Changes in the last ten years?

There's an interesting thread on the Cunard board about changes that have taken place in the past 10 years. Sounds very familiar to what has been mentioned here. See if you agree with this post:

"What has changed?

-the gauntlet one must run past the photographers on the way to the MDR

-tat tables, and perfume sales that are enough to gag a camel

-change in dress code, and the ambiguity therein, most especially for women

-last minute bargain fares that rankle early bookers, especially when upgrades are given to newbies who paid less than half

-pre-booking tours and dining reservations paid in advance - to which on board credits do not apply

-regarding World Club: discounts for dry cleaning and laundry only apply after all on board credit has been exhausted (and even then it is sometimes not applied unless an objection is raised)

-reduction in crew members to allow more berths for those who are revenue enhancing contract employees such as shop keepers, salon employees, photogs, entertainers, etc.

-SLOWER SPEED, fewer ports on a cruise - more time at sea crawling like a sailboat without at wind.

-Less training time for servers in the MDR

-Increased turnover of the crew

-More aspects of Cunard of being "out sourced" to various companies

...I could go on, but who cares? It is what it is. <shrug>"

I wonder if pre-paid tours and reservations will soon not count towards Mariner days for HAL, too. Or do you think she meant that OBC could not be used retroactively for those expenses?

All cruise lines have been changing over the years.

HAL did not have Open Seating 10 years ago.

Even 12 years ago the Lido was not open for dinner.

We used to have theme nights.

We used to stand in line and get our pictures taken with the captain as we entered the main show room on the first formal night.

Shows are not as good as they used to be -- and are even shorter.

Used to have a great trio in the Ocean Bar -- now just the screaming HAL Cats -- and on the ships we have been the last couple of years -- there are 2 groups of HAL Cats.

Not as many people working the activities -- thus the number of different activities has been cut back.

Cut back in crew in all departments on HAL. No wonder there is a big turnover of crew.

That is just some of what we have noticed.

There's an interesting thread on the Cunard board about changes that have taken place in the past 10 years. Sounds very familiar to what has been mentioned here. See if you agree with this post:

 

"What has changed?

 

-the gauntlet one must run past the photographers on the way to the MDR

-tat tables, and perfume sales that are enough to gag a camel

-change in dress code, and the ambiguity therein, most especially for women

-last minute bargain fares that rankle early bookers, especially when upgrades are given to newbies who paid less than half

-pre-booking tours and dining reservations paid in advance - to which on board credits do not apply

-regarding World Club: discounts for dry cleaning and laundry only apply after all on board credit has been exhausted (and even then it is sometimes not applied unless an objection is raised)

-reduction in crew members to allow more berths for those who are revenue enhancing contract employees such as shop keepers, salon employees, photogs, entertainers, etc.

-SLOWER SPEED, fewer ports on a cruise - more time at sea crawling like a sailboat without at wind.

-Less training time for servers in the MDR

-Increased turnover of the crew

-More aspects of Cunard of being "out sourced" to various companies

 

 

 

...I could go on, but who cares? It is what it is. <shrug>"

 

I wonder if pre-paid tours and reservations will soon not count towards Mariner days for HAL, too. Or do you think she meant that OBC could not be used retroactively for those expenses?

Lots of your list sounds familiar but there have been so many changes in our world and society, one has to expect our cruise experience also has to change. Some of the changes I don't care about, as probably is true for many of us. Some of them I care about considerably.

Once I qualified for Social Security and Medicare, I understood I was HAL's past, a small piece of their present but not their future. We senior folks have to move over to enable many things in our lives to be more to the likes of the next generation(s). I accept that; not everyone can or does.

Just like most cruise lines, the cuts are an effort to save money.

One that stands out in my mind is the disappearance of the Chocolate Buffet. Another is trays in the Lido. We can live with that one, but sometimes, I wish I had a third hand.

I think a lot of the changes have to do with us, too. I remember when you wore your best clothes to fly, and always changed into more formal wear for dinner on a ship. We demand less of ourselves, so perhaps it's only fair to expect less of the whole experience. I was surprised to see pretty much the same thing happening on Cunard. I noticed particularly, slower sailing, and less time in port. Nobody's trying for the blue ribbon...

The cruising generations to come will have a whole different experience, and maybe it will be exactly what they wanted to have. On board with just a backpack!:)

Lots of your list sounds familiar but there have been so many changes in our world and society, one has to expect our cruise experience also has to change. Some of the changes I don't care about, as probably is true for many of us. Some of them I care about considerably.

 

Once I qualified for Social Security and Medicare, I understood I was HAL's past, a small piece of their present but not their future. We senior folks have to move over to enable many things in our lives to be more to the likes of the next generation(s). I accept that; not everyone can or does.

 

I always thought you were a smart lady, now I know you are.

I always thought you were a smart lady, now I know you are.

Thanks for the kind words. :) Very nice of you.

I think one of the reasons of the trend to dress down is the extra charge for luggage on airlines. Many people are trying to cruise with a carry on, a suit, shirt and shoes take up so much room. Having said that we drive now so we room for the extra suitcase.

Of course our society tends to dress down as well, weddings being a example.

Lots of your list sounds familiar but there have been so many changes in our world and society, one has to expect our cruise experience also has to change. Some of the changes I don't care about, as probably is true for many of us. Some of them I care about considerably.

 

Once I qualified for Social Security and Medicare, I understood I was HAL's past, a small piece of their present but not their future. We senior folks have to move over to enable many things in our lives to be more to the likes of the next generation(s). I accept that; not everyone can or does.

 

I didn't start cruising until I retired and I think a lot of people fit that pattern. Now I have time to cruise. I don't much want to do a short 7 day unless I combine it with a land tour. I have time to take an extended vacation. I like getting on the ship and having my hotel room go along with me on my trip.

As I read the boards I see two and three generations cruising together and it is often to take the older folks, maybe for a once in a lifetime cruise to Alaska. Or it may be the older folks footing the bill for the younger members of the family.

I haven't been cruising long but I do see more families and more children on the cruises we have taken on HAL recently...which leads me to believe that I should cruise in May, August, or September...to hopefully avoid the crowds.

I did miss the mints after dinner in the lower dining room but I think they may have had them upstairs in the fixed dining room. The only thing I enjoy about open dining is that I can sit with interesting people. I don't like having to make reservations or wondering where we will be sitting. I have never had dinner in the Lido but I understand it has gone through changes in the past 10 years.

Change is going to happen. It's just part of doing business. Your current customer is probably your best advocate so it would pay to keep the seniors happy...and we seniors have to be flexible...and don't sweat the small stuff!

Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold.

I think one of the reasons of the trend to dress down is the extra charge for luggage on airlines.

That's just a very poor excuse. You still have to pack something to change into for evening, and it takes up space regardless of how dressy it is. Dressier clothes can weigh less than less dressy does.

I do understand the complaint about not being able to use on-board credit to purchase items in advance, but that's the way it is. In order to claim whatever it is you want, you have a trade-off. HAL has had this procedure for years.

I didn't start cruising until I retired and I think a lot of people fit that pattern. Now I have time to cruise. I don't much want to do a short 7 day unless I combine it with a land tour. I have time to take an extended vacation. I like getting on the ship and having my hotel room go along with me on my trip.

 

As I read the boards I see two and three generations cruising together and it is often to take the older folks, maybe for a once in a lifetime cruise to Alaska. Or it may be the older folks footing the bill for the younger members of the family.

 

I haven't been cruising long but I do see more families and more children on the cruises we have taken on HAL recently...which leads me to believe that I should cruise in May, August, or September...to hopefully avoid the crowds.

 

I did miss the mints after dinner in the lower dining room but I think they may have had them upstairs in the fixed dining room. The only thing I enjoy about open dining is that I can sit with interesting people. I don't like having to make reservations or wondering where we will be sitting. I have never had dinner in the Lido but I understand it has gone through changes in the past 10 years.

 

Change is going to happen. It's just part of doing business. Your current customer is probably your best advocate so it would pay to keep the seniors happy...and we seniors have to be flexible...and don't sweat the small stuff!

 

Make new friends, but keep the old. One is silver and the other gold.

Likely the reason our perspectives are so different is because we started sailing HAL about 1991. I've sailed 80+ cruises on HAL. I have experienced the many changes whereas you have not seen them. As I said above, many of them mean nothing to me but others matter.

I am not surprised. Carnival has a team whose goal is to find efficiencies, aka cuts, across all brands. What's good for one is good for all.

If we are going to have a thread about cut backs, I think we need to also have one about things that are so much better on the ships than when we first started sailing.

There are many things that have made the ships and our cruises so much more comfortable and convenient. :)

If we are going to have a thread about cut backs, I think we need to also have one about things that are so much better on the ships than when we first started sailing.

 

There are many things that have made the ships and our cruises so much more comfortable and convenient. :)

 

Name a few.

I think a lot of the changes have to do with us, too. I remember when you wore your best clothes to fly, and always changed into more formal wear for dinner on a ship. We demand less of ourselves, so perhaps it's only fair to expect less of the whole experience. I was surprised to see pretty much the same thing happening on Cunard. I noticed particularly, slower sailing, and less time in port. Nobody's trying for the blue ribbon...

 

The cruising generations to come will have a whole different experience, and maybe it will be exactly what they wanted to have. On board with just a backpack!:)

We certainly do not demand less of ourselves. We still dress nicely when we fly. I wear a skirt and blouse and sometimes a nice dress jacket depending on the time of the year. Dh doesn't wear a suit anymore but does wear a sports jacket.

Do agree that HAL has cut down on speed and spends less time in ports to save on fuel.

Name a few.

Verandahs

Great beds

Flat screen TV's

WiFi

Pinnacle

Tamarind (on two ships)

Dressing rooms in Neptune Suites

Half Moon Cay

Neptune Lounge

Gorgeous ships

Embarkation Lunch

Someone else's turn to add things they like that have been added to HAL ships. :)

We certainly do not demand less of ourselves. We still dress nicely when we fly. I wear a skirt and blouse and sometimes a nice dress jacket depending on the time of the year. Dh doesn't wear a suit anymore but does wear a sports jacket.

 

Do agree that HAL has cut down on speed and spends less time in ports to save on fuel.

I agree. I always dress nicely to fly. I always wear a pair of good black slacks and nice tops/jackets. If our luggage doesn't come for some reason, I can always make an outfit for smart casual dinner if I have a decent pair of slacks. :)

I think a lot of the changes have to do with us, too. I remember when you wore your best clothes to fly, and always changed into more formal wear for dinner on a ship. We demand less of ourselves, so perhaps it's only fair to expect less of the whole experience. I was surprised to see pretty much the same thing happening on Cunard. I noticed particularly, slower sailing, and less time in port. Nobody's trying for the blue ribbon...

 

The cruising generations to come will have a whole different experience, and maybe it will be exactly what they wanted to have. On board with just a backpack!:)

I remember those days when it was special to fly and we dressed nicely. And dinner served on china, real knives and forks:D Oh, what a different world we live in now! Flying always feels like a cattle run these days. I dress comfortably now - but I still manage to get an upgrade more often than not.;)

We just got our online documents today, and we only have 6 formal nights for our upcoming 42-day cruise! That is a disappointment for me! I'm not sure what to do - only one formal night a week!:eek: I suppose I could take one outfit and wear it six times..... Have to re-think my smart casual outfits, too. This is another change I'm not thrilled with.

Verandahs

Great beds

Flat screen TV's

WiFi

Pinnacle

Tamarind (on two ships)

Dressing rooms in Neptune Suites

Half Moon Cay

Neptune Lounge

Gorgeous ships

Embarkation Lunch

 

 

Someone else's turn to add things they like that have been added to HAL ships. :)

 

On embarkation day the Staterooms are usually ready at 1130 am.

We just got our online documents today, and we only have 6 formal nights for our upcoming 42-day cruise! That is a disappointment for me! I'm not sure what to do - only one formal night a week!:eek: I suppose I could take one outfit and wear it six times..... Have to re-think my smart casual outfits, too. This is another change I'm not thrilled with.

Our boarding passes for next month state 5 formal nights for the 34 day cruise.

Verandahs

Great beds

Flat screen TV's

WiFi

Pinnacle

Tamarind (on two ships)

Dressing rooms in Neptune Suites

Half Moon Cay

Neptune Lounge

Gorgeous ships

Embarkation Lunch

 

 

Someone else's turn to add things they like that have been added to HAL ships. :)

 

The fact that cost of cruising has not kept up with inflation at all - making it possible for people to enjoy cruising more (or at all) - and, sadly, find more to complain about.

The fact that cost of cruising has not kept up with inflation at all - making it possible for people to enjoy cruising more (or at all) - and, sadly, find more to complain about.

The irony is sometimes (certainly not all), the folks who pay $399 complain more than those paying $3,999. :D One cannot expect to pay for a burger and be served filet mignon.

The irony is sometimes (certainly not all), the folks who pay $399 complain more than those paying $3,999. :D One cannot expect to pay for a burger and be served filet mignon.

 

Is there a reliable source to back that up? I think on a single cruise there are likely a whole different range of what passengers paid for the same cabin. But I have never thought that those who got a screaming deal do most of the complaining.

Is there a reliable source to back that up? I think on a single cruise there are likely a whole different range of what passengers paid for the same cabin. But I have never thought that those who got a screaming deal do most of the complaining.

I've yet to meet anyone who got a screaming deal ---mostly because I don't ask and nobody seems to tell. Who cares? How do these posters in the know find out?