2009 Caribbean itinerary posted on HAL

[KAKcruiser]

I just noticed that the 2009 Caribbean itinerary for January - April was posted on the HAL web site.

[InTheWASide]

Woohoo!

 

Now let's just hope all the hurricanes quit so they don't have to change some of those great itineraries!!

[sail7seas]

I'm still hoping they'll go back to having a ship in the Caribbean 12 months. I know why they don't and I know I'm never going to live long enough to see it happen, but we sure do miss cruising the Caribbean in the summer. We used to love it.

 

[hammybee]

It's official. There are no Caribbean sails departing NYC in 2009. I know many will be bummed, with this news.

[jrzebird]

It's official. There are no Caribbean sails departing NYC in 2009. I know many will be bummed, with this news.

 

Count me among the bummed. :( I was hoping that they'd have another ship in the Noordam's place out of NYC. I'm just glad that we decided to book our cruise on the Noordam for the 2008 season.:D

[bUU]

I sure hope some other cruise line steps in to provide more affordable cruises from NYC to the Caribbean, as HAL has been doing. The alternatives are just too costly! :eek:

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thanks -- now we know why the site was down for some time yesterday.

Time to start planning again.

[doone]

I don't see the Volendam in the Caribbean for 2009.

[mamaofami]

Bummed !

[CroozeAddict]

Anyone else notice that the prices have increased by quite a bit?

[thomasale]

I too would love to see HAL again in the Caribbean all 12 months. We like to cruise in the summer and once in the winter. My schedule will only allow close in cruises and living in Florida I just can't bring myself to go anywhere else. I will do Alaska and Mexico soon but still love the Carib.

[GmaPajama]

The Caribbean is our first love, and more offerings there would be right up our alley. We enjoy other itineraries too, but there's just something about that beautiful turquoise Caribbean water - can't get enough of it.

[sail7seas]

I sure hope some other cruise line steps in to provide more affordable cruises from NYC to the Caribbean, as HAL has been doing. The alternatives are just too costly! :eek:

 

That is probably the major reason Noordam will not continue to sail from New York. People were not willing to pay enough for the cruise or do enough on board spending for the revenue to be high enough.

 

Maybe folks should have visited the bars more?? Spent more aboard?!?!!?

 

[haligonian37]

I was just perusing through the itineraries and found one that looks very attractive: 10 day Noordam in Feb 09 with stops in BVI, St Lucia, Barbados, Martinique, St Maarten and of course, HMC. The hooks for me are St Lucia and Barbados, for sympathetic reasons: my great Aunt was born in St Lucia and my Mom and Nana vacationed in Barbados several times. So, for those "in the know", is this a new itinerary for HAL?

[GmaPajama]

Howdy fellow chicken cruiser! I don't consider myself "in the know", but we do have a very similar itinerary booked on the Maasdam in about a year. 10 days also, and we do all those ports, except BVI. I've been dying to sail on the Noordam ... now I have to think this over!:)

[hammybee]

Anyone else notice that the prices have increased by quite a bit?

 

I mean no snark when I ask, is this a bad thing?

 

I hope they are able to command these prices without substantial discounting. I suspect however, as in past years, the competition will force HAL to slash their prices to fill their ships and in turn, need to make further onboard cost consessions.

 

It's a vicious circle, I tell ya.

[hammybee]

Howdy fellow chicken cruiser! I don't consider myself "in the know", but we do have a very similar itinerary booked on the Maasdam in about a year. 10 days also, and we do all those ports, except BVI. I've been dying to sail on the Noordam ... now I have to think this over!:)

 

GMA, I have been meaning to ask you, the meaning of your cruise name. Please tell.:)

[Lynne Myrna]

We are totally bummed.....we love HAL, & love going out of N.Y.....it's so convenient for us....well, I guess it means flying, which I really don't care for:(

 

Lynne is not smiling at this moment:(

[hammybee]

That is probably the major reason Noordam will not continue to sail from New York. People were not willing to pay enough for the cruise or do enough on board spending for the revenue to be high enough.

 

Maybe folks should have visited the bars more?? Spent more aboard?!?!!?

 

 

 

It saddens me to see the extent of discounting necessary for HAL to compete and fill the Noordam during the 2007/8 winter season, out of NYC. One would think that with a third of the U.S. population able to drive /train/bus to the port that it would not have been necessary.

 

I wonder if the 2 btb @ sea days coming and going, in colder temps and potentially rougher seas, diminishes onboard spending to the extent that NYC is not economically feasible, given the competition.

 

I also wonder if the number of days on these NYC intineraries, necessary to escape the winter, eats up too much vacation time and potential passengers take a pass or fly down to Florida, instead.

[GmaPajama]

GMA, I have been meaning to ask you, the meaning of your cruise name. Please tell.:)

I'm happy to share, hammybee. Thankfully, it's got NOTHING to do with rubber chickens! :) We have a fantastic roll call, with lots of fun folks. One of them is putting together a zip-line outing and some of us are unwilling to do that. Another poster there called us "chicken" and the chicken theme grew from there - we even have custom t-shirts on order. The Lunatic Chickens will be doing the zip-line, the Chicken Chickens have more sense. Guess which one I am. LOL!

[bUU]

We're from the Boston area, and we still save money and time driving to New York to catch a cruise. We save money because gasoline and tolls costs less than airline flights, and parking at the pier costs less than either car service to/from the airport or parking at the airport. We save time because flying from BOS to FLL takes about 3 1/2 hours, but we have to leave our home at least two hours, and we should leave at least 2 1/2 hours, prior to our flight. Add onto that the extra time waiting for baggage claim, and then getting from the airport to the pier.

 

And that's if we're on a non-stop flight. A connection takes even longer.

 

I really don't think there is a significant difference in revenue potential at work here. My guess is that the issue is strictly one of cost.

[Lynne Myrna]

I spend plenty during our cruises, between the bar tab, jewelry I purchase, along with other items, pictures taken & bought...when we are on vacation, we let loose & buy whatever suits us. During the year, we save so that we can do it. I personally enjoy the sea days, it gives us a chance to rest up for the 6 day island hopping.....although it may not be everyones cup of tea, we enjoy it. Now our daughter on the other hand, flies to Fla all the time for her cruises....we like it slow & easy. I'm sad that HAL is doing away with cruises from N.Y....but, I'll get over it:)

 

Lynne:)

[hammybee]

I'm happy to share, hammybee. Thankfully, it's got NOTHING to do with rubber chickens! :)

 

Thank you, Donna. As it relates to rubber chickens, there is a poster, on this board, who can fix this problem. :D

[haligonian37]

Howdy fellow chicken cruiser! I don't consider myself "in the know", but we do have a very similar itinerary booked on the Maasdam in about a year. 10 days also, and we do all those ports, except BVI. I've been dying to sail on the Noordam ... now I have to think this over!:)

 

Howdy back at ya, fellow chicken cruiser! Hmmm, maybe we could convince other chickens to consider this one ;) . And the price doesn't seem out of whack, I believe it's pretty close to what I paid for our upcoming 10-day. I'm almost positive I can get my friends this Noordam one....perhaps with the promise that I book another for NZ or Italy. Oh boy, if I wasn't completely hooked before, I sure am now!

[Jade13]

The Veendam has a nice Western Caribbean 7 day itinerary in Feb 2009. It stops in Belize. I spent a week in Belize one year. Too bad it's not the Eurodam as I like to try new ships. The Eurodam is doing the Eastern Carribean 7 day (and not that interesting to me).

 

Perhaps Seattle does read this board as they have threee ships scheduled to do a 7 day over Presidents Day weekend, the Veendam, Westerdam and Eurodam. But, perhaps one or more might end up getting chartered. They are still pushing me to look at Princess who had a 10 Day Panama full transit during that week.