Goodbye HAL

[yankeejim]

Just returned from the Thanksgiving cruise aboard the Eurodam. I thought I had made a mistake and boarded a Carnival cruise ship. Big, crowded and about the most rude people I have ever sailed with. HAL for some time has been trying to change their passenger demograhgics and they certainly have succeeded. They also have cut back on their quality of food and shipboard activities. Examples: no suite luncheon, no chocolate buffet, no caviar, smaller suites, food quality isn't as good as in previous years. I noticed that on a european cruise we took in 06 but thought it could have been the suppliers in Europe but I don't think so now.

 

The crew as always are fantastic, no complaints there. But it seems to me that we pay top dollar for a cruise I expect the same in return. Don't cheapen the experience.

 

I guess it is time to step it up a notch with our cruise line choices.....

[fuzzywuzzy]

Just returned from the Thanksgiving cruise aboard the Eurodam. I thought I had made a mistake and boarded a Carnival cruise ship. Big, crowded and about the most rude people I have ever sailed with. HAL for some time has been trying to change their passenger demograhgics and they certainly have succeeded. They also have cut back on their quality of food and shipboard activities. Examples: no suite luncheon, no chocolate buffet, no caviar, smaller suites, food quality isn't as good as in previous years. I noticed that on a european cruise we took in 06 but thought it could have been the suppliers in Europe but I don't think so now.

 

The crew as always are fantastic, no complaints there. But it seems to me that we pay top dollar for a cruise I expect the same in return. Don't cheapen the experience.

 

I guess it is time to step it up a notch with our cruise line choices.....

 

We sailed on the Maasdam this past March and there definitely was a chocolate buffet. The food was delicious although this was our first HAL cruise but it definitely was a cut above the other cruiselines we have been on. No caviar, how positively unacceptable !! Please.

[nurseblissful]

Just returned from the Thanksgiving cruise aboard the Eurodam. I thought I had made a mistake and boarded a Carnival cruise ship. Big, crowded and about the most rude people I have ever sailed with. HAL for some time has been trying to change their passenger demograhgics and they certainly have succeeded. They also have cut back on their quality of food and shipboard activities. Examples: no suite luncheon, no chocolate buffet, no caviar, smaller suites, food quality isn't as good as in previous years. I noticed that on a european cruise we took in 06 but thought it could have been the suppliers in Europe but I don't think so now.

 

The crew as always are fantastic, no complaints there. But it seems to me that we pay top dollar for a cruise I expect the same in return. Don't cheapen the experience.

 

we were on the ill fated noordam in march, 2007. what a nightmare. too many guests (>2000), too many kids (>490, sorry folks, i did not sign up for a disney cruise). i planned this for our anniversary and it was the worst cruise ever....but...the service was great, the food lacking in flavor and the other cruise passengers were absolutely the rudest people ever. there was an ethnic demographic that accounted for this, but is was still there.

we are going again, in march of 2009 with a couple we met on our first cruise. i hope this will not be a repeat. i hate doom criers, whiners. etc...but my husband said "no more" if this is a repeat. please holland, don't fail me now....i am so hoping for a better experience....lauri

 

I guess it is time to step it up a notch with our cruise line choices.....

///////11111ebenty

[sail7seas]

///////11111ebenty

 

 

 

:confused: I probably should know what this means but I don't.

 

Would you explain what I am missing?

 

Thanks.

[COLLEYBERRY]

Thanks for asking Sail Little puzzeled myself:)

[nurseblissful]

this is a "stupid" top of the line, A -one, best evar, insignia on other sites, sorry, did not realize the difference....my bad...thanks for not flaming me as a grammar putz....

[Ewokdude]

Just returned from the Thanksgiving cruise aboard the Eurodam. I thought I had made a mistake and boarded a Carnival cruise ship. Big, crowded and about the most rude people I have ever sailed with. HAL for some time has been trying to change their passenger demograhgics and they certainly have succeeded. They also have cut back on their quality of food and shipboard activities. Examples: no suite luncheon, no chocolate buffet, no caviar, smaller suites, food quality isn't as good as in previous years. I noticed that on a european cruise we took in 06 but thought it could have been the suppliers in Europe but I don't think so now.

 

The crew as always are fantastic, no complaints there. But it seems to me that we pay top dollar for a cruise I expect the same in return. Don't cheapen the experience.

 

I guess it is time to step it up a notch with our cruise line choices.....

 

I was also on this cruise and wanted to make a few comments.

 

The Eurodam is NOTHING like a Carnival ship. Everything was way above my experiences on Carnival. I never experienced any rude passengers, and actually found the fellow passengers very friendly. I must agree, I did miss having the chocolate buffet. The food in my opinion was wonderful. My only complaint was the small portion sizes, so I just ordered two entrees. Out of the five cruises I have been on, this cruise ranks at the top.

 

-Ewokdude

[Snorkel2Much]

this is a "stupid" top of the line, A -one, best evar, insignia on other sites, sorry, did not realize the difference....my bad...thanks for not flaming me as a grammar putz....

Somehow, for me at least, I'm more confused after this clarification. :confused: :D

[nurseblissful]

this is a "stupid" top of the line, A -one, best evar, insignia on other sites, sorry, did not realize the difference....my bad...thanks for not flaming me as a grammar putz....

....it is actually a tolkien referrence to "BILBO" and his eleventiest birthday..,..dumb, but explanatory...again, sorry...lauri

[kryos]

I guess it is time to step it up a notch with our cruise line choices.....

You can just as easily step it up a notch with a smaller HAL ship during a non-holiday period. We had everything on our cruise that you mention lacking on yours. Of course, I'm assuming they had a suite luncheon since I wouldn't have been invited to such an affair.

 

The crowds, the "mass market" feel ... those are the exact reasons I steer far clear of the larger HAL ships. They won't be much different than Carnival. The day HAL mothballs the smaller ships is the day I go looking elsewhere too.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[Snorkel2Much]

....it is actually a tolkien referrence to "BILBO" and his eleventiest birthday..,..dumb, but explanatory...again, sorry...lauri

I always thought it was "one hundred eleventiest"..... anyway.... ;):D

[Crusing Bob]

I believe she is saying " A number One, Best ever".

 

We have been on the Westerdam for the past two years in a superior suite and the cabin is not smaller than others and certainly two times less expensive as comparable size on Celebrity which many compare as equal to HAL. We did not have a chocolate extravagana on this last cruise but that was no big deal because we didn't go to it on the first one. Like others, we had a great experience on Holland but we are not overly critical if something happens to go wrong and since we're on a wonderful vacation we look at it as very special and a blessing to be able to go.

[Laserjock]

They also have cut back on their quality of food and shipboard activities. Examples: no suite luncheon, no chocolate buffet, no caviar, smaller suites, food quality isn't as good as in previous years.

 

I guess I need to understand the smaller suites comment. Smaller than what? My understanding is the suites on the Eurodam are no smaller than similar suites on other ships such as the Zuiderdam, unless I am mistaken?

[fuzzywuzzy]

You can just as easily step it up a notch with a smaller HAL ship during a non-holiday period. We had everything on our cruise that you mention lacking on yours. Of course, I'm assuming they had a suite luncheon since I wouldn't have been invited to such an affair.

 

The crowds, the "mass market" feel ... those are the exact reasons I steer far clear of the larger HAL ships. They won't be much different than Carnival. The day HAL mothballs the smaller ships is the day I go looking elsewhere too.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

 

I'm with you......I will not sail on those MEGA HUGE ships - too crowded, too impersonal, too everything.....

[sail7seas]

I guess I need to understand the smaller suites comment. Smaller than what? My understanding is the suites on the Eurodam are no smaller than similar suites on other ships such as the Zuiderdam, unless I am mistaken?

 

 

 

 

 

The Category "SA" Suites on Vista and Signature Class ships are less square footage than on the "S" and "R" class ships. Not by much but some. The veranda is also smaller, however, IMO there are some features that make the suite better on the Vistas/Signature. We like there is a shower stall in addition to the tub/shower combination. The bathroom is larger and has a second sink vs. having the second sink at the dressing table. Closets are wonderful though they are also very good on the other class ships. What IMO is not good is the number of drawers. While you can drop a shelf into the closets and can neatly stack shorts, jerseys, swimsuits etc, I prefer the lineup of drawers under the countertop.

 

They are both wonderful cabins and we enjoy them immensely.

 

[Williebill]

I like the smaller HAL ships also but when it comes to a HAL cruise, I have never had a bad one; I enjoy each and every cruise. Even though I would rather sail on a ship like the Prinsendam, I am looking forward with great excitment to our cruise on the Zuiderdam next week.

[bepsf]

I can certainly understand the OP's disappointment w/ Eurodam...

...for all the PR and hoopla and effort by the staff and crew that have accompanied it's debut, It's not exactly the prime example of a HAL ship.

 

I just think it's too bad that HAL are going ahead with Nieuw Amsterdam IV -

- If ever a line did not need a sistership for a brand new entry, it's HAL.

[seaisme]

You can just as easily step it up a notch with a smaller HAL ship during a non-holiday period. We had everything on our cruise that you mention lacking on yours. Of course, I'm assuming they had a suite luncheon since I wouldn't have been invited to such an affair.

 

The crowds, the "mass market" feel ... those are the exact reasons I steer far clear of the larger HAL ships. They won't be much different than Carnival. The day HAL mothballs the smaller ships is the day I go looking elsewhere too.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

agree, the day HAL goes to mega is the day we start vacationing differently. we love the more intimate appeal of HAL. and vacationing differently doesn't mean switching to another cruise line..it means re-evaluating our vacation experience per investment.

[NevadaHiRoller]

I don't think you can rate any cruise or ship from a Holiday or spring break cruise. Those are the worst possible times to cruise.

[Copper10-8]

YankeeJim, try this one on for size, next time! I believe you will like her!

[Sundagger]

You can just as easily step it up a notch with a smaller HAL ship during a non-holiday period. We had everything on our cruise that you mention lacking on yours. Of course, I'm assuming they had a suite luncheon since I wouldn't have been invited to such an affair.

 

The crowds, the "mass market" feel ... those are the exact reasons I steer far clear of the larger HAL ships. They won't be much different than Carnival. The day HAL mothballs the smaller ships is the day I go looking elsewhere too.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

 

Agreed. With 9 other HAL ships to choose from, I am going to continue cruising on HAL for the foreseeable future and ignore the 5 I'd rather not cruise on (although the Noordam seems acceptable to other S & R fans).

[the2ofus]

I imagine HAL will take the opportunity with the Nieuw Amsterdam IV to correct some of the identified flaws in the Eurodam, as they have done with each iteration of the S and R class and Vista ships. Certainly even the NA IV and the Eurodam will have their cheerleaders, given the passage of a bit of time. Remember when everyone seemed to hate the Zuiderdam because it was so big, new, different and gaudy?

[MadManOfBethesda]

They also have cut back on their quality of food and shipboard activities. Examples: no suite luncheon, no chocolate buffet, no caviar, smaller suites, food quality isn't as good as in previous years....

 

But it seems to me that we pay top dollar for a cruise I expect the same in return. Don't cheapen the experience.

 

I guess it is time to step it up a notch with our cruise line choices.....

 

But that is just it - - - you didn't pay "top dollar" for a cruise. HAL is no more expensive than Carnival these days. (Now before all the HAL cheerleaders get up in arms over that statement, let me clarify that I am not comparing a HAL cruise with the experience one will have on a Carnival ship. I'm just saying that there really isn't much of a price difference.)

 

If you want to experience five star dining, if you want a more intimate, refined, and elegant cruise experience, then I suggest that you really do spend "top dollar" and book a cruise on Seabourn, Crystal, or one of the other so-called luxury lines.

[sos1720]

Let's keep the Prinsendam a secret from the hordes.

[csingle]

We were on the Thanksgiving cruise on the Eurodam. All of the people we met were very nice and not rude. We commented on how the ship seemed so quiet and were wondering where all the people were. The children on board were very well behaved. There was only one family we saw that needed Nanny 911. I'm glad they didn't do the Chocoate Buffet. We came home 8 pounds heavier without it.