The End of Lincoln Center

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

Explorer's Lounge. I am also on the Westerdam and agree this group is fantastic 

[PROCRUISE]

6 hours ago, FlaviaOfTheMonth said:

On Westerdam now and the classical trio is fantastic. Their selections are far more challenging and engaging than what the Lincoln Center groups typically offered. Every performance has been excellent, and that is saying a lot for a 28-day cruise.

That's great. However, what about those of us who can only take 7 - 10 day cruises? It seems that I already read that HAL was going to return some classical music to only the longer cruise itineraries and Atlantic crossings.

[Mary229]

7 hours ago, PROCRUISE said:

That's great. However, what about those of us who can only take 7 - 10 day cruises? It seems that I already read that HAL was going to return some classical music to only the longer cruise itineraries and Atlantic crossings.

If I still did 7 day cruises I would not limit myself to HAL.  

[3rdGenCunarder]

11 hours ago, PROCRUISE said:

That's great. However, what about those of us who can only take 7 - 10 day cruises? It seems that I already read that HAL was going to return some classical music to only the longer cruise itineraries and Atlantic crossings.

 

For quite a while, HAL has been doing more for the longer voyages than the short ones. Only legendary and grand get guest speakers, etc. Perhaps it's because they can fill short cruises more easily, so they feel they don't have to make an effort. I rarely do a 7-day cruise, but I do 10-14, and I would appreciate some of the enrichment and entertainment that the longer cruises get. But I don't expect it to happen. 

[Hlitner]

1 hour ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

 

For quite a while, HAL has been doing more for the longer voyages than the short ones. Only legendary and grand get guest speakers, etc. Perhaps it's because they can fill short cruises more easily, so they feel they don't have to make an effort. I rarely do a 7-day cruise, but I do 10-14, and I would appreciate some of the enrichment and entertainment that the longer cruises get. But I don't expect it to happen. 

I may shock some when I defend HAL.  A major difference in many long cruises, when compared to shorter voyages, are the number of sea days.  On port intensive cruises, there is less of a demand for lecturers, and even activities, because ships are generally in a semi-shutdown state when they are in a port.  Just think about a 28 day cruise we took from Seattle to Sydney, where 10 of the first 12 days were at sea.  This puts pressure on the CD to find ways to provide some daytime entertainment, and HAL has often looked to lecturers to fill the void.  There is also a difference in the evening, because when you have many long port days, an awful lot of passengers (especially on HAL) will eat dinner early and just go to their cabin to rest-up for the next day's port.  But when you have multiple sea days (especially when some are consecutive, more folks will stay awake past 9pm :).

 

And by the way, this is not just an issue on HAL.  We take cruises on many different lines, the longer cruises with lots of sea days tend to get more lecturers and even some daytime entertainment.

 

Hank

[BermudaBound2014]

5 hours ago, Mary229 said:

If I still did 7 day cruises I would not limit myself to HAL.  

 

This^^^ 100%

 

 

 

[scooter6139]

Some of us chose to do 7-day cruises due to scheduling or employment (teacher schedule).  This is one of the reasons why we are trying Oceania next year on a 9-day (don't get me started on how hard getting my wife to agree to just that!), as we still want that small ship feel with an older, adult demographic.  If HAL is actively marketing away from this, we might not keep booking HAL.

[Petronillus]

14 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

This^^^ 100%

 

?????

[BermudaBound2014]

6 minutes ago, Petronillus said:

?????

 

 

I was agreeing with Mary (who I quoted). 

 

This (indicates agreement)

^^^^ (indicates I'm agreeing specifically with the quoted above statement)

100% (means I agree 100%).

 

If your ??? marks indicate that you don't know what I'd look elsewhere for a 7 day cruise (which is the statement I was agreeing with :-), then my rational for that is simply based on my experience (over the last 35 years sailing nearly all main stream lines) is that other cruise lines provide (for me) better entertainment, equal food, equal service, newer ships, more activities. 

 

[Mary229]

57 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

This^^^ 100%

 

 

 

Sent you an email but forgot to say the Mardi Gras transatlantic to Barcelona 

Edited June 23 by Mary229

[DFWGUYZ]

We have been loyal to HAL however, are now booking a couple of  Celebrity cruises to feel them out. We've done Princess and they are okay but Celebrity is part of RC Company and they have a different vision than CCL. I think it's worth the try.

[foodsvcmgr]

I don’t know what their shorter cruises offer but we were on Celebrity Eclipse in January for a 14 Night Antartica drive by with 8 sea days.

Excellent lecture program with three different speakers.

[PROCRUISE]

14 hours ago, Mary229 said:

If I still did 7 day cruises I would not limit myself to HAL.  

I don't! Have cruised with: CCL, HAL, X, NCL, RCCL, Princess, Windstar and Viking Ocean. Regardless, fail to see why I can't have just a little classical music with HAL just because it's only a 7 day cruise.

[sambamama]

I did a 14 night Asia cruise from Singapore to Hong Kong that was booked when Lincoln Center was available. We had no classical music at all. When I have to fly to and from Asia, and sail a cruise postponed for 4 years, and lose my classical music, not to mention the other cutbacks, I was pretty upset. HAL is offering very little for me now, and I doubt I will be cruising much any more. 

[foodsvcmgr]

Reports are indicating significant differences developing between shorter and longer sailings re: food, entertainment, speaker programs, etc.

Seems like something that could become a marketing issue, i.e those taking shorter cruises hesitant to book a longer sailing because they are unaware more will be offered and those used to longer cruises being severely disappointed if they take a 7 day, etc.

Just the latest example of the lack of clear identity and direction that HAL has suffered from for years now.