Many open staterooms

[brag]

My wife and I are booked on the Rotterdam on April 20 from Lisbon to Athens. This is our second cruise and the first on HAL. I was curious about how the cruise was selling. I went on to the Travelocity site, which allows you to select the available staterooms. I went through all of them and there are many still available in each catagory.

 

Is this normal for a cruise that sails in less than 90 days?

 

Thanks for an opinion.

 

Brag

[Grumpy1]

My wife and I are booked on the Rotterdam on April 20 from Lisbon to Athens. This is our second cruise and the first on HAL. I was curious about how the cruise was selling. I went on to the Travelocity site, which allows you to select the available staterooms. I went through all of them and there are many still available in each catagory.

 

Is this normal for a cruise that sails in less than 90 days?

 

Thanks for an opinion.

 

Brag

This cruise is sort of the tail end of the transatlantic repositioning to Europe. It is very early in the season for the Mediterranean and that may be why there are still quite a few cabins available.

[brag]

You are right. This is the first Med curise for the Rotterdam for the summer. We wanted to avoid the mid summer crowds and the hotter weather.

 

Is there any advantages or disadvantages to sailing on a less than full ship?

 

Thanks again,

 

Brag

[Crusin-Suzan]

We are also on that cruise. I also have been looking at all the empty cabins. I think they even raised the price a bit. I would say the advantage is we might be upgrades. Also getting on and off the ship. Are you staying in Athens. Sue

[Jemima]

Assuming that the available cabins shown on that site are correct, it would not include already booked guarantees.

[brag]

We are also on that cruise. I also have been looking at all the empty cabins. I think they even raised the price a bit. I would say the advantage is we might be upgrades. Also getting on and off the ship. Are you staying in Athens. Sue

 

Sue,

 

Glad to hear from someone who is also taking the cruise. Are you experienced curisers? As I indicated, my wife and I have only had one short curise about two years ago. I am spending a great deal of time on this site to learn the ropes before hand.

 

Will you be flying to Lisbon for embarkation? I see from your message that you are from Florida. Judy and I live in Austin, Texas. We are in our mid 60's and I just recently retired.

 

We will be staying in Athens for several days before working our way back home. How about you?

 

Jerry Johns (brag)

[RuthC]

Is there any advantages or disadvantages to sailing on a less than full ship?

I can think of a few advantages! :) Service should be kicked up a notch or two.

There should be shorter/fewer lines in the Lido and getting off/on the ship in ports.

You dining stewards may have fewer tables, so may be able to converse with you a bit and get to know your habits a bit better.

Your lounge stewards may be able to be more attentive. (Always a good thing. ;) )

You should be able to get a good seat at the nightly show.

The musicians in the various lounges may be able to play more of your requests.

The biggest disadvantage I can think of is the possibility that your dining table won't be filled. (This is only a disadvantage if you like a large table.)

Have a wonderful cruise!

[serendipity1499]

Would not count on an up-grade..We've had thirteen cruises, seven of which have been on HAL(several long hauls with 100 days on HAL) & have only been up-graded once many years ago..

 

We've been told that HAL usually up-grades only if the cabins in your category are sold out & they have more people who want your category cabin..Then they can up-grade you & sell your cabin again..

 

We were on the Amsterdam (Rotterdam's Sister Ship) & loved it, so know you will enjoy the Rotterdam..And as Ruth say's there are many many advantages in having lots of cabin space.available...

 

Enjoy your cruise..:) Betty

 

P.S. Ruth has many more days on HAL than we have & she is very knowledgeable! I'm surprised she's even home as she is the intrepid traveller..Just offer her chocolate & she'll follow you anywhere..;)

 

.

[kryos]

My wife and I are booked on the Rotterdam on April 20 from Lisbon to Athens. This is our second cruise and the first on HAL. I was curious about how the cruise was selling. I went on to the Travelocity site, which allows you to select the available staterooms. I went through all of them and there are many still available in each catagory.

 

Is this normal for a cruise that sails in less than 90 days?

This could be normal for certain cruises ... especially ones involving long airplane flights. However, HAL could offer a group deal at the last minute and fill many of those cabins. I am sure they will do everything humanly possible to fill most of the cabins on any sailing, as a ship that sails only partially full loses money.

 

I am on a Transatlantic cruise ... Tampa to Venice, Italy on April 1st and we've already made final payment. There are still cabins available and probably there will still be empty cabins when it sails. Again, the reason is the long airplane flight home from Venice. We got around it, though. We're sailing back to the States on the QE2. :)

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

I can think of a few advantages! :) Service should be kicked up a notch or two.

I wonder, though ...

 

If HAL had, say, four ships leaving from Fort Lauderdale in the same general time frame, and one of them perhaps wasn't anywhere near full ... would HAL "divert" staff from the partially full one to other ships that were sailing at full capacity?

 

If so, then service would probably be at about the same level regardless since there would be fewer staff onboard to handle the smaller than usual passenger account?

 

Does anyone know if HAL "moves their resources" around like that?

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[hammybee]

HAL's summer sails in Europe are always sold out. It's all about vacationing in July and August, when the Europeans flee their own cities for a month of holiday.

 

I think those that are able or want to sail in April and May, as well as late season, get a better price and the ports are not nearly as crowded.

[Crusin-Suzan]

Jerry, We have been on many cruises. I have been on about 20 but my husband has been on fewer. He does not do the Caribbean because he spent his working days going there. We have done South America, Baltic, etc. You can email me a sueleekey@aol.com and we can compare notes. We are getting on the ship in Rio. Go to rollcall message board under Transatlantic 4/5/07. There is quite a few people that are joining us. Hope to talk soon. Sue

[RuthC]

P.S. Ruth has many more days on HAL than we have & she is very knowledgeable! I'm surprised she's even home as she is the intrepid traveller..Just offer her chocolate & she'll follow you anywhere..;)

Thank you for the very nice compliment, Betty! :)

Oh, and a girl's got to come home and do laundry and pay the bills once in a while---I just disembarked last Wednesday. Four cruises in 10 months---a bit much even for me. :o

They were fun! :D

[serendipity1499]

Thank you for the very nice compliment, Betty! :)

 

Oh, and a girl's got to come home and do laundry and pay the bills once in a while---I just disembarked last Wednesday. Four cruises in 10 months---a bit much even for me. :o

They were fun! :D

 

Your Welcome Ruth...But please don't feel embarrassed..Isn't it wonderful that you can do that!

 

Can't wait to book our next cruise..Only problem, my friend & I keep picking out these great Trans-Atlantic, South Pacific or European cruises & unfortunately both our DH's hate flying becaause of their extra long legs..(both wear 36 inseams)..Can't understand how two 5ft. nothing gals can be married to two 6' 2" guys with extra long legs! The past 5 years we've been booking the longer cruises & fly economy...Would love to do South America again but our DH's don't want to fly round trip..Now looking at the Maasdam, from Rotterdam to Boston in July, which I beleive you were on a while back...The returning air fare seems high..Have looked at the round-trip fares & they also look high...Of course, July is high season;) ..

[serendipity1499]

Jerry, We have been on many cruises. I have been on about 20 but my husband has been on fewer. He does not do the Caribbean because he spent his working days going there. We have done South America, Baltic, etc. You can email me a sueleekey@aol.com and we can compare notes. We are getting on the ship in Rio. Go to rollcall message board under Transatlantic 4/5/07. There is quite a few people that are joining us. Hope to talk soon. Sue

 

Sue did not mean to hurt your feelings and please don't take offense....We rarely do the Carribean Cruises..All of our cruises have been 14 to 25 days..This past Nov was an exception only because it was 14 days ex Tampa & went as far as Isla de Margarita..We've been on the Amsterdam in South America, had several Trans-Atlantic's, did the Panama Canal to SA twice & the Amazon last April..

 

However, it has been my experience on HAL that the only time they seem to up-grade is when they have more passengers who desire your category cabin..That's the only reason why I said don't count on an upgrade..Didn't make this up off the top of my head..I'm retired from the Airline travel business & have friends in the Cruising Industry who have given me this info.. If your experience has been that you have received up-grades on HAL ships that are not fully booked, then I stand corrected..However I believe you are the exception rather than the rule..Betty

[RuthC]

I've done it round-trip twice from NYC and once from Boston.

Have you considered the round-trip? Much less flying and much more cruise! It's a cruise made for relaxation and has some pretty exotic ports.

Or, you and your friend can take the cruise and leave the DH's at home. Think about that for a while. ;)

[serendipity1499]

I've done it round-trip twice from NYC and once from Boston.

 

Have you considered the round-trip? Much less flying and much more cruise! It's a cruise made for relaxation and has some pretty exotic ports.

Looked a the RT BOS too but don't think DH could stand to be away from home for 34 days..He works in our garden at least 4 days a week & he would miss that.. Also we would both miss our Puppy..Yes, I know it's dumb, but she's our Baby.. My friend has a similar Baby (a sheltie) & we would all worry about them..:o

Or, you and your friend can take the cruise and leave the DH's at home. Think about that for a while. ;)

Oh I love it!:D Wonder what our homes would look like when we got back?;)

 

Sorry Brag I've hijacked your thread & am off topic..Hope you have a wonderful cruise..:) Betty

[Crusin-Suzan]

No offence taken. We also have taken two week cruises. This is the first for a 27 day cruise. Booked a guarenteed cabin in hopes of the upgrade. My husband also just retired from the airline business. Just built a new home and decided if we could do that together we could be on a cruise ship for 27 days. When they do a cruise that long do they just repeat everything on the second two weeks.

[RuthC]

...we could be on a cruise ship for 27 days. When they do a cruise that long do they just repeat everything on the second two weeks.

Repeat everything in what sense? If you are taking a cruise that's truly one cruise of 27 days then there isn't much in the way of repeats. There will be some menu items that appear more than once, but the menu as a whole usually does not repeat. The shows---especially the guest entertainers---are not repeated. There won't be too many productions shows, however.

If the cruise is broken down into segments then there may be some repetion of menus and production shows. There will be one Mariners' Party for the first segment people then another for full cruise/second segment passengers. There may or may not be a Mr/Ms -dam.

[Crusin-Suzan]

Thanks for the info. It is in two segments. Rio to Lisbon and Lisbon to Athens. At least we will have fours nights of some free cocktails.

[RuthC]

It is in two segments. Rio to Lisbon and Lisbon to Athens.

:confused: Are you certain this is a 2-segment cruise? Rio-Lisbon/Lisbon-Athens sounds more like two separate cruises done as a back-to-back.

If you are doing back-to-back then there is sure to be repetition of the production shows and possibly of some of the guest entertainers. There will also be two Welcome Aboard and Mariners' Parties as well as disembarkation talks.

In any case it sounds like a nice trip. (Except for the loss of several hours' sleep heading eastboaund. :rolleyes: )

[RuthC]

A day without the WSOD is like a day without torture.

[ortrud]

This Is A Dumb Question For A Long Time Cruiser, How Do You Look Up Empty Cabins? Is There A Special Symbol For Those Already Booked? I Have A Cruise Booked On The Veendam 11/25/07, Balcony Guaranteed. Would Like To See Which Are Already Taken. Thanks, Ortrud

[Crusin-Suzan]

Just go on a travel site. Cruise411.com or Orbitz and just go thru the motions that you are interested in that cruise. When you get to the part where you pick your cabin you can see what is available. Maybe there is some easier way but thats how I do it.

[ortrud]

Thanks A Lot Sueleekey,

Ortrud