WOW - huge change for us - bicycles are now on prohibited list

[DAllenTCY]

Yes, HAL crew are still allowed to use their bikes.

 

David

[cruise kitty]

Then let them ban scooters also.

 

 

While I'm not for banning scooters for people with mobility issues, I do wish they would monitor & admonish those who drive them recklessly, speeding through cross & honking all the way.

 

I've read about several world cruisers who take bikes along... can't see how it would be a problem as long as you detached the front wheel the carrying the bike through the ship. :)

[chewbaka]

We hope to have a conversation with HAL - it's not industry wide but may be a Carnival Corp. decision. Waiting to hear back from Cunard (also Celebrity) since they have welcomed bikes - we've sailed with them but not with bikes. I'll post what we hear back.

Thanks

 

 

I read through the actual HAL Prohibited Item document and see that the real focus is upon safety. Weapons and items that could become weapons are the focus. Even the conditional allowance of golf clubs, when permitted by prior arrangement, the clubs are kept by security so the they cannot become a weapon on-board.

 

The scooter exception for mobility is the only real concession as it goes to accessibility on board. It really is an ADA issue anyway and HAL would have no choice but to allow it.

 

Bicycles do not fit within the accessibility exception since it is not needed on board. They could think that prohibiting bicycles could force passengers on to HAL excursions - which has been a focus in recent years - so it fits in with revenue strategies. Just like HAL not really providing true independent guide assistance anymore like they had in the past. Pushing passengers to excursions.

 

I guess I am saying HAL needs to understand the bicycle is not going to be a safety issue on board. Instead of prohibiting it from being brought on board by passengers, they simply need to prohibit them from use on the ship. It has to be wheeled or carried to the gangway, not ridden. Unlike a Segway, which I think needs to be ridden to the gangway. (I don't know if a Segway will roll, not under power.) HAL also needs to understand that someone who wants to ride a bicycle in port is never going to be an excursion buying passenger, anyway. Prohibiting bicycles won't generate revenue.

[take us away]

I'm not so sure they are crew or officers; personal bikes. I think the ship has a cerrtain number they keep for crew tro borrow if tth ey wish

 

 

Sorry but know for a fact many are personal bikes.

[bUU]

Instead of prohibiting it from being brought on board by passengers, they simply need to prohibit them from use on the ship.

Perhaps that would have been the approach taken off it weren't for the fact that vacationers collectively are notoriously neglectful of rule-following.

[sapper1]

They are on the prohibited list on the faqs page. http://www.hollandamerica.com/cruise-vacation-planning/PlanningAndAdvice.action?tabName=Popular%20Topics&WT.ac=pNavLP_AlreadyBooked_bx_AllFAQs_btn

 

Just a guess that someone abused one on board the same way the guy did with the segway on our Westerdam cruise? The segway was seized and they are now on the prohibited list.

The Segway guy immediately came to mind when I read the OP's post.

After experiencing his shenanigans on our South Pacific cruise I can well imagine that some "common sense challenged" person tried the same thing on a bicycle, thereby triggering a blanket ban.

"Common sense challenged" just sounded better than "idiot". I was trying to be gentle. :D

[sapper1]

I read through the actual HAL Prohibited Item document and see that the real focus is upon safety. Weapons and items that could become weapons are the focus. Even the conditional allowance of golf clubs, when permitted by prior arrangement, the clubs are kept by security so the they cannot become a weapon on-board.

 

The scooter exception for mobility is the only real concession as it goes to accessibility on board. It really is an ADA issue anyway and HAL would have no choice but to allow it.

 

Bicycles do not fit within the accessibility exception since it is not needed on board. They could think that prohibiting bicycles could force passengers on to HAL excursions - which has been a focus in recent years - so it fits in with revenue strategies. Just like HAL not really providing true independent guide assistance anymore like they had in the past. Pushing passengers to excursions.

 

I guess I am saying HAL needs to understand the bicycle is not going to be a safety issue on board. Instead of prohibiting it from being brought on board by passengers, they simply need to prohibit them from use on the ship. It has to be wheeled or carried to the gangway, not ridden. Unlike a Segway, which I think needs to be ridden to the gangway. (I don't know if a Segway will roll, not under power.) HAL also needs to understand that someone who wants to ride a bicycle in port is never going to be an excursion buying passenger, anyway. Prohibiting bicycles won't generate revenue.

The Segway guy was warned to stop using his Segway on the ship and he ignored security. That led to his Segway being seized. Prohibiting use on the ship doesn't work with some people so all they can do is prevent bikes and Segways from coming aboard.

I think it is a shame that the OP can't take his bike along but some have spoiled it for others.

[igraf]

I imagine that the problem has to do with bicycles in the elevators and being wheeled down the hallways, plus extra hassles for embarkation/debarkation. There were also probably a few issues with mud/tire marks/chain grease, and I would not be surprised to hear that someone rode their bicycle on the ship. Bicycles would also be a pain in the rear for all concerned on tender boats.

I ride my bicycle often at home but I don't think that I should bring it on board a cruise ship. As mentioned by someone else, bicycles are often available for rent.

igraf

 

 

 

... I'm a little surprised that the bicycles would be an issue; I wonder why that is. As long as they only used in port (and off ship) and stored in one's stateroom while onboard, I don't see what the issue would be with bicycles. OP, you could always try river cruises as some river cruise lines do have bicycles for use in port.

[wander]

Perhaps why Bicycles are an issue? After reading this thread I was on the Celebrity board and read a referenced newspaper article on the unfortunate Bus accident. In the very last section of the article it tells briefly about three OTHER land accidents passengers from the Solstice have had in New Zealand in the "past few months". TWO involved separate BICYCLE accidents. One was a woman who was killed when hit by a truck and the other a man severely injured when hit by a camper van (now OK per the article).

 

Now perhaps it was a very unusual situation, and not the ship's fault, but when two passengers from one ship to have two serious bike accidents within a few months, how many other are there on all ships combined? Perhaps it occurs enough that ships are now banning them?

 

Just a thought.

[kahtrav]

Perhaps why Bicycles are an issue? After reading this thread I was on the Celebrity board and read a referenced newspaper article on the unfortunate Bus accident. In the very last section of the article it tells briefly about three OTHER land accidents passengers from the Solstice have had in New Zealand in the "past few months". TWO involved separate BICYCLE accidents. One was a woman who was killed when hit by a truck and the other a man severely injured when hit by a camper van (now OK per the article). Now perhaps it was a very unusual situation, and not the ship's fault, but when two passengers from one ship to have two serious bike accidents within a few months, how many other are there on all ships combined? Perhaps it occurs enough that ships are now banning them?

 

Just a thought.

 

I'm sure it has more to do with someone being inappropriate on the ship - they really don't care what you do off the ship. Those incidents probably had more to do with cyclists riding on the wrong side of the road. We cycled for 5 weeks in New Zealand and it is confusing at first, so one day in port may have been an issue.

 

Thanks for responding

[kahtrav]

The Segway guy was warned to stop using his Segway on the ship and he ignored security. That led to his Segway being seized. Prohibiting use on the ship doesn't work with some people so all they can do is prevent bikes and Segways from coming aboard.

I think it is a shame that the OP can't take his bike along but some have spoiled it for others.

 

I have a theory about rule breaking on ships. The cruise lines have fostered rule breaking with their overall "customer is always right" mentality and not sticking to the rules i.e. adult areas, smoking areas, formal dress, etc. Even on the more formal lines (i.e. Cunard) lines, the rumor is that they've been told to not make a fuss about appropriate formal attire, so it's kind of anything goes almost. When they don't ever question a guest about simple things, it fosters an idea that "I can do anything I want". We were told by a RCCL agent a few years back that while bikes are allowed on Celebrity, they aren't on Royal Caribbean because it's a different clientele. I wouldn't expect too many of the HAL clientele will ride their bikes in the hallway.

 

Still researching other cruise options and waiting for some feedback from other cruise lines.

[NordicPrince]

Banning bicycles is the most cockamamy rule I can think of. Then again, bicyclists, and count myself among them, are the most dangerous evil people around in humanity - NOT.If they wanted to they could find room to store them on the ship. The crew stores theirs. You can see them on racks as you leave the ship on a lower deck. That's where they belong - not on the passenger decks.Maybe they could charge you a small fee so they can store the bike on board for you.

 

As for the people who say rent them, they are definitely not cyclists. They don;t know the joy of riding. How would people get to a bicycle shop from the ship anyway? Probably too far to walk and not your own bike that fits you perfectly.

 

Some lawyer in a suit sitting behind a desk at CCL looks at it and thinks "liability", Definitely an overreaction.

 

So much for making your guests feel comfortable.

 

BTW I have been on several cruises on RCL where the motor bikes roll out and the riders

ride out together down the dock, Nice sight to catch. If they can make room for 50+ motorcycles at a time why

can't HAL?

 

All I can say good luck and maybe you can find a sympathetic ear at HQ.

Edited February 22, 2017 by NordicPrince

[kazu]

Banning bicycles is the most cockamamy rule I can think of. Then again, bicyclists, and count myself among them, are the most dangerous evil people around in humanity - NOT.If they wanted to they could find room to store them on the ship. The crew stores theirs. You can see them on racks as you leave the ship on a lower deck. That's where they belong - not on the passenger decks.Maybe they could charge you a small fee so they can store the bike on board for you.As for the people who say rent them, they are definitely not cyclists. They don;t know the joy of riding. How would people get to a bicycle shop from the ship anyway? Probably too far to walk and not your own bike that fits you perfectly.

 

Some lawyer in a suit sitting behind a desk at CCL looks at it and thinks "liability", Definitely an overreaction.

 

So much for making your guests feel comfortable.

 

BTW I have been on several cruises on RCL where the motor bikes roll out and the riders

ride out together down the dock, Nice sight to catch. If they can make room for 50+ motorcycles at a time why

can't HAL?

 

All I can say good luck and maybe you can find a sympathetic ear at HQ.

 

 

Umm aren't RCL ships a LOT larger than HAL ships???

 

So, more storage space????

 

Bikes rolling out and riding down to the dock? Not a sight I want to see. But each to their own ;)

[bUU]

I don't think Royal Caribbean ships offer more space per passenger, the relevant metric in this context.

[Copper10-8]

Hapag Lloyd, a German shipping co/tour operator with four cruise ships, does things a bit differently. They have their own bicycles onboard and they are available for bike tours under the guidance of crew bike guides. Saw them return, about twenty five of them, in Bar Harbor, Me. last year. Another German company, TUI Cruises with the "Mein Schiff" ships (my ship ships ;)), do the same thing. Then again, both companies' clientele are a bit different than the avg HAL pax

[daisy-mae]

As for the people who say rent them, they are definitely not cyclists. They don;t know the joy of riding. How would people get to a bicycle shop from the ship anyway? Probably too far to walk and not your own bike that fits you perfectly.

Exactly!

 

We planned to rent bikes on a recent stop in Bonaire; the owner of the company had confirmed - via email - that he would have two bikes available for us on arrival. It took us half the day to finally track him down, at which point he admitted that he had totally forgotten about the reservation, he was too busy, and in any case by then it was too late for us to venture away from town.

 

It may sound like a solution, but renting is rarely an acceptable substitute for one's own bike.

[VennDiagram]

.....

 

It may sound like a solution, but renting is rarely an acceptable substitute for one's own bike.

 

Particularly if one is an avid biker -- a one-size-fits-most bike just doesn't do it :cool:

[kahtrav]

I have talked with both Celebrity and Cunard and, as of TODAY, they both still accept bikes. I'm using the fact that it apparently isn't a CCL rule in my letter to HAL, requesting allowing bikes, with restrictions (I don't even care what those are). Just started a letter today, but at least it's started. I'm not quite ready to give up, though either Celebrity and Cunard are fine, just not the variety (and we just started our "free laundry" perk as 4* :-).

[geoherb]

We were docked next to a TUI ship in Costa Rica earlier this month on our Zuiderdam cruise. I was a little bit jealous of the bicycles they had, except that it was raining. They had a lot of well-dressed cyclists.

 

For those talking about the fit of having their own bicycles, I wonder how that works with the folding ones.

[Copper10-8]

We were docked next to a TUI ship in Costa Rica earlier this month on our Zuiderdam cruise. I was a little bit jealous of the bicycles they had, except that it was raining. They had a lot of well-dressed cyclists.For those talking about the fit of having their own bicycles, I wonder how that works with the folding ones.

 

Yeah, Puerto Limon; that's where I saw all the German pax as a group on their bikes also, sailing on Mein Schiff 3. Typically German, everything was organized to a tee :cool:

[take us away]

Now that we have hashed this topic - 1 question:

 

Has anyone recently emailed HAL and asked for an exemption to be allowed to bring their bicycle on board? Did you get a response?

 

have found calling is pointless as you may get several different answers but that a response via email is accurate.

[kahtrav]

Some folding bikes are designed to just run around town but Bike Friday's are engineered for touring (some even for racing). They are custom built to you and for the type of riding you do.

 

We are working on a formal letter and will pursue the conversation. If I'm going to ask via the phone, I've learned that having the TA make the formal request means it is documented.

[epixx]

Hapag Lloyd, a German shipping co/tour operator with four cruise ships, does things a bit differently. They have their own bicycles onboard and they are available for bike tours under the guidance of crew bike guides. Saw them return, about twenty five of them, in Bar Harbor, Me. last year. Another German company, TUI Cruises with the "Mein Schiff" ships (my ship ships ;)), do the same thing. Then again, both companies' clientele are a bit different than the avg HAL pax

 

 

Also AIDA. The carry about 80 bicycles on their ships and run bike tours at many, if not most, of the ports. We parked next to them in St. Georges, Grenada. Apparently, these tours are extremely popular. Most of the passengers exiting the ship, even those not on the bike tour, looked very fit. We were on a van tour and passed the bicyclists climbing a steep and winding hill. No wonder they looked so fit!

[WorldByBike]

We are working on a formal letter and will pursue the conversation. If I'm going to ask via the phone, I've learned that having the TA make the formal request means it is documented.

 

Any progress with HAL regarding transport of bicycles?

[igraf]

Are you saying that you want the bicycles at your destination or at every port stop? Not sure how you are comparing cruising versus flying "to cross the seas".

 

I personally would not want to encounter bicycles in the elevators and hallways, and I would not be surprised if someone rode their bicycle around the promenade deck. Sorry, but I am with HAL on this one even though my wife and I ride our bicycles frequently.

 

Renting is a better option for a port stop and I would disagree that a rented bicycle would cause injury at any distance. We rode hotel bicycles every morning on a recent land vacation without discomfort or injury. Least you consider us lightweights, my wife completed the Solvang Century.

 

igraf

 

 

 

 

 

 

Just a followup. We have taken our bikes for close to 10 years on HAL. There occasionally has been one other bike on board, so it's a small group. To me, one of the ironies is that HAL is nominally Dutch and the Netherlands is the most bike friendly country - bicycles are a huge part of their culture. We use our bikes for transport (i.e. tour), so it really doesn't work to "rent bikes in port" - we've tried that on occasion but any distance on a bike that does fit causes injury. We realize we are a minority and try to be respectful of others. It's just sad to have to return to using airplanes as our only option to cross the seas.