What is your favorite & least favorite change since you started cruising HAL?

[shipgeeks]

I miss:  Dress codes that were followed 100%, with no complaints.  Informal evenings saw virtually every man in a blue blazer.  A vast sea of tuxedos on formal nights.

I miss:  Live music for dancing, with packed dance floors for hours at a time, every evening.

I just found out (reading this post) that I would miss the promenade deck if I sailed on certain ships.  Really? On a HAL ship?  I had no idea, although I would have discovered that on the deck plans before I booked the cruise.  But I would have wondered if that was a misprint.  My mind is still boggling.

Related:  We knew that Veendam has a promenade deck, and that helped sell us on the cruise.  But the only chairs were for the residents of the Lanai cabins.  Nowhere for the rest of us to sit.

I miss:  Ships with no balconies.  So much prettier.

 

New and enjoyable:  BB King's.

 

Roundtrip transatlantic?  That would be a dream come true.

[highscar]

@1ANGELCAT nor in 1953. Empress of France. 

[seven.seas]

One of my hands-down favorite changes is the new boarding procedure. We went from curb to stateroom in under 30 minutes (even though we showed up an hour before our boarding time). So much less friction than before!

[lazey1]

Least Favorite: No more Broadway type shows.

 

Most Favorite: Sel De Mer

[Boatdrill]

2 hours ago, shipgeeks said:

I miss:  Dress codes that were followed 100%, with no complaints.  Informal evenings saw virtually every man in a blue blazer.  A vast sea of tuxedos on formal nights.

This ^^^^^^^

[USN59-79]

I loved the Prinsendam, and especially liked the Amsterdam.  Not only the ship, but the crew, from the Captain down to the dining and room stewards.

To correct something that @rj59 mentioned, it isn't that Filipinos handle money and Indonesians don't, the issue is that Indonesians are mostly Muslim and thus because of their religion don't handle alcoholic beverages.  Thus, the bartenders and wine servers will be Filipino.

We first sailed HAL in 1996 on the old Noordam.  Considering inflation, I think that the cost of a cruise is less now than it was then.

[MISTER 67]

If there was one cruise line I thought that would keep the traditional promenade deck, it would have been HAL, I guess I was wrong. We also miss production shows in the main showroom.

 

We do like the 3 music venues, BB Kings, Lincoln Center and Billboard.

[MISTER 67]

Just now, MISTER 67 said:

If there was one cruise line I thought that would keep the traditional promenade deck, it would have been HAL, I guess I was wrong. We also miss production shows in the main showroom.

 

We do like the 3 music venues, BB Kings, Lincoln Center and Billboard.

We also think that the food has really improved down through the years with HAL since our first HAL cruise in 1997 but I wish they still had Dutch night, they had a great pea soup and always had the Dover Sole for the main course which was always cooked to perfection.

 

[daisybertie]

What I miss most:

The Maasdam

the librarian. And the library on the bigger ships.

the old Crows Nest, with dancing in the evenings.
themed cook outs on the deck around the pool.

 

Pros: the wonderful crew, the spotlessly clean ships, the itinerary’s.

wonderful pastry and bread cooks!

Cons: the dreadful repetitious canned music, hearing the same song endless times in a day.

the loss of nearly all the ‘small’ ships.

 

But we would still jump at the chance to cruise on a BHB! Maybe next year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[rkacruiser]

6 hours ago, Crazy For Cats said:

My least favorite change was the removal of "Love in Any Language".

 

I agree.  How many tears have been shed by guests on that last night of their cruise, just as I am shedding tears now by watching this video.  It was a special way to end a cruise.  We, crew and guests, had become a "family".  The song speaks of a desire that so many of us have longed for and keep being disappointed.  

 

Thank you for posting this video from the Volendam, other than Rotterdam V, my favorite of the fleet.  

[Bostonjetset]

8 hours ago, rj59 said:

Negatives

--Lack of crew diversity--only male Indonesians in MDR, only Filipinos get to handle money. I've met crew from over 20 different countries on other lines.

 

It’s always interesting how a negative for some is a positive for others. I think the homogenous (Indonesian and Filipino) crew is a huge positive for HAL. It seems to create an atmosphere of comfort and familiarity that they enjoy as they get to be around their countryman.  I’ve sailed other lines with a mishmash of nationalities and the camaraderie between the crew is noticeably absent. 

[Bostonjetset]

Positive additions:

Grand Dutch Cafe

Lincoln Center Stage

The brighter yet still elegant interior design of the Pinnacle ships. 
 

Negative Subtractions:

Loss of the YumYum man

Loss of the crew shows

Loss of the Royal Dutch Tea and Indonesian Tea

[opa&oma]

10 hours ago, taxmantoo said:

Least favourite : The hiring of Orlando Ashford

Favourite : The firing of Orlando Ashford

 

Everything that happened in between those two events would require too many pages of this thread to comment on.  Let's just say the man was responsible for most of the negative comments that will be talked about in this thread. 😉

I couldn't disagree more.  He was responsible for many of the good things. 

[OlsSalt]

20 minutes ago, Bostonjetset said:

...............

Loss of the Royal Dutch Tea and Indonesian Tea

 

Oh dear, already forgotten those much anticipated taste treats are now gone. Thank you for the sad reminder. I join you in missing them. First introduced to Sumatra coffee at a HAL Indonesian Tea - my goodness it was good.

 

Later we actually picked up some of the civet cat "pre-digested" (ahem) coffee on the Grand Indonesian Cruise on the Rotterdam a few years back. It was pretty fabulous too, considering the unusual trip it took to get into our cups. I also just ordered some of that gorgeous Indonesian Tong Tji Premium brand jasmine tea which I finally found on Etsy, which we also got to experience at a rest stop on the Borobordur temple shore excursion.

 

Loved the Vol-au-vents and the wrapped sausages at the Royal Dutch tea too - that was early dinner for me. Both are a big loss. What great memories. Maybe if we keep putting these on the cruise evaluations, they might bring them back?

Edited January 11, 2022 by OlsSalt

[Red Haired Lady]

8 hours ago, J&J 01375 said:

Pro: dates/mints exiting dining. 
Hunky Dorey. (Ten years ago Odam)

the staff constantly shining the ship shows pride. 

Con: day of the week in the elevators. Ruins the escape. 

No dates or mints on my 2 cruises this past fall.  Hope they bring them back. 

[sevigny]

I miss the Prinsendam the most.  To us, she was the epitome of what HAL cruising was.  I laugh when I remember one of our earlier agents telling me that she had found a replacement cruise for us for the summer of 2002, but she couldn’t recommend it, as it was on the Prinsendam, “a very old ship that she didn’t think we would like “. We took the chance, and cruised to Alaska on her.  We never looked back.  Every time we sailed on her, it was as if we came home.  
 

As for good things, I love the idea of the classical music on the music walk, and the Tamarind.  

[Ryten]

Miss the real teak promenades and really hate the new plastic fake version that comes unglued from the deck and leaves an airpocket that you bounce on. Let alone burn you feet on when you walk barefoot.

as to the new, really enjoy the Tamarind and the Retreat Cabanas.

[jimgev]

Miss:

Yum Yum Man playing chimes to announce dinner

Cold Fruit soups

Libraries

smaller ships

Wide Promanade on newer ships

dress codes at dinner

bringing unlimited wine aboard

Live chamber music before and after dinner

 

Love new:

Tamarind

Live music at BB Kings and Rolling Stone

 

The constants are the wonderful crews, the beutiful ships, the art pieces, the elegance, the attention to detail and cleanliness.

 

 

 

 

[bennybear]

I miss the lovely Indonesian tea, that really set HAL apart as well as the on deck Barbeques, library, and promenade for watching the world go by. 
I too love the Tamarind and Canaletto, and the beautiful new pinnacle class ships. 

[lcand1923]

I miss:

The wide teak Promenade Deck on the Pinnacle Class Ships

The Art & Crafts activity in the afternoon (it was always fun!)

Mr. & Ms. XXXXXdam exercise (got a lot of conversations started)

The elegant teas

The wonderful libraries and librarians

The Crow’s Nest with Dance Floor, lovely seating

The Yum-Yum Man

”Love In Any Language”

 

I do like:

The Dive-In

The New York Deli and Pizza Place

 

The constants:

The Daily Mass

The FANTASTIC crew

The lovely art onboard — always something to see

 

[Bostonjetset]

3 hours ago, jimgev said:

Miss:

Yum Yum Man playing chimes to announce dinner

Cold Fruit soups

Libraries

smaller ships

Wide Promanade on newer ships

dress codes at dinner

bringing unlimited wine aboard

Live chamber music before and after dinner

 

Love new:

Tamarind

Live music at BB Kings and Rolling Stone

 

The constants are the wonderful crews, the beutiful ships, the art pieces, the elegance, the attention to detail and cleanliness.

 

 

 

 

You’ll be happy to know that the new Rotterdam does have a dedicated library. It’s not huge but it is nicely decorated and is it’s own space free from anything else. 

[Seasick Sailor]

54 minutes ago, Bostonjetset said:

You’ll be happy to know that the new Rotterdam does have a dedicated library. It’s not huge but it is nicely decorated and is it’s own space free from anything else. 

 

I've read 7 books from the library in the past 4.3 weeks. Today was a 2nd section of donated books!

 

Please remember to put all returned books in the return bin so they can be sprayed, although I'm not sure how that works? 

[CruiseRQA]

Miss:  most of the things that people have mentioned

Promenade deck

Lemonade served on the promenade deck 

Cold fruit soups

Fresh OJ

Chocolate tulip desert in the MDR
Dover Sole served in the MDR

Hot appetizers served around the ship before dinner

Dancing to a dance trio before dinner

Explorations cafe 

An extra lobster tail with no added upcharge

Dress code

Quality theatre entertainment

 

For these reasons we no longer sail on HAL and we miss them.  

[rkacruiser]

Something missed :  Protestant services with an ordained Protestant Minister on Sundays as well as on the appropriate holidays that ought to "require" such a person.  One of the best sermons by a Methodist Minister (from Dallas as I recall) was provided during a cruise.  (However, one of the worst experiences with religious services was by a husband/wife duo on my Prinsendam Christmas/New Year's Cruise.  Communion, each Sunday, including Christmas Eve, seemed to be all that they could do.  No message, most disappointing.  My traveling companion stopped attending.)

 

Somethings positive:  The Grand Dutch Cafe and the New York Pizza and Deli on Nieuw Statendam are good additions to one's cruise experience.  The Rolling Stone Rock Room is an excellent music venue as long as the group has a diverse and lengthy playlist.  Night after night of the same songs, while I like them, becomes tedious to hear.  

[BSinPNS]

Miss: Guest speakers and good entertainment in the theatre.  Music walk is meh for me. 

Love: Pinnacle clas ships.