Veendam and Maasdam sold

[rotjeknor]

10 hours ago, Tiggerwudz said:

Received an email today from HAL saying our Alaska cruise on Maasdam in July 2021 is cancelled due to the sale of four ships. Amsterdam, Maasdam, Veendam, and Rotterdam are sold. We will receive FCC for double the amount of deposit paid. If you are booked on these ships to cruise you are probably cancelled.

Booked on the Veendam in august 21. Haven’t received mail yet . Hopefully cruise is transferred to either the Volendam or the Zaandam, both enjoyable ships.

Sad to see the Rotterdam go, sailed on her 9 times . Was hoping to make it 10 next summer.

[rotjeknor]

6 hours ago, Sir PMP said:

I did and she's still a grand dame with a fabulous Lido restaurant..

Clubroom Restaurant is great too. Just spending the night on board feels it like taking a cruise on her.

[sambamama]

My October TA was cancelled and now my special Mexican Riviera cruise on the Maasdam in April is gone. I had already booked the Copper Canyon railway tour which is $500. I still don't have my money back from my TA. I was given $150 off and an extra $150 shipboard credit for the Maasdam cruise because of some HAL blips, and I don't know how that will play out. The HAL promotions now don't work out well for solos, and I had a super deal on the Maasdam with a low solo fare and $950 credit. The Maasdam is my favorite HAL ship and I am crushed she is being sold. I will look back to the 20 day South Pacific cruise I had on her. I understand about the Corona virus, but it seems HAL is becoming more and more solo unfriendly in term of economics.

[cruisemom42]

So....it appears Fred Olsen is getting Rotterdam and Amsterdam in what appears to be the better half of the deal. 

 

There is no reason not to consider continuing to book cruises on these ships through Fred Olsen. Unlike Phoenix Reissen, the line is British and most of the passengers will be as well. 

 

For me it is getting harder to justify sailing with ANY of the mass market lines, since my two main criteria for cruising are itinerary and size (small) of ship.

 

Vote with your cruising dollars for smaller ships, and show HAL what really matters to you.

 

Edited July 16, 2020 by cruisemom42

[Himself]

19 hours ago, tjcox9 said:

This is all I find on this, not official Carnival though.

 

https://www.cruisehive.com/holland-americas-maasdam-and-veendam-cruise-ships-expected-to-be-sold/40700

I expected the MAASDAM and VEENDAM to go but I am surprised that HAL is selling the two Flagships.  I thought the Volendam and Zaandam might go rather than the Rotterdam and Amsterdam. Now the Suez Canal voyage makes more sense.

[Lunar Dragon]

Terribly sad to hear of the loss of these smaller ships-especially the Rotterdam has a special place in my heart.   I just hope something of what HAL used to be remains in the future.....

[Crazy For Cats]

3 hours ago, rotjeknor said:

Booked on the Veendam in august 21. Haven’t received mail yet . Hopefully cruise is transferred to either the Volendam or the Zaandam, both enjoyable ships.

Sad to see the Rotterdam go, sailed on her 9 times . Was hoping to make it 10 next summer.

I have the Veendam booked for a March 2021.  No email as yet.  I’m hoping it is switched to Zaandam or Volendam.  Assuming ships are sailing by then.

[iancal]

26 minutes ago, Himself said:

I expected the MAASDAM and VEENDAM to go but I am surprised that HAL is selling the two Flagships.  I thought the Volendam and Zaandam might go rather than the Rotterdam and Amsterdam. Now the Suez Canal voyage makes more sense.

I would not assume that Volendam and Zaandam will stay.  It could be that a buyer has not yet been found or that a sell/scrap decision has not been reached. Or they may well stay in the fleet.  Who really knows other than those privy to the financials?

 

  HAL and others are in a fight for their financial survival. 

 

I would expect to see cruise lines dispose of ships  that are not particularly profitable, that will require significant capital investment over the next few years, or that do not fit into a cruise line's post covid strategy.   

Edited July 16, 2020 by iancal

[BigAl94]

I have been told that there is a strong possibilty that Veendam and Maasdam have been sold to Blue Sea Cruises http://blueseas-*****/#top

[Randyk47]

11 minutes ago, Crazy For Cats said:

I have the Veendam booked for a March 2021.  No email as yet.  I’m hoping it is switched to Zaandam or Volendam.  Assuming ships are sailing by then.

I can’t see every itinerary being covered with other ships.  I can see them trying to cross level some itineraries across the remaining fleet but pulling say the Volendam to cover what were to be Veendam would mean the what were to be Volendam cruises would have to be cancelled.   When they cut approximately 30% of the fleet they effectively cut 30% of the availability cruises and itineraries.   

[VMax1700]

Photoshopped on Fed Olsen website.....

Edited July 16, 2020 by VMax1700

[Crazy For Cats]

9 minutes ago, Randyk47 said:

I can’t see every itinerary being covered with other ships.  I can see them trying to cross level some itineraries across the remaining fleet but pulling say the Volendam to cover what were to be Veendam would mean the what were to be Volendam cruises would have to be cancelled.   When they cut approximately 30% of the fleet they effectively cut 30% of the availability cruises and itineraries.   

I understand this.  Just begs the question, why didn’t I get the cancellation notice.  I do have a replacement lined up if it is cancelled.

[VMax1700]

https://www.fredolsencruises.com/newships

Edited July 16, 2020 by VMax1700

[VMax1700]

Did they 'sell' them or give them away?

"The seller credit will have a 5 years tenor with 3 years of zero amortization and subsequent annual installments of GBP 7.43 million at a 2.5% fixed interest cost, an interest rate which reflects the negotiated parameters of the transaction," Fred. Olsen stated. 

[Himself]

28 minutes ago, iancal said:

I would not assume that Volendam and Zaandam will stay.  It could be that a buyer has not yet been found or that a sell/scrap decision has not been reached. Or they may well stay in the fleet.  Who really knows other than those privy to the financials?

 

  HAL and others are in a fight for their financial survival. 

 

I would expect to see cruise lines dispose of ships  that are not particularly profitable, that will require significant capital investment over the next few years, or that do not fit into a cruise line's post covid strategy.   

It could happen.  It will mark the Carnivalization of the Holland America Line. I bet future builds will get rid of the walk around promenade.

[Himself]

9 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

https://www.fredolsencruises.com/newships

Fred Thompson is getting two nice ships. Of the two I prefer the Amsterdam 

[Georgie562]

Was looking into sailing on Maasdam's 12 days Sea of Cortez cruises.

No other cruise line seems to offer this unique itinerary (Princess maybe the closest )

Wondering if another ship will take the route. 

[Sir PMP]

16 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

Did they 'sell' them or give them away?

"The seller credit will have a 5 years tenor with 3 years of zero amortization and subsequent annual installments of GBP 7.43 million at a 2.5% fixed interest cost, an interest rate which reflects the negotiated parameters of the transaction," Fred. Olsen stated. 

Sounds like 'give away'..

[Randyk47]

16 minutes ago, Crazy For Cats said:

I understand this.  Just begs the question, why didn’t I get the cancellation notice.  I do have a replacement lined up if it is cancelled.

I would imagine they are working through the list of impacted cruises while balancing how they might use other ships to cover some cruises.   I’m not familiar enough with the itineraries the four departing ships were doing to even guess how they might do that.   Of course add the pandemic to the mix and I don’t think you could pay me enough to be a scheduler right now.  

[Sir PMP]

4 hours ago, rotjeknor said:

Clubroom Restaurant is great too. Just spending the night on board feels it like taking a cruise on her.

I stayed in that room looking out over the bow..

[carolcp]

If and when our rescheduled Australia cruise were to happen and they apply our deposit, I am sure the price won't be the same and won't include all the "freebies" we had.  Since we only have a deposit down and never paid it off, I think we will have to view it as lost funds.  Something I won't pay increased rates in order to use the money we deposited.   

Will wait and see. I really dislike the larger ships so I don't see myself using the deposit.

 

[sunonfire]

I checked on the HAL’s website and it is not showing any ships leaving from Tampa.

[loerie]

our 444day cruise for Feb 13 Maasdam cancelled as ship is sold !Darn it! Loved the itenerary !Official email from Holland America  last night.

[YXU AC*SE]

42 minutes ago, Randyk47 said:

I would imagine they are working through the list of impacted cruises while balancing how they might use other ships to cover some cruises.   

 

Already done -- sort of, where possible.    Scott. 

 

source: https://gohal.com/app/uploads/2020/07/MARV-Impacted-Sailing-List-with-Alternatives-7.15.2020.xlsx

 

[RevNeal]

I'm not surprised about the two S-class ships.  I loved the Maasdam -- sailed aboard her twice --  and had never had the chance to cruise aboard the Veendam, but I fully anticipated that this disaster would result in HAL going through a fleet downsizing and that the S-class ships were the likely ones to get the chop. However, I'm VERY surprised about the Amsterdam; I figured she, of all the R-class ships, would be retrained the longest since she's probably in the best shape of them all. Don't misunderstand me: I love the Zaandam and the Volendam, and have sailed aboard them for well over 100 days on each -- however, I just didn't see them outlasting the Amsterdam.

 

Oh, well ... time marches on.