New Pirate Ship Bar on HMC a TERRIBLE idea

[SwissMyst]

...... When the oldies (I am one) die off, so will HAL. The world know wants RCCL Oasis......we wil have to find our way.

 

When the oldies die off, there will be new oldies to replace them. Life kind of works that way. :p HAL passengers are happy those who like RCCL Oasis mega monster ships chose them instead of HAL so everyone is happy. See ya on board HAL in a few years.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Maybe the show 'Undercover Boss' should contact HAL. NCL's ceo did it. only one person recognized him and was sworn to secrecy. and some changes were made, especially for the crew.:)

 

I know -- that was the only time we have watched that show.

[SwissMyst]

HAL doesn't have a clue on how to stay alive.......us old folks are gonna crump sometime.....my kids won't take up the mantle.

 

They surest way to kill off HAL is to make it more appealing to young people .... today. Be sure to leave a forwarding address for your kids to send you postcards from a HAL ship when they get to be your age.

 

Thanks also for the reminder of all the things I swore I would never do "when I got old. " :eek: First thing was chosing comfort over style in travel shoes. Second was choosing cruising over back-packing. :cool:

[Boytjie]

like on an RSVP or Atlantis cruise but not willing to pay 2X to get it although the eye candy will be better. What happens in the pirate ship, stays in the pirate ship.

 

You gets what you pays for. ;)

 

Lucky for HAL next month's RSVP cruise will not be stopping at HMC. ;) I won't be on the cruise, alas. They are doing a unique intinerary.

[michmike]

We took a 4 day Disney cruise 3 yrs ago, as our best friends' son was getting married onboard. While it was very nice (and the Pinnacle could learn something from Palo) our cost for a balcony for 4 days was more than a comparable balcony on HAL for 7 days. So you are definitely paying a premium.

[Typhoon1]

Lucky for HAL next month's RSVP cruise will not be stopping at HMC. ;) I won't be on the cruise, alas. They are doing a unique intinerary.

 

I am sure RSVP will be back at HMC in the coming years.

[mindydaile]

HAL doesn't have a clue on how to stay alive.......us old folks are gonna crump sometime.....my kids won't take up the mantle.

 

Maybe they won't, but I certainly will!

 

I'm in my early thirties and would rather stay at work for a week than go on a ship with more people than live in my entire town! I have no desire to rock climb, wave ride, or go down a water slide while on vacation.

 

My traveling companions and I want relaxation, quiet, an elegant but not overly stuffy atmosphere, and relatively uncrowded public spaces.

 

Judging by the number of people my age I find on HAL ships I don't thing HAL will have too much trouble replacing the "old folks."

[michmike]

Echoing mindydaile's observation, we noticed on Nieuw Amsterdam last week that the avg age was about 10-15 yrs younger than has been the case on our past 3 or 4 HAL trips (then again, our previous 2 trips had been 10 day itineraries, which skew a bit older).

 

Don't know whether that is due to being a new ship and folks being curious or what, but don't recall seeing a single walker and only 1 amigo. Any number of canes, including yours truly, but one would have been hard pressed to make the nursing home generalization on that trip.

[Boytjie]

I am sure RSVP will be back at HMC in the coming years.

 

No doubt! I would hate to miss out on HMC. As I said yours is a unique, custom itinerary.

[kazu]

Echoing mindydaile's observation, we noticed on Nieuw Amsterdam last week that the avg age was about 10-15 yrs younger than has been the case on our past 3 or 4 HAL trips (then again, our previous 2 trips had been 10 day itineraries, which skew a bit older).

 

Don't know whether that is due to being a new ship and folks being curious or what, but don't recall seeing a single walker and only 1 amigo. Any number of canes, including yours truly, but one would have been hard pressed to make the nursing home generalization on that trip.

 

I have to agree with this when we were on the NA too and that was a 20 day cruise. Mind you, everyone wasn't young, but there was a definite shift in the demographic. Probably depends upon the ship and the itinerary.

[benny salami]

:cool: First I wanted to thank Michmike for his brilliant post. Very informative and poignant. Have not read a post that funny in many moons. HMC had a natural beauty that is not enhanced by another cash register. If they needed a bigger bar it should have been placed back off the shore line. Absolutely outrageous. We will be there again in March and will not rent a cabana, half shell or spend a nickle on that island. The BBQ is horrible anyway so we will have lunch on the ship.

 

It sounds like your DW is exactly like mine but I'm glad you managed to address to salt and pepper outrage.:eek: Where are the parents? That security failed to act is no surprise. Customer service is expert at diffusing problems. It's hard to stay steamed at women that beautiful. We need more cruisers like you to maintain some level of standards on HAL. At HAL Corporate some pencil pushers must be fired. Someone should take one for this decision.

[sevenseasnomad]

Just for laughs and giggles I checked the Carnival Board and the only mention of the "improvements" echoed what we have seen posted here, not liking it. :mad:

 

I am wondering if there is anything we can do to get the volumne turned down. It is so ear spliting it is painful.:eek: Not only is it annoying for us but it is a health hazard to the musicians as well. Anyone who is hearing impaired will tell you it's no joke.

 

Carole

 

True. Which is why DH packs ear plugs every cruise. Loud music does hurt his ears. Now, he'll have to toss in a set for me, too, to be used solely at HMC. Sad.:(

[Koshlong]

I've been hoping for years that they'd turn down the volume in the Show Lounge.........I've been wearing earplugs to the shows. Maybe if every single comment card complains about HMC volume, they'll listen??

 

Although after a number of years of smoking questionnaires, I won't be holding my breath.

[onthegogirl]

I've been hoping for years that they'd turn down the volume in the Show Lounge.........I've been wearing earplugs to the shows. Maybe if every single comment card complains about HMC volume, they'll listen??

 

Although after a number of years of smoking questionnaires, I won't be holding my breath.

 

Before they change the smoking policy they really have to "run the numbers" as it will effect the bottom line. Wish they would go non smoking. Holding my breath is not an option as I only do that while around smokers;)

 

It would cost them nothing to turn the volume down. Maybe there is only an on or off switch. Hate the thought of wearing ear plugs to the pool, beach and show but that may be the only solution. Of course it means that I can't enjoy a chat either.

[m steve]

it's only about appearance of the bar and the loud music. Don't make it a smoking or policy thead.

[IRL_Joanie]

You know, I've been reading this thread from the beginning and the responses seem to be overwhelmingly against this new bar on HMC.

 

Now, for me, it makes no difference as I do not get off the ship there anyway...

 

But for those of you who do get off the ship and really and truly enjoy HMC and all that it has to offer, might I make a suggestion?

 

Stay on board the ship the next time your ship calls there. Show your intense dislike of it by not getting off and maybe, just maybe HAL Corporate/Carnival Corporation will take notice.

 

We can sit here at our computers and compl,ain away, but actually putting up a physical stance will work better, in my opinion.

 

Cabanas go unrented, excursions do not get bought, clothing and other articles are not bought at the gift shop, BBQ on the island not attended, alcohol goes unsold.... Staff/Crew standing around twiddling their thumbs = $$$ not being made.

 

Speak LOUDLY with your money not with your fingers!!

 

Joanie

[mightycruisequeen]

Stay on board the ship the next time your ship calls there. Show your intense dislike of it by not getting off and maybe, just maybe HAL Corporate/Carnival Corporation will take notice.

 

We can sit here at our computers and compl,ain away, but actually putting up a physical stance will work better, in my opinion.

 

Cabanas go unrented, excursions do not get bought, clothing and other articles are not bought at the gift shop, BBQ on the island not attended, alcohol goes unsold.... Staff/Crew standing around twiddling their thumbs = $$$ not being made.

 

Speak LOUDLY with your money not with your fingers!!

 

Joanie

Won't the same pax who stay onboard as opposed to going to HMC be spending money on the ship?

[IRL_Joanie]

Won't the same pax who stay onboard as opposed to going to HMC be spending money on the ship?

 

Yes, they would, but consider this.... HAL/Carnival will be asking US why?? Why are we staying on board and spending money there instead of on HMC??

 

When they ask, we then answer because of what we see as an eyesore/earsore. Better to make a statement with an impact than one that will not be seen/felt in the wallets of Corporate. Hope that makes sense.

 

Sure you will spend the money on board, but will you be spending hundreds of dollars on board in that same time frame that you'd have spent for a Cabana?? I do not think so. $$$ or lack of it speaks loudly.

 

Just thought of a comparison:

 

Think of us, the HAL cruisers, as advertisers who are ticked off enough to pull all advertising from a product/TV show/Newspaper because of something we see as bad for our image...... Just like all the Corporations pulling their advertisements for the new MTV show that they feel is bad for their image, so we can do the same, except that we are the advertisers pulling our $$$ out of/off of HMC.

 

Joanie

[mightycruisequeen]

.Sure you will spend the money on board, but will you be spending hundreds of dollars on board in that same time frame that you'd have spent for a Cabana?? I do not think so. $$$ or lack of it speaks loudly.

 

Joanie

Personally, we've never rented a cabana or clamshell on HMC, and actually spend less on drinks, etc., while on HMC than we do when we stay onboard.

[Boytjie]

We always gt off the ship at HMC and other than drinks we don't really spend any money there so us staying onboard won't make a dent. There are so few cabanas that I am sure someone else would be happy to snap it up.

[momatibm]

I've never seen the 'allure' of HMC. I went there on our last cruise, stayed about an hour and went back to the ship -- it was like being on the 'pool deck' of an over priced resort -- so the Captain Morgan Bar doesn't bother me.

[DizzyDallasDi]

I've never seen the 'allure' of HMC. I went there on our last cruise, stayed about an hour and went back to the ship -- it was like being on the 'pool deck' of an over priced resort -- so the Captain Morgan Bar doesn't bother me.

 

This is not a flame, just an observation....pool decks don't have powder soft sand on them (they're typically made of concrete) so that comparison is a little off balance.

 

Other than that, you are absolutely entitled to your opinion and I'm sure you're not alone.

[Boytjie]

I've never seen the 'allure' of HMC. I went there on our last cruise, stayed about an hour and went back to the ship -- it was like being on the 'pool deck' of an over priced resort -- so the Captain Morgan Bar doesn't bother me.

 

I fail to see any similarity between HMC and a pool deck. :confused: :eek:

[bepsf]

This is not a flame, just an observation....pool decks don't have powder soft sand on them (they're typically made of concrete) so that comparison is a little off balance.

 

Other than that, you are absolutely entitled to your opinion and I'm sure you're not alone.

 

Sounds to me like that person didn't bother with venturing very far past the pier/shopping area...

[Nanner]

This is, to my mind, a worse decision than the Retreat, which at least was stopped before it infected every ship. My DH and I adore HMC. It was so quiet, so lovely, and we were just there in October and loved it yet again. That was an unplanned stop, added courtesy of hurricanes, but we loved the beach, renting a clamshell, and reading in the sand while the surf was the only real noise around.

 

The BBQ does nothing for us, so we return to the ship when we want to have some lunch, but half a day at Half Moon Cay was a piece of heaven. This news was NOT the way for me to start the day :(