What's changed on Holland America?

[Glenndale]

The super friendly, helpful crew members. This is still the biggest positive (to me) reason to sail HAL.

Yes, I remember the Indonesian and Filipino staff, absolutely delightful :)

[POA1]

I can't believe no one mentioned the new logo. There's also the "Savor The Journey" tagline that replaced "A Tradition of Excellence."

 

And Oprah.

 

It's like all the important stuff got left out. ;)

 

Also, the pillow chocolates have been changed.

[sail7seas]

I can't believe no one mentioned the new logo. There's also the "Savor The Journey" tagline that replaced "A Tradition of Excellence."

 

And Oprah.

 

It's like all the important stuff got left out. Change of Logo makes no sense to me. Hardly an improvement in any way. :)

 

Also, the pillow chocolates have been changed.

Officers do not wear white daytime unifoms as they used to. Dining and Cabin stewards in different uniforms than you might remember.

No mmore good bye song in MDR. Use of island tenders at HMC. Change in cabanas. Lobster Shack at HMC.

[RuthC]

There is no more disembarkation talk, followed by presentation of the crew and singing of Love In Any Language, at the end of the cruise. :(

[clueless2]

Somehow the stairs have gotten steeper and longer over the years. 🤔

 

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[Draka1]

Only went on 1 HAL cruise back in the 90s, I remember the on the 1st or 2nd night only, you could buy as much alcohol as you liked from the onboard gift shop and take it to your cabin. After that night, they would hold your purchase until the end of the cruise. Do they still do this?

 

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[RuthC]

Only went on 1 HAL cruise back in the 90s, I remember the on the 1st or 2nd night only, you could buy as much alcohol as you liked from the onboard gift shop and take it to your cabin. After that night, they would hold your purchase until the end of the cruise. Do they still do this?

The gift shop will still sell you as much liquor as your heart desires, but all of it will be stored for the duration of the cruise, and delivered the last evening.

[sail7seas]

They no longer provide newspapers on port days for Neptune Suites (S suites,a they used to be called) . We liked getting USA Toay, Int'l Herald but that stopped years ago.

[iancal]

One significant change....cruise fares in real, inflation adjusted terms, seems to have decreased over time. Airlines/airfares as well.

 

This may explain some of the cuts in service, product, and mtce. over the years. No different than some of the other mass market cruise lines.

[drgrinch]

If you book a Suite, one fantastic thing that hasn't changed much is the Neptune Lounge and concierge service. Its still a wonderful oasis and quiet refuge which, incidentally, still serves the best coffee on the ship. We are somewhat alarmed to read that they have changed the pillow chocolates though! In all seriousness, we love HAL ships and the basic qualities that make HAL special have not changed - a manageable vessel size combined with quiet sophistication and a skilled and warmly accommodating crew serve to create an ultimate "get away from it all" experience. If it weren't for the day-of-the-week carpets in the elevators, we'd lose track two or three days into the cruise.

 

DW and I will be sailing on the Westerdam through the Panama Canal in March. It will be interesting to see what has changed since we were last aboard her in 2014.

[Veronicat]

No tenders in Sitka, Alaska. Moored at dock; ten minute bus ride to town.

 

I enjoy tendering with the exception of one windy afternoon in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico