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New Pirate Ship Bar on HMC a TERRIBLE idea

michmike

By michmike,
in Holland America Line

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FrankNJ

FrankNJ

Posted
Posted
It's $14 for one clamshell, which fits two loungers ... not per person.

 

that's what I thought , but the shore excursion itinerary page on the HAL website say s

"$14 per person" so I'm still confused . We booked for 2 people and the charge is $28.

we don't want two clamshells.

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sportsmum

sportsmum

Posted
Posted

Phone ship services and get it fixed. When we booked the cabana I had to put down one person (it accomodates up to 4). I talked to ship services to make sure 4 would be expected and she said it was fine.

 

I had to phone to book the PG as well. On the webpage it cannot give you the 1/2 price for children. That has to be done over the phone if you want to book in advance.

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Tamaracboy

Tamaracboy

Posted
Posted
Indeed.

As others have alluded to, it was probably built with the Carnival cruisers in mind...

...HAL just needs to understand that their clientelle don't appreciate overamplified music - so turn down the Hell Cats, play some Jimmy Buffett at a reduced volume or bring in a steel band to something unamplified and I'm sure that 90% of HAL cruisers would be perfectly happy.

 

Brian,

Yes, they can easily eliminate the "noise pollution" (though there's no hope for getting the Halcats to sing on pitch), BUT the visual pollution ? ? ?

That cove and the feeling of being there were special. Nothing short of destruction of this architectural excrement can restore that.

The Cabanas are back in the tree line and relatively small, the buffet and shops are almost invisible from onboard, but this tacky, tasteless affectation is unavoidable.

 

........Retreats with poolettes on the Veendam and Rotterdam, and probably more things of that ilk that don't occur to me at the moment. None of them seem to have impacted on HAL's bottom line by spurring "defections" to other lines.

 

Please note that even Seattle has opened their eyes to this exceedingly costly and unworkable and unpopular MISTAKE. Since it has been cancelled for future retrofits.

 

Now as to the actual building of this unwelcome white elephant:

did it need to be so poorly conceived, out of proportion, and cardboard-cut-out faux Disney TACKEY ? ?

 

AND, even IF some bean-counter decided to build something that shouldn't be built, then decided to build it where it shouldn't be built, they short-sightedly put in SINGLE stall bathrooms ? ! ? ! ? !

When the one and only thing the beach actually needed was more/closer facilities ! ! ! !

 

When the history of recent decisions from HAL Headquarters is written, the only possible title is "CLUELESS IN SEATTLE"

 

Do these people ever step outside of their cubicles ?

Do they have any contact with the real world ?

Do they understand the beauty of a tropical island ?

Do they know that any business is never just the bottom line ?

Do they know the difference between "glitz" and "class" (or "style") ?

AND, most importantly:

Do they have the gonads to say NO to Carnival ???

 

NOW: imagine they had spent the same $$$$ on putting in a fixed pier . . . .

 

When I say clueless, I mean they give no evidence of even knowing what a clue is, much less that they need to get at least one !

 

Again, JMHO

 

r.

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Tamaracboy

Tamaracboy

Posted
Posted
Well ... it's obvious you slept through your MBA classes! :D

 

Jim,

 

Au Contrair, I still like to quote one thing I learned from Business 101:

 

'The most valuable customer is one who will take their time and effort to let you know what you are doing wrong"

Followed closely by:

"The businessman who does not listen to his customers soon has none"

 

This is the only way you will ever know what to fix and how to improve.

Other customers would just vote with their feet, and you'd never even know why.

 

Sooooooo many newly minted MBA's (the cheapest to hire), on day one think they have something to teach you about how to run your business.

Elliott Street seems to be over-populated with these self-anointed geniuses.

 

Because: IF a business were just about the bottom line, it would be more logical to not be in business at all, and just put your money in a bank account.

 

However: IF you want to be in let's say the Cruise Ship business, it behooves you to take your eyes off the ledgers every now and then to look after your presumed BUSINESS :rolleyes:

 

Also, the second most valuable customer is a repeat customer.

Historically HAL enjoys the highest percentage of these of all major lines.

It being sooooooo much easier to keep an existing customer than to capture a new one from the competition.

Recently HAL seems to have this sdrawkcab. ;)

(Wading pools for the Senior Set anyone ??)

Evidenced by only looking at the bottom line and making every possible decision to the displeasure of their loyal existing customers.

 

I find it virtually impossible to read the big picture any other way.

And I doubt if any neutral 3rd party outsider would either.

 

Jim,

I didn't take your post in any but the :Dest way, so please take this response in the same context :D

 

I Knew my "bottom line" quote would need some contextual explanation.

 

r.

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Kathyh1313

Kathyh1313

Posted
Posted

HAL is just "keeping up with the Jones". RCI private island, Labadee, has had so many "improvements" such as zip lines, roller coaster......CoCo Cay has an expanded aqua park...

 

Princess Cay has added numerous beach bungalows, and then even more "exclusive bungalows".

 

I'm no expert but it seems like HAL is just trying to keep up with the competition. As the demographic expands and HAL continues to solicit more family business, they are going to change.

 

Nothing stays the same, everything changes, that is life. Remember the "good old days" when cruise ships only had inside or outside cabins...no balcony cabins? When they first started adding them on the ships I dare say many complained that the ships, no longer looked like ships, but floating resorts. Now, many of us would not consider cruising without a balcony.

 

Like I said in a previous post, I am reserving final judgment till I see it myself. I remember quite an uproar when HAL introduced AYWD, now many of the cruisers who first complained, now enjoy and choose, open seating.

 

just saying......:)

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FrankNJ

FrankNJ

Posted
Posted
Phone ship services and get it fixed. When we booked the cabana I had to put down one person (it accomodates up to 4). I talked to ship services to make sure 4 would be expected and she said it was fine.

 

I had to phone to book the PG as well. On the webpage it cannot give you the 1/2 price for children. That has to be done over the phone if you want to book in advance.

 

 

Thanks Sportsmum . Now I know what to do . I'll cancel it and then rebook it for 1 name.

Then I'll let my wife visit my clamshell !

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jtl513

jtl513

Posted
Posted
Now as to the actual building of this unwelcome white elephant: did it need to be so poorly conceived, out of proportion, and cardboard-cut-out faux Disney TACKEY?
There's an obvious tie-in to Captain Morgan Rum here (maybe they even paid the entire construction cost), and we don't know how much influence they had on the design or placement.
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Willsot

Willsot

Posted
Posted
HAL is just "keeping up with the Jones". RCI private island, Labadee, has had so many "improvements" such as zip lines, roller coaster......CoCo Cay has an expanded aqua park...

 

Princess Cay has added numerous beach bungalows, and then even more "exclusive bungalows".

 

I'm no expert but it seems like HAL is just trying to keep up with the competition. As the demographic expands and HAL continues to solicit more family business, they are going to change.

 

Nothing stays the same, everything changes, that is life. Remember the "good old days" when cruise ships only had inside or outside cabins...no balcony cabins? When they first started adding them on the ships I dare say many complained that the ships, no longer looked like ships, but floating resorts. Now, many of us would not consider cruising without a balcony.

 

Like I said in a previous post, I am reserving final judgment till I see it myself. I remember quite an uproar when HAL introduced AYWD, now many of the cruisers who first complained, now enjoy and choose, open seating.

 

just saying......:)

 

I agree, but we did enjoy HMC prior to all of the more recent so-called "improvements," all the new cabanas, excursions, Carnival ships, etc. etc.

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GeriatricNurse

GeriatricNurse

Posted
Posted
Brian,

Yes, they can easily eliminate the "noise pollution" (though there's no hope for getting the Halcats to sing on pitch), BUT the visual pollution ? ? ?

That cove and the feeling of being there were special. Nothing short of destruction of this architectural excrement can restore that.

The Cabanas are back in the tree line and relatively small, the buffet and shops are almost invisible from onboard, but this tacky, tasteless affectation is unavoidable.

 

 

 

Please note that even Seattle has opened their eyes to this exceedingly costly and unworkable and unpopular MISTAKE. Since it has been cancelled for future retrofits.

 

Now as to the actual building of this unwelcome white elephant:

did it need to be so poorly conceived, out of proportion, and cardboard-cut-out faux Disney TACKEY ? ?

 

AND, even IF some bean-counter decided to build something that shouldn't be built, then decided to build it where it shouldn't be built, they short-sightedly put in SINGLE stall bathrooms ? ! ? ! ? !

When the one and only thing the beach actually needed was more/closer facilities ! ! ! !

 

When the history of recent decisions from HAL Headquarters is written, the only possible title is "CLUELESS IN SEATTLE"

 

Do these people ever step outside of their cubicles ?

Do they have any contact with the real world ?

Do they understand the beauty of a tropical island ?

Do they know that any business is never just the bottom line ?

Do they know the difference between "glitz" and "class" (or "style") ?

AND, most importantly:

Do they have the gonads to say NO to Carnival ???

 

NOW: imagine they had spent the same $$$$ on putting in a fixed pier . . . .

 

When I say clueless, I mean they give no evidence of even knowing what a clue is, much less that they need to get at least one !

 

Again, JMHO

 

r.

 

You mean like DCL (Disney Cruise Line) did @ Castaway Cay?:) A large pier attached to a gorgeous Cay!:)

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GeriatricNurse

GeriatricNurse

Posted
Posted
HAL is just "keeping up with the Jones". RCI private island, Labadee, has had so many "improvements" such as zip lines, roller coaster......CoCo Cay has an expanded aqua park...

 

Princess Cay has added numerous beach bungalows, and then even more "exclusive bungalows".

 

I'm no expert but it seems like HAL is just trying to keep up with the competition. As the demographic expands and HAL continues to solicit more family business, they are going to change.

 

Nothing stays the same, everything changes, that is life. Remember the "good old days" when cruise ships only had inside or outside cabins...no balcony cabins? When they first started adding them on the ships I dare say many complained that the ships, no longer looked like ships, but floating resorts. Now, many of us would not consider cruising without a balcony.

 

Like I said in a previous post, I am reserving final judgment till I see it myself. I remember quite an uproar when HAL introduced AYWD, now many of the cruisers who first complained, now enjoy and choose, open seating.

 

just saying......:)

 

 

:):):)

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mightycruisequeen Holiday Sharing Rare

mightycruisequeen

Posted
Posted
HAL is just "keeping up with the Jones". RCI private island, Labadee, has had so many "improvements" such as zip lines, roller coaster......CoCo Cay has an expanded aqua park...

 

Princess Cay has added numerous beach bungalows, and then even more "exclusive bungalows".

 

I'm no expert but it seems like HAL is just trying to keep up with the competition. As the demographic expands and HAL continues to solicit more family business, they are going to change.

 

Nothing stays the same, everything changes, that is life. Remember the "good old days" when cruise ships only had inside or outside cabins...no balcony cabins? When they first started adding them on the ships I dare say many complained that the ships, no longer looked like ships, but floating resorts. Now, many of us would not consider cruising without a balcony.

 

Like I said in a previous post, I am reserving final judgment till I see it myself. I remember quite an uproar when HAL introduced AYWD, now many of the cruisers who first complained, now enjoy and choose, open seating.

 

just saying......:)

...and I'm just agreeing...:cool:

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tjcletsgo

tjcletsgo

Posted
Posted
You mean like DCL (Disney Cruise Line) did @ Castaway Cay?:) A large pier attached to a gorgeous Cay!:)

 

 

Ohhhh, hold on there..........Disney is one class act when it designs anything with their name on it. I have sailed Disney and been to Castaway Cay. The island is drop dead gorgeous. The pier is off to the side. Not one single thing on that whole island looks out of place.

 

This year they took away the pirate ship in the cove (which goes perfectly with their pirate theme) because it was falling apart. Maybe they will replace it with the new Pirates of the Caribbean set. I sure hope so!:D

 

I have never been to HMC, but that ugly pirate ship would never make it onto Castaway Cay.

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m steve

m steve

Posted
Posted

with almost 6 months to go. Did you make contact with Mother Nature. I don't think that HMC has had damage in the past. I can't see what all the fuss is about the ship that's a bar. If it doesn't work out they will just make it something else for Club Hal. I don't think many posters have actually been there since it just opened recently. I liked the look of it when it was under construction.

Another thought is that they can have bartenders that look like the ladies in the Capt. Morgan ads and operate it like it's a pirate Hooters.

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