Caribbean Year-round

I'm wondering why HAL does not keep a ship in the Caribbean year-round. There is obviously a market for it because other cruise lines do it. We like to cruise the Caribbean in October and are always forced to go with another cruise line because HAL ships are elsewhere.

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HAL obviously believes that their customer base prefers other itineraries in October. A number of their ships are still in European waters, only returning on TA repositionings in late October and November. One or two are still involved in Canadian and New England itineraries.

I I have mourned HAL's abandonment of the New York market for winter Caribbean cruises - I guess they just do not want to try to be all things to all people.

I suspect the profit margins are better for Alaska and Northern Europe in the summer and early fall. There is a lot more price competition in the Caribbean, as evidenced by lower prices for 7-day cruises there. HAL also doesn't have the number of ships compared to the other mass-market lines to cover the Caribbean year-round, and has to be more strategic in its ship deployments.

For me the Caribbean is more a winter destination. It's just as hot here. But I guess people go on cruises when they get holidays.

allan

I remember when we used to sail on HAL ships in the Caribbean in the summer months -- loved it.

Wish HAL would resume those itineraries.

I remember when we used to sail on HAL ships in the Caribbean in the summer months -- loved it.

Wish HAL would resume those itineraries.

I know they did shortly after 9/11 - when much of the cruising market wanted to avoid flights to the extent possible - but as things stabilized, HAL resumed targeting markets.

My guess is that it's demand based. There are many cruise lines sailing out of Fort Lauderdale in the winter, but it's just Carnival and Royal Caribbean in the summer. Both of those lines have many more ships than HAL. Royal's Enormousness and Giganticness of the Seas are really limited in their itineraries because of their size. They behemoths can only home port a few places.

Celebrity Equinox is cruising year round in the Caribbean. This is the first year for that.

With HAL being part of Carnival Corp. , I am pretty sure it has something to do with trying to keep the HAL brand what it is and not turn it into a family cruise line...by that I mean hundreds of kids on a ship during the summer break months and people looking for waterslides and rock walls... Just my guess...

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With Celebrity Equinox sailing out of Miami this Summer and Caribbean Princess due to return to Fort Lauderdale next Summer, it may be simply a matter of seeing how the bookings go and what the yields are for Celebrity and Princess. If positive, and if Europe shows weakness because of the political situation, HAL may choose to place a vessel in the Caribbean for Summer, 2019.

HAL has such an investment in Alaska that it's not surprising many of their ships are in that market during the Summer.

With Celebrity Equinox sailing out of Miami this Summer and Caribbean Princess due to return to Fort Lauderdale next Summer, it may be simply a matter of seeing how the bookings go and what the yields are for Celebrity and Princess. If positive, and if Europe shows weakness because of the political situation, HAL may choose to place a vessel in the Caribbean for Summer, 2019.

 

HAL has such an investment in Alaska that it's not surprising many of their ships are in that market during the Summer.

HAL used to put their new ships in Carribdean for the summer. DH and I loved sailing the islands all yearr and thosed summer cruises were rfeally fun. We made many friends on those sailings. . HAL is not likely to take a ship out of C anadca/NEin faasvor of Carfibb edan asthey can c harge much higher per diems sailing that route than hey can in Caribbean.

With Celebrity Equinox sailing out of Miami this Summer and Caribbean Princess due to return to Fort Lauderdale next Summer, it may be simply a matter of seeing how the bookings go and what the yields are for Celebrity and Princess. If positive, and if Europe shows weakness because of the political situation, HAL may choose to place a vessel in the Caribbean for Summer, 2019. HAL has such an investment in Alaska that it's not surprising many of their ships are in that market during the Summer.

With Celebrity Equinox sailing out of Miami this Summer and Caribbean Princess due to return to Fort Lauderdale next Summer, it may be simply a matter of seeing how the bookings go and what the yields are for Celebrity and Princess. If positive, and if Europe shows weakness because of the political situation, HAL may choose to place a vessel in the Caribbean for Summer, 2019. HAL has such an investment in Alaska that it's not surprising many of their ships are in that market during the Summer.

Might the word Hurricane have something to do with less cruises in the Caribbean summer and fall?

It seems to me that on my cruise critic years, overall the overall most angry passengers on CC have been those who had their itineraries changed due to predicted (or actual) hurricane activity. AND those who were directly impacted by the winds. Such nasty uproars from those who knew or should have thought of this issue, the hurricanes which occur each year!

 

I I have mourned HAL's abandonment of the New York market for winter Caribbean cruises - I guess they just do not want to try to be all things to all people.

We too, miss not having choices leaving New York. We would cruise more if it didn't involve so much flying (not a fan). Wish HAL would reconsider these. Sea days to get down there are always a relaxing interlude prior to those luscious days on the islands.

I guess we are going against the grain here.

the only time we would go to the Caribbean would be to escape the winter. I think that's a pretty safe bet for a lot of Canadians , but we might be in the minority.

In any case, with our short summer, I would never sacrifice it for the Caribbean - St Petersburg or the Baltics maybe - but not the Caribbean

I guess we are going against the grain here.

 

the only time we would go to the Caribbean would be to escape the winter. I think that's a pretty safe bet for a lot of Canadians , but we might be in the minority.

 

In any case, with our short summer, I would never sacrifice it for the Caribbean - St Petersburg or the Baltics maybe - but not the Caribbean

Good point - it also applies in Connecticut - which is OK May through October - I do not need to fly a thousand miles to get a more humid summer experience.

Its all about the money of course. Just compare the fares for the Caribbean with those of Europe, New England/Canada and Alaska. Plus I suspect that cruisers spend more on excursions in these other areas.

I guess we are going against the grain here.

 

the only time we would go to the Caribbean would be to escape the winter. I think that's a pretty safe bet for a lot of Canadians , but we might be in the minority.

 

In any case, with our short summer, I would never sacrifice it for the Caribbean - St Petersburg or the Baltics maybe - but not the Caribbean

Agree with Kazu. I live in a hot, humid area, and the last thing I want to do in the summer is go somewhere that's even more hot and more humid. :evilsmile: However, I understand people with children or those who work with children are limited by the school schedule, and so for them a summer cruise may be their only option, outside of expensive holiday sailings.

I went to Panama City Beach in January, but would never consider going there in August. :p

Roz

My area can become hot/humid during the Summer as well. (However, we may have record low temperatures on June 28th.)

But, a Summer getaway cruise when the prices ought not to be High Winter Season can be attractive.

I'm looking at July Caribbean cruises and the prices are not that great. There must be some demand.

Northern cities can get very unpleasant in the summer, and I think a Caribbean cruise could be nice escape.

Might the word Hurricane have something to do with less cruises in the Caribbean summer and fall?

 

It seems to me that on my cruise critic years, overall the overall most angry passengers on CC have been those who had their itineraries changed due to predicted (or actual) hurricane activity. AND those who were directly impacted by the winds. Such nasty uproars from those who knew or should have thought of this issue, the hurricanes which occur each year!

Hurricane season is a full six months off he year. Of all our summer and fall c ruises (dozens..) The ONLY c ruise that was igterruped (translate that to ENDED) was Maasdam, C anada/NE . We were on b-to b. Left Bosotn, sailed to Montreal and all was fine. A very large hurrric ane started up the Egttt Coast. We had sailed fr ***** Montreal, headed to Bosston for second leg of our b-to- b. We had one port and all others were cancelled. The Plan was for gthed ship to hurry hurrry to B oston, tie up and ride out gthe storm. Ourf cruise was to have ended on Saturday. We reacched on on thursday and for all in gtents and purposes tghougfh people were afto say aboar,d the c ruise was over. Lots of people t really don'ff unddesrfand hueeicanes are noftf confined to gthe C aribb ean. Should HAL not doCanada/ NE cruises bedc ause they sail them during hurrric ane season? Why should they not sail C aribedan? Thdedf might be a hurrricane, and there might not The main reason so many ships do not sail Caribdan in summ eis bvecuas ehtey c an and do c harge much higher fares for same ship, same ca bin in Alaska, Europe and Canada. It's all ab bougt the money as are mos thingss haveing to do with cruise ships..

The Plan was for gthed ship to hurry hurrry to B oston, tie up and ride out gthe storm.

A family member said their ship would head out to sea during a hurricane as it was not safe to be "tied up" in port. I'm thinking you mean they set anchor. Did you receive any credits for the changes?

No, Miss G, I don't know about family member but I meant just what I said. We hurried back to B oston to tie up. We were surprised they wanted to tie hp and not stay at sea. IMO, it was all about b eing able to load all the guests who were to board on Saturday. We live very near Boston and I said to a senior officer we would be leaving the ship and going home as soon as Immigration officials would permit. That is what we did. Our stewards put our luggage on rolling rack and brought it to the gangway. The office had arranged for a taxi frf us. It was waiting at bottom of gangway with trunk open. Stewards and taxi driver tried to carry it down gangway for us b ut they of were stopped. Union rules at the port requir s tevedores hand dle all luggage outside the ship. Stewards could bring it only as far as gangway cut. Stevedores carried it down gangway for us. If it sas such a bad hurircane, I wanted to get to a market for fresh sh bread and veggies et for our house.. We had been away for 2 weeks. If the storm was so bad they had gto end the cruise, I wanted tro b e arround in case our home was damaged. How could we know if we might lose power and if so, for how long?

In the end, the storm never hit Boston but changed course to the east. I think it might have hit Halifax and Prince Edward Island. . I would love for HAL to again sail Caribbean in summer. I can stay home in Boston and have hurricane here but I'd rather be in Caribbean. Cruise lines sell cabins for far more money in Canada/ NE, Alaska and Europe.

All g uests were givec c redits predicated upon how much they had paid for the cruise we were on.

It all comes down to filling the ships.

The summer months are really not a popular time to visit the Caribbean.

If they were more ships would sail this itinerary.

Keith