HAL is starting to lose me

[vicocala]

We were talking about this last night, and had we not spent 8-9K and more like 2-3k on our cruise we would have felt differently. There's no getting around the non-functioning A/C, the toilets that don't work (ours at least worked, but took two flushes) and the frat-house furniture ... there's no excuse for that, those things should be functional and fixed, replaced.

 

Happy Sailing!

 

TT,

 

Even those of us who are spending 2-3K want functioning a/c and toilets that work. I am sure those paying $349 pp want those same things. This isn't about luxury but simple "human rights" in a non-third world country. However, I am hoping I get treated as if I spent 8-9K. ;)

[twinkletoes4445]

TT,

 

Even those of us who are spending 2-3K want functioning a/c and toilets that work. I am sure those paying $349 pp want those same things. This isn't about luxury but simple "human rights" in a non-third world country. However, I am hoping I get treated as if I spent 8-9K. ;)

 

Oh, I agree ... I think everyone should have the functioning a/c and toilets ... no matter what price is paid. I guess I didn't express my thoughts very well. Sorry about that. :) My thoughts more or less ran together!

 

You'll be treated well! We have never had a complaint about the staff or how we were treated. They were and are as gracious as they have ever been on any of our cruises!

[Gypsea]

Uniworld is amazing and it's hardly fair to try to compare HAL to them. The small ships make it easy for the staff to take amazing care of their guests. Anyone sailing this line will taste the finer things in cruising including local produce, provisions used to prepare the menus. She is the top of the heap in the river cruise market. Other river lines come close but it's tough to beat this brand.

 

Missed my first HAL on NA yesterday so I came here to try and sate my cruise appetite. Thanks for making me feel better everyone! Sorry some of you are unhappy with the cuts and revisions. It's still sad to read the posts.

 

I didn't notice anyone suggesting Azamara which is the boutique line owned by RCCL/Celebrity. It has really stepped up what they DO include, probably to attract all of those tired of the "extra" costs. After the spring season begins an expanded beverage menu will not only include wine with meals (like Uniworld) but also some liquor and beer. Soft drinks, water and specialty coffee have always been included in cruise fare as well as gratuities. A shore excursion for each sailing will also be added! Discounted excursions are offered if reserved well before boarding on their website.

 

Happy Holidays everyone!

[twinkletoes4445]

Uniworld is amazing and it's hardly fair to try to compare HAL to them. The small ships make it easy for the staff to take amazing care of their guests. Anyone sailing this line will taste the finer things in cruising including local produce, provisions used to prepare the menus. She is the top of the heap in the river cruise market. Other river lines come close but it's tough to beat this brand.

 

Missed my first HAL on NA yesterday so I came here to try and sate my cruise appetite. Thanks for making me feel better everyone! Sorry some of you are unhappy with the cuts and revisions. It's still sad to read the posts.

 

I didn't notice anyone suggesting Azamara which is the boutique line owned by RCCL/Celebrity. It has really stepped up what they DO include, probably to attract all of those tired of the "extra" costs. After the spring season begins an expanded beverage menu will not only include wine with meals (like Uniworld) but also some liquor and beer. Soft drinks, water and specialty coffee have always been included in cruise fare as well as gratuities. A shore excursion for each sailing will also be added! Discounted excursions are offered if reserved well before boarding on their website.

 

Happy Holidays everyone!

 

 

I know that it's really not fair to compare HAL to Uniworld, because they are two completely different types of cruises, but for us, I was just comparing the costs. A suite on Uniworld was a little more expensive than the SA on HAL, and the experience was one hundred times better. I was thinking more dollar to dollar comparison. :)

 

I have read about Azamara. We'll have to look into that one also. It sounds very interesting and it does sounds like what we're looking for in an ocean cruise.

 

Hope you and everyone on CC has a nice holiday season!

[FrankNJ]

bye bye Hal , bye bye .

[legion3]

I want to try HAL but the current cruise we are looking at all 4 persons are the same price! :confused:

 

$699 cruise fare for persons one and two in the cabin but also $699 for the third and fourth persons :eek:

 

What gives? 3rd and 4th persons the same fare?

 

A 7 day cruise on Ryndam out of Tampa Dec 1, 2013 for a FF class cabin priced at 4 people.

 

$3153.73 :eek:

 

The same cruise out of Tampa on the CCL Legend is $1915.93 for a similar cabin and on NCL Dawn $2014.96 for the same week, and roughly the same ports...

 

IS hal really worth that? Will these prices go down closer to sailing.

 

That seems crazy high for the time of year!

[Gypsea]

The experience of river cruising is special with included excursions and the wonderful guides. IT is a great value for the money nevermind the local wines. YUM. I dream of another and plan to go asap, maybe the "Castles on the Rhine" this time....

[jaguarstyper]

What gives? 3rd and 4th persons the same fare?

I'm not sure? I'm not doubting what you are saying, but on 8 of my 11 cruises with HAL, I have had a 3rd passenger booked with me. I have never, ever paid anywhere near the full fare for that 3rd passenger and on 3 occaisions, the 3rd passenger was fare free (except port fees and taxes). Until we changed our booking by adding a 4th person and a second cabin, we were planning to have a 3rd passenger on our Westerdam cruise in 2 weeks. The 3rd passenger fare was $99.

[legion3]

I know...but I just priced it this morning. Ouch...with fares like that HAL has no chance of losing me as I will never try them.

 

I will keep watching and see

[Gypsea]

It is due to the demand for that date..it happens on many lines. RC is ruthless for third passenger rates on MANY sailings. It may not be the same but it's close.

[legion3]

It is due to the demand for that date..it happens on many lines. RC is ruthless for third passenger rates on MANY sailings. It may not be the same but it's close.

 

Well unfortunately I have no apples to apples to compare with RC as they don't do 7 days from Tampa

 

However the 5 day cruise is about $1650ish for them over CCL's Paradise which is around $1100 ish for the same 5 day trip. But in that case the ships are different in age and ammenities

 

Demand is usually not high on December 1-14. Most cruise are much much cheaper than in summer or holiday periods. Early December is not traditionally a peak cost period.

[Gypsea]

Well, that's for sure. Called HAL (just in case it was a computer error as 3/4th rates can get messed up) and they could not justify this except by saying that the higher E's are $849 so 699 is LESS! Whatever. Of course, rates will likely go down they just haven't started any promos yet. Even the Early Saver doesn't apply YET.

 

Best of luck!

[twinkletoes4445]

The experience of river cruising is special with included excursions and the wonderful guides. IT is a great value for the money nevermind the local wines. YUM. I dream of another and plan to go asap, maybe the "Castles on the Rhine" this time....

 

The "Castles on the Rhine" was the other one we thought about doing. It's probably the one we'll do next. We just love that area. Germany and Austria were our favorites, but it was all beautiful. It was so amazing to be seeing such historic places in person.

[sapper1]

It seems to be a bit different than when I first checked six months ago. If I am reading correctly, a ticket online is good anytime and allows the bearer to bypass lines. Also good for any date. Maybe someone else should give their interpretation as I would not want to mislead anyone.

[bepsf]

Life is sweet in a suite, on almost any line. Concierge class and special amenities abound. And yes, when you're spending 8K-9K you should rightfully expect (demand?) certain luxuries...

 

Indeed: Book a Deluxe Suite or PH on HAL and, while there are some nice perks, you're still getting largely the same food/service as folks in the lower categories when you're outside of the Neptune Lounge & Pinnacle (for Breakfast & Lunch)...

...so if that means no more after-dinner Cappuccino & somesuch (Does it really cost so much that it can't be included in the price of the fare?) that's a problem for me.

We found that for not much more, we could book Princess Grille on Cunard for a more interesting Panama Canal itinerary: Similar amenities & perks, plus all meals prepared to-order rather than Banquet-style...

...and we found that Oceania offers comparable accommodations as well, and they're renowned for their food and service, which the line sees as their "Entertainment".

What's more telling is that HAL's recent newbuilds have been getting progressively more crowded, and their plans for the ship to replace the S Class will take the passenger to space ratio to new lows for the line....

...and that some existing ships have been getting noticeably shabbier.

I might consider future cruises w/ HAL on select itineraries, but as of now we have no concrete plans to go back and may find new homes with other, more premium, brands.

[smi889]

No! Just got off the Ryndam Sunday, just thought I would try HAL one more time. I use to consider it the premier in cruising but that changed years ago, 2004 matter of fact. The dining room menu to me is terrible since they got Chef? Rudy. When you have Fried Liver and Turkey as two of the five entrees, that's bad. Service is nothing to brag about. I've also been on the Legend out of Tampa. I would take the Legend as Carnival's service and menu selection has surpassed HAL in every way. Make sure you shop for your price and know what type cabin you are getting for your money. I have never had anyone beat Carnival's price on their website. Hope this was a little help. If you have any other question let me know.

[smi889]

I want to try HAL but the current cruise we are looking at all 4 persons are the same price! :confused:

 

$699 cruise fare for persons one and two in the cabin but also $699 for the third and fourth persons :eek:

 

What gives? 3rd and 4th persons the same fare?

 

A 7 day cruise on Ryndam out of Tampa Dec 1, 2013 for a FF class cabin priced at 4 people.

 

$3153.73 :eek:

 

The same cruise out of Tampa on the CCL Legend is $1915.93 for a similar cabin and on NCL Dawn $2014.96 for the same week, and roughly the same ports...

 

IS hal really worth that? Will these prices go down closer to sailing.

 

That seems crazy high for the time of year!

Please read my post below. "Is It Worth It?"

[clanlabcooker]

Just got back from a week on the Westerdam. In keeping with some of the topics in this thread I offer the following observations:

1. Canelleto is definitely $10/person. Menu has been revamped, with, in my opinion, both improvements and some otherwise. I had the penne and thoroughly enjoyed it. DW had the spaghetti and found it mediocre. Service was decent, but the language barrier with our server made it a bit challenging. Not all servers had this issue. All in all, a wash for me. Only ate there one evening.

2. Water is still free, unless you opt for the premium bottled water. Tea and coffee flow freely. However, DW drank several cappuccinos in the Pinnacle for breakfast and there was no additional charge. Maybe the venue?

3. Orange juice is most definitely fresh squeezed and at no additional charge.

On a side note - we, as consumers, have gotten exactly what we demanded. We voted with our dollars and the vote was clear, "Give us the cheapest ticket possible!" The travel industry responded, providing what the consumers were demanding.

In other words, we got exactly what we demanded - cheap. As some others have noted, the cost in actual dollars hasn't gone up and in some cases has dropped considerably. In REAL dollars the cost of air travel and cruising has plummeted. We demanded cheap, we got cheap and now we are complaining that the industry is nickle and diming us to death. Not really, in my opinion. It is simply that we are now being forced to pay for services that would still be included in the base cost IF we had allowed the companies to increase their base costs sufficiently to continue to offer the formerly included services at no additional charge.

Bottom line: you get what you pay for. You are going to pay for it one way or another. Higher base price includes those services. Lower base price and you pay for the services through "add on" fees. Either way, you pay for what you get.

[kelmac]

My wife and I use to alternate between HAL and Celebrity -- best of both worlds! We have eight cruises booked; 7 with Celebrity and one with Cunard.

Times, they are changing.

 

Enjoy!

Kel:)

[sapper1]

It seems to be a bit different than when I first checked six months ago. If I am reading correctly, a ticket online is good anytime and allows the bearer to bypass lines. Also good for any date. Maybe someone else should give their interpretation as I would not want to mislead anyone.

 

Yikes. I thought I was posting to my roll call. Sorry people.

[jaguarstyper]

On a side note - we, as consumers, have gotten exactly what we demanded. We voted with our dollars and the vote was clear, "Give us the cheapest ticket possible!" The travel industry responded, providing what the consumers were demanding.

The thing is, not everyone is demanding this, not everyone is interested in obtaining the cheapest ticket possible and very few people actually get the cheapest ticket possible. I have paid incrementally more for every cruise I have booked in the last 10 years. But, I have always booked a suite and I've never really bargain shopped or played the upgrade/upsell game. I generally know when and where I want to go, know what suite I want to be in and I book it.

 

Unfortunately, HAL has become forced to offer the low fares in order to fill their ships. While that is great for the bargain hunters, its not so great for the folks who are looking for a high quality cruise experience and are willing to pay the price for it. That is the very reason HAL is starting to lose me, which is the title of this thread.

[MarkW-FL]

The thing is, not everyone is demanding this, not everyone is interested in obtaining the cheapest ticket possible and very few people actually get the cheapest ticket possible.

 

As with most things, it often boils down to a price/value decision. In my case, I'll be sailing on the ms Amsterdam in two weeks. All things being equal, I probably would have chosen the Celebrity Eclipse instead, but the price differential for my itinerary was roughly $3500 and I decided to go with the good quality/less expensive option. But while HAL is still competitive, they do need to stabilize their product and service, otherwise consumers like myself will be less likely to view them as a viable substitute vs. the other higher-end cruise options.

 

 

 

---

[legion3]

No! Just got off the Ryndam Sunday, just thought I would try HAL one more time. I use to consider it the premier in cruising but that changed years ago, 2004 matter of fact. The dining room menu to me is terrible since they got Chef? Rudy. When you have Fried Liver and Turkey as two of the five entrees, that's bad. Service is nothing to brag about. I've also been on the Legend out of Tampa. I would take the Legend as Carnival's service and menu selection has surpassed HAL in every way. Make sure you shop for your price and know what type cabin you are getting for your money. I have never had anyone beat Carnival's price on their website. Hope this was a little help. If you have any other question let me know.

 

Going on the Legend this sunday, looking forward to it. We did a French Door Interior cabin as we are not interested in a balcony just yet, as little kids will be with us. and a balcony no matter how unlikely anything might occur, would be something extra to worry about.

 

The French door cabin was cheaper than a standard OV but gave fresh air and light options and we were able to get one with a view mostly between the lifeboats.

 

Sure like the size of the S class ships but currently the Tampa cruise, at that price, is not a consideration. I will keep looking for next year and if it comes down then maybe.

 

Last December I priced the Ryndam for the same period an the cost was $1500 ish as 3 and 4 went free.

 

This Sunday Ryndam leaves for a 2 week trip out of Tampa. Currently only interiors can be booked but for 4 of us for 14 days it would be $2997.20.

 

$3000+ for a 7 day cruise in December (non holiday period) is crazy

[kazu]

Going on the Legend this sunday, looking forward to it. We did a French Door Interior cabin as we are not interested in a balcony just yet, as little kids will be with us. and a balcony no matter how unlikely anything might occur, would be something extra to worry about.

 

The French door cabin was cheaper than a standard OV but gave fresh air and light options and we were able to get one with a view mostly between the lifeboats.

 

Sure like the size of the S class ships but currently the Tampa cruise, at that price, is not a consideration. I will keep looking for next year and if it comes down then maybe.

 

Last December I priced the Ryndam for the same period an the cost was $1500 ish as 3 and 4 went free.

 

This Sunday Ryndam leaves for a 2 week trip out of Tampa. Currently only interiors can be booked but for 4 of us for 14 days it would be $2997.20.

 

$3000+ for a 7 day cruise in December (non holiday period) is crazy

I am really confused:confused: 1st you say the cost is $2997 for four of you for 14 days. and then you say that $3,000 for a 7 day cruise is crazy:confused: If it is a 14 day cruise - that is just over $200 per day for four of you. That's just a smidge over $50 pp - seems pretty reasonable to me - but what do I know?

[legion3]

I am really confused:confused: 1st you say the cost is $2997 for four of you for 14 days. and then you say that $3,000 for a 7 day cruise is crazy:confused: If it is a 14 day cruise - that is just over $200 per day for four of you. That's just a smidge over $50 pp - seems pretty reasonable to me - but what do I know?

 

Well don't be really confused. 14 days at 3000 is reasonable but 7 at 3000 is not. I was comparing them to show how crazy the dec 2013 cruise price is.