So Few 10 day cruises.......

[sail7seas]

There was a trend for a while for more ten day Caribbean cruises. Seems HAL has gone back to more 7 dayers for 2009. We like 10 days with two days pre and a day or two post cruise. Oh well........We'll have to do more 7 day back-to-backs.

 

At least NOORDAM has a ten day. We need to book that!

 

Think it is to attract more families or keeps the price more manageable for 7 day cruise vs. 10? Maybe fewer people would book ten days in this economy? We want to make the hassle of flying/traveling worth it. If we have to drag through the misery of airports, we want to at least feel like we've been away for a while.

 

Why do you think they've gone back to so many 7 dayers?

[lka1012]

I too prefer the 10-day cruise. And at the rate HAL seems to charter the 7-day cruises, I am afraid to book one, even as part of a back-to-back, since HAL may cancel one or both legs of it.

 

With the 10-day format it is also more likely that you will be flying in pre and post cruise NOT on a week-end. Plus less congestion at the port, hotels, etc.

 

MORE 10 DAY CRUISES!!!

[leoandhugh]

several reasons, one you already mentioned that is to keep the cost down as prices rise so they can attract more customers. Also, a 10 day cruise usually goes more distance using more fuel. And also the more ports, the more port charges and associated fees. I feel sure that all cruise lines are constantly monitoring through feedback, what the average passenger prefers. If you check other cruise lines, despite your virtual loyalty to HAL, you will find that the majority of them also have mostly 7days. we personally prefer 20+ days and normally schedule a transAtlantic B2B with a Baltic or Med cruise, or RT Hawaii or Hawaii/Tahiti - anywhere but the boring, overcrowded Caribbean.

[airlink diva]

Last year I decided to take a 10 day cruise to see if I like being on a ship longer than seven days. I loved it!!

I like that you have more time to enjoy the ship, more ports to visit (esp some that really don't have alot cruise ships visiting, can we say Grand Cayman??) and the crew really get to know you better.

Prehaps HAL is looking to save on fuel cost and also with many Americans taking shorter vacations.

I would like to see some of the different ports offered on the seven day. I stated that I would never go back to a seven day cruise, but there's a group at work doing the seven day that visit Aurba on the Westerdam in April that I'm looking at. If HAL offers seven day cruises that had ports like St Croix,Domincia, Bonaire offer, I would take a seven day.

Happy sailing!!

Second time around and my 40th birthday cruise on the

MAASDAM

10/24-11/7

[sail7seas]

DH isn't retired so the longest we are away is in the range of 17-18 days...... though we go many times a year. He won't be out of his office for longer than that at a time.

 

[sail7seas]

I would like to see some of the different ports offered on the seven day. I stated that I would never go back to a seven day cruise, but there's a group at work doing the seven day that visit Aurba on the Westerdam in April that I'm looking at. If HAL offers seven day cruises that had ports like St Croix,Domincia, Bonaire offer, I would take a seven day.

Happy sailing!!

Second time around and my 40th birthday cruise on the

MAASADAM

10/24-11/7

 

We went to St. Croix with HAL two or three times. All the cruise lines pulled out because of the safety issue. From what I read, the local officials refused/couldn't/wouldn't do anything to make it safer for cruise guests so the companies had no choice but to pull all the ships. It's a shame because we had fun there in the past but there were buggings and thefts and other events occuring.

[sail7seas]

I'm not sure why fuel costs are any different on a seven day or ten day except that fuel surcharge can be charged for more days under HAL's own formula. They said they will only charge it for what is it 7 days? So by making more cruises within the limit, they can charge more fuel surcharges. On a ten day cruise, several days would be exempt.

 

The ship is occupied 365 days per year unless in dry dock. It is in port a certain number of days and at sea and whether they fall into a seven or ten day cycle, how is less fuel used?

 

[airlink diva]

I guess that they got all those issues in St. Croix fixed because in 2009 Disney is making this one of the stops on several of their cruises. I know another cruiseline is also going to start going there also.

I love the Caribbean, but want to visit ports that don't have alot of ship traffic. I guess that's why I love the longer cruises now because they offer that option. If HAL can do Aruba and Curacao on a seven day, why not offer some other Southern Caribbean ports? This would draw people to HAL who are tired of the heavy visit ports like Grand Caymans and Cozumel. I just like more options if they place more seven day cruises

[gizmo]

I guess that they got all those issues in St. Croix fixed because in 2009 Disney is making this one of the stops on several of their cruises. I know another cruiseline is also going to start going there also.

 

Hal has stop there in 2010.

[sail7seas]

Guess St. Croix finally "Got it". They never believed the ships would leave but they all did and did so for years. Hopefully, they have decided visitors have a need to be safe when on their island and will provide the needed security.

 

I hope so.

The people there need the tourism so badly.

The last time we were there, we were in with a Princess ship. The locals went to both Captains and asked if the ships could sail a bit later than scheduled as they wanted to run us a 'block party'.

 

The Captains both agreed (I'm sure with headquarters okay ;) ) and the locals had food and dance and street entertainers, and trinket sellers and music and it was wonderful. The local officials, in exchange for us staying late, permitted the ships to open their casinos and shops on board so no one was inconvenienced. Anyone who wanted their usual evening activities had them and those of us who wanted to party at the top of the piers with the people had a great time.

 

They thanked us again and again is we bought a drink.... or a t-shirt or whatever. They really need the tourists.

 

[mamaofami]

Once you've been on a ten day cruise, it's hard to go back to only 7 days unless you do a back to back. 10 days really gives you a nice time to relax. No clue why HAL has cut back.

Talk about airline hassles. It is a beautiful sunny day here in NY right now, although Long Island, where Kennedy airport is, did have thunderstorms earlier today. Yet, I just heard there is an hour delay on departures and arrivals due to low visibility. You just never know these days.

[Odd Ball]

Since St. Croix was brought up, does anyone know if they still have the beer drinking pig on the island ? :D

[EbayCruiser]

We would love to do a 10 day cruise or even longer. I do want to cruise to Hawaii but, for us, our jobs keep us from taking longer than a week off. DH and I both have demanding jobs and cannot be gone over a week at a time. This year my DH couldn't even get one week off at once.

 

Maybe when we retire. :)

[hammybee]

There is a place on the comment card asking for each passenger's preferred number of days and I suspect the feedback greatly favors 7 versus 10 days.

 

Most people take vacations in weekly increments, therefore it's reasonable to assume that there is more demand for a 7 day cruise.

 

If you look at all the ships that summer in Alaska, almost all of them do 7 day sails. No doubt if there was a hint of adequate demand, a cruise line would accommodate, especially with 14 ships in their fleet.

 

Like some of the others here, I too prefer 10-14 day sails. We are probably the minority of passengers.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We love the ten day cruises.

And really loved it when the same ship would have 2 different 10 day cruises!!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Remember what I have said before:

Get them on.

Get their money.

Get them off.

HAL actually makes more money on 7 day cruises because people feel that they are going to be on the ship for only 7 days -- may not cruise for sometime -- so they tend to spend more.

Just had friends get back from a Carnival cruise with their son -- they spent over $2000 on the ship in 7 days!!!

Now when the cruises are longer people tend to watch their $$$$$.

[DFD1]

I agree and wish there were more 10 day HAL cruises. We like them very much.

 

The point about the charter risk on 7 day cruises is also on the mark.

 

Another problem with HAL 7 day cruises is developing; that being that almost every 7 day cruise now has at least one fairly large group on board.

 

We booked Eurodam for 10/25 after carefully researching to be sure that no charter was in sight for that date....only to find that it now has a large gay men's group on board. As result many individual passengers who had not yet made final payment have changed to other dates.

 

While I don't have a dog in the hunt so far as gay men are concerned, having any large group on board completely changes the nature of the cruise experience for that cruise.

 

In this particular instance there are several elderly ladies involved. Watching their reaction to all this should make for great fun.

[Jemima]

HAL seems to be doing more "14 day cruises" which are really B2B with one booking number and one deposit. While we enjoyed our 14 day Alaskan cruise, I didn't care for it also being two 7 day cruises. Menus repeated, shows repeated, Master Chef dinner repeated, the daily programs mostly repeated, we had to purchase two laundry packages, we somehow never were refunded for an excursion change on "turn over day" (Seattle will reimburse your credit card - didn't happen), and about 3/4 of the passengers changed. Most ports repeated which was ok on this cruise, but which we usually wouldn't like. In addition the passenger make up was more like 7 day cruises; lots who were on a first cruise, had never sailed HAL before, the future cruise consultant wasn't very busy...

[caribbeanboy]

HAL has also a 10 day Panama canal on the Zuiderdam that visit both Aruba & Curacao starting in November till April next year. This cruise also visits Gatun Yacht Club, Colon and Puerto Limon.

[hammybee]

 

Another problem with HAL 7 day cruises is developing; that being that almost every 7 day cruise now has at least one fairly large group on board.

 

 

There are groups onboard every cruise, every ship, every cruise line and yeah, groups favor the 7 day cruises because that's the number of days most people prefer.

 

A group often needs to represent at least 25% of the passenger base to make a dent and even then, groups of this size are often present onboard any cruise ship, any line and go undetected by most passengers.

 

While HAL dominates full ship charters, the playing field is level when it comes to large groups.

[ctsally]

With the cost of airfaire skyrocketing, we would not book a seven day cruise.

 

On one of our B2B2B (yes, that's three) we included a Panama Canal cruise, and the Inland Passage (7 days north, 7 days south). It appears that now the Inland Passage cruises are merely 7 days, and that is round trip. Why? At least we got up to Seward before.

 

We definitely would like to see more 10-17 day cruises.

[Kolleen]

We love 10 days that cover two weekends.

[Krazy Kruizers]

HAL has also a 10 day Panama canal on the Zuiderdam that visit both Aruba & Curacao starting in November till April next year. This cruise also visits Gatun Yacht Club, Colon and Puerto Limon.

 

The last number of years that we have overnighted or been through the canal, the Gatun Yacht Club has not been open -- it is now only a place for the tenders to disembark passengers to go on tours before they meet the ship back in Colon.

[pms4104]

I'm not sure why fuel costs are any different on a seven day or ten day except that fuel surcharge can be charged for more days under HAL's own formula. They said they will only charge it for what is it 7 days? So by making more cruises within the limit, they can charge more fuel surcharges. On a ten day cruise, several days would be exempt.

 

The ship is occupied 365 days per year unless in dry dock. It is in port a certain number of days and at sea and whether they fall into a seven or ten day cycle, how is less fuel used?

 

Actually, the HAL fuel surcharge maxes out at the 14-day mark. Current amount for pax #1 and #2 = $9/day per person, not to exceed $126 per person.

 

My guess about the reduced number of longer cruises: HAL is marketing more and more to families, so perhaps they believe they can lure more families to a 7-day for a grand total far less than the cost of a 10-day for the same group. HAL, therefore, might be able to get more heads in beds without having to significantly raise all fares fleetwide to compensate for some or many unsolds on longer cruises during this shaky economy.

[DFD1]

HAL is owned by Carnival. Carnival is very profitable with it's shorter 3, 4 and 7 day cruises. HAL is moving in that direction. It's going where the money is.

 

Another example is Eurodam. A larger ship devoted to short cruises.

 

As a shareholder, I like that. As a HAL passenger, I hate it.