HAL just cant decide

[sunlite]

If i should book a HAL 14 day Idyll south pacific cruise. I have not been on HAL cruise so i have been calling and asking lots of questions. Everytime i call i get different answers and this concerns me so much that i am considering not booking with them. The problem is they have a very well priced cruise to the south pacific in which i cannot find with any other line unless i want to pay alot more or fly from Sydney. Can someone please talk me into why i should book the masdam 14 day sailng to the south pacific with them?

 

 

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[Krazy Kruizers]

You would be better off asking questions here on CC about that itinerary.

Many of us know that as many times you call Seattle, you will get a different bunch of answers. Many of the workers have no knowledge of the itineraries as they have never done them and there is a big turnover of workers in Seattle.

[Wishing on a star]

As a HAL newbie.... (have had positive Customer Service with another major line...)

I will just say that I, too, have been underwhelmed and even questioning what I am experiencing with HAL.

Hasn't been okay or acceptable, at all.

 

Having said that... They have a ship and itinerary that we are interested in. I don't think I will let that stop me from booking.

[IslandThyme]

Sad to say that calling Seattle can all too frequently lead you astray. It's a completely different experience onboard. Personally, I spent 37 days on Maasdam and found it to be a lovely ship.

[cathi]

We too are contemplating a Maasdam cruise (Sydney to Singapore) but I can't find any good thread about this ship. Haven't been on HAL in a long time but this itin intrigues me. Been with Oceania for several cruises in the last few years and was wondering if I would be happy on HAL. There seem to be a lot of reviews that are very negative. Is this ship in decent shape??

[RuthC]

I will happily say that dealing with Seattle and life aboard the ships are two different worlds. Please don't let your interactions with Seattle color your attitude about how the cruise would be.

 

Ask questions here, and there will be answers. If anything posted is incorrect, guaranteed that someone will be along to fix that problem.

If you have a TA, that's also what that person is for---ask them, too.

[Hlitner]

If you are thinking about booking the Maasdam for the spring of 2019 (we will be there) you might want to consider that it will be a new experience for everyone. Those cruises will part of the new so-called "EXP" cruise experience which will be a learning experience for both HAL and the cruisers. HAL talks about cruises that are more immersive into the local culture...and we shall all have to see how that works. Personally, we are looking forward to something a little different and we are willing to give HAL a chance.

 

Hank

[OlsSalt]

The point of HAL creating the PCC - Personal Cruise Consultant - a while back - was supposed to become one's one-stop information center. But there has been a change in upper management after the PCC was established, so perhaps they don't yet understand how important early customer interface with HAL is. Everyone has lots of questions at first. I hope you can find one PCC, who will follow-up with you. Meanwhile, do ask your questions here.

[ScottishMaid]

Suggest you ask on the roll call for 14-28 October on the Maasdam

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2576601

[Classiccruiser777]

Find a decent travel agent that knows HAL and work with them.

[rkacruiser]

Find a decent travel agent that knows HAL and work with them.

 

Yes, I agree with this poster. Travel agents are not going to cost one more when booking a cruise and their assistance can be invaluable.

[kazu]

Well, I will just join in with the others and say..

 

Call Seattle 3 times (or wherever the reps are) and get 3 different answers.

 

Lots of people here that have done cruises and we have found by personal experience and we are happy to share.

 

Definitely visit your roll call.

 

I will say we enjoyed our cruise when we are on that ship but I fear it is too old now to be 100% reliable.

 

However, we prefer the older ships as well, they might not have the bells and whistles of the newer ones, they have a lot to offer IMO.

[CruiserBruce]

What questions do you have?

[OlsSalt]

Here is a video link Bellair posted about his Maasdam South Pacific cruise - a little more extensive itinerary than yours but you can tell he loved the cruise, the ship, and those tropical island stops:

 

Good way to try it on before you decide - one of the best cruise videos I have ever seen. It is about 20 minutes long and the shots of the Maasdam come more at the end. His early sunrise shots from the upper decks of the Maasdam are breathtaking - the anticipation of what the new day will bring shines through in those shots.

[Colfireman]

It sounds like you may be looking at one of the new EXC voyages. You may want to look at their website to get additional info on these new types of cruises with enhanced experiences. HAL is adding zodiacs to this ship for new excursions, bringing on specialists for talks in the region, photography experts and serving up some cuisine that is local to the itinerary.

 

There is special pricing for the next little while. I have heard that the maximum passengers per sailing will be around 1000.

 

Hope this helps you in making that decision.

 

Greg

[sunlite]

Thanks everyone, i appreciate the offers to assist me with my questions since i keep getting conflicting information. Here are a few i had:

1. Can i debark anytime since the ship stays overnight on day 13? Day 14 is last day at Papeete.

2. HAL is offering special air for this cruise from lax to ppt for $999. I want to book my own from msp to lax, was told both yes and no. Also was told i needed a flight to arrive 5 hours before the lax flight.

3. Can i use their flight special for 1 way only? The return flight leaves very late 11pm. I was told because it is a charter.

4. Does anyone book the nonrefundable fare? I would just need to buy insurance correct? Oh and at the booking time?

 

5. Has anyone done the 14 day idyll south polynesian cruise from Papeete to Papeete with HAL in previous years? I would love to hear about.

 

Thanks everyone, i really appreciate your response!

 

 

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[OlsSalt]

Thanks everyone, i appreciate the offers to assist me with my questions since i keep getting conflicting information. Here are a few i had:

1. Can i debark anytime since the ship stays overnight on day 13? Day 14 is last day at Papeete.

2. HAL is offering special air for this cruise from lax to ppt for $999. I want to book my own from msp to lax, was told both yes and no. Also was told i needed a flight to arrive 5 hours before the lax flight.

3. Can i use their flight special for 1 way only? The return flight leaves very late 11pm. I was told because it is a charter.

4. Does anyone book the nonrefundable fare? I would just need to buy insurance correct? Oh and at the booking time?

 

5. Has anyone done the 14 day idyll south polynesian cruise from Papeete to Papeete with HAL in previous years? I would love to hear about.

 

Thanks everyone, i really appreciate your response!

er

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PPE -PPE - We did their 50 day San Diego-San Diego Tales of the South Pacific on the Rotterdam a few years ago and it went to a number of the smaller islands around the South Pacific - what islands are included on your Maasdam itinerary? Maybe I can help with some of them.

 

We will be taking the Maasdam in Sept 2018 from Florida to Papeete on the first InDepth cruise option and apparently getting off at maybe the same time it appears you will be getting on. Since this is a first run for the InDepth cruises, the prices have been very good for these cruises, but it will be a learning curve to see how there "InDepth" offerings work out. There will be more local enrichment (food, speakers, entertainment) but not the standard cruise features like an full entertainment team or other typical cruise experience offerings - casino, dance bands, jewelry shops etc?. Unknown at this time.

 

We like the Maasdam for its size and traditional ship features - easy to get to know, nice cabins, basic functions all present, wide open decks and windows so feel you are really at sea, great aft pool, wonderful library, great crew and very good food and variety.

 

We had problems with heavy vibrations on our Maasdam l(Sept 2017)r, but there are no other reports of that as an ongoing problem - we had to run a top speeds to get around hurricanes and meet our Panama Canal date so that may have been the problem on that cruise. We think HAL puts out a very worthy product for the price - value cruising where the ports are the most important part of the cruise decision; not necessarily the onboard acvities.

 

Those on our Maasdam roll call are also struggling with flight arrangements - but I think this more a problem with Tahiti at this time - they only have so many flights available but it looks like some new ones are getting added on. $999 is a excellent one-way price -even though that is extremely high in almost any other setting. We have been paying a lot more to secure our own flights before HAL came through with the charter. Some were even looking at going back to New Zealand from PPE to get to LAX because they offered better prices.

 

Sorry you are getting mixed responses mainly about the flights. Both HAL flights (FlightEase) and this particular connection are new to HAL so this does not conform to the typically very nice service you get once you are on-board. Things get much more low key and mellow with lots of crew eager to help and make the cruise very pleasant.

[bennybear]

Join the roll call as in post 9 as we have been discussing the air. It has been a confusing issue with many different answers from HAL but that seems resolved now.

[Georgie562]

Thanks everyone, i appreciate the offers to assist me with my questions since i keep getting conflicting information. Here are a few i had:

1. Can i debark anytime since the ship stays overnight on day 13? Day 14 is last day at Papeete.

2. HAL is offering special air for this cruise from lax to ppt for $999. I want to book my own from msp to lax, was told both yes and no. Also was told i needed a flight to arrive 5 hours before the lax flight.

3. Can i use their flight special for 1 way only? The return flight leaves very late 11pm. I was told because it is a charter.

4. Does anyone book the nonrefundable fare? I would just need to buy insurance correct? Oh and at the booking time?

 

5. Has anyone done the 14 day idyll south polynesian cruise from Papeete to Papeete with HAL in previous years? I would love to hear about.

 

Thanks everyone, i really appreciate your response!

 

 

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This is a very unique itinerary offered by Holland. I was on the Maasdam in November 2017 and became a quite popular itinerary with the airfare special at the future cruise desk. I know a few people booked. So if you are interested on the itinerary book it because it is a unique itinerary for a very reasonable price.

I get to go on this cruise for as low as $1,189 per person for an Interior stateroom because of my casino discount. But I'm having a hard time deciding if I should cancel my Norwegian Bliss cruise in November for Panama Canal cruise or pull the trigger on this 14 day one because I loved the French Polynesia.

I did a 10 day version with Princess in 2014 but sadly Princess doesn't offer that itinerary anymore round trip from Papeete and I can almost assure you this itinerary might no longer be offered in the future. I met a fellow cruiser on the trip she was on the ship for 96 days and here is her blog

http://pescadoamarillo.blogspot.com/2014/10/where-in-world-are-we-going-next-clue-1.html

Edited March 26, 2018 by Georgie562

[sunlite]

Another question, can i use the HAL flightease if i book with a TA?

 

 

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[rkacruiser]

Another question, can i use the HAL flightease if i book with a TA?

 

 

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Yes.