New ship in 2016 - Koningsdam

[cruisemom42]

Yes, that makes sense about the location. It would be nice to have a choice in a better location and pay for it. Maybe they know the market isn't there for that.

 

It is my hope that if they try the solo cabins here and they prove to be very popular, HAL will pay attention and in their next round of builds will add greater variety of choices in different categories for a variety of solos.

 

It's an unfortunate fact of traveling solo and staying in solo rooms in hotels and on cruise ships (e.g., on some other lines that have them) that they are often not the premium rooms. I guess I can understand that (not like it, mind you, but understand it) if the rooms are creating considerably less revenue than a double-occupancy room. In hotels I have often found myself facing the fire escape or an air shaft when I book a solo room. They are also pretty tiny.

 

Luckily I am a very easygoing traveler and I'm fine with this arrangement. But as I said, if these rooms prove popular on HAL and on other lines that are also beginning to experiment with solo cabins, maybe we can hope for more variety in future. For me, I'll probably still continue to book the minimum category.

[Host Walt]

Reminder, this is the subject of this thread.

 

Any new information on the new ship regarding its name or features? Still confirmed for Feb 2016?

Thanks all

 

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Thanks.

[AlohaPride]

I was very excited to learn they now have cabins for families of 5! I'm looking at April/May 2016, but wondering if we should wait a little longer. I am also VERY interested where it will be at Christmas of 2016. We took the Noordam's first Christmas cruise and it was so magical. I'd love to do it again.

 

I wonder if the larger cabins for 5 will be taken by smaller families. They have 2 bathrooms which make them desirable. If they are booked by parties with less than 5, I can't imagine how hard its going to be to book without having a year (or more) to wait.

[sail7seas]

I wouldn't wait, Mary.

If you know you want a family cabin for five, a deposit holds it for you. If something happens in the interim between booking and sailing, you could cancel if necessary.

 

[cruz chic]

I wouldn't wait, Mary.

If you know you want a family cabin for five, a deposit holds it for you. If something happens in the interim between booking and sailing, you could cancel if necessary.

 

 

Totally agree. It makes little difference if it's a party of five or 2 people in the room. If it's important, I would book asap. The early bird gets the worm.

[AlohaPride]

I'm watching the itineraries. We really want to cruise this ship. I priced out the 12 day Rome R/T and it was 7700 for all 5 of us (awesome!). Now I just have to figure out the 10k I'll need for air. [emoji15]

[SoCal Cruiser78]

...Now I just have to figure out the 10k I'll need for air. [emoji15]

 

:eek: Too bad you can't just hitch a ride on a world cruise from Honolulu ;). Seriously, though, that is why I haven't done a Med cruise--air fares even from the mainland are $$$.

[sail7seas]

I'm watching the itineraries. We really want to cruise this ship. I priced out the 12 day Rome R/T and it was 7700 for all 5 of us (awesome!). Now I just have to figure out the 10k I'll need for air. [emoji15]

 

The cruise fare seems to be quite good.

The air cost......whoa. That's a lot of money. Hopefully, you may be

lucky and grab a good price at some point. :)

 

[candelaria]

Yeah holy smokes, the air alone is a lot. good luck.:o

[frankc98376]

We were booked on Zuiderdam TA at the end of March and recently cancelled due to air fare back from Rome. Air was almost as much as our NS- way too high.

Edited December 29, 2014 by frankc98376

[Lizzie68]

I passed on a family celebration on a med cruise last year because of air fare - and taxes on it! Up until 2 years ago I flew back to the UK twice a year, usually snagging a seat sale. But those are harder to come by now (and even if I got a deal there is still $600+ in taxes and fees to add to it). So it no longer makes sense for us to do any cruising through Europe.

[AlohaPride]

My friend is from Toronto. She says that we should fly there and then book the Europe trip. She says it's much cheaper through Toronto.

[SoCal Cruiser78]

My friend is from Toronto. She says that we should fly there and then book the Europe trip. She says it's much cheaper through Toronto.

 

Worth looking into! Hope it works out. I'll look into Canadian air departures for myself when I am at a point I can think about a Med cruise again.

[sail7seas]

My friend is from Toronto. She says that we should fly there and then book the Europe trip. She says it's much cheaper through Toronto.

 

Definitely worth checking into.

Good luck. :)

 

[AlohaPride]

I'll need it. DH is more interested in this possible trip than in any of the others we've taken. I'm kinda feeling the pressure. LOL

[cruz chic]

My friend is from Toronto. She says that we should fly there and then book the Europe trip. She says it's much cheaper through Toronto.

 

Interesting. I'm always amazed at how the airlines play games. Generally its cheaper to fly from British columbia to fll then it is from calgary to fll even though calgary is closer. I think the theory is that Calgarians have money falling out of our pockets because we are oil "rich" here. Those days are over but prices don't reflect that. Good luck with pricing.

[Globaliser]

I'm always amazed at how the airlines play games. Generally its cheaper to fly from British columbia to fll then it is from calgary to fll even though calgary is closer. I think the theory is that Calgarians have money falling out of our pockets because we are oil "rich" here. Those days are over but prices don't reflect that.

At risk of going more OT: What the prices reflect is the price that people starting in Calgary are prepared to pay. The instant that they show a reluctance to pay the prices charged, prices will reduce. If the airlines continue to sell at higher prices, it's because this market continues to be prepared to pay them. It's like that in every deregulated air fare market.

[Mary Ellen]

I'll need it. DH is more interested in this possible trip than in any of the others we've taken. I'm kinda feeling the pressure. LOL

Something else to consider will be the trans-Atl when the new ship makes its way to North America. You'll still see some of the Med ports and save quite a bit on air. I've looked at the air prices for what I think will be similar cruises on the Princess site (because they really outshine HAL with that web feature and I'd expect both CCL cruise lines have the same airfares). For a BCN to FLL cruise, the air runs $1450 - 1700/pp from HNL. They have another cruise from Rome but it is too far out to see those airfares. You'll be able to see those fares for the Ocean Princess trans-Atl in about a month.

 

We've rented a pre-cruise apartment in Europe in the past and have another booked for a future cruise. Particularly for a family of 5, the extra space (and a kitchen) makes this an excellent alternative to a hotel. Being able to save money isn't bad either.

[Lizzie68]

At risk of going more OT: What the prices reflect is the price that people starting in Calgary are prepared to pay. The instant that they show a reluctance to pay the prices charged, prices will reduce. If the airlines continue to sell at higher prices, it's because this market continues to be prepared to pay them. It's like that in every deregulated air fare market.

 

What would you suggest? It's pretty hard to show reluctance when you need to get from A to B, and there are no options. My question is serious as you obviously know the industry.

[cruz chic]

What would you suggest? It's pretty hard to show reluctance when you need to get from A to B, and there are no options. My question is serious as you obviously know the industry.

 

That's the issue. I'm not going to sit at home. That said, there were some good cruise prices for cruises for this holiday season. The prices of course for airfare were stupid. I refuse to pay that.

Edited December 31, 2014 by cruz chic

[AlohaPride]

Something else to consider will be the trans-Atl when the new ship makes its way to North America. You'll still see some of the Med ports and save quite a bit on air. I've looked at the air prices for what I think will be similar cruises on the Princess site (because they really outshine HAL with that web feature and I'd expect both CCL cruise lines have the same airfares). For a BCN to FLL cruise, the air runs $1450 - 1700/pp from HNL. They have another cruise from Rome but it is too far out to see those airfares. You'll be able to see those fares for the Ocean Princess trans-Atl in about a month.

 

We've rented a pre-cruise apartment in Europe in the past and have another booked for a future cruise. Particularly for a family of 5, the extra space (and a kitchen) makes this an excellent alternative to a hotel. Being able to save money isn't bad either.

I heard a rumor that the new ship is going to stay in Europe and not do trans-A. I hope that's not the case, because that would be my preferred cruise. I've always wanted to take one.

[InTheWASide]

I heard a rumor that the new ship is going to stay in Europe and not do trans-A. I hope that's not the case, because that would be my preferred cruise. I've always wanted to take one.

 

That will not be the case per every source I have at HAL. There is no word yet on the particular itinerary it will have in the Caribbean (I have a few guesses but I hope I'm wrong about MY assumption) but the ship is planned to relocate.

 

Obviously it is still a work in progress so that could change though, but I highly doubt it would. If HAL is shrinking the fleet it would not make sense to have a year round deployment in Europe... not to mention while it has varied itineraries Rotterdam is already deployed in Europe year round.

[AlohaPride]

Great news! Maybe we'll wait on Europe and book the first Christmas cruise on the King. ;)

[Cruiser Bruiser]

It is my hope that if they try the solo cabins here and they prove to be very popular, HAL will pay attention and in their next round of builds will add greater variety of choices in different categories for a variety of solos.

 

It's an unfortunate fact of traveling solo and staying in solo rooms in hotels and on cruise ships (e.g., on some other lines that have them) that they are often not the premium rooms. I guess I can understand that (not like it, mind you, but understand it) if the rooms are creating considerably less revenue than a double-occupancy room.

 

I just sailed my first solo cruise aboard Norwegian Epic. I very much liked that studio cabins on that ship are in a cluster on two decks and that they have a restricted-access lounge. It felt like a nice perk, even though I didn't really use it. However, I noticed at the end of my cruise that my on-board expenses were higher than normal, and I attribute this directly to the fact that I was solo. I chose the specialty dining package to be seated in smaller restaurants, and I bought more drinks, I think, just to have something to do. So, my higher spending might have offset the lower cruise fare. :cool:

 

Regarding the solo cabin placement on Koningsdam, I survived a 16-night cruise on Norwegian Dawn during Hurricane Sandy, and that was in an ocean-view cabin three or four back from the bow. It was necessary to close our port hole cover for over a day as the waves were regularly swamping our little window. Once we got used to the occasional thud as we crashed into an ill-timed wave, ("Did we hit a whale?!" ;)) I didn't really mind our cabin at all.

[sail7seas]

 

<snip>

 

 

Regarding the solo cabin placement on Koningsdam, I survived a 16-night cruise on Norwegian Dawn during Hurricane Sandy, and that was in an ocean-view cabin three or four back from the bow. It was necessary to close our port hole cover for over a day as the waves were regularly swamping our little window. Once we got used to the occasional thud as we crashed into an ill-timed wave, ("Did we hit a whale?!" ;)) I didn't really mind our cabin at all.

 

Survived isn't exactly what I hope for when I cruise. While it is a given we'd all like to survive our cruises, I aim for a bit more than that. :)