HAL Rotterdam - the rotting dump!

[Jade13]

I think it is ridiculous to imply that HAL does not care about it's aging fleet. HAL wants to sell cruises. Some repairs are difficult to make because of a ship's schedule. And, sometimes it's hard to find competent people to do the work. I remember a couple years back when some ships that came out of drydock were a disaster. HAL hires human beings to do the work. They can't always control the quality of the work, just like in our real lives when we hire someone who does less than quality work.

 

HAL is in the business of serving lots of drinks. Those servers are overzealous much of the time. When someone comes on this board and says they are not being served drinks, there is not one person reading this who will believe it. Sure, you will get some servers that may be new or don't care, but that doesn't happen often. And certainly not the entire cruise. Just because the person saying this is 3 or 4 star, doesn't mean we will believe it. It's not that we are HAL cheerleaders. I've only been on one current HAL ship. It's just that it doesn't make sense or sound realistic. Same thing with people who say a ship is a rotting mess. HAL's ships are old and maintained as best as they can be, considering they need to be in the water, to make money.

 

Those who sail HAL like old midsize ships. There are many, many lines for people who don't. I'm sorry for those who were disappointed, but they only have themselves to blame for not doing their homework.

 

I do not believe that HAL maintains their ships in the same manner of their competition, namely RCCL brand ships. Those that only sail HAL will never see the difference. While the Celebrity Solstice class are new and do not make a good comparison, we have been on the older Celebrity Century and Millennium ("Millennium Class") as well as Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest (all owned by RCCL). They seem to have dry docks every few years, and we continually see replaced carpets and other soft goods.

 

On our last HAL cruise we had a problem with the air conditioning and previous to that had a sewage problem which apparently affected a row of cabins. They had to pull out the entire toilet to find the problem and than it took hours to get someone to clean our bathroom leaving us with a wet floor and the sewage smells. And on the cruise without the air conditioning problem the people next to us were on their third cabin move. These were on Veendam and Maasdam. On one of these ships we sat in the dining room that had a damaged fixture and a net covering the ceiling, which had been reported months earlier. I don't accept "They can't always control the quality of the work". If the quality is poor they need to find someone else.

 

As far as drinks, we have waited so long in the lido for anyone to get us a cola that by the time they came back we were finished eating. The issue is that they are short staffed. We have had the same issue in the MDR, but not as much since we have fixed seating and after a few days we have found our drinks waiting for us.

 

HAL still has the best itineraries and great cabin crew, and at this point we will overlook some of these problems for the right itinerary. But there is a limit.

 

HAL has lost a lot of money from us cruising on other lines as well as going on land vacations.

 

HAL is fortunate that they have a lot of cruisers that will overlook these issues, but I think they are loosing money from those who won't.

Edited March 2, 2015 by Jade13

[Topsham]

The Rotterdam received a score of 86 on the inspection report in April 2012. That is one point above passing.

 

After that, she was home ported in Europe and has been there ever since. She has not called at an American port since then. It would be interesting to see what the report would be if she returned to the United States and was reinspected.

 

Terri

 

 

2012? That cat has died and been buried! There have been ships that scored 100 points and were over forty years old. Some ships can come out of the shipyard and fail the same day!

 

Just because ROTTERDAM is away from US it means nothing at all. Do you think that just because Head Office in Seattle that they don't watch what their ships are doing? There are a lot of ships on the seas that have standard same or higher than in the US. I wish every restaurant in every state in the whole US had standards as high as every cruise ships do!

[sammiedawg]

I do not believe that HAL maintains their ships in the same manner of their competition, namely RCCL brand ships. Those that only sail HAL will never see the difference. While the Celebrity Solstice class are new and do not make a good comparison, we have been on the older Celebrity Century and Millennium ("Millennium Class") as well as Azamara Journey and Azamara Quest (all owned by RCCL). They seem to have dry docks every few years, and we continually see replaced carpets and other soft goods.

 

On our last HAL cruise we had a problem with the air conditioning and previous to that had a sewage problem which apparently affected a row of cabins. They had to pull out the entire toilet to find the problem and than it took hours to get someone to clean our bathroom leaving us with a wet floor and the sewage smells. And on the cruise without the air conditioning problem the people next to us were on their third cabin move. These were on Veendam and Maasdam. On one of these ships we sat in the dining room that had a damaged fixture and a net covering the ceiling, which had been reported months earlier. I don't accept "They can't always control the quality of the work". If the quality is poor they need to find someone else.

 

As far as drinks, we have waited so long in the lido for anyone to get us a cola that by the time they came back we were finished eating. The issue is that they are short staffed. We have had the same issue in the MDR, but not as much since we have fixed seating and after a few days we have found our drinks waiting for us.

 

HAL still has the best itineraries and great cabin crew, and at this point we will overlook some of these problems for the right itinerary. But there is a limit.

 

HAL has lost a lot of money from us cruising on other lines as well as going on land vacations.

 

HAL is fortunate that they have a lot of cruisers that will overlook these issues, but I think they are loosing money from those who won't.

 

Hello Jade, I was on the Veendam on the cruise before you got on, the roll call and tour groups had some overlap with many guests staying onboard for thirty days. We could only do the first leg of the trip. We had AC but almost no one else on our floor did. These poor people were in ocean view or interior staterooms and they had no ventilation. One of our neighbors was a first timer on HAL and was quite shocked with the mess they encountered.. There were lots of nonworking plumbing problems, lots of buckets in hallways catching ceiling leaks, lots of wet smelly carpets around the ship. And I remember the fishnets holding up the dining room lights.

So when someone posts about a poor physical plant I believe them, I've experienced issues on more than one HAL ship.

[Topsham]

Everyone remember how the nets under the lights in the dining room?

 

Does anyone remember reason WHY the nest were there?

 

Does anyone remember why they took so long to fix the problem?

 

Does any remember how long ago the problem was fixed?

 

Has it happened again?

 

 

 

Only the last two questions are important. It was fixed two year ago. Has the problem happen again? NO!

 

Hardly important I don't think!

[Jade13]

Hello Jade, I was on the Veendam on the cruise before you got on, the roll call and tour groups had some overlap with many guests staying onboard for thirty days. We could only do the first leg of the trip. We had AC but almost no one else on our floor did. These poor people were in ocean view or interior staterooms and they had no ventilation. One of our neighbors was a first timer on HAL and was quite shocked with the mess they encountered.. There were lots of nonworking plumbing problems, lots of buckets in hallways catching ceiling leaks, lots of wet smelly carpets around the ship. And I remember the fishnets holding up the dining room lights.

So when someone posts about a poor physical plant I believe them, I've experienced issues on more than one HAL ship.

 

Hi sammiedawg, this was Veendam from Valparaiso to Ft Lauderdale or NYC in March/April 2012. We were onboard for 22 nights but there were those who got on earlier for a btb. I could not remember immediately which ship had the fishnets but you confirmed it was Veendam. We were in a lanai, but at the end where there was a couple next door in an OV who were on their third move because they said they could not sleep. When we said something to the front desk they showed up with a thermomitor and confirmed the cabin was very hot.

 

These issues we are discussing have to do with the physical plant, but that was the trip with a most unfriendly cruise director, which did not help. On at least one occasion he walked right by my DH without saying hello and if I recall was fired after the ship failed their inspection coming back into the US. That was the trip where they forgot to invite us to the Mariner brunch and blamed Seattle that we were not on the list.

 

This was 3 years ago.

 

You hear complaints of course on various boards, but the number regarding the physical condition of various ships is so noticeably higher than on the Celebrity or Azamara boards.

 

We can't say anything bad about the itinerary which was fabulous going to Machu Picchu and a full transit of the Panama locks on the same trip.

[Jade13]

Everyone remember how the nets under the lights in the dining room?

 

Does anyone remember reason WHY the nest were there?

 

Does anyone remember why they took so long to fix the problem?

 

Does any remember how long ago the problem was fixed?

 

Was that the leak from the aft "pool"?

Edited March 2, 2015 by Jade13

[sammiedawg]

Hi sammiedawg, this was Veendam from Valparaiso to Ft Lauderdale or NYC in March/April 2012. We were onboard for 22 nights but there were those who got on earlier for a btb. I could not remember immediately which ship had the fishnets but you confirmed it was Veendam. We were in a lanai, but at the end where there was a couple next door in an OV who were on their third move because they said they could not sleep. When we said something to the front desk they showed up with a thermomitor and confirmed the cabin was very hot.

 

These issues we are discussing have to do with the physical plant, but that was the trip with a most unfriendly cruise director, which did not help. On at least one occasion he walked right by my DH without saying hello and if I recall was fired after the ship failed their inspection coming back into the US. That was the trip where they forgot to invite us to the Mariner brunch and blamed Seattle that we were not on the list.

 

This was 3 years ago.

 

You hear complaints of course on various boards, but the number regarding the physical condition of various ships is so noticeably higher than on the Celebrity or Azamara boards.

 

We can't say anything bad about the itinerary which was fabulous going to Machu Picchu and a full transit of the Panama locks on the same trip.

 

Yes, we were on the leg BA to Valparaiso., then had to return home to work. I remember the CD, he talked down to the passengers on his announcements, demanding we wash our hands. And the ship failed the inspection in FL, I remember all of it.

We enjoyed the ports and met some lovely people. I remember you and others discussing MP, I made notes then and recently referenced the information as we will be in Lima next spring, not on Holland America. We are debating the MP side trip, I'm a little worried about altitude.

[Hlitner]

Some HAL maintenance issues are almost amusing. Our favorite HAL ship has been the Prinsendam and that ship suffers from many maintenance issues (partly due to her age) and some make us smile. On one long P'DAm cruise one of the two electric doors, that separated the Lido from the outdoor dining area, did not work for months. A year later when we were back aboard (for another long cruise) I noticed they finally fixed that door and mentioned this to one of the Lido supervisors who stopped at our table to say hello. He just laughed an pointed across the ship to the other door and told us that is now was broken (and they could not get the parts). On that same cruise the outdoor Lido's large canvas/and metal awning was reinforced by many nylon straps and ratchets (the kind truckers use to ratchet down their loads). An Officer said the entire structure was "failing" and they added those ugly straps to keep it from blowing away in a stiff wind. The day before we arrived at Port Everglades (after a 62 day cruise) some of the engineering staff took down all those support straps which had many laughing. When we asked why they were now taking the straps off, a crewman said that the ship was going to be inspected by the USCG the following day (in Port Everglades) and the Chief Engineer (now retired) did not think it was a good idea to see the ship held together with straps and ratchets. That was also the same cruise that had a large window missing from the Crow's Nest...with it being replaced by a large plywood panel (nothing like a boarded up ship). The reason was that the window had shattered and it took a long time to have a custom-made replacement manufactured.

 

In the interests of full disclosure a few months later the P'Dam had major renovations done to that outdoor Lido dining area during a major drydock.

 

Hank

Edited March 2, 2015 by Hlitner

[LindaM]

If you were not there and don't know, how can you in all honesty say that someone is not credible?

Terri

 

You might want to reread my post. I said I didn't know. The word credible wasn't used in that post. I wish I didn't have to explain my posts to those who don't take the time to comprehend.

 

I think it's interesting that people are so supportive of the original post about the rotting Rotterdam. Most times people would bash the OP for criticizing HAL. The posters here make HAL sound horrible. What purpose does it serve to constantly go on and on about the condition of the ships? I don't understand what is wrong with telling others to then boycott HAL....vote with your feet. Obviously, if there are as many issues as posters say there are, no one in their right mind would sail HAL. I thought this forum was for people to ask questions about HAL. HAL knows how you feel---they read the end of the cruise reviews. HAL isn't going to be the cruiseline you remember----this is how it's going to be.

 

Let the bashing continue...

[qsuzi]

Some HAL maintenance issues are almost amusing. Our favorite HAL ship has been the Prinsendam and that ship suffers from many maintenance issues (partly due to her age) and some make us smile. On one long P'DAm cruise one of the two electric doors, that separated the Lido from the outdoor dining area, did not work for months. A year later when we were back aboard (for another long cruise) I noticed they finally fixed that door and mentioned this to one of the Lido supervisors who stopped at our table to say hello. He just laughed an pointed across the ship to the other door and told us that is now was broken (and they could not get the parts). On that same cruise the outdoor Lido's large canvas/and metal awning was reinforced by many nylon straps and ratchets (the kind truckers use to ratchet down their loads). An Officer said the entire structure was "failing" and they added those ugly straps to keep it from blowing away in a stiff wind. The day before we arrived at Port Everglades (after a 62 day cruise) some of the engineering staff took down all those support straps which had many laughing. When we asked why they were now taking the straps off, a crewman said that the ship was going to be inspected by the USCG the following day (in Port Everglades) and the Chief Engineer (now retired) did not think it was a good idea to see the ship held together with straps and ratchets. That was also the same cruise that had a large window missing from the Crow's Nest...with it being replaced by a large plywood panel (nothing like a boarded up ship). The reason was that the window had shattered and it took a long time to have a custom-made replacement manufactured.

 

In the interests of full disclosure a few months later the P'Dam had major renovations done to that outdoor Lido dining area during a major drydock.

 

Hank

 

Wow, I understand some parts and features are hard to find, make or replace but still surprised by your description.

[Cruzin Terri]

You might want to reread my post. I said I didn't know. The word credible wasn't used in that post. I wish I didn't have to explain my posts to those who don't take the time to comprehend.

 

I think it's interesting that people are so supportive of the original post about the rotting Rotterdam. Most times people would bash the OP for criticizing HAL. The posters here make HAL sound horrible. What purpose does it serve to constantly go on and on about the condition of the ships? I don't understand what is wrong with telling others to then boycott HAL....vote with your feet. Obviously, if there are as many issues as posters say there are, no one in their right mind would sail HAL. I thought this forum was for people to ask questions about HAL. HAL knows how you feel---they read the end of the cruise reviews. HAL isn't going to be the cruiseline you remember----this is how it's going to be.

 

Let the bashing continue...

I am very well aware that the word credible was not used in that post. However you often question other people's credibility regarding HAL and especially the Prinsendam when you have not been on the same cruise as they.

 

If someone who has had the experience has posted here, I think it is quite demeaning and insulting for someone to turn around and tell them they are not credible just because that person has not experienced the same thing.

Terri

Edited March 2, 2015 by Cruzin Terri

[Sir PMP]

'HAL Rotterdam - the rotting dump!'

 

Yes, this ship needs to go and will.....

[LindaM]

I am very well aware that the word credible was not used in that post. However you often question other people's credibility regarding HAL and especially the Prinsendam when you have not been on the same cruise as they.

 

If someone who has had the experience has posted here, I think it is quite demeaning and insulting for someone to turn around and tell them they are not credible just because that person has not experienced the same thing.

Terri

 

I am shaking my head....I OFTEN question other's credibility??? Are you kidding? Often is the key word....REALLY???? This is Cruise Critic. People are sometimes questioned and even worse for reporting a cruise that was unsatisfactory. I've been called out as being not credible as well...it goes with the territory. Now, go pick on someone else!

[cruz chic]

I am shaking my head....I OFTEN question other's credibility??? Are you kidding? Often is the key word....REALLY???? This is Cruise Critic. People are sometimes questioned and even worse for reporting a cruise that was unsatisfactory. I've been called out as being not credible as well...it goes with the territory. Now, go pick on someone else!

 

No, the critical comments are made when anyone holds an opposing view. It's one thing to disagree. Quite another to insult.

Edited March 3, 2015 by cruz chic

[Jade13]

Hi sammiedawg, this was Veendam from Valparaiso to Ft Lauderdale or NYC in March/April 2012. We were onboard for 22 nights but there were those who got on earlier for a btb. I could not remember immediately which ship had the fishnets but you confirmed it was Veendam. We were in a lanai, but at the end where there was a couple next door in an OV who were on their third move because they said they could not sleep. When we said something to the front desk they showed up with a thermomitor and confirmed the cabin was very hot.

These issues we are discussing have to do with the physical plant, but that was the trip with a most unfriendly cruise director, which did not help. On at least one occasion he walked right by my DH without saying hello and if I recall was fired after the ship failed their inspection coming back into the US. That was the trip where they forgot to invite us to the Mariner brunch and blamed Seattle that we were not on the list.

 

This was 3 years ago.

 

You hear complaints of course on various boards, but the number regarding the physical condition of various ships is so noticeably higher than on the Celebrity or Azamara boards.

 

We can't say anything bad about the itinerary which was fabulous going to Machu Picchu and a full transit of the Panama locks on the same trip.

 

Sorry, I need to retract my comment. I meant to say Hotel Director, not Cruise Director. It was the Hotel Director that was unfriendly to us and someone posted here that he lost his job when the ship returned to the US. I remember his name, just probably not appropriate to post here.

 

I actually was OK with the Cruise Director who if I recall said he absolutely loved his job at HAL and hugged me goodbye when we left.

Edited March 3, 2015 by Jade13

[Cruzin Terri]

Sorry, I need to retract my comment. I meant to say Hotel Director, not Cruise Director. It was the Hotel Director that was unfriendly to us and someone posted here that he lost his job when the ship returned to the US. I remember his name, just probably not appropriate to post here.

 

I actually was OK with the Cruise Director who if I recall said he absolutely loved his job at HAL and hugged me goodbye when we left.

 

I remember the HD and thought he was ok, but not super friendly. However I thought the CD was one of the most annoying individuals I ever met.

Terri

Edited March 3, 2015 by Cruzin Terri

[cruz chic]

Sorry, I need to retract my comment. I meant to say Hotel Director, not Cruise Director. It was the Hotel Director that was unfriendly to us and someone posted here that he lost his job when the ship returned to the US. I remember his name, just probably not appropriate to post here.

 

I actually was OK with the Cruise Director who if I recall said he absolutely loved his job at HAL and hugged me goodbye when we left.

 

I remember that cruise director. He was "different".

[Jade13]

Yes, we were on the leg BA to Valparaiso., then had to return home to work. I remember the CD, he talked down to the passengers on his announcements, demanding we wash our hands. And the ship failed the inspection in FL, I remember all of it.

We enjoyed the ports and met some lovely people. I remember you and others discussing MP, I made notes then and recently referenced the information as we will be in Lima next spring, not on Holland America. We are debating the MP side trip, I'm a little worried about altitude.

 

I made a major error in my post. It was the Hotel Director who we did not connect with, was unfriendly (believe his wife - or significant other - was onboard) and just not engaged with the passengers and someone posted here that he lost his job when we came home and after the ship failed inspection.

 

I liked the Cruise Director (I believe Carlos) who they used since he could make announcements in both English and Spanish, was very friendly and seemed to really love his job. I know he annoyed some people but again was friendly and told us he loved working with HAL.

[sail7seas]

I remember the HD and thought he was ok, but not super friendly. However I thought the CD was one of the most annoying individuals I ever met.

Terri

 

I also remember the Hotel Manager (as he was titled at the time) and DH and I thought the world of him. We sailed a number of times with him always thought him a wonderful HotMan. We were very sorry when he left HAL and didn't think the circumstances entirely fair. :rolleyes:

 

[Jade13]

I remember the HD and thought he was ok, but not super friendly. However I thought the CD was one of the most annoying individual I ever met.

Terri

 

I just mentioned the name Carlos and my DH started singing "Wash your hands, wash your hands....". He remembers from 3 years ago. Yes, it got repetitive. But for whatever reason he seemed to like us, always said hello, etc., hugged me goodbye when we disembarked, and we can't say that about the Hotel Manager.

 

After you disembarked in Florida they invited us to move to a Neptune Suite for the last 3 days to NYC. I had to drag my DH who did not want to be bothered since we were starting to pack to leave. I no longer cared about the air conditioning since it was not that hot going to NYC, but I had gone to the front desk 3 days in a row to inquire about the Mariners brunch and I kept getting "Madame, do not worry. We will send you an invitation". The third time they told me we had just missed it that day, didn't we get an invitation? They knew they had messed up and called and offered to move us. I think they did not care because it appeared everyone else in the Pinnacle Suites had disembarked. So, we had the area to ourselves. We just assumed we were getting the added space but they gave us the bottles of alcohol, asked if we wanted any laundry and dry cleaning, and when I asked for some Indonesia Tea (We may have missed it while at MP), they brought a full jar of tea bags.

Edited March 3, 2015 by Jade13

[cruz chic]

I also remember the Hotel Manager (as he was titled at the time) and DH and I thought the world of him. We sailed a number of times with him always thought him a wonderful HotMan. We were very sorry when he left HAL and didn't think the circumstances entirely fair. :rolleyes:

 

 

I couldn't remember the name of the hotel manager on my cruise on the Veendam but I just looked at my cruise log. I didn't know this person other than meeting them a few times but they did seem like a very nice and competent person.

[sppunk]

The Hotel Director in question from Veendam was Costa Rican. He was fired the morning we docked back in NYC (SEPT 2012) along with several officers. He had previously operated hotels but from what I understand they had all went bankrupt so he got with HAL.

 

A decent-size crew group were contacting Seattle that sailing to demand release from their contracts. The HD was openly hostile to guests and I heard twice belittle the captain.

 

We sailed with that captain this past September (on Rotterdam ironically) and it was a world of difference. The HD makes or breaks the cruise imo.

 

Failing that inspection was the least of the problems regarding that issue.

Edited March 3, 2015 by sppunk

[Jade13]

The Hotel Director in question from Veendam was Costa Rican. He was fired the morning we docked back in NYC (SEPT 2012) along with several officers. He had previously operated hotels but from what I understand they had all went bankrupt so he got with HAL.

 

A decent-size crew group were contacting Seattle that sailing to demand release from their contracts. The HD was openly hostile to guests and I heard twice belittle the captain.

 

We sailed with that captain this past September and it was a world of difference. The HD makes or breaks the cruise imo.

 

Failing that inspection was the least of the problems regarding that issue.

 

The cruise we were on with a couple of others on this thread was Veendam in March/April 2012. The Hotel Manager on that cruise had the initials DW if I recall.

[sppunk]

The cruise we were on with a couple of others on this thread was Veendam in March/April 2012. The Hotel Manager on that cruise had the initials DW if I recall.

 

DH was ours. My live thread from that cruise has staff complement in first post. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1696036

Edited March 3, 2015 by sppunk

[cruz chic]

The cruise we were on with a couple of others on this thread was Veendam in March/April 2012. The Hotel Manager on that cruise had the initials DW if I recall.

 

That's who I was thinking.