HAL cruises from Tampa

[basictek]

I was on Rotterdam in April, and they told us the reason they were not sailing from Tampa had to do with port negotiations, that Tampa port was only going to have CCL, RCI and NCL, from now on. I don't expect to see HAL back in Tampa anytime soon, but I have no idea if we were told the truth or how often these "port negotiations" occur

[Tampa Girl]

19 hours ago, basictek said:

I was on Rotterdam in April, and they told us the reason they were not sailing from Tampa had to do with port negotiations, that Tampa port was only going to have CCL, RCI and NCL, from now on. I don't expect to see HAL back in Tampa anytime soon, but I have no idea if we were told the truth or how often these "port negotiations" occur

 

I have suspected that this was the reason HAL pulled out of Tampa.  And the worst part is, I am not sure Tampa is that interested in having them back.  HAL does not generate that much revenue compared t the other three lines.  More's the pity.

[sail7seas]

23 hours ago, Tampa Girl said:

 

I have suspected that this was the reason HAL pulled out of Tampa.  And the worst part is, I am not sure Tampa is that interested in having them back.  HAL does not generate that much revenue compared t the other three lines.  More's the pity.

In what ways  do  other  crruise lines  generate revenue  that   HAL does  not?  We certainly 

 

    managed   nice hotel stays. nice dinners out,  taxis   shopping and the rest ..  🙂

 

 

sail.noordam@gmail.com

 

 

 

Edited June 17, 2019 by sail7seas

[AtlantaCruiser72]

1 hour ago, sail7seas said:

In what ways  do  other  crruise lines  generate revenue  that   HAL does  not?  We certainly 

 

    managed   nice hotel stays. nice dinners out,  taxis   shopping and the rest ..  🙂

 

 

sail.noordam@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

My guess is that a larger percentage of HAL cruisers sailing from Tampa either live in the greater Tampa/St Petersburg/ Clearwater area, or within a less than 5hr drive and drive in same day and do not spend additional $ on the items you referenced. There would therefore be far less net economic gain to the Tampa region that would then incentivize the port to want to offer HAL favorable docking rates/terms.

 

Other lines such as NCL/Carnival/Royal will have more younger clients/families coming in from out of state (either by car or air) that use the regions hotels, restaurants, beaches, theme parks, shopping, etc that provide far superior economic gain related to port usage. 

 

As as the old adage goes - follow the money....

Edited June 18, 2019 by AtlantaCruiser72

[sail7seas]

13 hours ago, AtlantaCruiser72 said:

 

My guess is that a larger percentage of HAL cruisers sailing from Tampa either live in the greater Tampa/St Petersburg/ Clearwater area, or within a less than 5hr drive and drive in same day and do not spend additional $ on the items you referenced. There would therefore be far less net economic gain to the Tampa region that would then incentivize the port to want to offer HAL favorable docking rates/terms.

 

Other lines such as NCL/Carnival/Royal will have more younger clients/families coming in from out of state (either by car or air) that use the regions hotels, restaurants, beaches, theme parks, shopping, etc that provide far superior economic gain related to port usage. 

 

As as the old adage goes - follow the money....

 

 

Seeing Boston is home  for me,  , each time we sailed out of  Tampa, of course, we flew.  As to theme  parks, No  Way,  not my cup of tea  Tampa's  fog and the bridge are negatives for thos who are flying home at the end of g their cruise. We  always did a pos cruise stay ' just  in case'.    Not everyone  is able or willing to plan that way.  Now that I am solo, I would not again  fly to and sail out of/into Tampa.

 

[Tampa Girl]

15 hours ago, sail7seas said:

In what ways  do  other  crruise lines  generate revenue  that   HAL does  not?  We certainly 

 

    managed   nice hotel stays. nice dinners out,  taxis   shopping and the rest ..  🙂

 

 

sail.noordam@gmail.com

 

 

 

 

I think it is because there are three lines compared to one, and at least two of them have 5-day cruises.  More tourist turnover means more hotel stays.  According to the Tampa Bay Times article published at the time HAL announced it was pulling out, HAL only accounts for 5% of the cruise ship revenue.  Seems a little low to me.  However, some of HAL's cruises were 14-day southern Caribbean cruises.  The paper also said that the Port Authority was revamping pier facilities, which is where I got the idea that HAL's pulling out was a means of leveraging a better position in the port.  As far as some speculation that HAL itself couldn't sell out the ships, I noted that the Vista Suites, Neptune Suite, and Pinnacle suites on the Rotterdam were shown on this past winter's website as having been sold out.  This left OV's and insides.  Nor would the fog have played much of an issue.  HAL has been sailing out of Tampa for over 30 years, and the fog was always a possibility in the winter.

 

In short, I am optimistic (completely without basis) that HAL will return to Tampa eventually.  Hope, hope, hope.

[Tampa Girl]

32 minutes ago, sail7seas said:

 

 

Seeing Boston is home  for me,  , each time we sailed out of  Tampa, of course, we flew.  As to theme  parks, No  Way,  not my cup of tea  Tampa's  fog and the bridge are negatives for thos who are flying home at the end of g their cruise. We  always did a pos cruise stay ' just  in case'.    Not everyone  is able or willing to plan that way.  Now that I am solo, I would not again  fly to and sail out of/into Tampa.

 

 

I'm not sure why the bridge would have been a problem.  I have not heard of a ship not being able to get under it.  And it is fun to sail under it.  The fog, I understand, although the other lines don't seem to be bothered by it.  It is not a regular occurrence during the winter, although I understand that once delayed by it, one would be reluctant to give it a second chance.

  

[sail7seas]

In any case, given Vedndam's lack of an out door pool, I do not think her suitable for   cruises in all wsarm wseagther, gthe whole ten/ 14 days. 

 

.  Sailing from a cold westher port to Caribean seems a beter use for thag ship,  IMO

 

 

Edited June 18, 2019 by sail7seas

[Curly-Q]

I guess I won't be sailing out of Tampa any more.  There's no way I'd cruise on the lines left there and I've cruised them all at one time or another.   It's such a shame, because the Tampa area is so nice, as well as the Tampa airport.  I believe it's a mistake for HAL to leave Tampa, no matter which side initiated it!

[AtlantaCruiser72]

I have a feeling this was more motivated by HAL wanting to reduce operating costs than Port of Tampa asking them to leave.  I'm sure when the contract became amendable that Port of Tampa wanted to raise fees, HAL did not want to pay the increased fees and thus looked at other options.  Short term they decided the best choice for them was to consolidate Caribbean operations at one Florida port - Ft. Lauderdale.

[sail7seas]

On 6/18/2019 at 2:01 PM, AtlantaCruiser72 said:

I have a feeling this was more motivated by HAL wanting to reduce operating costs than Port of Tampa asking them to leave.  I'm sure when the contract became amendable that Port of Tampa wanted to raise fees, HAL did not want to pay the increased fees and thus looked at other options.  Short term they decided the best choice for them was to consolidate Caribbean operations at one Florida port - Ft. Lauderdale.

 

 

Oh     well,

Far more non-stop flights  to FLL  and   MIami.

 

So, bye-bye   Tampa.

 

Nice city but ....

 

 

 

 

 

 

sail.noordam @gmail.com

 

Edited October 24, 2019 by sail7seas

[Tampa Girl]

17 minutes ago, sail7seas said:

 

 

Oh     well,

Far more non-stop flights  to FLL  and   MIami.

 

So, bye-bye   Tampa.

 

Nice city but ....

 

 

 

 

 

 

sail.noordam @gmail.com

 

 

Sail - HAL will be back in Tampa for the 20-21 winter season.  That was announced last month, and there is a thread on it.  It will be the Veendam.  Maybe the fact that Celebrity will also be in Tampa for that period encourage HAL to come back.  I still think the departure was due to a negotiations breakdown because Tampa is renovating their cruise facility.

 

 

[Himself]

On 6/15/2019 at 11:42 AM, RocketMan275 said:

One thing evident from this thread.  Holland needs two/three new ships.

Two or three SMALLER SHIPS.

[JimnKaren]

Ya know...there are lots of us CC people who live in the Bay area (that terminology is being debated locally). Ya'll can come down and stay at our houses and then we'll go out to eat every night, just like on a ship. It would be better than going to Key West or Cozumel or Belize or wherever.

 

Jim

[Sue from Canada]

2 hours ago, Himself said:

Two or three SMALLER SHIPS.

If only.... A new ship the size of the old Prinsendam would be wonderful.

[sail7seas]

On 10/24/2019 at 9:41 PM, JimnKaren said:

Ya know...there are lots of us CC people who live in the Bay area (that terminology is being debated locally). Ya'll can come down and stay at our houses and then we'll go out to eat every night, just like on a ship. It would be better than going to Key West or Cozumel or Belize or wherever.

 

Jim

 

 

Lovely of you, Jim but truly, we enjoyed  a number of very pleasant hotel stays in Tampa before and after cruises.    I am not  sure I would go to Boston to  sail Veendam again.     I live  a little north of Boston.  🙂        My last cruise on Veendam   two or so years ago was  a  b ig disappointment.    So.. doubtful I would     fly   to anywhere to sail Veendam.  It's too bad as I remember some very good cruises on her when sh first joined the fleet and until  they took  away her aft pool and made    (questionable )   " improvements" throughout. 

 

 

 

[chill6x6]

I hope they do come back to Tampa.  I throughly enjoyed the Rotterdam from Tampa!

[St Pete Cruiser]

Veendam, as stated before, returns Nov 2020 until April 2021.

[Djptcp]

DH and I are delighted that the Veendam will sail from Tampa and we already have reservations for the Dec. 13, 2020 sailing. We live 45 minutes from the Port of Tampa and sail mostly out of there unless we have to go to Fort Lauderdale to sail on Holland.

 

The first several Celebrity sailings are 7 days and then they go to 10-11 day sailings. At least that was what I saw when they first announced they were coming to Tampa. Have never sailed on Celebrity before.