HAL Transatlantic Questions

[koolforkatz]

Hi - I have just booked my first ever (yay!) transatlantic onboard the Nieuw Amsterdam for 2020. I have sailed a couple of times on HAL, mostly 3-4 day cruises and fully expect the demographics to be completely different on a TA 15-day cruise. My question, though, is for all the sea days, does HAL generally have much going on during the day as far as entertainment, events, enrichment lectures, things to do, etc? I have done a Transpacific on Celebrity and there was always lots going on to keep people busy, but just wondered how HAL compares.

 

Many thanks!

 

 

[OlsSalt]

We had a solid array of enrichment lectures with informal follow-up seminars on our HAL transatlantic - they know they need to provide a variety of activities when there are long, extended at-sea days which are a given on trans-atlantics. They are special types of cruises and we like them a lot.

 

But also come prepared to just be lazy. Bring some good things to read or listen to as well. A craft project too. Or plan a special fitness schedule for yourself during those days at sea.HAL ships do not offer all the onboard action frills and gimmicks (rock climbing, ice rinks, go carts etc)  in the first place if you are looking for something else to do.

 

 Yes, your demographics will be quite different from a three-day cruising experience. Good time to pick up cruise travel tips from those onboard who love this type of vacation - the longer the cruises the better so they can share how to best enjoy them. Have a wonderful cruise - you picked a very nice ship and hope you love going back to the Tamarind surcharge resaurant several times to explore the full range of its menu.

[koolforkatz]

6 hours ago, OlsSalt said:

We had a solid array of enrichment lectures with informal follow-up seminars on our HAL transatlantic - they know they need to provide a variety of activities when there are long, extended at-sea days which are a given on trans-atlantics. They are special types of cruises and we like them a lot.

 

But also come prepared to just be lazy. Bring some good things to read or listen to as well. A craft project too. Or plan a special fitness schedule for yourself during those days at sea.HAL ships do not offer all the onboard action frills and gimmicks (rock climbing, ice rinks, go carts etc)  in the first place if you are looking for something else to do.

 

 Yes, your demographics will be quite different from a three-day cruising experience. Good time to pick up cruise travel tips from those onboard who love this type of vacation - the longer the cruises the better so they can share how to best enjoy them. Have a wonderful cruise - you picked a very nice ship and hope you love going back to the Tamarind surcharge resaurant several times to explore the full range of its menu.

 

Thanks for all the feedback OlsSalt! Lazy works for me - my DH and I did a 30 day South America cruise last year and absolutely loved all the lazy, relaxing sea days. But also happy to hear they have lots of stuff going on as far as enrichment lectures and from what I've read sounds like HAL also has lots of movies on TV. 

 

I'm glad the ship is so nice! I've heard very nice things about the Tamarind restaurant so we will likely go there once or twice.

 

Thanks again :) 

[St Pete Cruiser]

The transatlantic cruises draw a younger than normal age group than a typical 14 day HAL cruise.  We have found a lot of airline employees book these as they get air privileges and therefore get a super deal.

[kazu]

6 minutes ago, St Pete Cruiser said:

The transatlantic cruises draw a younger than normal age group than a typical 14 day HAL cruise.  We have found a lot of airline employees book these as they get air privileges and therefore get a super deal.

 

Now, that’s interesting!

 

It hasn’t been our experience but it must be dependent on what ship you are on, I guess?

 

[the2ofus]

You don't mention the time of year you will be doing the TA.  We did ours, Athens to Ft. Lauderdale, in November.  We loved having the port side (south facing) balcony because we could bask in the sun, even though the weather could be cool.

 

[koolforkatz]

11 minutes ago, the2ofus said:

You don't mention the time of year you will be doing the TA.  We did ours, Athens to Ft. Lauderdale, in November.  We loved having the port side (south facing) balcony because we could bask in the sun, even though the weather could be cool.

 

 

Hi there - we’re doing it in November, Barcelona to Ft. Lauderdale. I’ve booked an aft. Hopefully we get some sun although I’m not sure whether we will be able to see sunsets? But love staring at the wake and from past experience it’s usuaully not so windy.

[St Pete Cruiser]

40 minutes ago, kazu said:

 

Now, that’s interesting!

 

It hasn’t been our experience but it must be dependent on what ship you are on, I guess?

 

Last April we did the Koningsdam and it was.  

[sambamama]

I have done two, one late October, one early November, and both were typical HAL demographics. 50s and up, maybe a few more younger people coming in, but not too many. 

[cruising cockroach]

33 minutes ago, sambamama said:

I have done two, one late October, one early November, and both were typical HAL demographics. 50s and up, maybe a few more younger people coming in, but not too many. 

 

I wonder if ship (and fares) dictate the demographics.  We did a TATL on the Prinsendam in the same time frame.  Fares were 2x more on the Prinsendam than the Nieuw Amsterdam that year (verandah on the NA could be had for ~ USD 600 IIRC while I got a private sale on the Prinsendam for 2x that - all after final payment date).  In our very early 50s at that time, we were one of the youngest people onboard by easily a decade or two.

[Hawaiidan]

Took a trans from Venice to Miami... in October.    The ship was only partially booked o so they dropped the price drastically and a ton of " bottom feeders"  got on.   It was a nasty group, things getting stolen..like the door prizes during trivia and laptops, phones  you name it, the libiary getting broken into too,  Art pried off the wall some one even stole the day mats from the elevators.  Captain had to close off parts of the ship....different

Thats coming back across on the Eurodam.

[SilvertoGold]

8 minutes ago, Hawaiidan said:

Took a trans from Venice to Miami... in October.    The ship was only partially booked o so they dropped the price drastically and a ton of " bottom feeders"  got on.   It was a nasty group, things getting stolen..like the door prizes during trivia and laptops, phones  you name it, the libiary getting broken into too,  Art pried off the wall some one even stole the day mats from the elevators.  Captain had to close off parts of the ship....different

Thats coming back across on the Eurodam.

 

Eurodam into Miami?  

 

 

[Fouremco]

8 minutes ago, Hawaiidan said:

Took a trans from Venice to Miami... in October.    The ship was only partially booked o so they dropped the price drastically and a ton of " bottom feeders"  got on.   It was a nasty group, things getting stolen..like the door prizes during trivia and laptops, phones  you name it, the libiary getting broken into too,  Art pried off the wall some one even stole the day mats from the elevators.  Captain had to close off parts of the ship....different

Thats coming back across on the Eurodam.

Must have been all those nasty Greyhound passengers that you warned us about in an earlier thread. 

 

 

[SilvertoGold]

OP:   Weather can be a problem in October - November crossing the Atlantic.  Cooler temperatures generally and rough seas are to be expected.  You might experience warm and smooth, but hope you get lucky!!

HAL is such a great line for TAs.  Enjoy your planning!

[Hawaiidan]

4 minutes ago, SilvertoGold said:

 

 

Eurodam into Miami?  

 

 

Thought it was  maybe it was Ft Lauderdale..  it was about 5 years ago

[Hawaiidan]

4 minutes ago, Fouremco said:

Must have been all those nasty Greyhound passengers that you warned us about in an earlier thread. 

 

 

Could be.....while riding the bus you can experience very "interesting" people....The folks HAL dredged up were off  even that scale.............

[SilvertoGold]

38 minutes ago, Hawaiidan said:

Thought it was  maybe it was Ft Lauderdale..  it was about 5 years ago

 

Thanks.  I was having a hard time with this being HAL!!  Must have been QUITE an experience. Glad you survived to tell about it.

[Tennessee Titan]

34 minutes ago, Hawaiidan said:

Could be.....while riding the bus you can experience very "interesting" people....The folks HAL dredged up were off  even that scale.............

Maybe you should stick to the bus??

 

That aside, we have done 22 TA. Have experienced rough sea only 3 or 4 times. Mostly smooth as glass....

[suznjune]

On 2/15/2019 at 8:43 PM, the2ofus said:

You don't mention the time of year you will be doing the TA.  We did ours, Athens to Ft. Lauderdale, in November.  We loved having the port side (south facing) balcony because we could bask in the sun, even though the weather could be cool.

 

 

I am happy to hear this. We are booked on the port side for October 2019 on Nieuw Statendam. This will be our first TA and first time on this ship. Looking forward to relaxing days onboard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[the2ofus]

The most southern TA route with destination Fort Lauderdale tends to have smoother seas unless the crossing is in the very early part of November after a very active hurricane season.