HAL to Disband HAL Dancers and Singers

[Aquahound]

Now the two lines closest to HAL in ship size, though still considerably larger (Princess and Celebrity) have also made adjustments. It was not that long ago that Celebrity dramatically reduced the size of their CD staff, cut back on on board activities, and had some that used to be done free by CD staff become for fee by the spa staff (zumba and other type exercise classes). Princess has started to make changes to electronic backgrounds instead of full sets on their new performances.

 

While those lines may not be on the level of RCI, they still blow HAL away. Here's one thing that baffles me about HAL. On Celebrity and Princess (well, all other major lines actually), they do nightly game shows and theme parties that are hosted by the Cruise Director or his/her staff. Celebrity has both a 70s night and a 60's theme party. It's the onboard staff, with no outside partnerships, so I can't imagine its costing them anything. In fact, they're probably making money due to the bar sales. They also do the Love and Marriage show (Newlywed Game) and a dance contest where the passengers dance with the ship's officers and get judged by the audience. Again, this is free to them.

 

On my last HAL cruise (Koningsdam), they did 1 game show in 11 nights. It was a BBC thing. The room was packed and the crowd loved it, so it's not like there's a lack of participation. It's this sort of thing I wish HAL would do more of.

[Ken the cruiser]

RDC1, I just wanted to say thank you for taking the time to post your above data breakdowns in a very practical way. Each of your posts were very enlightening. Thanks!

[RDC1]

While those lines may not be on the level of RCI, they still blow HAL away. Here's one thing that baffles me about HAL. On Celebrity and Princess (well, all other major lines actually), they do nightly game shows and theme parties that are hosted by the Cruise Director or his/her staff. Celebrity has both a 70s night and a 60's theme party. It's the onboard staff, with no outside partnerships, so I can't imagine its costing them anything. In fact, they're probably making money due to the bar sales. They also do the Love and Marriage show (Newlywed Game) and a dance contest where the passengers dance with the ship's officers and get judged by the audience. Again, this is free to them.

 

On my last HAL cruise (Koningsdam), they did 1 game show in 11 nights. It was a BBC thing. The room was packed and the crowd loved it, so it's not like there's a lack of participation. It's this sort of thing I wish HAL would do more of.

 

I found on the Noordam recently that HAL tended to do the game show stuff during the day on sea days and night time entertainment tended to be BB King, Lincoln Center, Piano Bar and the main theater. Biggest problem is that with the ship design if all of those venues are busy with their prime functions, there is a lack of venue space for games. Thus they use that space during the day. BB King for kitchen demonstrations and for movies for example. The major spot for trivia and other such things was Crowes nest, squeezed between the local cultural type presentations. Cannot say if Crowes Nest was used at night or not, never went there after dinner.

[bUU]

The cruise lines do need to maintain some consistency across their fleets. As such they will absorb higher costs on their smaller ships that is made up by the cost efficiency of their larger ships in order to provide brand identity.

Which is one reason we are probably seeing the cruise line selling small ships and buying large ships. Why undercut what you can provide by keeping inefficiency instead of phasing it out?

 

 

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[kazu]

I found on the Noordam recently that HAL tended to do the game show stuff during the day on sea days and night time entertainment tended to be BB King, Lincoln Center, Piano Bar and the main theater. Biggest problem is that with the ship design if all of those venues are busy with their prime functions, there is a lack of venue space for games. Thus they use that space during the day. BB King for kitchen demonstrations and for movies for example. The major spot for trivia and other such things was Crowes nest, squeezed between the local cultural type presentations. Cannot say if Crowes Nest was used at night or not, never went there after dinner.

 

On our recent cruise on the Prinsendam, they also did some game show stuff in the evening. They did not replace the regular nightly entertainment.

[elycelynne]

I found on the Noordam recently that HAL tended to do the game show stuff during the day on sea days and night time entertainment tended to be BB King, Lincoln Center, Piano Bar and the main theater. Biggest problem is that with the ship design if all of those venues are busy with their prime functions, there is a lack of venue space for games. Thus they use that space during the day. BB King for kitchen demonstrations and for movies for example. The major spot for trivia and other such things was Crowes nest, squeezed between the local cultural type presentations. Cannot say if Crowes Nest was used at night or not, never went there after dinner.

 

I noticed that the game shows/karaoke/etc. pretty much dried up with the inception of the BB King club. Those events used to take place in the Queen's Lounge. When the BB King club arrived and occupied the Queen's Lounge pretty much every night, the other activities pretty much bit the dust.

 

I've only sailed on Vista and Signature-class ships, so I have no idea how things are on the S and R-class ships that don't feature the BB King entertainment.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Yes, but those cruise lines, such as Crystal, Regent, Oceania have a much higher average cruise fare than does HAL.

 

HAL is in an interesting niche. The smallest average ship size of the mass market brands, in a similar fare range as the mass market brands. As such they have higher per passenger costs, with similar per passenger revenue.

 

The other lines have to build their entertainment across their brand. As a result they can absorb some extra costs per passenger on their smaller ships, and make up for it with the lower costs per passengers on their mega ships.

 

Also another consideration is that HAL tends to longer average cruise lengths than the other mainstream lines. As such there tend to be the ratio of production shows per days of cruise tend to be lower, meaning that the production show casts tend to have a higher relative cost in terms of productivity.

 

I agree with you ....

[SFBayAreaShipLover]

I agree with you ....

 

 

 

Concur tooo!!! Nicely put. Bottom line it’s all about money to stock holders

 

 

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[bUU]

Concur tooo!!! Nicely put. Bottom line it’s all about money to stock holders

Yes, and just like every other mainstream cruise line.

 

 

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[OlsSalt]

The entertainment teams new union contract was over-reaching and under-performing. That is what did them in. They were no longer worth the bed space they were taking up.

[SFBayAreaShipLover]

Yes, and just like every other mainstream cruise line.

 

 

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But don’t get me wrong,,,, I still feel you get very good value for your money across most of the brands. Been sailing over 40 years, back in the Sitmar and start of Princess on the Princess Italia

 

 

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[bUU]

But don’t get me wrong,,,, I still feel you get very good value for your money across most of the brands.

The mass market doesn't allow you to provide an inadequate value for long. Far too much to lose, it simply isn't worth it.

 

 

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[OlsSalt]

The mass market doesn't allow you to provide an inadequate value for long. Far too much to lose, it simply isn't worth it.

 

 

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Words spoken without a clue as to the unconsolidated CCL returns for each cruise line family. For all we know, HAL could be the no-frills cash cow for CCL.

[RDC1]

Words spoken without a clue as to the unconsolidated CCL returns for each cruise line family. For all we know, HAL could be the no-frills cash cow for CCL.

 

 

Could be, however probably unlikely. A best their slightly higher fares compensate for the inefficient smaller average ship sizes. One can make some fairly valid assumptions, considering that they share a number of costs and expenses with Princess and since most costs are fixed per cruise, one can get a pretty good idea. Between looking at overall CCL numbers, average passenger ship size per line, ratio passenger market share to revenue market share by line, average ship age (to determine level of capital investment per line), passenger to crew ratio per line.

 

May run a model when I get a chance

[OlsSalt]

Could be, however probably unlikely. A best their slightly higher fares compensate for the inefficient smaller average ship sizes. One can make some fairly valid assumptions, considering that they share a number of costs and expenses with Princess and since most costs are fixed per cruise, one can get a pretty good idea. Between looking at overall CCL numbers, average passenger ship size per line, ratio passenger market share to revenue market share by line, average ship age (to determine level of capital investment per line), passenger to crew ratio per line.

 

May run a model when I get a chance

 

Last CCL Annual Report offered tantalizing hints that not all CCL family members were contributing equally to the CCL bottom line, per passenger. But since it was written in Annual Report gobblygook I could not discern which side of the equation HAL found itself on. An under-performing child or an over-performing child.

 

Could it be CLL knows it can squeeze the most out of HAL revenues in order to subsidize its other lines, since HAL has such a high passenger loyalty history and we will put up with poorer treatment better than others? May our prying eyes will learn more when the 2018 CCL Annual Report comes out this Fall..

[Wishing on a star]

That might be interesting!

 

But, back on topic, by all official info, there WILL be singer/dancer/performers on HAL cruises.

There is a web-site with a video posted earlier on in this thread.

Just not necessarily the same type/format that many here have been accustomed to.

Definitely production shows/numbers. But not what many might think of as the more traditional production entertainment.

[Ashdale]

As a fairly regular HAL passenger and recently back from my latest journey with them, I love their cast shows - more so than individual performers, to be honest. If they are intent on retaining their popular, smaller ships, I implore them to retain their cast shows.

 

 

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[Ashdale]

PS forgot to ask - is anyone outside US in the slightest interested in Ms O Winfrey?

 

 

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[taxmantoo]

PS forgot to ask - is anyone outside US in the slightest interested in Ms O Winfrey?

 

 

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Seems that Harry and Meghan are ... she made their list of invitees :confused: Still have not figured out why.

[Ashdale]

Seems that Harry and Meghan are ... she made their list of invitees :confused: Still have not figured out why.

 

 

 

Lol. Me too!

 

 

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[bUU]

Words spoken without a clue as to the unconsolidated CCL returns for each cruise line family. For all we know, HAL could be the no-frills cash cow for CCL.

Words spoken without a clue about how corporate portfolio management works.

 

Face it: You don't like what they're doing and you're desperately trying to make your dislike sounds like business intelligence.

 

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[Aquahound]

I'm a cruise passenger, not a cruise line CEO. I don't give a crap about markets, smart business choices and corporate portfolios. I only care about the cruise and the quality of the offerings on board. The more HAL cuts, the more the other lines look attractive. They won't miss me if I'm gone but again, I don't care. I'm just a passenger and I only care about passenger things.

[Wishing on a star]

As a fairly regular HAL passenger and recently back from my latest journey with them, I love their cast shows - more so than individual performers, to be honest. If they are intent on retaining their popular, smaller ships, I implore them to retain their cast shows.

 

We are not talking about individual performers or acts that are booked onboard.

We are talking about the HAL production shows.

There will still be a cast of singers/dancers/performers.

Just not what one might be used to and think of as 'traditional'.

 

Go the one link for the entertainment production company who is / has been developing these shows for HAL, and you can see a video there.

[bUU]

I'm a cruise passenger, not a cruise line CEO.

So why isn't saying what a passenger likes and doesn't like enough? Why must some passengers try to pretend that they are in a position to objectively comment on the management of the corporation as well?

 

 

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[SetAnOpenCourse]

The mass market doesn't allow you to provide an inadequate value for long. Far too much to lose, it simply isn't worth it.

Yes, it’s all about detioration of value at a rate that doesn’t threaten the reports that matter to those who have a hand on that deterioration. The question is, how far out is the report they care about? IMHO, it’s safe to say the commitment reflects the era.