Which HAL ship cruising AUS/NZ in 2006/7

[KiwiIan]

Does anyone know which HAL ship is scheduled to do the Australia / New Zealand cruise next season, this year it was the Statendam?

[Acrusa]

Does anyone know which HAL ship is scheduled to do the Australia / New Zealand cruise next season, this year it was the Statendam?

Its also the Statendam 2007.We are booked on the Feb 2nd Sydney to Auckland.

[Grumpy1]

Does anyone know which HAL ship is scheduled to do the Australia / New Zealand cruise next season, this year it was the Statendam?

You can download the 2007 Cruise Planner from the HAL website, E-brochures, and see all of the 2007 schedules.

[bepsf]

I understand that Westerdam will be joining Statendam in the South Pacific for '08

[cands]

I understand that Westerdam will be joining Statendam in the South Pacific for '08

 

Fantastic! Any more information?

It will be fantastic to have Westerdam close to home.

 

Steve.

[Kiwi Kruzer]

It will be fantastic to have Westerdam close to home.

Steve.

 

It will be excellent to have Westerdam down this way!!!!.

Statendam could do the Sy/Ak run and Westerdam could explore the South Pacific Islands and Great Barrier Reef.

[stebul]

Unfortunately, Westerdam going to the South Pacific is more anecdotal evidence that HAL will never build another ship smaller than the Vista class. If they can fill Vista/Signature class ships on exotic itineraries, why do they need smaller ships? Sorry to go off topic, just dreading the day 10 or 15 years from now when the only way to book a ship with under 2000 or 3000 people is to pay dearly.

[cands]

Unfortunately, Westerdam going to the South Pacific is more anecdotal evidence that HAL will never build another ship smaller than the Vista class. If they can fill Vista/Signature class ships on exotic itineraries, why do they need smaller ships? Sorry to go off topic, just dreading the day 10 or 15 years from now when the only way to book a ship with under 2000 or 3000 people is to pay dearly.

 

Australia, NZ Exotic !!! - you gotta love it ;) .

Sorry Steve (stebul) It just tickles my funnybone:)

 

Steve.

[cands]

Unfortunately, Westerdam going to the South Pacific is more anecdotal evidence that HAL will never build another ship smaller than the Vista class. If they can fill Vista/Signature class ships on exotic itineraries, why do they need smaller ships? Sorry to go off topic, just dreading the day 10 or 15 years from now when the only way to book a ship with under 2000 or 3000 people is to pay dearly.

 

Steve,

We've yet to experience the smaller HAL ships. We've only been on Westerdam. We generally like smaller ships. Royal Princess was one of our favorites.

We didn't like Star Princess much (too many people).

 

The good thing is that Westerdam didn't feel like a large ship to us, and the quality of the onboard experience was top notch.

 

I wonder how we'll feel after experiencing Statendam in November?

 

Steve.

[KiwiIan]

Its also the Statendam 2007.We are booked on the Feb 2nd Sydney to Auckland.

Thanks for the info, its great how the CC is such a source of information and willing participants. A simple questions has got quite a thread going already. We had Statendam in our port [Tauranga ] this year so was interested to know if it would be coming back again. Pleased to offer any help and advice for those first time visitors to NZ if needed. Regards Ian.

[oakae]

Just returned from Auckland to Sydney on Statendam.

Small ship is better than big ship IMHO. Lovely ambience on smaller ship and easy in and out in the ports. Going again on May 1 Statendam from Osaka to Vancouver. Love all you kiwis and all the sheep! Spent a night in Queenstown and rejoined the ship after trip through Fjordland Park into Milford Sound through the tunnel. NZ is terrific. If you're in Christchurch have a pint at the best sports bar in town, the Holy Grail.

 

Marilyn

[Acrusa]

Did you or anyone else you know take THE LORD OF THE RINGS TOUR in Wellington?The area where the movie was shot sounds so fantastic in the guide books.

[bepsf]

Unfortunately, Westerdam going to the South Pacific is more anecdotal evidence that HAL will never build another ship smaller than the Vista class. If they can fill Vista/Signature class ships on exotic itineraries, why do they need smaller ships? Sorry to go off topic, just dreading the day 10 or 15 years from now when the only way to book a ship with under 2000 or 3000 people is to pay dearly.

 

Stebul--

 

Have you ever been on a Vista?

:confused:

 

Don't knock it till you've tried it...

[RevNeal]

According to the published E-brocure, which is already out, the Statendam is the only HAL ship scheduled to provide service in the Asia & Pacific Theater through February 2008. I will be aboard her for the April 19, 2007 cruise from Hong Kong to Osaka ... and I'm praying I get picked for Chaplain duty for the Osaka to Vancouver Trans-Pacific crossing. The E-brocure does NOT list the Westerdam as being deployed to the region.

 

Captain Stephen Card did report that HAL management is considering putting the Westerdam on at least the NZed and Australia cruises beginning in the Fall of 2007; at least, that was what he was told when he was aboard the Statendam just a couple of weeks before the Noordam Maiden Voyage. The rationale for doing this is that the Statendam has been booking up VERY quickly, and that the demand for cabin space is VERY high. I know this to be a fact, given the slim availability left on the Statendam for a cruise still more than a year off. The best answer -- in terms of range, accessibility, and ease of deployment -- would be to put TWO S-class ships in the theater, but Card said that the fleet isn't yet large enough to enable that. Hence, using the Westerdam would help to provide more cabin space to meet the demand. It's a trade-off between that need and the advisability of taking a Vista across the South Pacific, on cruises that push the design to its operational range limits.

[wander]

The paper version of the 2007 Sailing Schedule is out. It covers all of the ships from Jan 2, 2007 through December 2007.

 

As of when the brochure was printed, only the Statendam doesAustralia/New Zealand cruises during the year. (Others may stop there as part of other cruises, I do not know that.) She is ther for two 14 day Aust/NZ cruises in January 2007 and then has four Aust/NZ cruises in the fall, two 14 day cruises, a 16 day one and an 18 day one over Christmas and New Years. The Westerdam is scheduled to be in the Caribbean in Fall 2007 according to this brochure.

[RevNeal]

wander,

 

You are correct ... all published schedules indicate as you and I have said. But HAL has been known in recent history to alter their deployment schedule after the publication of brochures (paper and electronic). I'm not saying that such is the case now; all we're saying is that reputable sources have indicated that HAL is contemplating making a change. Given the proximity to the 2006 Fall season, and the fact that the Westerdam is already HEAVILY booked through the middle of 2007 for her published itineraries, I just don't see them shifting her before the Fall 2007 Season. But they're going to have to do that SOON in order to keep from having to cancel a whole heck of a lot of cruises (or, rather, alter the ships doing them).

 

If HAL puts it off until the launch of the first "Signature ship" in the Fall of 2008, the fleet expansion should enable the re-deployement of a second S-class (or an R class) to the theater and the problem is solved with (1) double the number of cabins available for booking, and (2) double the number of itinerary options ... both of which would be helpful. Frankly, I'm ECSTATIC that HAL is having the problem of having more demand than they have ability to fill. It means that prices are higher :( but it also means that the line is doing well and will be able to provide more services, more cruise dates, more options. In the end, it makes for a better PRODUCT. To quote Robert A. Heinlein: TANSTAAFL ... "There Ain't No Such Thing As A Free Lunch."

[cands]

It's a trade-off between that need and the advisability of taking a Vista across the South Pacific, on cruises that push the design to its operational range limits.

 

Greg,

I'm curious about this comment. Are the Vista class ships that different to other cruise ships?

We get the 'shopping cart' Princess Grand Class ships here every year. A less 'ocean going' looking ship is hard to imagine;) and from anecdotal reports these ships don't like wind or high seas much. Surely a Vista would at least be better than a Grand Class. Please elaborate.

 

Thanks,

Steve.

[Juanita462]

KiwiIan - we were on the ship that docked at Tauranga this past winter. We loved Tauranga! and spent a happy day there wandering around the town and sitting on a bench enjoying the sun and people watching. There was a band that played Christmas carols for us for an hour before we left. that was very special and we really appreciated it. We found the people of New Zealand to be friendly and helpful and the scenery was spectacular.

[RevNeal]

I'm curious about this comment. Are the Vista class ships that different to other cruise ships?

We get the 'shopping cart' Princess Grand Class ships here every year. A less 'ocean going' looking ship is hard to imagine and from anecdotal reports these ships don't like wind or high seas much. Surely a Vista would at least be better than a Grand Class. Please elaborate.

 

I should have been more-clear. The Vistas are excellent deep-ocean vessels. They are very stable and ride quite well in Very High Seas. However, they are physically larger than the S and R class ships, displace more water, and as a result may not be as able to easily access ship-refueling and resupply facilities throughout the lesser-developed regions of the South Pacific. This may be a critical issue given questions of cruise-range. I don't know precisely how far a Vista can go "on a full load of Diesel," but it's not as far as an S or an R ... and while the S and Rs can make it all the way across the Pacific, I've been told that the trip is really pushing their range to the limit. I would suspect that a Vista would have to refuel somewhere in-route from the West Coast to NZed. Perhaps Hawaii would be far enough to enable one to make it the rest of the way over? I have no idea. That's a LONG trip.

 

The S and Rs are proven long-range cruise liners, and are sized quite nicely for accessing most ports for re-fueling and re-supply. The Vistas have been hauling around the Caribbean, the west coast, and Europe, but the longest trips they've made are transatlantic crossings. How they'll function outside of fairly familiar Western ports is my question. Perhaps they'll do quite well; I don't know.

[cands]

I should have been more-clear. The Vistas are excellent deep-ocean vessels. They are very stable and ride quite well in Very High Seas. However, they are physically larger than the S and R class ships, displace more water, and as a result may not be as able to easily access ship-refueling and resupply facilities throughout the lesser-developed regions of the South Pacific. This may be a critical issue given questions of cruise-range. I don't know precisely how far a Vista can go "on a full load of Diesel," but it's not as far as an S or an R ... and while the S and Rs can make it all the way across the Pacific, I've been told that the trip is really pushing their range to the limit. I would suspect that a Vista would have to refuel somewhere in-route from the West Coast to NZed. Perhaps Hawaii would be far enough to enable one to make it the rest of the way over? I have no idea. That's a LONG trip.

 

The S and Rs are proven long-range cruise liners, and are sized quite nicely for accessing most ports for re-fueling and re-supply. The Vistas have been hauling around the Caribbean, the west coast, and Europe, but the longest trips they've made are transatlantic crossings. How they'll function outside of fairly familiar Western ports is my question. Perhaps they'll do quite well; I don't know.

 

Thanks for that Greg. The Australia/NZ cruises are pretty well established. Most of the ports visited are deep water industrial ports, which luckily are very close to the visited cities. (Sydney and Auckland are passenger terminals right in downtown) My impression from reading reviews is that these ports cater very well for the 2600+ passenger Princess ships, so a Vista is not going to cause much problem.

Where the big ships seem to have problems is on the Asian route from Northern Australia up through South East Asia. I know our own experience on Star Princess was less than satisfactory as far as tendering and embarkation/disembarkation was concerned. The facilities are just not there to cater for so many people.

 

When we did our transpacific on Oriana the most number of days we had at sea was 5. This was the same as our transatlantic on Westerdam last year. There seemed to be lots of deep water ports with refuelling facilities all across the Pacific. One of the most quaint was Pago Pago in American Samoa.

 

It would be really good to get such a high quality larger ship as Westerdam to regularly visit Australia. We do have to contend with Carnival hand-me-downs for our local regular fleet (except for Pacific Princess).

Having said that, I am really looking forward to boarding Statendam in November. I do enjoy small ships, so I imagine it will be at least as good an experience as Westerdam, if not better.

 

Now, how do I find an affordable cruise on Amsterdam or Rotterdam? (or even Prinsendam):rolleyes:

 

Steve.

[RevNeal]

Hey Steve,

 

The Australia/NZ cruises are pretty well established. Most of the ports visited are deep water industrial ports, which luckily are very close to the visited cities. (Sydney and Auckland are passenger terminals right in downtown) My impression from reading reviews is that these ports cater very well for the 2600+ passenger Princess ships, so a Vista is not going to cause much problem.

 

It's not Australia and NZed that was my question ... I would be very surprised, indeed, if such was not the case. My question was more to GETTING a Vista there across the Pacific.

 

Where the big ships seem to have problems is on the Asian route from Northern Australia up through South East Asia. I know our own experience on Star Princess was less than satisfactory as far as tendering and embarkation/disembarkation was concerned. The facilities are just not there to cater for so many people.

 

Which WOULD be an issue, given that this is precisely the route HAL is sending the Statendam on to run cruises in Asia before transiting her back across the Pacific for the Alaskan Season. The Statendam is a nice, small, S-class ship ... no problems mate. The Westerdam is a Vista. That might translate into a tendering, refueling, resupply problem.

 

When we did our transpacific on Oriana the most number of days we had at sea was 5. This was the same as our transatlantic on Westerdam last year. There seemed to be lots of deep water ports with refuelling facilities all across the Pacific. One of the most quaint was Pago Pago in American Samoa.

 

Where did you cross? Was it from northern hemisphere to south hemisphere? Was it from the west to east? THAT's the problem. HAL is taking their ship from LA to Australia ... diagonally across the Pacific. While there ARE a lot of deep water ports in the Pacific -- many built by US Naval Engineers, I would imagine -- they might not be where the ships are going.

 

It would be really good to get such a high quality larger ship as Westerdam to regularly visit Australia. We do have to contend with Carnival hand-me-downs for our local regular fleet (except for Pacific Princess).

Having said that, I am really looking forward to boarding Statendam in November. I do enjoy small ships, so I imagine it will be at least as good an experience as Westerdam, if not better.

 

I'm not opposed to it. I'm just wondering if there are sufficient facilities to enable the crossing. If they plan on doing it, I'm sure there are ... I just don't know about them. That's nothing new. What I DO know is that the Vistas can't make it over on one "tank of gas," while the S-class can.

 

Looking at the itinerary for the Statendam in crossing the Pacific from the US to NZed ... based upon what you said it looks like she can refuel in Pago Pago. That's only 6 days from where she will have refueled in Hawaii. From there it's 7 days to NZed (with stops on the way), but they might be able to top off their tanks somewhere in the way.

 

The Transatlantic crossings they can fuel the babies in the Azores and, again, at Bermuda, if needed.

 

Now, how do I find an affordable cruise on Amsterdam or Rotterdam? (or even Prinsendam)

 

Witchcraft might be your only hope on that one. :D ;)

[stebul]

Stebul--

 

Have you ever been on a Vista?

:confused:

 

Don't knock it till you've tried it...

 

Yes, I have. 1 week on Oosterdam to Mexico. The food in the main dining room was inedible (it looked and tasted like it had been sitting on a warming or steam table for an hour before it was served to us). After two dinners, our group of 4 decided to eat the rest of our dinners in the Pinnacle Grill. I will probably give a Vista class another try with the right itinerary, but I'm not in a hurry to do so if I can book a smaller ship.

[stebul]

The S and Rs are proven long-range cruise liners, and are sized quite nicely for accessing most ports for re-fueling and re-supply. The Vistas have been hauling around the Caribbean, the west coast, and Europe, but the longest trips they've made are transatlantic crossings. How they'll function outside of fairly familiar Western ports is my question. Perhaps they'll do quite well; I don't know.

 

There's also the issue of finding enough revenue passengers to fill the larger ship coming and going across the Pacific. Even if HAL could fill a Vista with passengers in the Australia/NZ market they may not feel they could fill it for the 20-30 day over and back cruises required to reposition for the Alaska market. With Westerdam in the Caribbean and Panama Canal repositioning cruises they know they will have a full passenger load every week.

[RevNeal]

Yes, I have. 1 week on Oosterdam to Mexico. The food in the main dining room was inedible (it looked and tasted like it had been sitting on a warming or steam table for an hour before it was served to us). After two dinners, our group of 4 decided to eat the rest of our dinners in the Pinnacle Grill. I will probably give a Vista class another try with the right itinerary, but I'm not in a hurry to do so if I can book a smaller ship.

 

I've been aboard the Oosterdam twice, the Westerdam twice, and the Noordam once. They were excellent experiences, and I found the food in the main dining room quite good. Food is such a subjective issue, but I wouldn't call it "inedible."

 

I DO still prefer the S and R class ships, though.

[RevNeal]

There's also the issue of finding enough revenue passengers to fill the larger ship coming and going across the Pacific. Even if HAL could fill a Vista with passengers in the Australia/NZ market they may not feel they could fill it for the 20-30 day over and back cruises required to reposition for the Alaska market. With Westerdam in the Caribbean and Panama Canal repositioning cruises they know they will have a full passenger load every week.

 

Actually, there's no problem with selling a Vista for the crossings. The Statendam booked up for the 2006 crossings without any trouble ... with waiting lists. The 2007 crossings are booking quickly, too. Given the demand, not just for the cruises in Australia/NZ but in Asia and the the crossing, I don't think selling bookings on the Vistas will be a problem at all. Logistics was my only question.