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View Full Version : Selling out early!

dakrewser
March 14th, 2005, 06:28 PM
AS some of you know, DW & I are thinking about a BAltic cruise next summer (i.e., July 2006). We had settled in to comparing a 16-day on the Prinsendam, 12-day on the Rotterdam or 10-day on the Amsterdam all beginning either late June or early July.

Just found out from my TA that the July 4 sailing of the Rotterdam is sold out! That's July 4, 2006 - almost 16 months from now!!!
localady
March 14th, 2005, 06:31 PM
Dakrewser-

How could they be sold out when it's not even posted on their website as being available yet????? Maybe it's a group cruise, nothing else would make sense.
SHayesShip
March 14th, 2005, 06:53 PM
Maybe it was chartered.
Steve Hayes
grannynurse
March 14th, 2005, 07:17 PM
I talked to my TA about 3 weeks ago about the 16 day Prinsendam Baltic in 2006, think it's June 24th ( 3 days in St Petersburg).

We got a good price on an SS but had to turn it down for personal reasons. He said this cruise was selling out fast too.

It looked like a great trip, more money than the larger ships but it sure sounded good.
GN
dakrewser
March 14th, 2005, 08:18 PM
Dakrewser-

How could they be sold out when it's not even posted on their website as being available yet????? Maybe it's a group cruise, nothing else would make sense.

Doesn't matter if it's on the HAL web site or not, your TA can still book that far out as Grannynurse's post confirms.
localady
March 14th, 2005, 10:31 PM
Doesn't matter if it's on the HAL web site or not, your TA can still book that far out as Grannynurse's post confirms.

I do understand that, and I understand that the Prinsendam is filling fast for 2006 as HAL has sent a brochure to Mariners regarding the cruises. But the Rotterdam itinerary is not one of those. Most likely, it's a Charter.:cool:
ekerr19
March 14th, 2005, 10:34 PM
They are selling out fast - when researching the HAL CC'ers 2006 cruise I came across several sailings with closed categories - mostly the Verandah and above. According to my TA, 2006 sales are the best they've seen in a long time.
kryos
March 15th, 2005, 02:43 AM
Just found out from my TA that the July 4 sailing of the Rotterdam is sold out! That's July 4, 2006 - almost 16 months from now!!!
When I booked my 30-day Hawaii/South Pacific for January 2006 (about a month ago), my TA told me that sailing was selling fast and that over 60% of the ship was already booked. Since I always book an inside cabin, I was fortunately able to get one, but a lot of the better cabins and suites were already gone.

I think any itinerary that is only done a limited number of times a year will sell out fast. This Hawaii/South Pacific is only done once a year and my TA told me it's a very popular cruise. Wonder why, though, if it's so popular they don't do a couple of them?

Blue skies ...

--rita
tooalto
March 15th, 2005, 07:36 AM
We're still waiting for itineraries for a Mediterranean cruise in Sep. or early October 2006. I called HAL on Saturday and was told that res is still waiting with baited breath for the itineraries. She said May or perhaps a little before. WHy are some, like the Baltic cruises, already available and not the Med. ones?
dakrewser
March 15th, 2005, 10:22 AM
We're still waiting for itineraries for a Mediterranean cruise in Sep. or early October 2006. I called HAL on Saturday and was told that res is still waiting with baited breath for the itineraries. She said May or perhaps a little before. WHy are some, like the Baltic cruises, already available and not the Med. ones?

It might be that they aren't booking fall cruises yet, but I would find that strange since the itineraries (http://crm.hollandamerica.com/broadbaseema/ha4009/europe.htm) are available.
dougnewmanatsea
March 15th, 2005, 06:14 PM
Thanks dakrewser for the link to the itinerary update site; I'd somehow lost it earlier.

Looking over it all I can say is wow... Five ships in Europe next summer!

Amazing that the 10-day Baltic from Copenhagen will now have both WESTERDAM and AMSTERDAM all summer... ROTTERDAM doing her slightly longer 12-days as per 2004 and 2005... Plus NOORDAM in the Med and the usual roving itineraries of PRINSENDAM!

Obviously all this is in reaction to how well Europe is doing in 2005, but I can't get over this - especially how much focus there is on the Baltic itinerary.

Oh yes, has anyone else spotted the "Beverage Explorer" cruise on PRINSENDAM? Beverage Explorer?
jhannah
March 15th, 2005, 07:21 PM
Well, with the whiskeys of Scotland and Ireland plus the wines of France and Portugal I can see a tempting tweak to the evening dinner service!
jhannah
March 15th, 2005, 07:22 PM
Well, with the whiskeys of Scotland and Ireland plus the wines of France and Portugal I can see a tempting tweak to the evening dinner service! They will also likely have a greater than normal selection of these spirits in the onboard shops, too.
jhannah
March 15th, 2005, 07:22 PM
Well, with the whiskeys of Scotland and Ireland plus the wines of France and Portugal I can see a tempting tweak to the evening dinner service! They will likely have a greater than normal selection of these spirits in the onboard shops, too.
jhannah
March 15th, 2005, 07:29 PM
Sorry for the multiple posts. The board is acting up for me and won't let me go back and edit.
Ziggy7
March 15th, 2005, 08:06 PM
Well stop editing hehehehehe :)
dakrewser
March 15th, 2005, 08:22 PM
Amazing that the 10-day Baltic from Copenhagen will now have both WESTERDAM and AMSTERDAM all summer... ROTTERDAM doing her slightly longer 12-days as per 2004 and 2005... Plus NOORDAM in the Med and the usual roving itineraries of PRINSENDAM!


Look again, Doug - the Westerdam isn't listed in Europe for '06. I'd guess it'll be in the Alaska market, but we won't know that for a while...
dougnewmanatsea
March 15th, 2005, 09:56 PM
Look again, Doug - the Westerdam isn't listed in Europe for '06.
OK... Feeling really stupid right now! I thought all those cruises were for 2006!

It's interesting then to see that the 10-day Baltic is being downgraded (upgraded?) to an R-class ship after only one year as a Vista-class itinerary. Personally I do think that an R-class ship would be more suitable for this itinerary than a Vista-class... It makes sense to me that the Vista-class ships be put on the 7-day milk runs while the R-class ships ply the longer, more expensive and more prestigious itineraries.
RevNeal
March 15th, 2005, 10:13 PM
So I've noticed ... and it hurts. Christopher just cannot be convinced of the need to book 16 months early. GRRRRRRRR.

I'm going to keep my eyes on the Baltic cruises. I wanted to do the 16 day Baltic cruise on the Prinsendam, but I just don't see myself being able to convince Christopher to book it until we hit the year-off mark. If then! He's SLOW. I may just book it and he'll have to like it or lump it ... but I'm not made out of money!!!!
Ziggy7
March 15th, 2005, 10:18 PM
I may just book it and he'll have to like it or lump it ... Take me in his place :) ooooopsssss now how would that look to everyone! A minister and another man's wife! eeeeks forget I said anything sheesh hehehehe :)
RevNeal
March 16th, 2005, 12:19 AM
FOFLMHO

the hub-bub would be funny.
ekerr19
March 16th, 2005, 12:36 AM
Well, I'm disappointed that both of you (dave & revneal) won't consider joining us on the CC members HAL cruise... if you don't like Caribbean - say so, we have enough dissenters to change anyway!

Both of you would be sorely missed... !
dakrewser
March 16th, 2005, 11:27 AM
if you don't like Caribbean - say so, we have enough dissenters to change anyway!

Both of you would be sorely missed... !

Um, I did - two or three times in various threads about the cruise. DW's vacation time is short enough as it is without wasting 5-7 days of it in the Caribbean. We've seen most of the places we want to see in that area and few (if any) warrant another visit, we feel. Heck, last time we were there (almost 2 years ago) we didn't evenm get off the ship at HMC!:)