HAL’s announcement about Westerdam’s remaining Asian cruises

[iv18-Diane]

On 2/20/2020 at 9:04 PM, JeffElizabeth said:

We want to do the Japan to Vancouver trip but I can wait. Maybe do instead the Vancouver to Japan cruise later.  Wonder where the ship will go? Caribbean? Alaska? After a deep cleaning of course. 

I am thinking Caribbean as Holland America has no ships in the summer there. I am sure it would interest people.

[kazu]

10 minutes ago, iv18-Diane said:

I am thinking Caribbean as Holland America has no ships in the summer there. I am sure it would interest people.

 

Hmmm, the Canadians that go on Caribbean cruises do it to escape the winter.

 

speaking for only myself, no way would I go to the Caribbean in the summer.  It will be HOT and besides our good weather is short lived.  I certainly wouldn’t spend it on flights to go the Caribbean 😉 

[SilvertoGold]

On 2/21/2020 at 11:51 AM, VMax1700 said:

Depends on the itinerary!  Dubai to Vancouver and I would be on it in a flash (sale). 😁

 

Nicely put!  Me, too.

[MAVIP]

6 hours ago, SilvertoGold said:

 

Nicely put!  Me, too.

Westwards or Eastwards 😉 ? 

[Two4Sea]

You know, with the QE's sales success last Friday on their Sydney - Vancouver trip, a Dubai trip may not be so crazy. Find a place for a 10 day clean up then 10 days to Dubai. Westbound to Vancouver is shorter, would you like "A tale of two Canals" (Suez-Panama) or "A tale of two Capes" (Good Hope & the Horn)?

 

Bill

[MAVIP]

1 minute ago, Two4Sea said:

You know, with the QE's sales success last Friday on their Sydney - Vancouver trip, a Dubai trip may not be so crazy. Find a place for a 10 day clean up then 10 days to Dubai. Westbound to Vancouver is shorter, would you like "A tale of two Canals" (Suez-Panama) or "A tale of two Capes" (Good Hope & the Horn)?

 

Bill

Two Canals route would be the most interesting (for me at least). Partly a revisit (Sihanoukville-Singapore-Atlantic EU ports through Suez) and partly new (EU-Panama-Vancouver).  

[VMax1700]

1 hour ago, MAVIP said:

Two Canals route would be the most interesting (for me at least). Partly a revisit (Sihanoukville-Singapore-Atlantic EU ports through Suez) and partly new (EU-Panama-Vancouver).  

This is what I am hoping for!

Would make a great 'one off' sailing.  They could get some great PR out of salvaging the season with a cruise like this.

[wdw1972]

15 hours ago, kazu said:

 

Hmmm, the Canadians that go on Caribbean cruises do it to escape the winter.

 

speaking for only myself, no way would I go to the Caribbean in the summer.  It will be HOT and besides our good weather is short lived.  I certainly wouldn’t spend it on flights to go the Caribbean 😉 

Totally agree - I live in Florida and there's NO WAY I'd spend time & money cruising to the Caribbean during summer.  Florida is miserable, and the Bahamas/Caribbean aren't any better that time of year 😉 I can't see HAL putting a ship there during summer - it would make more sense to make room for an extra ship somewhere more attractive if there aren't any "new" places that can be set up with such short notice.

 

Sue/WDW1972

[leerathje]

5 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

This is what I am hoping for!

Would make a great 'one off' sailing.  They could get some great PR out of salvaging the season with a cruise like this.

 

Would be great, but could HAL set up an itinerary and arrange for ports with such short notice?

 

L.

 

[Hlitner]

17 hours ago, iv18-Diane said:

I am thinking Caribbean as Holland America has no ships in the summer there. I am sure it would interest people.

The Westy will be doing Alaskan cruises from May (perhaps earlier if HAL adds another voyage).   As of this morning the vessel is docked back in Cambodia.

 

Hank

[VMax1700]

1 hour ago, leerathje said:

 

Would be great, but could HAL set up an itinerary and arrange for ports with such short notice?

 

L.

 

If HAL are having problems setting up an itinerary, then I am prepared to spend some time on it, for a free stateroom!

It is off season in Europe, so careful selection of ports should yield results. For example Civitavecchia, Barcelona, Malaga.  Peak season is just ending in Las Canarias, so a call to one of the islands then across the atlantic to Port Everglades (are PE going to refuse HAL a dock??) then through the canal and up the west coast of USA and on to Vancouver.  Probable problems are Suez and Panama Canals.  But I am sure these are not insurmountable problems.

[dockman]

I would imagine the cost of fuel is also a factor in where they will move the ship for couple of months....that is why I think it will come from asia...maybe do a cruise or two from/to hawaii to YVR or Mexico, a few coastals and then be in position to start alaska in May.  To go from asia to europe to FLL then to alaska is a LOT of fuel.

 

Guess we will find out when they figure it all out.

[Two4Sea]

Yes Singapore to Vancouver is half the distance but it only takes 2 weeks nonstop. Scheduling something else for the other 9 weeks between now and early May will also burn up a chunk of fuel so maybe distance is less of a question. The salability is another issue, the long route allows for both through passengers and segment sales. Pacific coast or Hawaii routes don't even offer 4 week opportunities and besides others are already trying to sell there. Figuring out what would sell and for how much is probably as much work here as the technical issues of distance/time and port availability. It makes the armchair quarterbacking interesting ...so long as we only view ourselves as amateurs :) .

 

Bill

[dockman]

Regardless of where they move it I do imagine there will be some serious discounting/extra perks etc as that is a lot of inventory to sell in a matter of weeks.

[lyndarra]

So long as it turns up in Vancouver on Jun 14 I'll be happy.

[Caribbean Chris]

Alaska is a fait accompli for the summer months and prices still appear equal to the other ships (no Westerdam fire sale).

 

I would have liked to have seen a few East Coast to Bermuda cruises  in the springtime, which HAL did (in summers) for years. Perhaps do some Panama Canal sailings with one ending in Baltimore in April.
 

But so far, we haven’t seen anything posted for Match/April, right?

Edited February 24, 2020 by Caribbean Chris

[VMax1700]

48 minutes ago, Caribbean Chris said:

But so far, we haven’t seen anything posted for Match/April, right?

Right!  May 10th ex Vancouver is currently the earliest sailing listed for Westerdam.