Is Anyone Else Disappointed with HAL's 2010 Itineraries and Prices

[Chelly]

Maybe my expectations were too high after waiting so long for HAL's 2010 schedule to become available on line. Prices seem high and itineraries seem just so-so. Anyone agree? Celebrity is beginning to look real good.

[Kyana]

Love the Amsterdam ALaska Itinarary and prices constantly change. Sales will dictate where the prices will end up at.

[CruiserBruce]

Well, as we got 20 days on the Noordam in 2010 for almost 3K less than 19 days FLL-SEA on Westerdam in 2007, I don't think I will be complaining.

 

I have been watching the Noordam 20 day routes for awhile. They actually seem cheaper than 2008 and 2009 to me. Maybe I am mis-reading, but in light of the comparison in my first paragraph, I am very happy to be booked again.:D

[savannahgirl1]

We did the Panama Canal last March (2008) and are doing the exact same trip next March. Next years trip was over a $1000 cheaper than 2008. I'm pretty happy and I keep an eye out in case the price goes down. Every penny helps.

[cruz chic]

Maybe my expectations were too high after waiting so long for HAL's 2010 schedule to become available on line. Prices seem high and itineraries seem just so-so. Anyone agree? Celebrity is beginning to look real good.

Personally I've been dissapointed with HAL lately so I'd rather sail with Princess. The prices on Princess lately are very high compared with HAL...so I'm going with HAL. I tried Celebrity once and wasn't overly impressed so they would have to have a smokin' deal before I'd bite.

[Jade13]

Maybe my expectations were too high after waiting so long for HAL's 2010 schedule to become available on line. Prices seem high and itineraries seem just so-so. Anyone agree? Celebrity is beginning to look real good.

 

Yes, I agree that the itineraries are boring.

 

We were going to go to Asia in February on HAL but HAL pulled Rotterdam so we are booked on Azamara. HAL Seattle needs to take a good look at the Azamara itineraries as well as SilverSeas. There is nothing exotic unless you have 16 nights for South America (need three weeks vacation) or can take a World Cruise. I love the East and West Med itineraries on Noordam but we have done both. Eurodam doesn't go far enough North in Norway. Where is Israel & Eqypt in the summer? Where is Iceland in 12 nights (aka Azamara). HAL wants to attract younger people but where are the 7-14 night interesting itineraries for those who are not retired? Seattle?

 

We were on Minerva and now SilverSeas this summer and Azamara next year. I could stick with HAL exclusively if the itineraries were there.

[snorkelingsearchers]

Prices for Alaska are the highest Seattle RT I can find of any lines that have published for June 2010.:( However, this probably means that it will be a hard sell and the prices will drop :confused: At least I hope so. I would hate to pay between $150-$350 more per person which with a 15 people group is a lot of moolah.

[Atomica]

Prices are high right now, but keep in mind these itineraries are a long way off - there's no need for HAL to drastically reduce prices without knowing how well a particular itinerary will sell.

 

On the itinerary front, I'd love to sail HAL in 2010, and have been looking at all their itineraries, and there's nothing that really excites me terribly. The Rotterdam's Asia to Vancouver transatlantic was the only thing that really got me going, and that was cancelled last December. I'd be all over their Hawaii run if they'd only put a different ship on it from time to time (I'm sure the Zaandam is lovely; but I'd like to see the Oosterdam or Noordam do that run for a bit!). I'd also love to sail the Zuiderdam again.

 

We've been choosing our cruises lately based on where we want to go, and what ships we'd like to try, and of course, price. I love some of the Prinsendam's itineraries, but they're SO horrifically expensive!

 

At some point I know the right HAL cruise will come along; until then, I guess we'll keep exploring other lines.

[lstrong]

I so agree with the "different ship" statement! I wish HAL (and other lines) would change up its ships because for me, the ship is really my true destination.

[Typhoon1]

There's a great Eurodam charter in February. Curacao, Aruba and HMC.

[jmps]

There's a great Eurodam charter in February. Curacao, Aruba and HMC.

 

Is this a charter and not open for public booking?

[innlady1]

There's a fabulous itinerary on the Statendam 4/11/10. Unfortunately those dates don't work for us. It was on the schedule for 2/26/10, and, poof, is gone now. :rolleyes: Maasdam is doing it in 10/23/09, but we prefer February.

 

FFL, HMC, a sea day, Tortola, St. Barts (yes!!!), Martinique, Barbados, Grenada, Bonaire, Curacao, & Aruba. Awesome as far as I'm concerned!

 

I've never seen this itinerary on HAL before...I hope they continue with it. And do it during the winter months.

 

I called Seattle just a while ago and hard a hard time understanding the man with whom I spoke...vague at best. I asked why it was on the schedule in February and then removed, and he mentioned an earlier drydock for the Statendam due to the economy. Perhaps they're moving up the drydocks, thinking the ships wouldn't be full anyway :confused:

[lka1012]

My only disappointment is: I recently was "downsized/rightsized" in a restructuring due to my company being sold, so I CAN"T GO ON A CRUISE!! For the first time since 2000, I don't even have one planned. I am hyperventilating due to cruise withdrawal with no relief in sight. :(

[Crusing Bob]

Kathy, sorry to learn of your situation. I'm sure you wouldn't be complaining about prices and itineraries being boring.

[swedish weave]

Maybe my expectations were too high after waiting so long for HAL's 2010 schedule to become available on line. Prices seem high and itineraries seem just so-so. Anyone agree? Celebrity is beginning to look real good.

 

HAL's prices and itineraries don't bother me a bit. I shop for price and itinerary and don't really care what name is painted on the side of the ship. Maybe that is the reason I have more trips on lines other than HAL.

[CRUZBUDS]

We are still waiting to see the sailings from San Diego in the fall of 2010 - still nothing on their website

[jemingway]

There's a great Eurodam charter in February. Curacao, Aruba and HMC.

 

 

We're doing that same itinerary on the Westerdam in March.:D

[jemingway]

Is this a charter and not open for public booking?

 

 

The Westerdam does that itinerary every 3 weeks during the winter and early spring.;)

[Boytjie]

Is this a charter and not open for public booking?

 

It is open for booking though the charter company. It is a gay and lesbian charter (all welcome). It is not your grandmother's HAL cruise. :D

 

 

The Westerdam does that itinerary every 3 weeks during the winter and early spring.;)

 

Yes, I have seen it for another ship too. The charter is lightly different - it goes to Curacao first and then Aruba (the usual itinerary). It was done to get us in Curacao on the last day of Carnival, same reason the charter was moved a few weeks earlier than the usual RSVP Caribbean cruise..

[Dolphins]

I welcomed the announcement of HAL bringing the Veendam to Bermuda in 2010. Finally, a ship that could dock at both St. George and Hamilton. However, the current prices are much higher than those for similar cabins on competitive Bermuda sailings on NCL and RCI. Hopefully, the prices will come down to more realistic levels.

[tomc]

Is Anyone Else Disappointed with HAL's 2010 Itineraries and Prices?

No.

[Roz]

Chelly,

 

What specifically did you find boring? :confused:

 

Roz

[Cruise Junky]

I thought the European itineraries were terrible. But to the OP watch for Celebrity, they've just pulled a ship out for 2010 and are rearranging itineraries, the one you saw might not be there anymore.

[penetangjudy]

I can't believe how many cruises there are that last over 28 days. The person who takes these cruises must be retired because while you are still gainfully employed it would be near impossible for you to get that much time off even if you had accrued that much vacation time. For those of us who are still employed I was hoping to see more variety in the 10-14 day range since that is the average amount of time off one can take at a time. We still want/need/and can afford to take cruises, just not the mega long ones :)

[Chelly]

Chelly,

 

What specifically did you find boring? :confused:

 

Roz

 

 

Roz,

You misread my question. Never said "boring".

C