charming, IF (and this is a really, really BIG IF) the cruise line is willing and able to maintain those aging ships.

The HAL fleet is getting older.

The ships are wearing out.

HAL and Carnival Corp have demonstrated a reluctance to spend the money required to keep those ships in great working order.

Internal systems like toilets, water supplies, elevators, lifeboat davits, generators, sewage systems, ventilation systems, and exhaust scrubbers are not working as they should. HAL makes many excuses, but the answer is money - that they are not willing to spend to deliver the product they promise.

 

I hope you can find the prior excellent posts from a ship's engineer (cheng50?) that pretty debunks your conclusions about "HAL greed" and realize many of the problems you cite are due to passengers misusing the systems, in disregard of clear warnings to the contrary. We were recently on one of the oldest HAL ship - the Veendam - and found none of your problems.

 

HAL A/C cabin standards are 73-77 degrees - know that upfront and realize this will matter more the the hotter the outside temperatures and the length you are in those hotter regions of the world - which in our case was only the few days while we were in the Caribbean to the Canal. Other times during that cruise the cabin could be as cool as one would like and it was the heating was necessary ...ironically to get the cabin back to 75 degrees. (!)

Edited November 21, 2016 by OlsSalt

[RocketMan275]

The age of the ships does not bother me. Couldn't care less about the internet while cruising.

[OlsSalt]

The age of the ships does not bother me. Couldn't care less about the internet while cruising.

 

One of the biggest changes we have seen in our past decade of cruising is the vast proliferation of large wifi spots with seating in the cruise terminal areas, in virtually every port these days. Not as convenient as onboard, but it certainly is available for those who like to keep in touch electronically. For free.

[Tom O.]

We prefer smaller ships. What I wish, is that they were making newer smaller ships. It seems that all the major cruise lines are in the process of building huge ships. It is not right, that the only way to cruise on a smaller ship is to sail on an old ship.

But nevertheless, I will take small over being new.

BTW, Wikipedia is a great source of information on ships. Just look up Holland America and you will see a full list of current, former, and future ships and some specs.

[durangoscots]

Like the others, I prefer the smaller older ships... and I have to admit that Cunard's QE2 at age 40 was one of my favorites. I still miss the old girl even with the leaks and creaks. But since HAL does have a couple of newer ones in the fleet, you can always go in that direction..

 

Susan

[iancal]

We consider the age of ships.

 

Our first concern is maintenance and upkeep. We want functioning plumbing and AC in our cabin. Nor do we want the thought of poorly remediated AC filter issues, leaky pipes and mould/spores inside the walls that will cause us to have health problems So for older ships we look carefully at reviews that mention these aspects. We want in cabin decor to be in reasonable condition-no chipped, scraped or stained items that are long past their lifespan.

 

Some older ships have limited amenities. I don't mean rock climbing wall either. We look for interesting alternate dining venues with reasonable hours of operation. We also want at least two pools with lots of loungers.

 

Some older ships seem to be dark with lots of wood, brass, and less open spaces. We prefer a more contemporary, open decor so we look for this in an older ship.

 

We read the report on all cruise ships that we are considering notwithstanding the age of the ship.

 

Food, entertainment are so variable that we tend to discount these reports. Do not care about internet service as we only use the complementary hours.