Holland America pulling out of Bermuda for 2019????

[sail7seas]

I would not sail a ship that is commonly described as smokey........ No way

[Lady Arwen]

Breakaway is much larger than Dawn, they are not alike. Breakaway is a crowded, smoky ship. I also would not do Breakaway again.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Breakaway was a huge disappointment! We love Bermuda and our beloved Summit was docked right behind us and everyday as we left our ship I wanted to cry! It also felt like an entire city was departing in the morning and coming back at the end of the day. Agree with you about the smoke.

[innlady1]

Veendam is being redeployed to the Med. No word if HAL will put another ship on the Bermuda run yet.

 

 

Veendam is embarking in Venice next spring. I read recently that the “powers that be” in Italy were having a problem allowing the super large ships to cruise out of Venice- so perhaps this is HAL’s answer to that problem.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Stratheden]

This is the reply that I received yesterday to an email sent to HAL a couple of days ago.

 

"Thank you for your email.

Yes we are aware on the situation with the new regulations for Venice so what we have had to do (and these have been only just been released) is place the Veendam out of Venice for 2019. They should be available on the website now."

[navybankerteacher]

The Dockyard has improved a lot the last few years so I don’t hate it like I used too. But I don’t find being docked with 7000 other cruise passengers crowding the port at the same time desirable. I prefer docking at Hamilton as it is not overcrowded with cruise ship passengers. What I prefer most though is docking at Hamilton and St. George’s on the same sailing.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

I like Hamilton because it is a real town rather than a tourist reincarnation of the Dockyard. It has a number of restaurants and is close to the middle of the island - at the center of bus and ferry lines - making it much easier to get around. St. George, at the east end is also good - having my favorite beach at Fort St. Catherine.

[UPNYGuy]

Breakaway is much larger than Dawn, they are not alike. Breakaway is a crowded, smoky ship. I also would not do Breakaway again.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

 

 

I’ve sailed on Breakaway (and Getaway) 4 times so far. Really didn’t find them smoky. Last time I was on BA was in 2016 and GA was in 2017, so things might have changed.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[kazu]

I like Hamilton because it is a real town rather than a tourist reincarnation of the Dockyard. It has a number of restaurants and is close to the middle of the island - at the center of bus and ferry lines - making it much easier to get around. St. George, at the east end is also good - having my favorite beach at Fort St. Catherine.

 

It is so nice to dock in Hamilton. Nearly magical as you arrive. Always welcomed by the locals and a chance to savour the flavour of the real Bermuda.

 

Looking forward to visiting there again in May :)

[navybankerteacher]

It is so nice to dock in Hamilton. Nearly magical as you arrive. Always welcomed by the locals and a chance to savour the flavour of the real Bermuda.

 

Looking forward to visiting there again in May :)

 

Before the cruise lines introduced their fat-ass behemoths, ships calling at Bermuda could enter St. George through the narrow cut - being greeted by the traditional one-gun salute.

 

The loss of small things like this is symbolic of how the "success" of the cruise business has effectively destroyed the cruise experience.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Before the cruise lines introduced their fat-ass behemoths, ships calling at Bermuda could enter St. George through the narrow cut - being greeted by the traditional one-gun salute.

 

The loss of small things like this is symbolic of how the "success" of the cruise business has effectively destroyed the cruise experience.

 

We booked Veendam from NY to Bermuda the first year they reinstated that route after a very long absence from NY. When HAL gave up their berth in NY, we started sailing to Bermuda on NCL (before freestyle). We were excited to go back to HAL, taking what I had come to think of as the traditional Bermuda itinerary--a day in St George's and then the rest of the time in Hamilton.

 

HAL had just done the stern refit, and when they ran simulations, they discovered that the ship that would have made it into St George's harbor in the past could no longer "make the cut." And so we had to tender. The worst part was that they didn't contact anyone. Not booked passengers, not TAs with booked passengers. They just tacked the little "TR" onto the online itinerary, and those of us who discovered it posted here to the amazement of many who were expecting to dock in St. George's.

 

We still had a nice day in St George's, but being docked would have been so much better.

[Charles4515]

n't contact anyone. Not booked passengers, not TAs with booked passengers. They just tacked the little "TR" onto the online itinerary, and those of us who discovered it posted here to the amazement of many who were expecting to dock in St. George's.

 

We still had a nice day in St George's, but being docked would have been so much better.

 

I also was booked on Veendam that year. By the time of our sailing they gave up tendering and we docked at Hamilton the whole time. As compensation they gave us free transportation passes to use to get to St George's. So I also had a nice day in St. George's that year and the next year but like you I would have preferred to dock there.

 

I have deposit on a cruise, on another cruise line I am trying for the first time that does both St. George's and Hamilton in August 2019. I am looking forward to it.

[innlady1]

We booked Veendam from NY to Bermuda the first year they reinstated that route after a very long absence from NY. When HAL gave up their berth in NY, we started sailing to Bermuda on NCL (before freestyle). We were excited to go back to HAL, taking what I had come to think of as the traditional Bermuda itinerary--a day in St George's and then the rest of the time in Hamilton.

 

 

 

HAL had just done the stern refit, and when they ran simulations, they discovered that the ship that would have made it into St George's harbor in the past could no longer "make the cut." And so we had to tender. The worst part was that they didn't contact anyone. Not booked passengers, not TAs with booked passengers. They just tacked the little "TR" onto the online itinerary, and those of us who discovered it posted here to the amazement of many who were expecting to dock in St. George's.

 

 

 

We still had a nice day in St George's, but being docked would have been so much better.

 

 

I remember all of that. (we did the cruise in ‘13 and ‘15). I wonder why they didn’t just switch out one of the other S class ships? Ryndam, Statendam, or Maasdam.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[sail7seas]

Before the cruise lines introduced their fat-ass behemoths, ships calling at Bermuda could enter St. George through the narrow cut - being greeted by the traditional one-gun salute.

 

The loss of small things like this is symbolic of how the "success" of the cruise business has effectively tthe cruise experience.

 

Veendam used to be able to pass through the cut to St. George until HAL destroyed her aft and added the extra weight to her stern so she cannot now go thnrough he cut. We sailed Celebrity years ago to Hamilton and St. George and that made for a great stay in Bermumda. ... St. George has had so few visitors in recent t years because e the ships cannot go there , that nany shops and restaurants have closed. It is not a s busy and fun as it used to be. Cruises tghagt used to call at Hamilgon and S.t George were much more fun.

[Haboob]

I also was booked on Veendam that year. By the time of our sailing they gave up tendering and we docked at Hamilton the whole time. As compensation they gave us free transportation passes to use to get to St George's. So I also had a nice day in St. George's that year and the next year but like you I would have preferred to dock there.

 

I have deposit on a cruise, on another cruise line I am trying for the first time that does both St. George's and Hamilton in August 2019. I am looking forward to it.

 

I wish you better luck than mine. I'm 2-for-2 on having St George port

calls cancelled because of winds in the Cut. :eek:

[Charles4515]

I wish you better luck than mine. I'm 2-for-2 on having St George port

 

calls cancelled because of winds in the Cut. :eek:

 

 

 

I already have had better luck. I am 6-for-6 on ships making it thru the town cut and docking in St. George’s.

[Haboob]

I already have had better luck. I am 6-for-6 on ships making it thru the town cut and docking in St. George’s.

 

:: points the way to the casino :: ;)

Edited March 15, 2018 by Haboob
Typo

[sail7seas]

I remember all of that. (we did the cruise in ‘13 and ‘15). I wonder why they didn’t just switch out one of the other S class ships? Ryndam, Statendam, or Maasdam.

 

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

Ryndam and Statendam are no longer in HAL's fleet. They left HAL quite some time ago.

I wish that was not the case. We went 'way back' with both those ships and sailed them and often during in their time with HAL and always loved both of them.

[Charles4515]

Ryndam and Statendam are no longer in HAL's fleet. They left HAL quite some time ago.

 

I wish that was not the case. We went 'way back' with both those ships and sailed them and often during in their time with HAL and always loved both of them.

 

 

 

They were still in the fleet back then when it was found the modified Veendam could not make the cut. Possibly they could not make the cut either. Maybe they had modifications too. Or they were not exact duplicates.

[St Pete Cruiser]

Captain Albert just replied that Veendam and Maasdam will be remaining in the fleet awhile longer as HAL finds the smaller ships do have a purpose. Sorry to hear that Bermuda is not included for 2019.

[sail7seas]

They were still in the fleet back then when it was found the modified Veendam could not make the cut. Possibly they could not make the cut either. Maybe they had modifications too. Or they were not exact duplicates.

 

 

Statendam was the first of the sisters, thus the title "S" class ships, Maasdam next followed byRyndam and Veendam. All were the same coming out of Fincantieri Boat yard when brand new(all duplicates of each other) and (thankfully) Veendam was the only of the "S" sisters to have her aft pool removed and the ship made such a mess of. the only other ship that was mangled in that way is Rotterdam.. I seem to think Maasdam was to have been made the same mess b ut was the last drydock scheduled and If I remember correctly HAL ran out of money to spend on that series of dry docks just in time for the VERY special Maasdam to have been saved from being made a mess of in the way they did Veendam.

 

Anyone else remember the sequence in that way?

[cruisemom42]

Captain Albert just replied that Veendam and Maasdam will be remaining in the fleet awhile longer as HAL finds the smaller ships do have a purpose. Sorry to hear that Bermuda is not included for 2019.

 

Thank you Venice for sending a message that smaller ships are good to have in one's fleet.

[kazu]

Thank you Venice for sending a message that smaller ships are good to have in one's fleet.

 

+1 (y)

[sail7seas]

I hope Maasdam lives in HAL's fleet for many more years to come and provides a great many more safe wonderful cruises for many of us.

[rkacruiser]

I hope Maasdam lives in HAL's fleet for many more years to come and provides a great many more safe wonderful cruises for many of us.

 

And, is it too much to hope that a new Class of such sized vessels may eventually debut?

[sail7seas]

And, is it too much to hope that a new Class of such sized vessels may eventually debut?

 

I like the way you think but fear that is but a dream. :)

[Charles4515]

And, is it too much to hope that a new Class of such sized vessels may eventually debut?

 

 

 

The mass market cruise lines like HAL are not going to be building such size vessels. Look to Oceania, Regent and Viking for smaller ships. Viking Ocean has 16 smaller ships on order.