Orlando Ashford is leaving HAL

[Cruiser Bruiser]

34 minutes ago, Copper10-8 said:

Watch out for what it is you ask! I might bring the dreaded dress code back + have it enforced in the MDRs! 🤣

I have 39 nights on P&O, so I can just grab my tuxedo from the back of the closet. I wouldn't mind a little more formality in the MDR, especially in terms of manners.

[DFD1]

Many of us would welcome the merger of HAL and Seabourn, bringing the smaller ships into the fleet and adjusting their services and fares to better fit the HAL customer profile.

[igraf]

2 hours ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

I think Stein Kruse will run all 3 lines from his spot as group CEO.

 

Look for Princess CEO next then a bunch of VPs from all 3 lines.

 

The further you are from the customer, the more your job is at risk.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

The CEO leaving probably has more to do with stock option price guarantees than an actual firing.

 

igraf

 

 

[Copper10-8]

9 minutes ago, DFD1 said:

Many of us would welcome the merger of HAL and Seabourn, bringing the smaller ships into the fleet and adjusting their services and fares to better fit the HAL customer profile.

 

 

Would not be a terribly hard thing to do; a lot of HAL crew, incl. captains, has/have already been cross-trained on Seabourn ships and, yes, some of those ships could take on Prinsendam-like itineraries 

[1ANGELCAT]

I just looked at HAL’s Facebook page and nothing is posted there yet. 
The trivia is posted with Seth Wayne who is wearing his shirt apparently inside out . Just look at how the logo appears 😱

How much is he being paid 😀

[Shmoo here]

21 minutes ago, KirkNC said:

until they made us pay $59 for our transfer in Fremantle when they threw us off the ship.

WOW!  That's terrible.

[Roz]

"Orlando has made a substantial contribution to Holland America Line during his tenure, bringing a renewed energy to the premium cruise line".  - What energy?  The last few HAL cruises I've been on have been DEAD.  The signature features that made HAL, such as the Crow's Nest, gone.  

[colonialinnkeeper]

I am happy and relieved to hear that Orlando Ashford is leaving.  I remember his debut which was so anti-climactic and wondered if any good would come of this association.  As difficult as the time is right now, I hope it will be a time for Carnival to take the initiative and make a HAL that will include both those cruisers that have supported HAL for many years while providing changes that the newer cruisers are enjoying.  It will be a difficult road but so much could be rewarding for both the company and the clients.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

17 minutes ago, DFD1 said:

Many of us would welcome the merger of HAL and Seabourn, bringing the smaller ships into the fleet and adjusting their services and fares to better fit the HAL customer profile.

Sounds good to me 👍

[retafcruiser]

3 hours ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

Holland America Line President Orlando Ashford announced that he will be leaving the company at the end of May

About time.

[taxmantoo]

10 minutes ago, 1ANGELCAT said:

I just looked at HAL’s Facebook page and nothing is posted there yet. 
The trivia is posted with Seth Wayne who is wearing his shirt apparently inside out . Just look at how the logo appears 😱

How much is he being paid 😀

Way too much ...

 

[Roz]

24 minutes ago, Cruiser Bruiser said:

the LOVE BOAT, soon will be making another run...the LOVE BOAT...

 

I think in the general scheme of things, the whole Diamond Princess debacle will be quickly forgotten. Everyone of a certain age who is even slightly interested in cruising will continue to associate Princess with the Love Boat. That's an association that is priceless.

 

Agree with you 100%.  No one talks about the Carnival Ecstasy debacle a few yrs. ago where the ship lost power in the middle of the ocean and passengers were stranded with no AC or working plumbing.

[USN59-79]

Interesting that the article says he joined HAL in November, 2014.  I first met him and his wife on the WC when he came aboard the Amsterdam when it was in South Africa in March or April of 2014.  He joined the ship for about a week with Arnold Donald (Carnival CEO) and also Bishop Desmond Tutu.  I have to admit that HAL was a little more classy than it is at present.

[MISTER 67]

1 hour ago, 1ANGELCAT said:

I wouldn’t consider ATK a dining venue.

Exactly, in fact I think HAL has very good food in the MDR and the Lido.

[taxmantoo]

9 minutes ago, Roz said:

"Orlando has made a substantial contribution to Holland America Line during his tenure, bringing a renewed energy to the premium cruise line".  - What energy?  The last few HAL cruises I've been on have been DEAD.  The signature features that made HAL, such as the Crow's Nest, gone.  

We really noticed that started slowly happening when HAL stopped the production shows in the main theater and dressed their cruise directors in those hideous grey suits.  Pretty sad when your waiters are better dressed than the cruise director who, on top of looking ridiculous, is not even allowed to tell jokes anymore.  Hard for a cruise director with hardly any staff to engage guests in activities and make the ship look alive and vibrant.  

[StartrainDD]

1 hour ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

Agreed, one of the better things Orlando instituted, along with

 

Changing the Northern Lights nightclubs into Gallery Bars.

The early availability of your stateroom on embarkation day (not having to wait elsewhere for that P/A announcement by the CD), along the same lines, being able to wait in your cabin until your "number" is called on disembarkation day

Electronic mustering

the creation of the Dive-In burger galley

Expanded salad bars

The Club Orange concept, but only on the two ships that have the dedicated restaurant

 

 

Not so good/terrible decisions and/or things that fell apart on his watch:

 

The change from the original Crow's Nest with full library into Explorations Central

Rijksmuseum at Sea (supposed to go to all Vistas and up, thankfully only found on Westerdam)

Getting rid of the full cast and their production shows

Getting rid of the Screening Room movie theaters on the Vistas and up

Giving CDs the added responsibility as travel director and gutting his/her staff

The "Orange Party"

America's Test Kitchen

 

Probably forgetting stuff............

 

Copper, I exactly agree with you!

[Cruiser Bruiser]

9 minutes ago, taxmantoo said:

We really noticed that started slowly happening when HAL stopped the production shows in the main theater and dressed their cruise directors in those hideous grey suits.  Pretty sad when your waiters are better dressed than the cruise director who, on top of looking ridiculous, is not even allowed to tell jokes anymore.  Hard for a cruise director with hardly any staff to engage guests in activities and make the ship look alive and vibrant.  

I have done two MSC cruises in the past year, and I have two more booked. I know that in North America MSC gets a bad rap because it is so Italian, but I love MSC in part because they have a new production show every night of a 7-night cruise. They also have a full, engaged cruise staff that hosts activities throughout the day. That cruise staff is lead by a traditional cruise director. MSC is also much more affordable than HAL, so HAL has no excuse in not offering production shows and live musical entertainment around the ship throughout the day.

Edited May 12, 2020 by Cruiser Bruiser
Grammar, clarity.

[Copper10-8]

14 minutes ago, USN59-79 said:

Interesting that the article says he joined HAL in November, 2014.  I first met him and his wife on the WC when he came aboard the Amsterdam when it was in South Africa in March or April of 2014.  He joined the ship for about a week with Arnold Donald (Carnival CEO) and also Bishop Desmond Tutu.  I have to admit that HAL was a little more classy than it is at present.

 

March 28 to April 2, 2014; Durban to Cape Town

[rafinmd]

1 hour ago, Copper10-8 said:

The early availability of your stateroom on embarkation day (not having to wait elsewhere for that P/A announcement by the CD), along the same lines, being able to wait in your cabin until your "number" is called on disembarkation day

Are you sure about that?  It seems to me they were already doing it on my first modern HAL cruise in 2011.

 

Roy

[Cruiser Bruiser]

22 minutes ago, USN59-79 said:

I have to admit that HAL was a little more classy than it is at present.

To my mind, HAL should be the traditional, "classy" brand within Carnival Corp. Princess, which to my mind is the "Beige Betty," mass market brand of Carnival Corp., is the step up from CCL; HAL should be a further step up from Princess, even if it's only a half step. Absorbing Seabourn and some of it's cachet would help to do that, but it needs to be reinforced in the on board experience.

[BarbarianPaul]

Finally! Couldn’t agree with the general sentiment more. The ships need more life, better entertainment, the return of production shows, more activities during the day, and less annoying money grubbing like Club Orange and the monumentally pricey thermal suite, whose cost in the last year skyrocketed. 

[Horizon chaser 1957]

2 hours ago, wesport said:

Why is Seth Wayne still being paid to do trivia on Facebook . Give us our refunds

 

Speaking of refunds, we just, as in just in the last couple of hours, got our remaining OBC from the World Cruise back! That includes port fees for the final two month, excursion refunds, etc. It was a considerable chunk of change. 
That’s the first refund money that’s found its way home from any of the cruise lines, airlines, Safari tour companies, etc. we’re waiting on!😃

[FlaMariner]

Praise God Oprah is gone, right?

[nimiq]

12 minutes ago, Cruiser Bruiser said:

To my mind, HAL should be the traditional, "classy" brand within Carnival Corp. Princess, which to my mind is the "Beige Betty," mass market brand of Carnival Corp., is the step up from CCL; HAL should be a further step up from Princess, even if it's only a half step. Absorbing Seabourn and some of it's cachet would help to do that, but it needs to be reinforced in the on board experience.

Very well said a bit like RCCL to Celebrity to Azamara

[slidergirl]

2 hours ago, wesport said:

Why is Seth Wayne still being paid to do trivia on Facebook . Give us our refunds

Probably salaried, not hourly.  They gotta pay him, so let him lead trivia.  What I'm surprised with is, is anyone actually DOING that trivia?????  Gotta have serious cruise jones to need to do online trivia... 😉