Just when I thought there was nothing else to cut

[CruiserBruce]

12 minutes ago, leafsnation said:

Have they cut the daily mass with a priest on board?

Daily mass is why my wife sails HAL.

Bob

Do a search...there is a long thread on the topic. There seems to be a shortage of priests allowed to sail.

[howiefrommd]

There is no shortage of priests willing/able to serve.  If you reference the thread mentioned, there are several documents that articulate this was a business decision of HAL.  The longer cruises (I forgot the exact number, but for some reason 25 days or greater comes to mind), will have a priest onboard. 

[leafsnation]

Thanks for the info thats good got a 45 day to Europe booked in Oct 2025.

I know they do a midnight service sunday for a lotta the crew.

Bob

[CNSJ]

6 hours ago, JimDee363636 said:

Cunard isn't for everyone---the dress code is more formal than many people like

Yeah, DW says it's not vacation if she has to wear a gown or dress so many nights.

 

[Petronillus]

2 hours ago, leafsnation said:

Have they cut the daily mass with a priest on board?

Daily mass is why my wife sails HAL.

Bob

A short while ago this was the topic of another thread. Bottom line: On 7-day cruises there will be no more chaplain. On longer cruises, it will be as hitherto has been the case. On cruises of intermediate duration (10-20 days, I suppose) it's kind of fuzzy.

[Mary229]

On 7/28/2024 at 6:02 PM, taxmantoo said:

Totally agree BUT the Capital Grill does not have a $5,000 to $10,000 a week cover charge for two nor does it advertise the best fine dining at sea 🙂  We should compare apples to apples ...

If you are paying $5000 a week for HAL you are doing the economic equivalent of buying the best house in the neighborhood.  

[SharonN]

2 hours ago, howiefrommd said:

There is no shortage of priests willing/able to serve.  If you reference the thread mentioned, there are several documents that articulate this was a business decision of HAL.  The longer cruises (I forgot the exact number, but for some reason 25 days or greater comes to mind), will have a priest onboard. 

From what I heard it not the # of days but the locations of the cruise that make the difference. There will be no priests on cruises to Alaska, New England, Mexico, Caribbean, or Europe unless they are a Legendary or Grand Cruise. There will still be priests on those to Asia, South Pacific, South America, and Atlantic/Pacific crossings. We cancelled 3 back to back Mediterranean Cruises (70 days total )we had booked in the fall of 2025 due to this change. 

[Tradestock]

Thank you for the information regarding BB King/Rolling Stone.  The additional twist to this topic, no priest on board, was greatly unexpected.  In brief, we travel past 4 cruise ports to sail with HAL and a Catholic priest.  Since cost cuts are not exclusive to corporate culture, our cruises with HAL will be much less.

 

Thank you to everyone that provided great information and travel tips.  Peace be with you.      

[oaktreerb]

On 7/28/2024 at 9:25 AM, St Pete Cruiser said:

I agree with the poster, but the Legendary Voyage, which the current Voyage of the Vikings is superb. 

Live music in the Ocean Bar every afternoon. 

classic trio in the Explorer Lounge. 

Rolling Stone Live Band with volcalists.

Three enrichment speakers. 

Live production shows with singers and dancers.

Unfortunately we have to pay more for a Legendary Voyage to get what we had previously on every longer cruise, but at least Holland America Line does still know how to please its guests.

Printed news at the MDR.

I like the entertainment guide.  We got one on a longer Alaska cruise pre-Covid.  Our most recent Alaska Legendary Cruise could have benefitted from an entertainment guide if HAL had planned ahead for more enrichment activities.   It’s nice to see HAL hasn’t forgotten about the guide.

Edited July 30 by oaktreerb

[CurlerRob]

On 7/28/2024 at 7:45 PM, Guinness1000 said:

I watched a YT video by Gary Bembridge about repositioning cruises. He said most people don't realize that they are inexpensive because the purpose of them is to move the ship to a new area. Their aim is not to give guests the best time ever. Port stops are mostly for replenishing supplies and such. I have never been on one myself, but it made sense when I watched it. I want to do a transoceanic cruise, but my expectations will be lower than a regular cruise. Hope you still managed to enjoy yourself.  🙂

 

I disagree with Mr. Bembridge. He is correct that the purpose of a repositioning cruise is to relocate the ship - but that is not the reason they are relatively inexpensive.

 

They are inexpensive because they tend to have extended passages and limited, or sometimes less than 'premier' ports. Those facts reduce the available market and thus drives down the price. All of the lines continue to attempt to provide a high-quality pax experience - otherwise they would be repositioning empty ships.

 

For those considering a transoceanic trip, I always suggest considering these two questions:

 

- Do I like/love multiple sea days?

- Am I happy amusing myself for multiple days at sea, or am I comfortable that my chosen cruise line provides sufficient activities to keep me occupied?

 

We answer yes, and love transoceanic trips - but someone who answers 'no', or is uncertain, may find them challenging. Don't lower you expectations, but be sure they match the reality of a TO cruise. Enjoy! 🍺🥌

 

 

[Kay S]

I've done  TAs, and I love them.  I love sea days, and I have plenty to read loaded on the Kindle!  One thing is it sure beats being stuck in the middle seat on some cramped airplane for hours on end.  😄 Staying in Europe never seems to be an option. 🙃

[taxmantoo]

13 hours ago, Mary229 said:

If you are paying $5000 a week for HAL you are doing the economic equivalent of buying the best house in the neighborhood.  

Signature or Neptune Suite in the Mediterranean without Have It All is $5000+ Canadian. It is what it is.

Edited July 30 by taxmantoo

[leafsnation]

That 40% exchange kills us Canadians.

bob

[ghjcmo]

On 7/28/2024 at 1:54 PM, ski ww said:

Sad but true, I guess things can only get better.

 

All indications are it will only get worse.  And if you think about it, can you blame them?  Cruise demand is off the charts.  So from their standpoint, why spend extra money for this and that, when people are still lining up to cruise.    And a lot of that demand is with new cruisers who don't know any better.  Until we cruisers wise up and become smarter consumers, this will continue.  

[leafsnation]

All the lines have to pay down the covid debt!

Two options pay the piper or stay home! 

Bob

[Petronillus]

15 hours ago, SharonN said:

From what I heard it not the # of days but the locations of the cruise that make the difference. There will be no priests on cruises to Alaska, New England, Mexico, Caribbean, or Europe unless they are a Legendary or Grand Cruise. There will still be priests on those to Asia, South Pacific, South America, and Atlantic/Pacific crossings. We cancelled 3 back to back Mediterranean Cruises (70 days total )we had booked in the fall of 2025 due to this change. 

 

That's the trouble with recollection. Thanks for the clarification, which is spot on.

 

Others say that in dedicating a solo cabin to the non-revenue-generating presence of a priest, HAL is just falling in line with the rest of the mass-market cruiselines. But you have just demonstrated the foolishness of discarding a policy that gave HAL a clear competitive advantage. You'd think that management would take notice when 5-star mariners drop a planned 70-day booking over it. But as long as they can fill their ships, they don't care.

Edited July 30 by Petronillus
fix a formatting error

[BermudaBound2014]

2 hours ago, Petronillus said:

.......when 5-star mariners drop a planned 70-day booking over it. 

 

Just curious. Did you find a cruise with a priest to replace the one you cancelled? 

[SharonN]

36 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

Just curious. Did you find a cruise with a priest to replace the one you cancelled? 

We changed to the 45 day Legendary Mediterranean round trip out of New York. It still has the stop in Egypt that we wanted but we'll miss a few other ports we were looking forward to. But we had a credit we have to use up next year and there's no way we can go 10 weeks without a priest and mass. The change is definitely going to limit us on which cruises we can take in the future. I really feel sorry for the Filipino crew though since most of them are Catholic and they no longer have access to a priest on most cruises either. 

[sambamama]

The new HAL management is pinching pennies wherever they can.  The downfall started after Mr. Kruse stepped down, and has kept declining.  I love TAs, or perhaps I should say I used to love TAs.  I've done 2, and had a third cancelled by HAL as a big mistake on their part. If you are sailing on a TA with limited ports where you have at best 6, and sometimes only 4 in a two week period (or the same in a Hawaii cruise, or something similar), I expect entertainment choices on the sea days such as educational lectures, games, craft classes, cooking classes, etc.  Once upon a time, there were even dance classes, and talent shows.  There used to be a steel drum band by the main pool.  Or a solo steel drum player by the rear pool.  The MDR was open on port days for lunch. Sometimes there was constellation spotting at night. Long ago, people were invited to dine with the captain!  All this is gone.  Now the more expensive entrees are gone.  The Yum yum man is gone.  No more chiming for dinner.  No more fruit soups.  The bread selections are way more limited, and there is no bread or crackers available at the buffet for lunch, or tuna for the salads.  Half the loungers are gone at the main pool, so you can't get a lounger there unless you grab one at 8am. My 14 night Asia cruise that was postponed for 4 years had horrific entertainment, and of course no classical music at all.  Had it sailed as intended when booked, I would have had a far better cruise.  Classical music is gone, and all single supplements are 80% or more.  I have been sailing HAL since the 1980's and am a 4 star with 160 sea days.  I don't see myself sailing on HAL very much any more as I am not getting value for what I have to pay. I do much better on a land tour. I used to cruise twice a year. I have a 7 night Alaska cruise booked next May, and doubt I will be booking anything with HAL as a solo again.  Too many bad changes and too much money as a solo.

[3rdGenCunarder]

2 hours ago, sambamama said:

The new HAL management is pinching pennies wherever they can.  The downfall started after Mr. Kruse stepped down, and has kept declining.  I love TAs, or perhaps I should say I used to love TAs.  I've done 2, and had a third cancelled by HAL as a big mistake on their part. If you are sailing on a TA with limited ports where you have at best 6, and sometimes only 4 in a two week period (or the same in a Hawaii cruise, or something similar), I expect entertainment choices on the sea days such as educational lectures, games, craft classes, cooking classes, etc.  Once upon a time, there were even dance classes, and talent shows.  There used to be a steel drum band by the main pool.  Or a solo steel drum player by the rear pool.  The MDR was open on port days for lunch. Sometimes there was constellation spotting at night. Long ago, people were invited to dine with the captain!  All this is gone.  Now the more expensive entrees are gone.  The Yum yum man is gone.  No more chiming for dinner.  No more fruit soups.  The bread selections are way more limited, and there is no bread or crackers available at the buffet for lunch, or tuna for the salads.  Half the loungers are gone at the main pool, so you can't get a lounger there unless you grab one at 8am. My 14 night Asia cruise that was postponed for 4 years had horrific entertainment, and of course no classical music at all.  Had it sailed as intended when booked, I would have had a far better cruise.  Classical music is gone, and all single supplements are 80% or more.  I have been sailing HAL since the 1980's and am a 4 star with 160 sea days.  I don't see myself sailing on HAL very much any more as I am not getting value for what I have to pay. I do much better on a land tour. I used to cruise twice a year. I have a 7 night Alaska cruise booked next May, and doubt I will be booking anything with HAL as a solo again.  Too many bad changes and too much money as a solo.

 

I agree with so much of this! Especially the decline in entertainment. 

 

I also miss the cooking classes, the REAL ones, not the ATK canned lectures--do I really need to know 16 ways to boil an egg?????? I was able to take part in the hands-on class twice. The best part of that was having the professionally prepared version at lunch with the guest chef!

 

I haven't paid less than 100% single supplement since the restart, and maybe before.

 

One good thing that has come back. The yum yum man was back on my Caribbean cruise on Zaandam this winter, but only on "gala" nights.

[esimon]

8 hours ago, ghjcmo said:

 

All indications are it will only get worse.  And if you think about it, can you blame them?  Cruise demand is off the charts.  So from their standpoint, why spend extra money for this and that, when people are still lining up to cruise.    And a lot of that demand is with new cruisers who don't know any better.  Until we cruisers wise up and become smarter consumers, this will continue.  

Well, I’m not sure what we’re supposed to do. And while I’m bummed by some changes, it’s not gonna keep me from cruising, and if I get to a point where I really dislike all the changes I quit cruising.

[Mary229]

21 hours ago, taxmantoo said:

Signature or Neptune Suite in the Mediterranean without Have It All is $5000+ Canadian. It is what it is.

And that is a choice.  The point is if you buy high in a mid neighborhood you can’t expect the neighborhood to change to you.  If you want the suite by all means enjoy it but it does not somehow elevate the experience to a $5000 a week experience.  You still have the $800 a week entertainment and by and large the $800 a week dining.  

[Mary229]

20 hours ago, ghjcmo said:

 

All indications are it will only get worse.  And if you think about it, can you blame them?  Cruise demand is off the charts.  So from their standpoint, why spend extra money for this and that, when people are still lining up to cruise.    And a lot of that demand is with new cruisers who don't know any better.  Until we cruisers wise up and become smarter consumers, this will continue.  

When supply is tight consumers really can’t “get smart”.  They have a budget and they can go to where their best value is but they will not have much influence.  There will be an economic day of reckoning but that outcome is not visible.  As much as I hate to agree with my friend @BermudaBound2014 on this point, I do believe HAL’s independent existence is uncertain (I do agree with her in most things but this one makes me queasy)

Edited July 31 by Mary229

[kirtihk]

On 7/28/2024 at 10:09 AM, doublebzz said:

I am now waiting for HAL to require guests to bring their own bed linens and towels.

and pay for washing them after each use, of course.

[ghjcmo]

On 7/30/2024 at 4:23 PM, esimon said:

Well, I’m not sure what we’re supposed to do. 

It's simple.   Quit cruising, or at least  cut way back.  Until demand slacks, they will continue to cut and cut and cut while simultaneously increasing the cost of everything.  If we just keep lining up to throw our money at them, they have no incentive to stop.