SageGuy

On 5/17/2020 at 7:19 AM, kazu said:

 

Huh??  Where is this coming from???  When was the last time you were on HAL?

No smoking on balconies or on most areas of the ship other than one by the sea view pool and in a smoking section in the casino of some of the ships.

I agree with you. We're non-smokers and since HAL changed its smoking policy to not even permitting smoking on your own balcony, this has not been an issue for us. We avoid the smoking area outside. 

On 5/13/2020 at 11:02 AM, cruisemom42 said:

If I were giving the new HAL CEO his marching orders on Day One, I would include the following, as a starting point. (My assumption is that profitability and positive cash flow are going to be paramount on EVERY cruise line's list, as will doing whatever it takes to get people back to feeling it is safe to cruise, so I am not including them per se, but attention to the items below should bring positive results.)

 

• Standardize how the brand is experienced across all current ships by all customers -- including specialty dining experiences, entertainment, lectures (in-depth vs. not in depth), library or no library, Crow's Nest or no Crow's Nest, etc. This should also include all SOPs on how Mariner perks/events are handled. Even itineraries to an extent. Should HAL be doing cheap Caribbean 7-day cruises or concentrating on their longer, more unusual itineraries?  They have very different requirements in terms of cost per day, type of entertainment expected, staffing, etc.
• Fix the website to ensure information is easily found and bookings are easily completed.
• Make the HAL brand more visible -- more traditional media, more social media, more emails. Visibility of HAL seems low relative to comparable brands.
• Conduct extensive market research to find out what attracts current HAL cruisers, and to identify with better precision the "future" HAL cruiser and what s/he is looking for. Test. Probe. Test some more before making big changes.
• Following the above, clarify and rationalize HAL's niche in the market. Is there room for HAL (and perhaps Cunard) to be in a niche above Princess but below the Luxury lines -- and even perhaps a bit below the so-called "Premium" lines (Oceania, Azamara)?  If so, what is the basis?  Is it itinerary driven (good lecturers, special programs/experiences ashore)?  Is it music driven (building on the newer music venues)?  Is it food driven?  Is it more inclusive? Is it driven by size of the ships? (mid-size vs. small or large)
• Stop competing in the $299 fares market. An approach that emphasizes value over cost might be just the ticket in the next few years. (I'm thinking along the lines of "sure, you could pay less for a vacation, but would it really BE a vacation?" or "If you're only going to take one vacation this year, make sure it's one that really delivers" ...)
• Avoid a catchy phrase/logo/motto that is too aspirational (if it falls short, it becomes a joke). I would suggest perhaps a focus on/return to HAL's nautical traditions, but done in a way that is fresh and modern, without too much nostalgia. Offer a dream, but not one that you can't (mostly) deliver on.
• Ditch awkward partnerships that aren't true to your brand.
• Amp up (and emphasize) things that have been shown to matter to people in recent times -- come up with some special programs for your wonderful crew and tell us about them. Show us how you are becoming more environmentally conscious -- not just by removing straws but in ways that are inspiring.
• Come up with industry-leading procedures that will help avoid spread of disease (COVID-19 or any others) onboard ship -- and FULLY support them by intensive staff/crew training, materials, etc.

These are excellent points and I agree. We've been sailing with HAL for 35 years and I have to say, the changes we've seen over the last 5-10 years are very disappointing. Unlike other cruise lines, HAL takes it's 4 and 5 Star Mariners for granted. My wife and I have introduced a significant number of people to HAL over the years. Our value as long term guests is underappreciated. I could go into a bit of a rant here but your very good statements pretty much says it all. Thank you.

52 minutes ago, MomKris said:

Does the overhaul include cabins, my friend and I are sailing in a balcony cabin next spring, as well as the public spaces?  

My understanding is that it is a complete refit. It is in drydock in Victoria for 2 full weeks and there will be approximately 2,000 workers. Many will be staying onboard during the refit. We got this information from several of the crew. 

8 hours ago, cruiselogged said:

Yes, it's in dry dock now.  We are cruising on her on 18/01/20 from Sydney - New Zealand-Sydney so I hope the Signiture Suites have been refubished

 

I posted some pics earlier this week. They were working on it while we were aboard the week of 09/22-09/29. It will be beautiful. It is basically being gutted from bow to stern. The transformation will be incredible and it will have the same features, with the exception of Tamarind, as the Nieuw Amsterdam. We were on it after its most recent refit and it's great. The lighter motif is the new carpet. 

We were on her last week and had the last cruise before the refit. They were busily working on the ship even with passengers on board much to the chagrin of some of the guests. I took some photos of the new lighter look Noordam. I think it will be spectacular when it's done. There will be significant physical alterations to add Explorations Central, a completely revamped and more open Pinnacle Grill (a la Nieuw Amsterdam) and new lounges. 

The photo on the left is the new look.

I believe on your bill you will notice the discount. So, you pay in full up front and then you get a discount (or credit) on your bill.

This is correct. Even a gift to one of thos restaurants will result in a credit to your statement.

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Whether you call it a HOLD or a PENDING authorization, credit cards have a certain amount temporarily withheld, usually $300 for two people.

Well said. Also, remember if the cruise line does put through the pending transaction, this will be an amount that affects your credit limit until such time as the final transaction goes through. EX: $10,000 credit limit. $600 pending, you now have $9,400 available to spend on that card. (Assuming you have a zero balance of course.)

We sailed on HAL about 10 years ago. We went on the Zuiderdam and Westerdam when they were newish. At that time it seemed everyone was a lot older than us and we were in our 50's. Several times my husband had to pull scooters away from the wall because elderly people would get stuck.

 

We would be going in the Carribean and at off peak season. Does anyone know if there are more younger people sailing on HAL now? Like 50's or 60's vs 80's.

We've cruised with HAL since 1985 when we were in our 30's. We did a Canada/New England with them and a cruise around Great Britain in the last 2 years. My experience is that it is really ship and cruise itinerary dependent. For example, generally the Prinsendam and some of the older ships have a more senior demographic. Our last two cruises on the Eurodam had a broad spectrum of ages from babes in arms, tweens, teens, millenials and of course seniors.

The scooters, wheel chairs, and canes will be found on most cruise lines and these days, that demographic is age agnostic .

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I've very disappointed in this move. If it's anything like the HAL purchase by Carnival, we saw staff reductions, food quality and quantity drop, and general cleanliness and maintenance of the ships diminish.

Unfortunately, I may have taken my last Oceania cruise.