Why are there not more Live From threads on the HAL forum?

[Gracie115]

19 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

 With production shows coming back to HAL, it will also be fun to hear how well they are received! 

 

 

We just booked a TA on Nieuw Statendam, our 2nd HAL cruise ever, the last being in 2017.  I am interested in your statement about production shows.  When are they suppose to return to HAL ships?

[Ken the cruiser]

1 hour ago, Gracie115 said:

 

We just booked a TA on Nieuw Statendam, our 2nd HAL cruise ever, the last being in 2017.  I am interested in your statement about production shows.  When are they suppose to return to HAL ships?

Here’s a link to a thread I started back in April when I saw the article. Besides the various booking perks HAL now offers, the elimination of the production shows back in 2019 was the underlying reason why we stopped booking with HAL back then.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/3002816-its-official-production-shows-are-back/

 

Edited August 8 by Ken the cruiser

[Gracie115]

33 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Here’s a link to a thread I started back in April when I saw the article. Besides the various booking perks HAL now offers, the elimination of the production shows back in 2019 was the underlying reason why we stopped booking with HAL back then.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/3002816-its-official-production-shows-are-back/

 

 

Thanks @Ken the cruiser we are looking forward to trying HAL again.

 

[Ken the cruiser]

2 minutes ago, Gracie115 said:

 

Thanks @Ken the cruiser we are looking forward to trying HAL again.

 

I have to admit, HAL’s new booking perks have definitely gotten creative when compared to “back in the day” when they pretty much had no booking perks to speak of. Mariners get OBC if you book an itinerary within 90 days of when it was first released. You have the option of getting their HIA Early Booking Bonus which includes gratuities if you book an itinerary more than a year away from embarkation day. They also now give a Military Appreciation perk and even one if your a member of AARP. I guess they’re wanting us “retired old ones” who left the ship back then to come back! 😂

[chill6x6]

I've got a 9-day coming up on the Rotterdam in November.  I might do one....I've been thinking about it.  

 

Let's see....what would I call it?  "1, 2, 3 o'clock, 4 o'clock, cruise?" "Chuck in Rotterdamland?" "Voyage to the Center of Rotterdam?" "The Pinnacle of Cruising?" "50 ways to leave your suite?"

[Gracie115]

1 hour ago, Ken the cruiser said:

I have to admit, HAL’s new booking perks have definitely gotten creative when compared to “back in the day” when they pretty much had no booking perks to speak of. Mariners get OBC if you book an itinerary within 90 days of when it was first released. You have the option of getting their HIA Early Booking Bonus which includes gratuities if you book an itinerary more than a year away from embarkation day. They also now give a Military Appreciation perk and even one if your a member of AARP. I guess they’re wanting us “retired old ones” who left the ship back then to come back! 😂

 

I guess so!!!  Pretty sure we wound up with all those perks.  The Statendam TA is in 2026!

[Blackduck59]

I wouldn't want to do a "live from" thread. I do enjoy doing my "observations" threads. I don't really post many photos, I never post "dailies" or menus as they are unique to that cruise. I will comment on excursions, on board entertainment and dining options. I invite others on the cruise to post their experiences, especially if they are different to mine. I also ask other members on the cruise to refrain from posting dailies or menus (they can start their own thread if they want to do that).

Of course we are months away from embarkation day in a far off distant land, and 42 days to comment on.

[albingirl]

I love to read all the threads, including live from threads.  Me? I'm such a lazy bean on vaca and prefer to write a summary later.  I always feel there is so much going on and I'm easily distracted on a cruise. Even by a well earned nap lol.

[whogo]

My excuse for not posting a live from report on the Holland America board on my last cruise was that the cruise wasn't on Holland America.

[Nattyg1723]

On 8/7/2024 at 1:59 PM, Ken the cruiser said:

On my Live From threads, I post pictures from the excursions we go on at practically every port. I also mention which shows we go to in the evening, to include theater, game, and/or comedy shows. And respond to any information requests we get from those following along as well. 
 

I’ll also post the information we receive in the evening for the following day’s events. I also very much enjoy posting wildlife photos of both large and small animals. 😂

 

But to be honest, as we’re in our early 70s and are cruiseaholics, the photos I take with my iPhone and subsequently post after some serious editing efforts of 300-400+ shots, allow me to share our experiences with our family and friends at home as well as certain CC followers that enjoy just following along. However, I will never post photos of food or beverages unless someone specifically asks me to regarding a specific item. But at the same time you will see a variety of some very unique wildlife we see on our cruise. 😁

 

But since we have usually cruised around 100+ days a year since cruising started back up, I also like to refer to them after the fact, such as those where we went to Middle East/Africa with NCL, and Antarctica, Alaska, and most recently Norway and the Baltic with Princess. But at the same time, we can’t wait to cruise again with HAL through the Panama Canal in an aft-facing cabin on the Eurudam, especially since we’ve heard the production shows are coming back. 😁

Most important part of ALL your live froms:

 

Pigeon sightings!

[Ken the cruiser]

49 minutes ago, Nattyg1723 said:

Most important part of ALL your live froms:

 

Pigeon sightings!

So true! 😂

[Mike B Landlubber]

If you think Live threads are sparse here, check out Windstar! I considered doing a Windstar cruise (decided not to due to cost and schedule) and the forum is quiet! Of course, the total capacity of the entire Windstar fleet is a Bit more than one of the bigger HAL ships. So fewer potential diarists. For myself, I’ve done a couple of,live threads, gotten a decent response, and enjoy doing them. But everyone will have their different view of how fun that is, and especially people who are not traveling solo like me may have other demands on their time.

Edited August 10 by Mike B Landlubber

[oakridger]

47 minutes ago, Mike B Landlubber said:

If you think Live threads are sparse here, check out Windstar!

 

@LAFFNVEGAS wrote a great Windstar Live From earlier this year and I sure appreciated it!  I'm trying Windstar for the first time in May 2025 and thought it's funny that the total Star Breeze passenger capacity (312 pax) is actually less than the capacity of ONE lifeboat (370 pax) on the RCCL Utopia of The Seas.  No wonder there aren't many bloggers/Live Froms from Windstar!

 

~Nancy

[WriterOnDeck]

I dont typically do one because I post a blog on my own site, and it's a lot of trouble to repost here, especially with photos. I also write from a different perspective -- not "here's what I did today, starting with breakfast." Everyone has his or her own style. But I also post on the HAL forum here that I will be doing my blog. Most of my readers subscribe so they get the posts in their email. I think it has a longer shelf life and is more searchable, too. But who knows?

[oakridger]

9 minutes ago, WriterOnDeck said:

I dont typically do one because I post a blog on my own site, and it's a lot of trouble to repost here, especially with photos. I also write from a different perspective -- not "here's what I did today, starting with breakfast." Everyone has his or her own style. But I also post on the HAL forum here that I will be doing my blog. Most of my readers subscribe so they get the posts in their email. I think it has a longer shelf life and is more searchable, too. But who knows?

 

I absolutely love reading Jo's @WriterOnDeck blog! 🙂

 

Some of the other Live From posters here on CC also have their own blogs which usually contain more detail and especially pictures.  I appreciate everyone's efforts no matter their style or focus!

 

~Nancy

[Ken the cruiser]

I’m curious regarding the recent comments about posting photos to a CC thread while on a cruise. When we’ve been on a cruise where the SpaceX Starlink is the satellite provider, regardless of cruise line, I haven’t had any issues uploading photos to CC, even if the bandwidth is less than 0.5 mbps. Are folks having bandwidth issues posting to CC while on a HAL cruise using the standard internet that comes with the HIA package?

[Hogladyrider]

33 minutes ago, WriterOnDeck said:

I dont typically do one because I post a blog on my own site, and it's a lot of trouble to repost here, especially with photos. I also write from a different perspective -- not "here's what I did today, starting with breakfast." Everyone has his or her own style. But I also post on the HAL forum here that I will be doing my blog. Most of my readers subscribe so they get the posts in their email. I think it has a longer shelf life and is more searchable, too. But who knows?

@WriterOnDeck follow you and LOVE your blog!

[Haljo1935]

1 hour ago, Ken the cruiser said:

...Are folks having bandwidth issues posting to CC while on a HAL cruise using the standard internet that comes with the HIA package?

I have upgraded internet once onboard, so I've never posted pix using the standard internet. 

I have had no issues posting pictures and joining Teams calls using the upgraded internet. 

[0106]

2 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Are folks having bandwidth issues posting to CC while on a HAL cruise using the standard internet that comes with the HIA package?

I had difficulty posting pictures on my TA on the Rotterdam last October and my SA & Antarctica cruise on the Oosterdam in February.  I had the best luck before I went to bed or as soon as I got up.  I was never able to successful load brief videos shot with my iPhone with the internet included with the HIA package.

 

You have motivated me to do another Live thread from my Best of Norway cruise.  My first post will be in less than a week.😉

[Ken the cruiser]

12 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

I have upgraded internet once onboard, so I've never posted pix using the standard internet. 

I have had no issues posting pictures and joining Teams calls using the upgraded internet. 

Thanks! This is good to know! I just checked and since we booked our Apr 2025 cruise when the HIA Early Booking Bonus was in effect, we have the Premium Wi-Fi package.

 

 
However, if we wait until there is less than a year until embarkation day and book the cruise with the regular HIA, we get the (basic) Surf Package and may have issues accessing websites like CC and other multi-layered websites.

 

 
Lesson possibly learned - book cruises far enough out to get the HIA Early Booking Bonus, and if far enough out, Mariner Society OBC bonus as well.

[Haljo1935]

@Ken the cruiser @0106 comment about videos reminded me - I have not posted videos at all.

[Ken the cruiser]

19 minutes ago, 0106 said:

I had difficulty posting pictures on my TA on the Rotterdam last October and my SA & Antarctica cruise on the Oosterdam in February.  I had the best luck before I went to bed or as soon as I got up.  I was never able to successful load brief videos shot with my iPhone with the internet included with the HIA package.

 

You have motivated me to do another Live thread from my Best of Norway cruise.  My first post will be in less than a week.😉

You’re going to have an awesome time! I will definitely be following along, as we just finished cruising to Norway with PCL and it will be interesting to see if there are any differences, which I’m sure there will be. 
 

Edited August 11 by Ken the cruiser

[Ken the cruiser]

On 8/10/2024 at 8:06 PM, 0106 said:

I had difficulty posting pictures on my TA on the Rotterdam last October and my SA & Antarctica cruise on the Oosterdam in February.  I had the best luck before I went to bed or as soon as I got up.  I was never able to successful load brief videos shot with my iPhone with the internet included with the HIA package.

 

You have motivated me to do another Live thread from my Best of Norway cruise.  My first post will be in less than a week.😉

We have been following along and are enjoying your posts on your Live From thread. If I might ask, are you posting your photos and text to your CC thread using the Premium Wi-Fi package you possibly received with the HIA Early Booking Bonus package, or the Surf Wi-Fi package you get with the basic HIA offering?

 

The reason I ask is because our cabin category for our 22-day Eurodam cruise just dropped $350 per person, probably because they eliminated the optional HIA Early Booking bonus perks, such as the Wi-Fi package being reduced to the Surf option which doesn't sound all that inclusive. 

 

Wi-Fi Surf Package definition - Stay connected throughout your journey. Surf the web, use social media, check email and send messages to friends and family.

 

Since we really don't want to upgrade again to the Premium Wi-Fi package once we board the ship because I can't post to my CC Live From thread and my DW can't access the multi-level websites she visits, we're just curious which Wi-Fi service you are using on your Rotterdam cruise? Our inclination is to just keep what we have as we still got our cabin for a very reasonable rate.

[0106]

3 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

are you posting your photos and text to your CC thread using the Premium Wi-Fi package you possibly received with the HIA Early Booking Bonus package, or the Surf Wi-Fi package you get with the basic HIA offering?

I have the premium wifi that came with the early booking bonus.  
 

One important point, I had trouble posting with the Surf package in some challenging locations: transatlantic and Antarctica.  
 

Also, I was having trouble uploading multiple pictures at the same time on this cruise. I learned that if I select one photo at a time to upload, it works better.

[Ken the cruiser]

48 minutes ago, 0106 said:

I have the premium wifi that came with the early booking bonus.  
 

One important point, I had trouble posting with the Surf package in some challenging locations: transatlantic and Antarctica.  
 

Also, I was having trouble uploading multiple pictures at the same time on this cruise. I learned that if I select one photo at a time to upload, it works better.

Good to know. BTW if you are ever curious what your upload/download internet speeds are as well as who your satellite provider is, this is the link I use. 

 

https://www.speedtest.net/

Just click on “Continue on the Web” at the bottom of the page if you don’t want to upload the app. 
 

Edited August 19 by Ken the cruiser