HAL continuing to downgrade its product

[Damcruiser]

13 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Not sure I get your comparison. Are you saying you like the Crow's Nest as a place to relax and sit during the day or a place to dance at night? Curious because on the HAL cruises I've been on, I've never found much going on there in the evenings. Where are there people dancing?  Or are you referring to the music venues?

 

On the other hand, I am fresh off 19 days on BTB Celebrity Constellation cruises and the Reflections lounge (the forward-facing lounge on Deck 11) was always hopping at night.

 

Celebrity may have done away with the front-facing lounge on their newer 3 ships, but according to my count that leaves 4 beautiful M-class ships and 5 S-class ships that still have it.... 

 

I'm sorry I was not clear in my post.  We spend the morning in the Crow's nest.  In the evening we enjoy the music walk and the different dance floors throughout the ship.  We love the M-class ships but that front lounge is frequently used for Park West art auctions during the day.  There is a dance floor there, but the band does not play there very often before the last theatre performance.  Because there is seldom bar service up there during the day, the lounge is frequently empty.

I have to say I love the looks of Celebrity ships better, but they are not as practically laid out as HAL ships.

To use an example:  in the days of the Captain's Club cocktail hour, a line up would develop on S-class ships.  Some pool people would try to use the lady's washroom which was behind a closed door inside the lounge.  The men's was port side outside the door.  On HAL the crow's nest facilities are much more convenient.

On that topic, HAL's toilet paper is softer than the sandpaper used on Celebrity. 

Edited November 2, 2022 by Damcruiser

[cruisemom42]

1 hour ago, Damcruiser said:

I'm sorry I was not clear in my post.  We spend the morning in the Crow's nest.  In the evening we enjoy the music walk and the different dance floors throughout the ship.  We love the M-class ships but that front lounge is frequently used for Park West art auctions during the day.  There is a dance floor there, but the band does not play there very often before the last theatre performance.  Because there is seldom bar service up there during the day, the lounge is frequently empty.

I have to say I love the looks of Celebrity ships better, but they are not as practically laid out as HAL ships.

To use an example:  in the days of the Captain's Club cocktail hour, a line up would develop on S-class ships.  Some pool people would try to use the lady's washroom which was behind a closed door inside the lounge.  The men's was port side outside the door.  On HAL the crow's nest facilities are much more convenient.

On that topic, HAL's toilet paper is softer than the sandpaper used on Celebrity. 

 

LOL on the sandpaper. 

 

But on my 19 days on Constellation just now, and an earlier cruise (but still post-COVID) before it on Millennium, Park West never used that venue. The bar tended to open at 3:00 or 4:00 pm when the lounge was used for trivia.  I'm not sure about the dancing, but I'm a night owl and it seemed like it was good timing for me following the last show....

 

I prefer smaller ships in general and although the M-class are not THAT much smaller than S-class, the incremental increases add up. Some of the M-class tend to have the more interesting itineraries as well....

 

You will not catch me on an E-class.

[dwc13]

5 hours ago, Mary229 said:

I disagree.   Cutting costs is not the only way and likely not the desirable way to profit.  Reasonable cost cutting such as fuel efficiencies, staffing efficiencies make sense but if you degrade the product you will lose customers.  Would you eat a Hershey bar with only 10% cocoa, I think not.  
 

Raising prices, while maintaining quality, is a better way to retain customers. Now is a good time to raise prices since inflation is so in the forefront of people’s minds.  They will be more forgiving of a price increase than they are of a tough, rubbery steak.

 

Sometimes cuts are exchanges not cost cutting.  What we may hold dear the new customer finds no value and his desires may be chosen over our preferences 

 

 

 

Many companies, including CCL focus their efforts on younger consumers because of the prospect of having them for years while moving them up the product stack. In that regard, sometimes what is best for Carnival might not be optimal for HAL. 

 

Cutting costs is not the only way to increase/maintain profits (and margins, which is also very important) but it is the way most publicly traded companies go about things as they have greater control over their cost structure. Even the ones that cater primarily to the high end are not impervious to cost cutting measures, although they are slower to pull the trigger because their customer base is generally less susceptible to economic downturns. Hiring/wage freezes, canceled/reduced capex, mass layoffs, store closings, cutting reward program benefits and other cost cutting tactics happen with regularity when publicly traded companies need to make their numbers. It is what it is. Unfortunately, the customer experience is often adversely affected by cost cutting measures.

 

Companies are raising prices and/or maintaining them but reducing the quantity offered during this period of inflation, as a trip to Costco will attest. Absent supply constraints, whether this higher pricing is sustainable in the long run after inflation has run its course remains to be seen. Perhaps it will be the new normal. Or not. Regardless, bean counters will always have their eye on costs and figuring out creative ways to reduce them. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[cruisemom42]

3 minutes ago, dwc13 said:

Companies are raising prices and/or maintaining them but reducing the quantity offered during this period of inflation, as a trip to Costco will attest.

 

I quite agree with your post, but regarding the above it should also be clear that everyone has to eat, so in a sense we have no choice but to spend on food, even when it's more expensive or less attractive.

 

On the other hand, vacations are and always will be discretionary -- and cruise lines have to deal with that variable as well. Many times in the last year I've read posts from former cruisers who've decided they'd rather do land trips in the USA or go to all-inclusives as a better deal than cruising.  Mind you, I'm not one of them, but it is something for the cruise line management to consider.

[KroozNut]

On 10/31/2022 at 5:41 PM, Florida_gal_50 said:

Random people that haven’t sailed much or recently are getting these offers. 

 

Really? Wow that sounds weird. We have never received an offer like that, and we sail fairly often, and have recently.

 

Bring those offers on!

[Myrtle Ave. Mayhem]

It appears by this thread that I'm not the only one dissatisfied with Holland America. When I first sailed with Holland America in 2000 the line felt luxury to me. A floating Ritz-Carlton IMHO. My last two cruises with HAL were on the Koningsdam & Veendam. Mediocrity at every turn, expept for the individual crew members who did the best with what they were given. Holland America feels like a watered down shadow of it's former self. 

 

In 2019 I jumped ship to Viking Ocean. Six cruises under my belt with a trans-Atlantic Viking Neptune coming up in December. They are a higher price point, but worth every penny to me. 

[KroozNut]

On 11/1/2022 at 11:00 AM, Damcruiser said:

Count us as a couple who were very happy on our recent 19-day B2B cruise on N Statendam.

This was our first cruise since being kicked off a Celebrity ship due to covid over 2 and a half years ago.

The food and service in the MDR was exceptional.

The crew throughout the ship were friendly and glad to be of service.

In this day of Kindles and eReaders, who needs a library and a librarian?

We found senior staff to be rather invisible.

A request we made on day one to change cabins (we were willing to pay) was ignored.

We loved the live music and the dance floors in different venues.

Trivia was great, partially due to the wonderful hostess, Erica.  (Prizes were meaningless)

 

Towel animal complaints bother me.  I would rather have turndown service at night than the time spent making towel animals.

Chocolates and candy man missing?  How much weight do you want to gain on a cruise?

We were impressed enough to book 7 weeks on NS starting this month.

The prices were too low to stay at home and the stock I just bought is giving us $750 OBC.

In all our many, many Celebrity cruises, I never had the quality of a Bloody Caesar that I received on board.

 

What is the difference between that and a Bloody Mary? Looks delicious by the way!

[Damcruiser]

4 minutes ago, KroozNut said:

 

What is the difference between that and a Bloody Mary? Looks delicious by the way!

Mott's Clamato juice rather than tomato juice.  It's not all fishy but has a bit more of a tang.

By the way my handle used to be "Cruisenut" but that must have been a decade ago.

 

[Damcruiser]

Many years ago, my rule of thumb for cruise pricing was $100 pp per day for an inside, $125 pp for an OV and $150 pp for a balcony cabin. 

A balcony cabin would cost just over $8,000 per month.  If memory serves me right my last month on a Celebrity ship cost about $12,000.

 

Our upcoming N Statendam pricing is back to $8,000 per month and includes the have it all perk.

I realize that there is a reduction in the overall experience such as missing chocolates, no yum yum man, no (or little) library nor librarian, no turn down service etc..... but I will be in a warm place, have a great meal and great service.  I will eat more, and drink more than I do at home.  But we have the opportunity to meet like-minded people for our trivia team and on the dance floor all for the price I paid a decade ago.

I would rather spend two weeks cruising on a dam ship then spending two or three times that amount for a one-week "luxury cruise".  (Unless one has the money of course to spend more time at sea.)

[dwc13]

30 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I quite agree with your post, but regarding the above it should also be clear that everyone has to eat, so in a sense we have no choice but to spend on food, even when it's more expensive or less attractive.

 

On the other hand, vacations are and always will be discretionary -- and cruise lines have to deal with that variable as well. Many times in the last year I've read posts from former cruisers who've decided they'd rather do land trips in the USA or go to all-inclusives as a better deal than cruising.  Mind you, I'm not one of them, but it is something for the cruise line management to consider.

 

I told my wife the 65" 4K TV and Sonos Beam purchased at Costco were necessities for college football season. No discretionary aspect to that spend at all, lol. 

 

Cruise line financials are definitely largely tied to discretionary spending. That being said, I think an argument can be made vacation spend to preserve one's sanity/improve health & happiness is not entirely discretionary. Private letter ruling, please. For now, demand for travel is overriding concerns about inflation and higher prices. It would be awesome if there was a way to take a cruise ship to Glacier, Yosemite, the Big 5 in Utah, etc. 

 

[dwc13]

32 minutes ago, Myrtle Ave. Mayhem said:

It appears by this thread that I'm not the only one dissatisfied with Holland America. When I first sailed with Holland America in 2000 the line felt luxury to me. A floating Ritz-Carlton IMHO. My last two cruises with HAL were on the Koningsdam & Veendam. Mediocrity at every turn, expept for the individual crew members who did the best with what they were given. Holland America feels like a watered down shadow of it's former self. 

 

In 2019 I jumped ship to Viking Ocean. Six cruises under my belt with a trans-Atlantic Viking Neptune coming up in December. They are a higher price point, but worth every penny to me. 

 

If Viking is a viable option from a resource perspective, disgruntled HAL customers should definitely give it a look. 

 

In many aspects, the cruise industry isn't too different from the gaming industry in Las Vegas. Absolute over-the-top service is still available for the whales, but overall the product has deteriorated over time.

[KroozNut]

A cruise friend of mine sent me this email she received from CCL, where she is Diamond level in their loyalty program (not that it matters in this context). But I thought it fit into our discussion here... sound familiar?

 

November 2, 2022



Dear Carnival Guests,

We have all experienced the impact of inflation, higher fuel prices and supply chain challenges. The food supply chain challenges have been further complicated by global politics and a myriad of laws regarding how we source products and how crops and animals are farmed and handled. At Carnival, we have worked very hard to minimize the impact on our guests, committed to our promise to make Carnival the most memorable, fun, and best value vacation option on land or at sea. We have reached a point with our food costs, however, where we must take some modest but specific actions, which we know most of you have done yourselves, whether with your dining out patterns or shopping to stock the refrigerator or pantry.

Food is part of the fun on a Carnival cruise, and we have no intention of changing that. We have amazing complimentary dining options across the fleet. Many of our guests never spend anything on food once they get on board, and yet they never have to eat the same thing twice if they choose not to. Our specialty dining restaurants expand that variety and allow our guests to treat themselves to fine dining options at less than what they would pay for a comparable shoreside experience. All that will continue. But we ask for your understanding as we implement the following changes which will take effect immediately on sailings departing as of November 7, 2022.

DINING
Steakhouse prices across the fleet will increase to US$48, per person (from current US$42, per person). In addition, per person prices at specialty dining restaurants on specific ships, i.e., Rudi’s Seagrill and Bonsai Teppanyaki, will also increase. These changes reflect the higher costs we must pay for these fine menu items.

• For sailings departing through December 31, 2022 – Specialty dining reservations paid in advance of the sailing will be charged the current price. Reservations made on board will be subject to the new prices.
• For sailings January 1, 2023 and onward – Specialty dining reservations already paid as of today’s date will be honored at the current rate.
• You can reserve and pre-pay for your specialty dining on the “ManageMyBooking” tab on Carnival.com or the Carnival HUB App. (Please note that Steakhouse price adjustments are not applicable to Australian sailings.)

In the main dining room, we will continue to offer lobster on itineraries of six days or more, but it will be moving to the second elegant evening (instead of the current offering on the first elegant night). The lobster isn’t going to swim away, we just ask that you wait for it further into your voyage.

FOOD WASTE INITIATIVES
Across our fleet, including sailings from Australia, we will be implementing initiatives to help minimize food waste, which include the following:

Complimentary self-serve ice cream and frozen yogurt will be available from 11 am to 12 midnight (instead of 24/7). So, you can still have ice cream every day, multiple times a day, and as much as you want, but from lunch until a midnight snack. While ice cream for breakfast or at 2:00 am sounds like a great idea when you’re on vacation, the truth is that we are seeing lots of waste, and this is one of those times when we ask guests to join us in our efforts to reduce food waste in a way that will have a negligible impact on the overall vacation experience.

In addition, we want you to enjoy your favorites and sample offerings you haven’t tried before while dining with us in the main dining room, but we encourage you to follow the golden rule of dining: take what you want but eat what you take. And remember, you can always ask for a half-portion if something looks too enticing to pass up. Guests may continue to order a second complimentary entrée if they choose; however, effective immediately, a third entrée will incur a US$5 charge (AU$7).

Along these lines, we will continue to look closely at consumption habits and guest preferences so that we can meet our food waste reduction goals, while still offering you an abundance of delicious, high-quality casual and fine dining options. We want to make sure you are well fed and entertained as a guest on our ships, just as if you were a guest in our home. But we really hate to see food go to waste. If we see a menu item that is not popular or think of a better way to serve a food item that can reduce waste, we owe it to our planet to make the right change, while still assuring you plenty of food and tasty treats.

We will continue to do our very best to make sure the Carnival dining experience is a key part of your memorable vacation, but we wanted to provide this update, so you understood how we are managing the many challenges we are facing and to thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

We look forward to welcoming you aboard and meeting your every culinary whim and dining favorite!

Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,

Christine Duffy
President, Carnival Cruise Line

Edited November 2, 2022 by KroozNut

[Mary229]

13 minutes ago, KroozNut said:

A cruise friend of mine sent me this email she received from CCL, where she is Diamond level in their loyalty program (not that it matters in this context). But I thought it fit into our discussion here... sound familiar?

 

November 2, 2022



Dear Carnival Guests,

We have all experienced the impact of inflation, higher fuel prices and supply chain challenges. The food supply chain challenges have been further complicated by global politics and a myriad of laws regarding how we source products and how crops and animals are farmed and handled. At Carnival, we have worked very hard to minimize the impact on our guests, committed to our promise to make Carnival the most memorable, fun, and best value vacation option on land or at sea. We have reached a point with our food costs, however, where we must take some modest but specific actions, which we know most of you have done yourselves, whether with your dining out patterns or shopping to stock the refrigerator or pantry.

Food is part of the fun on a Carnival cruise, and we have no intention of changing that. We have amazing complimentary dining options across the fleet. Many of our guests never spend anything on food once they get on board, and yet they never have to eat the same thing twice if they choose not to. Our specialty dining restaurants expand that variety and allow our guests to treat themselves to fine dining options at less than what they would pay for a comparable shoreside experience. All that will continue. But we ask for your understanding as we implement the following changes which will take effect immediately on sailings departing as of November 7, 2022.

DINING
Steakhouse prices across the fleet will increase to US$48, per person (from current US$42, per person). In addition, per person prices at specialty dining restaurants on specific ships, i.e., Rudi’s Seagrill and Bonsai Teppanyaki, will also increase. These changes reflect the higher costs we must pay for these fine menu items.

• For sailings departing through December 31, 2022 – Specialty dining reservations paid in advance of the sailing will be charged the current price. Reservations made on board will be subject to the new prices.
• For sailings January 1, 2023 and onward – Specialty dining reservations already paid as of today’s date will be honored at the current rate.
• You can reserve and pre-pay for your specialty dining on the “ManageMyBooking” tab on Carnival.com or the Carnival HUB App. (Please note that Steakhouse price adjustments are not applicable to Australian sailings.)

In the main dining room, we will continue to offer lobster on itineraries of six days or more, but it will be moving to the second elegant evening (instead of the current offering on the first elegant night). The lobster isn’t going to swim away, we just ask that you wait for it further into your voyage.

FOOD WASTE INITIATIVES
Across our fleet, including sailings from Australia, we will be implementing initiatives to help minimize food waste, which include the following:

Complimentary self-serve ice cream and frozen yogurt will be available from 11 am to 12 midnight (instead of 24/7). So, you can still have ice cream every day, multiple times a day, and as much as you want, but from lunch until a midnight snack. While ice cream for breakfast or at 2:00 am sounds like a great idea when you’re on vacation, the truth is that we are seeing lots of waste, and this is one of those times when we ask guests to join us in our efforts to reduce food waste in a way that will have a negligible impact on the overall vacation experience.

In addition, we want you to enjoy your favorites and sample offerings you haven’t tried before while dining with us in the main dining room, but we encourage you to follow the golden rule of dining: take what you want but eat what you take. And remember, you can always ask for a half-portion if something looks too enticing to pass up. Guests may continue to order a second complimentary entrée if they choose; however, effective immediately, a third entrée will incur a US$5 charge (AU$7).

Along these lines, we will continue to look closely at consumption habits and guest preferences so that we can meet our food waste reduction goals, while still offering you an abundance of delicious, high-quality casual and fine dining options. We want to make sure you are well fed and entertained as a guest on our ships, just as if you were a guest in our home. But we really hate to see food go to waste. If we see a menu item that is not popular or think of a better way to serve a food item that can reduce waste, we owe it to our planet to make the right change, while still assuring you plenty of food and tasty treats.

We will continue to do our very best to make sure the Carnival dining experience is a key part of your memorable vacation, but we wanted to provide this update, so you understood how we are managing the many challenges we are facing and to thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

We look forward to welcoming you aboard and meeting your every culinary whim and dining favorite!

Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,

Christine Duffy
President, Carnival Cruise Line

It doesn’t sound unreasonable to me.  It is pretty much a straightforward price increase and an effort to hold food cost in check.  Really, who needs 3 entrees and besides I don’t want the price of my fare going up so those who want three entrees can be satisfied.  They can go from the MDR to the lido if they really need more food 

Edited November 2, 2022 by Mary229

[AncientWanderer]

9 minutes ago, KroozNut said:

A cruise friend of mine sent me this email she received from CCL, where she is Diamond level in their loyalty program (not that it matters in this context). But I thought it fit into our discussion here... sound familiar?

 

November 2, 2022



Dear Carnival Guests,

We have all experienced the impact of inflation, higher fuel prices and supply chain challenges. The food supply chain challenges have been further complicated by global politics and a myriad of laws regarding how we source products and how crops and animals are farmed and handled. At Carnival, we have worked very hard to minimize the impact on our guests, committed to our promise to make Carnival the most memorable, fun, and best value vacation option on land or at sea. We have reached a point with our food costs, however, where we must take some modest but specific actions, which we know most of you have done yourselves, whether with your dining out patterns or shopping to stock the refrigerator or pantry.

Food is part of the fun on a Carnival cruise, and we have no intention of changing that. We have amazing complimentary dining options across the fleet. Many of our guests never spend anything on food once they get on board, and yet they never have to eat the same thing twice if they choose not to. Our specialty dining restaurants expand that variety and allow our guests to treat themselves to fine dining options at less than what they would pay for a comparable shoreside experience. All that will continue. But we ask for your understanding as we implement the following changes which will take effect immediately on sailings departing as of November 7, 2022.

DINING
Steakhouse prices across the fleet will increase to US$48, per person (from current US$42, per person). In addition, per person prices at specialty dining restaurants on specific ships, i.e., Rudi’s Seagrill and Bonsai Teppanyaki, will also increase. These changes reflect the higher costs we must pay for these fine menu items.

• For sailings departing through December 31, 2022 – Specialty dining reservations paid in advance of the sailing will be charged the current price. Reservations made on board will be subject to the new prices.
• For sailings January 1, 2023 and onward – Specialty dining reservations already paid as of today’s date will be honored at the current rate.
• You can reserve and pre-pay for your specialty dining on the “ManageMyBooking” tab on Carnival.com or the Carnival HUB App. (Please note that Steakhouse price adjustments are not applicable to Australian sailings.)

In the main dining room, we will continue to offer lobster on itineraries of six days or more, but it will be moving to the second elegant evening (instead of the current offering on the first elegant night). The lobster isn’t going to swim away, we just ask that you wait for it further into your voyage.

FOOD WASTE INITIATIVES
Across our fleet, including sailings from Australia, we will be implementing initiatives to help minimize food waste, which include the following:

Complimentary self-serve ice cream and frozen yogurt will be available from 11 am to 12 midnight (instead of 24/7). So, you can still have ice cream every day, multiple times a day, and as much as you want, but from lunch until a midnight snack. While ice cream for breakfast or at 2:00 am sounds like a great idea when you’re on vacation, the truth is that we are seeing lots of waste, and this is one of those times when we ask guests to join us in our efforts to reduce food waste in a way that will have a negligible impact on the overall vacation experience.

In addition, we want you to enjoy your favorites and sample offerings you haven’t tried before while dining with us in the main dining room, but we encourage you to follow the golden rule of dining: take what you want but eat what you take. And remember, you can always ask for a half-portion if something looks too enticing to pass up. Guests may continue to order a second complimentary entrée if they choose; however, effective immediately, a third entrée will incur a US$5 charge (AU$7).

Along these lines, we will continue to look closely at consumption habits and guest preferences so that we can meet our food waste reduction goals, while still offering you an abundance of delicious, high-quality casual and fine dining options. We want to make sure you are well fed and entertained as a guest on our ships, just as if you were a guest in our home. But we really hate to see food go to waste. If we see a menu item that is not popular or think of a better way to serve a food item that can reduce waste, we owe it to our planet to make the right change, while still assuring you plenty of food and tasty treats.

We will continue to do our very best to make sure the Carnival dining experience is a key part of your memorable vacation, but we wanted to provide this update, so you understood how we are managing the many challenges we are facing and to thank you for your understanding and cooperation.

We look forward to welcoming you aboard and meeting your every culinary whim and dining favorite!

Thank you for your support.
Sincerely,

Christine Duffy
President, Carnival Cruise Line

 

I really like that letter.  Thanks for sharing it here.

DH and I just completed a sailing on the NA, and definitely did notice cutbacks from when we sailed right after the post-pandemic startup.  Those cruises were pretty lavish.  Our take on it is that the cuts now have been distributed throughout the ship, in a judicious way, so that nothing is too painful.  For the first time ever, I didn't even fill out the survey after the cruise, because touching on all these little details right now, in this economy...just not in the mood to do that.

[bz]

1 hour ago, Damcruiser said:

Mott's Clamato juice rather than tomato juice.  It's not all fishy but has a bit more of a tang.

By the way my handle used to be "Cruisenut" but that must have been a decade ago.

 

 

[bz]

We make our bloody marys with V8 juice.  Try it, you'll like it.

[FlaMariner]

Crisis on Carnival....no more 24/7 ice cream....LOL.....those cutbacks continue........LOL....only can get ice cream from 11am to midnight....the horror of it all....LOL.

 

Next thing you know, HAL will not put a peppermint patty on my pillow.....yikes...  end of times....LOL.

[Damcruiser]

15 minutes ago, bz said:

We make our bloody marys with V8 juice.  Try it, you'll like it.

I have, part of a complete vegetable breakfast, liquefied, distilled, potato extract included.  Celebrity used to offer gazpacho and that combination was even better.

 

[Wakepatrol]

2 hours ago, Myrtle Ave. Mayhem said:

It appears by this thread that I'm not the only one dissatisfied with Holland America. When I first sailed with Holland America in 2000 the line felt luxury to me. A floating Ritz-Carlton IMHO. My last two cruises with HAL were on the Koningsdam & Veendam. Mediocrity at every turn, expept for the individual crew members who did the best with what they were given. Holland America feels like a watered down shadow of it's former self. 

 

In 2019 I jumped ship to Viking Ocean. Six cruises under my belt with a trans-Atlantic Viking Neptune coming up in December. They are a higher price point, but worth every penny to me. 

I couldn’t agree with you more. We started the same time sailing HAL as you did. I too thought I was on a floating Ritz Carlton. A few years back I was sitting by the pool and the woman next to me pulled out a 2 liter bottle of DR. Thunder from Walmart, then I I knew I wasn’t.

[FlaMariner]

1 hour ago, Wakepatrol said:

I was sitting by the pool and the woman next to me pulled out a 2 liter bottle of DR. Thunder from Walmart, then I I knew I wasn’t.

 

LOL.  We are not all trust fund babies w/unlimited vacation time as I've been told on here....LOL.......LOL.....I get it. 

 

I'm glad all folks can board a Holland America Line ship and have a great vacation.......It's not much different than 150 years ago....I would be in steerage (inside on deck 1) and others on here would be in a Neptune (first class) and enjoying the Club Orange special entree of the evening.

 

It's all good for all folks.  That's what makes it so great, right?

[Mary229]

I never pretended HAL was a luxury cruise line similar to the Ritz.   I was sailing Norwegian and Princess for years and offered my mother a cruise and she insisted on HAL.  I said sure and at that time it was more expensive than the other 2 but even then I didn’t find it measurably more upscale.  We like HAL for the itineraries.  If you are sailing around the Caribbean or Mediterranean you really won’t see much difference at all.

[Florida_gal_50]

7 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

I never pretended HAL was a luxury cruise line similar to the Ritz.   I was sailing Norwegian and Princess for years and offered my mother a cruise and she insisted on HAL.  I said sure and at that time it was more expensive than the other 2 but even then I didn’t find it measurably more upscale.  We like HAL for the itineraries.  If you are sailing around the Caribbean or Mediterranean you really won’t see much difference at all.

I have cruised Princess, celebrity, carnival and hal.  None of the cruises on the other lines were “exotic”.  They were all different.  Carnival is was too noisy, Princess seemed like wall to wall people and celebrity was meh, especially the food.  What I really enjoy is hal pinnacle ships.  They have the amenities I enjoy.  The food with the exception of Rudi’s stand alone is average.

 

On another note, I’m still trying to figure out what a 2 litre bottle of dr is.

[albingirl]

5 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I have cruised Princess, celebrity, carnival and hal.  None of the cruises on the other lines were “exotic”.  They were all different.  Carnival is was too noisy, Princess seemed like wall to wall people and celebrity was meh, especially the food.  What I really enjoy is hal pinnacle ships.  They have the amenities I enjoy.  The food with the exception of Rudi’s stand alone is average.

 

On another note, I’m still trying to figure out what a 2 litre bottle of dr is.

And I would like to add that there's a whole lot of thinking on the subject ...I  am on of those who holds a finger to the wind and hopes. I  do love it all even of its not perfect. Life is short. 

[KroozNut]

36 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

On another note, I’m still trying to figure out what a 2 litre bottle of dr is.

I was puzzled by that reference as well, but deduced it to be a reference to "Dr. Thunder". Never heard of it though.. 🤷‍♂️

[Wakepatrol]

54 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

I have cruised Princess, celebrity, carnival and hal.  None of the cruises on the other lines were “exotic”.  They were all different.  Carnival is was too noisy, Princess seemed like wall to wall people and celebrity was meh, especially the food.  What I really enjoy is hal pinnacle ships.  They have the amenities I enjoy.  The food with the exception of Rudi’s stand alone is average.

 

On another note, I’m still trying to figure out what a 2 litre bottle of dr is.

Dr. Thunder is Walmarts version of Dr. Pepper