Dedicated Hapag-Lloyd Board?

[ClipperinSFO]

I realize Hapag-Lloyd is small and specialized, but think it deserves a dedicated chat board here on Cruise Critic.  During my attempt to research my upcoming cruise on HLC’s Europa 2, it was really hard finding any information at all from English speakers, and once I did it was buried deeply as one thread under “Other Cruise Lines”. Ponant (small and French language oriented) and Ritz Carlton (just once small ship at this point) both have their own boards.  Hapag-Lloyd although is and small (5 ships) and German-language oriented,  two of their ships are “international” (for non-German speaking guesrts) and no-doubt generate enough English speaking followers to warrant a separate, easy-to-find board. 

 

To whom should I address myself to remedy this?

[frogfish12]

I concur, Hapag is probably the most popular cruise line that doesn't have one. for ex. Hebridean Cruise has its own (haven't heard of this company) but the last post was in 2022

[Host Jazzbeau]

I asked about this on your behalf.  The initial response was that separate forums are created when there is sufficient posting activity.  It is not based on the number of ships [which in Hapag-Lloyd's English-language marketing is only two in any case].  The feeling was that separate forums with hardly any posts seem very lonely.  [There are some that fit this bill – they are long-standing and it's hard to close down a forum once you create it.  That's another reason to be cautious.]  Also keep in mind that separate Roll Call forums are only created after a cruise line forum generates sufficient posting activity – so even if a Hapag-Lloyd forum was created, roll calls would still go into All Other Ocean Cruise Lines Rolls Calls.

[ClipperinSFO]

Thanks so much @Host Jazzbeau, very much appreciate your asking.  The answers make sense, of course, and it is also a bit like chicken and egg.  I don’t get the sense that Hapag-Lloyd is very serious about focusing on English language guests and POS, despite their two “international ships”.  From what I can tell so far, as a non-German, you really have to seek them out and want to travel on them.   

[cathaana]

The Luxury Cruise sub-forum has quite a bit of discussion of HL. Probably best to go there. 

[Jacqueline]

I appreciate that you asked about this Jazzbeau. I think that people don’t know where to go, which is why they drop in here!  I also think that there is a bit of, if you build it they will come. The luxury board doesn’t feel like a “home”.

I think of PG. One ship and a lot of the same people, year after year. But it’s a home base. 
I have been here for nearly a quarter of a century, before there as a cruise critic. It was actually an AOL forum. I have a lot of hobbies and interests and pop in and out, depending on my travel plans.

Given how busy FB forums are, I would think that the powers that be would be happy to creating more communities. I saw many people in the luxury group complain about this over the years.

and I think Havila is going to be very popular with three departures a week !

Edited September 15, 2023 by Jacqueline

[Host Jazzbeau]

Speaking personally, I think Havila should and will get a forum sooner than Hapag-Lloyd. They are primarily a German cruise line, except for these two ships.  And we do have the Luxury forum, which covers them in that way. 

[tinkky]

I too wish there was a hapag Lloyd forum

[whylion]

Yes, please make a hapag lloyd forum!

[jkhneuber]

I would be glad to have it. On the Expedition Ships some Voyages are international too. And even the Germans like me are on CC. 

[Jacqueline]

People keep asking and they feel that there isn’t enough traffic.

paul Gauguin has a board for one ship.

Crystal had a board even once they stopped sailing.

[Host Jazzbeau]

3 hours ago, Jacqueline said:

People keep asking and they feel that there isn’t enough traffic.

paul Gauguin has a board for one ship.

Crystal had a board even once they stopped sailing.

And both have lots of traffic.  Crystal had even more traffic during its bankruptcy phase than ever!!!

[Tattycoram]

I just post this same question at the general board because--after searching for over an hour--I couldn't find Hapag-Lloyd anywhere!  In my second hour of searching, I found I could search H-L ships individually.  Then I found this question and realized I was not alone!  I certainly would like to add my American vote.  (I speak French but not German although I read and understand a bit, mostly with an Austrian rather than German or Swiss tinge.)

 

(I see the Spanish line Pullmantur still has a board even though it no longer exists.)

[jimdee3636]

@Tattycoram

Like you, I'd love to see a H-L forum on this site, and like you I think it's absurd that Pullmantur still has a board (despite being defunct), and that Hebridean Islands Cruises has a board when no one has contributed to it in six months. But I'm afraid, for now at least, we're stuck with this.

 

The good thing, I guess, is that there are English speakers who are interested in the H-L line. If we keep contributing to this "Other Cruise Lines" board maybe someday CC will reward us with a board of our own. Maybe.

 

Jim