Holland America pulling out of Bermuda for 2019????

[Cyber Kat]

I cancelled my plans for a Bermuda trip due to the same sex marriage issue (beyond being anti-marriage, they're actively choosing to roll back citizens' rights). Such a decision could very well affect tourism. Just because you haven't heard of it or stopped to think about it doesn't mean it's not a possible factor.

 

 

 

FYI - the people of Bermuda are against this. They voted to allow same sex marriage. It’s a small factor of their government (the premier, I think, but I’d have to check again) that has gone against the will of the people. Unfortunately, this happens the world over, and far too often.

 

Hopefully they will have another election soon and get the perpetrator out of office.

 

I seriously doubt this had anything to do with HAL’s decision. It could be that because they have been making this run for some time, that they aren’t selling the itinerary out as easily as they might. It’s not like they can switch out ships or another departure easily because only ships of a certain size can fit through Two Rock Passage into Hamilton Harbor.

 

The 2 wharfs out at Dockyard at the Western end of the island are generally occupied by NCL, Royal, Celebrity and Carnival. They would have to make room in their schedule for a larger HAL ship.

 

It’s too bad. We usually fly into Bermuda and stay because we like to be on the island longer. We love the idea of docking right in Hamilton (something I got to do on my first cruise!) and were considering the Veendam.

 

I had read that NCL made a commitment to Bermuda to bring in the smaller ships of their Oceania and Regent lines (think I got those 2 correct) to Bermuda. I thought they planned to dock in St George, but perhaps the agreement has bumped the Veendam out of some of it’s slots so HAL opted to abandon the port completely.

 

 

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[Irish Eyes Are Sailing]

I'm glad I am going this year as it would have been disappointing to have it cancelled next year. Always wanted to see Bermuda and liked the fact that HAL docked in Hamilton. Hopefully they will work it out and continue to sail there. I would not want to be forced to go on a mega ship with 5000 people in order to sail to Bermuda!

[UPNYGuy]

I'm glad I am going this year as it would have been disappointing to have it cancelled next year. Always wanted to see Bermuda and liked the fact that HAL docked in Hamilton. Hopefully they will work it out and continue to sail there. I would not want to be forced to go on a mega ship with 5000 people in order to sail to Bermuda!

 

 

 

Oceania has started going to Bermuda. DW and I are booked on Insignia. It goes to St. George and Hamilton. They have sailings available for summer 2019 out of New York.

 

 

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[Irish Eyes Are Sailing]

Oceania has started going to Bermuda. DW and I are booked on Insignia. It goes to St. George and Hamilton. They have sailings available for summer 2019 out of New York.

 

 

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Well, glad some line is going there that is not a 5000 passenger mega ship. Like I said, glad I am going this year...looking forward to it

[navybankerteacher]

Too bad - Boston to Bermuda was on my list for 2019. I have no use for the Dockyard tourist trap or for the floating malls which frequent it.

 

I’ll have to check other, more upscale, lines.

[POA1]

There was a dockage issue. Carnival removed some sailings but added them back recently.

 

I'd keep an eye on it.

[Cruise Junky]

There was a dockage issue. Carnival removed some sailings but added them back recently.

 

I'd keep an eye on it.

 

Veendam is being redeployed to the Med. No word if HAL will put another ship on the Bermuda run yet.

[UPNYGuy]

Well, glad some line is going there that is not a 5000 passenger mega ship. Like I said, glad I am going this year...looking forward to it

 

 

 

We’ve also done it on a megaship. We’ve sailed it on Norwegian Breakaway. For what it is worth, most (not all) of our upcoming bookings are on megaships. But it is relative. We can go from Oceania Insignia (30,200 GRT) to MSC Meraviglia (171,600 GRT). Not all are happy doing that. Most cruisers are not as ambiguous when it comes to ship size.

 

 

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[dot73]

I fail to see that this can have anything to do with HAL’s decision. 🤨

 

 

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Actually, IMHO, it can have an effect on HAL's bottom line. HAL is known as a gay-friendly cruise line and they offer charter gay cruises, which are very lucrative for them. To put in a law allowing same-sex marriage and then rescinding it so quickly will not be viewed favourably by some people. HAL was perhaps seeing the possibility of a boycott and seeing their profits affected.

[UPNYGuy]

Actually, IMHO, it can have an effect on HAL's bottom line. HAL is known as a gay-friendly cruise line and they offer charter gay cruises, which are very lucrative for them. To put in a law allowing same-sex marriage and then rescinding it so quickly will not be viewed favourably by some people. HAL was perhaps seeing the possibility of a boycott and seeing their profits affected.

 

 

 

So is Norwegian, and they are still going to Bermuda. I doubt this ruling has anything to do with why HAL pulled out.

 

 

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[sail7seas]

I believe the Veendam will go to the Mediterranean to enable HAL to continue to sail into Venice. ;)

 

If that is the case,

 

 

Which, if any, HAL ship, will do Canada/NE?

[sail7seas]

So is Norwegian, and they are still going to Bermuda. I doubt this ruling has anything to do with why HAL pulled out.

 

 

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I think HAL pulled out for their own reasons which are not closely connected to the marriage issue.

[Old As Dirt Mom]

I believe the Veendam will go to the Mediterranean to enable HAL to continue to sail into Venice. ;)

 

Stratheden called it last night. The Veendam has been re-deployed to Venice and the Mediterranean, per lady Arwen's thread linked below:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2611577

[POA1]

Actually, IMHO, it can have an effect on HAL's bottom line. HAL is known as a gay-friendly cruise line and they offer charter gay cruises, which are very lucrative for them. To put in a law allowing same-sex marriage and then rescinding it so quickly will not be viewed favourably by some people. HAL was perhaps seeing the possibility of a boycott and seeing their profits affected.

Have you followed our mayor's election?

[TrolleyGirl]

If that is the case,

 

 

Which, if any, HAL ship, will do Canada/NE?

 

According to the website the Zaandam is. I think the itinerary looks very interesting.

[sail7seas]

According to the website the Zaandam is. I think the itinerary looks very interesting.

 

Thank you Trolley Girl,

I have not sailed Zaandam in years, though have sailed her a num er c ruises. I'll have to look at the itinerary. We did it on Maasdam b-to-b proba bly dozens of times. Love that cruise. :) My favorite ports for C/NE are Halifax, Charlottetown, Bar Harbor, Quebec City, Montreal and back to Boston. :) Sometimes th e ship s tops in Portland and that is a good por.t :)

[TrolleyGirl]

OMG! Regarding the Zaandam in Canada. Yesterday, HAL site showed the Zaandam sailing 10 & 11 day routes with very interesting ports of call like Corner Brook, Red Bay, St Anthony and St. John. I was so excited and starting to plan my booking. I just went back in today to start booking and now HAL just has it doing the traditional run Montreal - Boston (that the Veendam & Maasdam are doing this year).

 

I hope this is a temporary GLITCH!!

[3rdGenCunarder]

OMG! Regarding the Zaandam in Canada. Yesterday, HAL site showed the Zaandam sailing 10 & 11 day routes with very interesting ports of call like Corner Brook, Red Bay, St Anthony and St. John. I was so excited and starting to plan my booking. I just went back in today to start booking and now HAL just has it doing the traditional run Montreal - Boston (that the Veendam & Maasdam are doing this year).

 

I hope this is a temporary GLITCH!!

 

How disappointing! We did a repositioning cruise a number of years ago and it went to some of the less-visited ports. Yesterday, e received a "private sale" mailing for 2018 Canada cruises and I commented to DH that the itineraries are all same-ol' same-ol. No offense meant to Halifax, PEI, and Bar Harbor but I've been to the usual ports so many times. I'd like to see HAL go back to Gaspe, Perce, or Saguenay. Love to get to the ports you've listed, too.

 

Sounds like they're madly shuffling things around.

[Charles4515]

I seriously doubt this had anything to do with HAL’s decision. It could be that because they have been making this run for some time, that they aren’t selling the itinerary out as easily as they might. It’s not like they can switch out ships or another departure easily because only ships of a certain size can fit through Two Rock Passage into Hamilton Harbor.

 

The 2 wharfs out at Dockyard at the Western end of the island are generally occupied by NCL, Royal, Celebrity and Carnival. They would have to make room in their schedule for a larger HAL ship.

 

It’s too bad. We usually fly into Bermuda and stay because we like to be on the island longer. We love the idea of docking right in Hamilton (something I got to do on my first cruise!) and were considering the Veendam.

 

I had read that NCL made a commitment to Bermuda to bring in the smaller ships of their Oceania and Regent lines (think I got those 2 correct) to Bermuda. I thought they planned to dock in St George, but perhaps the agreement has bumped the Veendam out of some of it’s slots so HAL opted to abandon the port completely.

 

 

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I also don't think it had anything to do with HAL's decision.

 

HAL has only had four sailings a year to Bermuda the last couple of years. Two in May and two in June. All out of Boston. So they have not been saiing to Bermuda on a regular basis for a few years. Pulling out seems to be a business decision. They had been pulling back from Bermuda some every year for the past several. I don't think they were bumped out. Hopefully cruise lines with smaller ships that can do Hamiltion will increase their sailings. In addition to Oceania and Regent that have small ships Viking Ocean Cruises has many small ships on order. They will have to go somewhere when built. Azamara has added another small ship.

[sail7seas]

So many people on these forums knock The dockyard and rave to dock in Hnmilton. But, perhaps because I have done a number of resort says in bermuda, when, in 2016 I sailed NCL and t he ship was at dock yard. I ddid not hat e that at all. In ,2017 I sailed Veendam and docked in Hamilton, I did not love that as much as some rave about Many years ago, we sailed Celebrity to Bermuda and docked in Hamil ton,, ... Yah, okay...........Maybe because Hamilton and Bermuda are so familiar to me , iiazm not enthusiastic to dock in Hamlton. but I might opto to go again to dockyard rather than Hamilton. I found Hamilton very quiet and didn't enjoy walking it as much as around dockyard.......... :shrug............... Actually I think I find dockyard to be preferable depending what one w ants to do and what they like. It is no t such a big island and nothing is way far away.

Edited March 14, 2018 by sail7seas

[Charles4515]

There was a dockage issue. Carnival removed some sailings but added them back recently.

 

I'd keep an eye on it.

 

 

 

Veendam docked in Hamilton and Carnival docks at the Dockyard. Two different locations.

[Lady Arwen]

So many people on these forums knock The dockyard and rave to dock in Hnmilton. But, perhaps because I have done a number of resort says in bermuda, when, in 2016 I sailed NCL and t he ship was at dock yard. I ddid not hat e that at all. In ,2017 I sailed Veendam and docked in Hamilton, I did not love that as much as some rave about Many years ago, we sailed Celebrity to Bermuda and docked in Hamil ton,, ... Yah, okay...........Maybe because Hamilton and Bermuda are so familiar to me , ii zm not enthusdc to dock in Hamlton. but I might opto to go again to dockyard rather than Hamilton. I found Hamilton very quiet and didn't enjoy walking it as much as around dockyard.......... :shrug............... Actually I think I find dockyard to be preferable depending what one w ants to do and what they like. It is no t such a big island and nothing is way far away.

I actually like the dockyard, as well. Have done this sailing on Celebrity Summit many times and tried NCL Breakaway last summer and we wouldn't do that ship again. We just took the ferry into Hamilton and St. George and the trips to both places are quite nice.

[sail7seas]

I actually like the dockyard, as well. Have done this sailing on Celebrity Summit many times and tried NCL Breakaway last summer and we wouldn't do that ship again. We just took the ferry into Hamilton and St. George and the trips to both places are quite nice.

 

 

The only NCL ship I have sailed is Dawn . I would sail her again,much to my genuine surpise. :) I liked her crew, my ca bin, and lots to like there , IMO>

[Charles4515]

I actually like the dockyard, as well. Have done this sailing on Celebrity Summit many times and tried NCL Breakaway last summer and we wouldn't do that ship again. We just took the ferry into Hamilton and St. George and the trips to both places are quite nice.

 

 

 

The Dockyard has improved a lot the last few years so I don’t hate it like I used too. But I don’t find being docked with 7000 other cruise passengers crowding the port at the same time desirable. I prefer docking at Hamilton as it is not overcrowded with cruise ship passengers. What I prefer most though is docking at Hamilton and St. George’s on the same sailing.

 

 

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[Charles4515]

The only NCL ship i have sailed is Dawn . I would sail her again,much to my genuine surpise. [emoji4] I liked her crew, my ca bin, and lots to like there , IMO>

 

 

 

Breakaway is much larger than Dawn, they are not alike. Breakaway is a crowded, smoky ship. I also would not do Breakaway again.

 

 

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