Very Bad HAL Maintenance.....or is it just me?

Wow! Quite a sweeping statement. I can't wait to sail on an "old" ship again....next month, in fact. Until you have sailed on every ship in the fleet, I believe your finger pointing is without merit.

I guess you must have sailed on every ship in the fleet, to provide such an interesting meritorious response.

Bon Voyage for your cruise on an old ship next month.

It may be HAL's decision to defer maintenance but it is my right and DUTY as a customer to warn others and I have and not only here. I find it disturbing that CC will not publish my review which though critical was fair and polite.

I'm happy I could clear that up. If you have any questions, you can write to reviews@cruisecritic.com

We do not write cruise reviews for CC because of the selective editing imposed by the mods. It is the prerogative of CC to control what they allow on Reviews and out of respect we simply do not bother taking our time to author detailed reviews. One might consider that if critical reviews are routinely rejected then the existing reviews represent a false positive perspective.

 

Hank

Thanks Hank. I appreciate you confirming what I supposed. So how on earth can anyone find a fair review anymore? I don't trust Tripadvisor now that they sell travel too.

Cruise Critic reviews are fair in that real members write them and it's their personal experience. Whether or not they say good things or bad is up to the cruiser. If you have any further questions, you can write to reviews@cruisecritic.com This discussion is off topic to the board but we wanted to clear a few things up. Write with questions but future posts will have to be removed for being off topic. Thanks!

I have to comment here because you're posting misinformation. You submitted a review that is in our queue pending processing. Granted it is taking longer than usual because we have a HUGE number of reviews coming in but the confirmation e mail you received does tell you that you will get an e mail when the review is processed.

 

 

I'm happy I could clear that up. If you have any questions, you can write to reviews@cruisecritic.com

How interesting and how timely.

No doubt that the maintenance budget for the ship once in service is important. But, if the construction budget for a new ship only allows the shipyard to hire the lowest bidder sub- contractors, well, in my experience with budgets/contractors, one gets the quality of work and materials for which one is paying.

I do agree with this statement as well. This is why I put the Regent Seven Seas Explorer reference in here. You generally get what you pay for if you have a higher construction budget. The Norwegian Breakaway budget was $840m. The Seven Seas Explorer construction budget was $450m. Breakaway is a 4,000 pax megaship, Explorer is a 750 pax luxury vessel. Half the budget for less than 1/4 the guests. Breakaway is constructed impeccably well for a large vessel imho, so I can imagine what Fincantieri (my least favorite shipyard so far) turned out for Explorer.

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Given the choice between a Fiat product and an Audi or BMW product I know which one I would instinctively prefer.

It is the same with cruise ships.

Given the choice between a Fiat product and an Audi or BMW product I know which one I would instinctively prefer.

 

It is the same with cruise ships.

If they all perform the same, the lower priced one would be my choice.

It always amazes me the way two people can be on the same cruise and have a totally different experience. I am suspicious of any review that is totally negative. Every situation has to have something positive about it. I do not want people to be warned off Holland America. Obviously, if you are able to and/or want to pay premium price for the most luxurious lines you MAY have a different experience, but possibly not. I agree that there may be maintenance problems that should be fixed, but a ship is not a condo building and cannot always be fixed immediately. We are living in an insty-fix culture. I have been on Celebrity, Princess, Azamara, and Holland America, and enjoyed every cruise. I have found life is never perfect, and that includes me. So sorry if anyone is offended by this post.

It always amazes me the way two people can be on the same cruise and have a totally different experience. I am suspicious of any review that is totally negative. Every situation has to have something positive about it. I do not want people to be warned off Holland America. Obviously, if you are able to and/or want to pay premium price for the most luxurious lines you MAY have a different experience, but possibly not. I agree that there may be maintenance problems that should be fixed, but a ship is not a condo building and cannot always be fixed immediately. We are living in an insty-fix culture. I have been on Celebrity, Princess, Azamara, and Holland America, and enjoyed every cruise. I have found life is never perfect, and that includes me. So sorry if anyone is offended by this post.

We are not saying that is was a totally negative experience. We are simply talking about the deplorable condition of the ship. I have been on many cruise ships since the 1980s and none had maintenance needs like this one

It always amazes me the way two people can be on the same cruise and have a totally different experience. I am suspicious of any review that is totally negative. Every situation has to have something positive about it. I do not want people to be warned off Holland America. Obviously, if you are able to and/or want to pay premium price for the most luxurious lines you MAY have a different experience, but possibly not. I agree that there may be maintenance problems that should be fixed, but a ship is not a condo building and cannot always be fixed immediately. We are living in an insty-fix culture. I have been on Celebrity, Princess, Azamara, and Holland America, and enjoyed every cruise. I have found life is never perfect, and that includes me. So sorry if anyone is offended by this post.

I have to agree with you Mary...

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If they all perform the same, the lower priced one would be my choice.

As someone who had a Fiat, they don’t. It was (to use an aviation term) a hanger queen. The car had (in no particular order):

a moonroof motor mount that failed, sticking the moonroof open, a faulty starter, scratched and damaged interior panels, a broken rocker switch for the drivers side-view mirror on delivery, all 4 sets of wheel bearings that had to be replaced twice, faulty seals on both emblems, and a bad latch on the hatch (which made the hatch rust). All this was between new and 52,000 miles. I will *never* own another Fiat Chrysler product again.

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It always amazes me the way two people can be on the same cruise and have a totally different experience. I am suspicious of any review that is totally negative. Every situation has to have something positive about it. I do not want people to be warned off Holland America. Obviously, if you are able to and/or want to pay premium price for the most luxurious lines you MAY have a different experience, but possibly not. I agree that there may be maintenance problems that should be fixed, but a ship is not a condo building and cannot always be fixed immediately. We are living in an insty-fix culture. I have been on Celebrity, Princess, Azamara, and Holland America, and enjoyed every cruise. I have found life is never perfect, and that includes me. So sorry if anyone is offended by this post.

Ops sent before completed. I find it a give take situation.... things happen, and it maybe seem it lack of maintenance. I have sailed on new ships and older ships, and both have had problems, so do hotels. Theses are floating cites, carpets wear, paint flakes and rusts, pipes leak. But I look at it as the over all product. HAL and many other lines do very good with there product... will provide feed back after a cruise on the Oosterdam in October. Loved the Amsterdam last May, needed some new carpets, but otherwise in great shape

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As someone who had a Fiat, they don’t. It was (to use an aviation term) a hanger queen. The car had (in no particular order):

 

a moonroof motor mount that failed, sticking the moonroof open, a faulty starter, scratched and damaged interior panels, a broken rocker switch for the drivers side-view mirror on delivery, all 4 sets of wheel bearings that had to be replaced twice, faulty seals on both emblems, and a bad latch on the hatch (which made the hatch rust). All this was between new and 52,000 miles. I will *never* own another Fiat Chrysler product again.

 

 

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Here, here.. stick with Toyota, Nissan and Honda and you'll never go wrong!;)

We have sailed on STX Europe, Meyer Werft, Chantiers de l’Atlantique (STX Europe), Lloyd Werft, and of course Fincantieri builds. I personally would place the Fincantieri builds last in quality, with the STX Europe ships first off my experience.

 

Granted, much to this has to do with how much is actually spent on maintaining the vessel as it ages. Regent Seven Seas Explorer, widely regarded as the most luxurious vessel afloat, is a Fincantieri build.

Personally, I wouldn't consider the Regent the most luxurious at all. I think Crystal beats it by far ;)

Each to their own taste though.

You did well on O and I was happy to hear it. We had an abysmal cruise and actually considered getting off in Nassau and buying another flight -but we just had 2 days left.

the rooms are beautiful. but the service (when we were on) not so great.

We have sailed a multitude of ships and we always found ourselves returning to HAL - in particular the Prinsendam, the oldest ship in the fleet. I haven't found a cruise ship yet that offers the itineraries that it does. (And it wasn't built in the ship yard you mention - and built as a luxury line years ago)

I guess you must have sailed on every ship in the fleet, to provide such an interesting meritorious response.

 

Bon Voyage for your cruise on an old ship next month.

You don't have to sail on every ship in the fleet to make the statement made that you quoted.

We sail a lot of them. We avoid some not because of age but because of itinerary.

We like different and unique and so far, we haven't found another cruise line that offers what we are doing and have done on some cruises.

So, we are sailing the oldest ship in the fleet again and, perhaps again next year after too if she is still with us (and I hope she is).

Remember as you get older, the ships are like wine and women, aging can be a good thing ;)

Just a point of clarification. The VOV starts at $18,000 per cabin or near $500 per day per cabin. That is for an inside cabin.

2018 Voyage of the Vikings is $7500 for an inside. You can book it now.

2018 Voyage of the Vikings is $7500 for an inside. You can book it now.

My quote was per cabin not per person. Which ship are they using? Not that I am going;p

My quote was per cabin not per person. Which ship are they using? Not that I am going;p

Rotterdam

FIAT....Fix it Again Tony!

Not too far off.

Here, here.. stick with Toyota, Nissan and Honda and you'll never go wrong!;)

Traded it on a new Sonata and couldn’t be happier. I looked at the 3 you mentioned and found I liked the Sonata quite a bit better.

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Personally, I wouldn't consider the Regent the most luxurious at all. I think Crystal beats it by far ;)

 

Each to their own taste though.

 

You did well on O and I was happy to hear it. We had an abysmal cruise and actually considered getting off in Nassau and buying another flight -but we just had 2 days left.

 

the rooms are beautiful. but the service (when we were on) not so great.

 

We have sailed a multitude of ships and we always found ourselves returning to HAL - in particular the Prinsendam, the oldest ship in the fleet. I haven't found a cruise ship yet that offers the itineraries that it does. (And it wasn't built in the ship yard you mention - and built as a luxury line years ago)

 

 

 

You don't have to sail on every ship in the fleet to make the statement made that you quoted.

 

We sail a lot of them. We avoid some not because of age but because of itinerary.

 

We like different and unique and so far, we haven't found another cruise line that offers what we are doing and have done on some cruises.

 

So, we are sailing the oldest ship in the fleet again and, perhaps again next year after too if she is still with us (and I hope she is).

 

Remember as you get older, the ships are like wine and women, aging can be a good thing ;)

Prinsendam (I believe) is a Wartsilä ship. Could be mistaken though.

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it's just you?

Those who make excuses for the dismal conditions described in this thread need to get out more. There are so many wonderful lines out there.

I have received nice service on every cruise line I've sailed. Frankly I cannot think of anything HAL did for me that was exemplary. Certainly nothing that I would overlook rusty water dripping in buckets in a dining facility. Certainly nothing that I would overlook shabby conditions for. Certainly nothing that I would overlook broken HVAC systems for. Etc, etc.

And this is hardly the first time similar conditions have been reported on the old HAL ships.

I've been on eight cruise lines including several mass market lines. The only one I experienced physical plant issues was Holland America, specifically the older ships.

Never ever again would I consider any of these "should be retired" ships that Holland America continues to milk.

My eyes roll every time I see a thread asking whether they should book one of these old ships. The OP always asks "is the ship really that bad" and loyalists pipe in to say everything was "great" when they sailed.

I have a good friend who is a travel agent and she told me five years ago she stopped recommending HAL because of passenger complaints about ship condition. These are not new problems.

She works for a high volume agency and attained the top commission tiers for all the mass market lines. Commissions are not a factor in her recommendations,

We are loyalists to a good itinerary, a good ship, and a good price. No such thing as brand loyalty to us....for any type of purchase.

We find that HAL does have first class service (other than the front desk) and friendly staff. No question about that. But, we do not really find any difference in staff friendliness, service, etc. between HAL and the others that we have cruised on. Certainly we see differences from time to time between ships. Perhaps this is due to ship morale, don't really know.

Bottom line. In our experience we do not find HAL Captains any different or better than the Captains of other cruise ships that we have been on. Not that we could ever discern a good Captain from a less one. Same with the staff-dining, cabin whatever. They all seem to work very hard, for very long hours, to make of vacation perfect-notwithstanding the cruise line. We think that the staff on most cruise lines are special-HAL does not really stand out in this regard for us. T

If they all perform the same, the lower priced one would be my choice.

Of course, but clearly they don't perform the same.