What innovated new idea(s) has Holland America introduced in the past 10-years?

[Copper10-8]

Agree, but not as much on 4-6.

 

4 - Mix is an answer to NCL's "Bar City" with Shakers (Martinis), Magnums (Champagne) and Maltings (Whiskey/beer/etc) all in one connected space. New venue to HAL but not to the industry.

 

5 - NCL also on some of the older ships either has/had an Italian venue that took a corner of their buffet at night and was just more buffet space during the day. New venue to HAL but not to the industry.

 

6 - Wasn't this done after Celebrity had their Apple iLounges? Again, new venue to HAL but not to the industry.

 

Thanks for the heads up!

[iancal]

HAL innovative??? Really!

[PathfinderEss]

The Star program is a huge improvement over the old one, with good rewards for 4 and 5 stars. The Mariner Society has been extremely well served by the latest Director, Gerald Bernhoft.

 

As noted, HAL's introduction of "Stateroom Direct" with its cabin-ready-when-you-board feature is a big plus for us.

 

We like the Cabaret Lunch on longer cruises, too.

 

Totally agree with you on the 'star' program.

Also on the Cabaret Lunch.

Chief, it is a lunch that is done in the show lounge. It is for 4 and 5 star mariners and suite customers. It is a luncheon whilst there is entertainment on the stage going on thru out that lunch from different headliners of the entertainment staff. It was outstanding.

[Copper10-8]

...............................Chief, it is a lunch that is done in the show lounge. It is for 4 and 5 star mariners and suite customers. It is a luncheon whilst there is entertainment on the stage going on thru out that lunch from different headliners of the entertainment staff. It was outstanding.

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When is that generally put on, Melody (beginning/middle/end of the cruise)? I was not familiar with that one either, tanks!

[SilvertoGold]

When is that generally put on, Melody (beginning/middle/end of the cruise)? I was not familiar with that one either, tanks!

 

Middle of the Tahiti cruise on the Statendam this April.

Totally outstanding: food, entertainment, organization, service. The Pinnacle Manager and the Cellarmaster both went out of their way to stay the whole time and supervise. The CD went around and spoke to every pax, as well.

 

So nice to see something like this on a HAL cruise.

[RuthC]

They're still playing WWII era music and occasional 50s, ...

Sad to say, no, they're not; at least not on my last cruise, there wasn't. You might find some Great American Songbook music in the Ocean Bar before dinner, but what there was, was over after dinner. :(

I wonder if I'll ever hear Led Zeppelin in the Lido?

Good grief, I hope I never do. :rolleyes: I like a little peace and quiet with my morning coffee.

[Vict0riann]

To have a "Cabaret Lunch", how long do you think the cruise would have to be? We will be on the Maasdam for 42 days, but it's actually two 21-day segments. I don't remember anything like that on the Statendam when we went from Vancouver to Auckland - 28 days, but a shorter cruise might have been LA to Auckland, I know a lot of people boarded there.

 

(But of course we were not 4-star in those days! So maybe we just never heard about it...)

Edited July 28, 2014 by Vict0riann

[SilvertoGold]

To have a "Cabaret Lunch", how long do you think the cruise would have to be? We will be on the Maasdam for 42 days, but it's actually two 21-day segments. I don't remember anything like that on the Statendam when we went from Vancouver to Auckland - 28 days, but a shorter cruise might have been LA to Auckland, I know a lot of people boarded there.

 

(But of course we were not 4-star in those days! So maybe we just never heard about it...)

 

The Statendam was the ship that came up with the Cabaret Lunch idea, according to what was said on that ship. Not sure if anyone else is doing it, but they should!

 

Your 42 day cruise should have something "extra" for 4 and 5 stars, but it seems to depend on the Captain and Hotel Manager. And a 2 segment cruise is often treated quite differently.

 

Hope you have a super time. We are actually watching the pricing to see if we want to go on this one!

[aliaschief]

Totally agree with you on the 'star' program.

Also on the Cabaret Lunch.

Chief, it is a lunch that is done in the show lounge. It is for 4 and 5 star mariners and suite customers. It is a luncheon whilst there is entertainment on the stage going on thru out that lunch from different headliners of the entertainment staff. It was outstanding.

 

 

Thanks. I guess we have not been on a long enough cruise.

[Vict0riann]

We are actually watching the pricing to see if we want to go on this one!

 

Oh, do!:D What amazes me on the roll call is how many people are doing the cruise for the second or third time!

[kjw869]

How about besides food (someone didn't mention "Le Cirque");the use of DVDs gratis in every cabin; Mariner dream beds; luxurious linens and towels; free laundry for "heavy hitting" Marinators; and so much more, but more importantly, allowing passengers to leave cabins at their leisure on disembarkation day; and starting embarkation early, two "biggies" for us. We don't look for innovation, excitement, new bells, whistles, gewgaws and gadgets with HAL, we look for the familiar, homeyness (for us who spend up to 180 days a year or so in their ships). Are there things we don't like? Sure, a few but not enough to become deal breakers. We KNOW what we will find when we board a HAL ships, and nothing tops the sweetness of the Filipino and Indonesian hotel crew. NOTHING comes close.

 

That's why it's "home" for us too!

[kjw869]

Sad to say, no, they're not; at least not on my last cruise, there wasn't. You might find some Great American Songbook music in the Ocean Bar before dinner, but what there was, was over after dinner. :(

 

Good grief, I hope I never do. :rolleyes: I like a little peace and quiet with my morning coffee.

Quote:

I wonder if I'll ever hear Led Zeppelin in the Lido?

 

 

Ruth, I thought you started your day listening to ZZ Top and eating chocolates. ;)

Edited July 28, 2014 by kjw869

[Copper10-8]

Middle of the Tahiti cruise on the Statendam this April.

Totally outstanding: food, entertainment, organization, service. The Pinnacle Manager and the Cellarmaster both went out of their way to stay the whole time and supervise. The CD went around and spoke to every pax, as well.

 

So nice to see something like this on a HAL cruise.

 

Tks :)

[SilvertoGold]

Oh, do!:D What amazes me on the roll call is how many people are doing the cruise for the second or third time!

 

Yes, it seems to be a popular cruise, especially because it is round trip for all those who live in Florida.

 

I see that you are in Victoria. Have you got good air? The last time we flew to FLL it was an overnighter and it took three days at sea to recover!!

[Copper10-8]

I do think, though, if HAL continues to be the geriatric line (and I like that and did even when I was in my early 40s), they need to recognize that their septuagenarians grew up in a different era. Someone who is 70 now was born in 1944. They're still playing WWII era music and occasional 50s, but this 70-year-old spent her teens listening to rock and roll.

 

I wonder if I'll ever hear Led Zeppelin in the Lido?

 

They also need to make more technology innovations, like NCLs setup where you can text people on the ship for free. That was very useful to me on my last diversion from HAL.

 

Stairway to Heaven ;)

[Vict0riann]

Yes, it seems to be a popular cruise, especially because it is round trip for all those who live in Florida.

 

I see that you are in Victoria. Have you got good air? The last time we flew to FLL it was an overnighter and it took three days at sea to recover!!

 

Yes, we'll use Air Miles, 4 hours to Toronto, then a few days with our DD who is moving there from Newfoundland in September (yay), then 4 hours to FLL (using Air Canada and Westjet)

 

 

BTW has anyone mentioned the Dive In as innovative? With pagers yet! I'm looking forward to trying it.

[PathfinderEss]

When is that generally put on, Melody (beginning/middle/end of the cruise)? I was not familiar with that one either, tanks!

As SilvertoGold said it was in the middle of their Statendam cruise in the spring of this year. Our was the Land of the Inca's cruise, that was in Nov of last year and they held it in the middle of that cruise too, remeber you were on that one.:D

 

 

Thanks. I guess we have not been on a long enough cruise.

Chief, that was a 42 day cruise. I'm not sure but I think Statendam Pinnacle Manager and Cellar Master were the ones who thought of it, so don't know if it is specifically a Statendam thing or maybe other ships have it.

 

 

 

[RedmondCruiser]

My cudos go to the dream beds and the Mariner Program with the introduction of the 4-5 star mariner status. The recognition was greatly appreciated.

Edited July 28, 2014 by RedmondCruiser

[Typhoon1]

The Vista and Signature class ships. The Vistas came first, which were quite a departure from the previous HAL ships.

[Lizzie68]

Don't get me wrong - I love HAL, and I am very comfortable on these ships. But somehow "innovative" and "HAL" don't go together in my mind.:D I also cruise with another line which has a better "Explorations"-type cafe, computer lab, interactive TVs, good beds, etc etc. Yes, HAL has great crew and all the rest of it, but hardly innovative.

[SilvertoGold]

Innovative is not really a great adjective to use to describe HAL.

 

HAL tends to copy and follow, but I think they are smart to let the other lines lead the way and then improve on the new concepts.

 

The "Stateroom Direct" plan was thought up by HAL and is truly a great innovation, though.

[iancal]

I think HAL is far, far more on the traditional, side of the fulcrum than they are to the innovative side. Not even close.

[DrTee]

Stairway to Heaven ;)

 

I was kind of tongue in cheek, but I can see it. It wouldn't be actual Zeppelin, of course, it would be some Muzak version (cheaper), and I'll bet most people wouldn't even recognize it. I heard "Smoke on the Water" (Muzak) in the grocery store.

[Hlitner]

Innovative? HAL? ROFLMAO. The first twenty years we cruised (on many different lines) we would see new innovative ideas nearly every cruise. We had the first Atrium (the Centrum on the Sovereign or the Seas), Pizza parlors on Sitmar, ice skating rinks (RCCL), interactive TV systems (just about everyone but HAL), etc. As to HAL, about the only innovation we have seen has been their expansive itineraries. But the past 5 years we think that HALs major innovation is the "cut back." Some of it is quite ingenious. Substitute small shrimp for larger shrimp, reduce the size of nearly all meal portions (not a bad idea), get rid of brass players (Trumpet and Trombone) on the ship's orchestras to reduce personnel, replace good party bands with the HAL Cats, reduce serving hours, reduce port times to slow down the ships (saves fuel), reduce ports (saves fuel), etc. So yes, we will give HAL our "Innovative Trophy" for leading the pack with ingenious cut-backs.

 

Hank

[Copper10-8]

As SilvertoGold said it was in the middle of their Statendam cruise in the spring of this year. Our was the Land of the Inca's cruise, that was in Nov of last year and they held it in the middle of that cruise too, remeber you were on that one.:D

 

 

 

 

 

Memory = steel trap ;)