Club Hal New Hours

[sargenet]

I just wanted to pass on information I found out today from the Director of Reservations at HAL. Based on many requests from customers (and complaints :) )... especially those that do travel HAL with children... they are changing their Club HAL hours to start at 7pm versus 8pm.

I guess this is going to start in the next week or so. From what I was told, they are trying to attract the "multi-generational" family. They want to be able to provide a cruise that meets the needs of everyone...

If Grandma & Grandpa, Mom & Dad, and the kids want to cruise together, Holland America wants to offer them a higher level of service.

[Two if by Sea]

I just wanted to pass on information I found out today from the Director of Reservations at HAL. Based on many requests from customers (and complaints :) )... especially those that do travel HAL with children... they are changing their Club HAL hours to start at 7pm versus 8pm.

I guess this is going to start in the next week or so. From what I was told, they are trying to attract the "multi-generational" family. They want to be able to provide a cruise that meets the needs of everyone...


That is good news! Does that solve the problem you were worried about with respect to your particular situation?

[sargenet]

Yes... solves my problem... definately looking forward to cruise now!

[CarolineInToronto]

That's great news! we always do early dining and the kids are positively itching to go back to Club HAL for the evening programs with their friends.

And if it means more time with the strings or the Piano Bar for me & hubby with a glass of wine in the evening, so be it! :D

Caroline, leaving in ONE month for her Bermuda Noordam adventure!

[betonic]

This great news! My son is always dying to go to Club HAL. Most days we are off the ship during the daytime activities so that the only time he gets to be at Club HAL is in the evening.

[Suitegurl]

Based on many requests from customers (and complaints :) )... especially those that do travel HAL with children... they are changing their Club HAL hours to start at 7pm versus 8pm.

Great news...see you on the Westy!:D

[rebeccalouise]

I read that there are morning afternoon and evening activities.

I haven't sailed HA with a child. Are the hours 9-12, 2-5 and now 7-10?

[shygirl]

Sargenet- Thanks for sharing info!

We are leaving in 9 days, do we stand a chance? Would love an extra hour with hubby in the evening. ;) This definitely gives us more flexibility.

[innlady1]

That's great news! we always do early dining and the kids are positively itching to go back to Club HAL for the evening programs with their friends.

And if it means more time with the strings or the Piano Bar for me & hubby with a glass of wine in the evening, so be it! :D

Caroline, leaving in ONE month for her Bermuda Noordam adventure!

This is a Stampin' Up cruise, isn't it? My daughters have bought things from Stampin' Up...they love it and have made some really neat cards with the products.

Enjoy the Noordam...and Bermuda. Lucky you! ;)

[Zesty Italian]

Thanks for sharing Sargenet. That's Great news! For those of us who eat early the thought of waiting till 8 took the fun out of it. Also gives the kids an extra hour.

Don't mean to take over your thread, but I asked about ClubHAL recently and haven't had many responses. I noticed there are several who have kids in response to your news. For those of you who have used the club, what are the ages of your children and how do they like it? Mine are 8 and 10. Would appreciate any info .

[betonic]

I have an 8 year old and I have used Club HAL on 3 different occasions and have always had good results. The only comment that I need to make is that all of our cruises have been in Europe in the fall and there have always been very few children. On one of our cruises there were only 5 kids on the ship and they still ran the normal kids program and my son had a fabulous time.

[kaiiak]

Hurray!!! That gives me time to have an early dinner in the dining room as a family, and a good 3 hours to go blow my money at the casino while DS is having a good time at Club HAL!!! That's why I love cruising - you can have your cake and eat it too!:D

[CarolineInToronto]

This is a Stampin' Up cruise, isn't it? My daughters have bought things from Stampin' Up...they love it and have made some really neat cards with the products.

Enjoy the Noordam...and Bermuda. Lucky you! ;)


Hi Sheila,

Yes, you're right -- it's our annual incentive trip and we charter the whole ship, sometimes ending up with slightly different itinerarys. I'm glad your daughters have had fun making cards with everything -- I sure love teaching the craft!

On a slightly OT note, this will be our last time having a cruise as our trip reward (they've been cruises the last 10 years or so). Instead, next year we'll be doing a land-based trip at the Hilton Waikoloa Village on the big Island of Hawaii. I'm sure most people were thrilled, but you wouldn't believe how bummed my hubby & I were when we found out. We LOVE our cruising.... but this just means we'll have to start paying for some on our own - LOL! ;)

Caroline

[middle-aged mom]

I read that there are morning afternoon and evening activities.

I haven't sailed HA with a child. Are the hours 9-12, 2-5 and now 7-10?

On sea days, yes, that is correct (as of my last HAL cruise, last summer).

In addition, there is an "After Hours" program available in Club HAL from 10 pm to midnight, but there is a charge for this. It was $5 per hour per child on the Noordam last summer.

On port days, the schedule varies a bit according to the port times, but there is a port day program available if you sign your child up the evening before.

ps Amended to clarify that port days may affect the day schedule somewhat, but never the evening schedule. On our cruises, Club HAL has always been open each evening. The times varied in the past. On some cruises Club HAL was open from 7:30 pm to 10 pm, on others it was 8 pm to 10 pm, with the option for having our daughter participate in the later evening hours, from 10 pm to midnight. Now the new time seems to be 7 pm to 10 pm; that's great!

[rebeccalouise]

my upcoming cruise has quite a few port days and I like having the option of leaving my son onboard if he isn't interested in a particular excursion. Glad there is this option.

[Scrapchick]

We were on the Oosterdam with our 6 year old DD in November and I wasn't thrilled by the 8PM opening time in the evening at all. Especially for the younger kids, it makes sense to do as the other cruise lines do and open at 7PM. I usually pick up my DD for bed by 9PM anyway and definitely don't want her out later because she's a bear the next day.

We have always gone to early diner, taken her to the kids club at 7 when it opens and then enjoyed the rest of our meal in peace by ourselves. It was frustrating for all of us to have to wait it out till 8PM.

We're going on the Noordam in July, so I am thrilled to hear about the time change and wonder what took HAL so long to figure out that's what parents and kids wanted...

[wenderbender]

This news just made my day! The kids will be sooo happy.:D

[babygirl722]

Thanks for sharing Sargenet. That's Great news! For those of us who eat early the thought of waiting till 8 took the fun out of it. Also gives the kids an extra hour.

Don't mean to take over your thread, but I asked about ClubHAL recently and haven't had many responses. I noticed there are several who have kids in response to your news. For those of you who have used the club, what are the ages of your children and how do they like it? Mine are 8 and 10. Would appreciate any info .\

I just got off the Noordam with my 7 and 9 yr old. They both loved Club HAL and I wish that we had that extra hour in the evening!

[sargenet]

I think the day schedules are always going to vary by ship.

[Two if by Sea]

my upcoming cruise has quite a few port days and I like having the option of leaving my son onboard if he isn't interested in a particular excursion. Glad there is this option.

We have a semi-independent 8-year-old, but I think I'd be really nervous leaving the ship without her. I would just be too terrified the whole time about missing the ship. Maybe if she were in the teen program I'd consider it.

If we WERE unavoidably detained (e.g. car accident), would they put her off with a crew member until we reached the dock, or let her sail without us? I assume this must have come up at least once in recorded history so I wonder what the real answer is.

[rebeccalouise]

if you do an excursion thru Holland America they can and do hold up the ship until everyone has boarded.

It is highly unlikely that you won't make it back to the ship but it does happen and people have missed boarding.

[RuthC]

If we WERE unavoidably detained (e.g. car accident), would they put her off with a crew member until we reached the dock, or let her sail without us?
I think this is a really, really valid concern. There's no guarantee (for any of us) that when you leave the ship you will return.
Accidents happen. People have medical emergencies. Sometimes the emergency is such that you are unable to contact anyone.

I can't imagine a parent going off the ship and leaving a child on board with no adult relative available to take charge.

[Two if by Sea]

I can't imagine a parent going off the ship and leaving a child on board with no adult relative available to take charge.

DD is already worried enough that the THREE of us will be together and miss the ship. I can't imagine her anxiety level if she had to worry about being separated from us in port.

Anyhow, for this trip at least, I'm planning pretty much all our shore excursions with her in mind. If she doesn't want to go see the Anne of Green Gables house on PEI, well, I'm not going to insist :).

[RuthC]

If she doesn't want to go see the Anne of Green Gables house on PEI, well, I'm not going to insist :).
I loved that tour! I borrowed the book from by granddaughter then left for the cruise. The setting was all so fresh in my mind and it all came to life.
The HAL tour might not be best for a child, though. There were other stops that a child might not be interested in. You might want to explore ways to get to the house (and back ;) ) on your own.

[Two if by Sea]

The HAL tour might not be best for a child, though. There were other stops that a child might not be interested in. You might want to explore ways to get to the house (and back ;) ) on your own.

Thanks for the heads-up, but I'd already thought of that. We have reserved a rental car for that day (from the ONE agency on PEI that is open on Canada Day) and will do it ourselves.

I do have to figure out the timing so we can miss the HAL tour crowds. If you know exactly when they're likely to arrive and leave from the house, I'd be grateful for the info.

[RuthC]

I do have to figure out the timing so we can miss the HAL tour crowds. If you know exactly when they're likely to arrive and leave from the house, I'd be grateful for the info.

Sorry, I really don't remember that. I do remember it was some distance away, but think my bus went directly to the House. (The busses usually are staggered for 1st, 2nd, etc stops).

I would suggest you determine when the first HAL tour is leaving, and plan to get your car/directions before that. IIRC, there was a short film when we first arrived, but then there were several places (besides the House) to explore. There was a barn, the ever-present gift shop, and :confused: something else.
Going through the house was a one-way walk.