What should a new HAL CEO bring back to ships ?

[Sir PMP]

3 hours ago, RocketMan275 said:

What a great way to ruin cruising.

On the old ss Rotterdam we had radio only, no balconies, but we had a ball, great music in the Ambassador lounge, great late night buffets, people went for the cruising experience not just for food...

[rotjeknor]

9 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

 

I appreciate learning this.  It's HAL history of which I was not aware.  Was Mr. van der Vorm's sons not interested in succeeding their Father as the CEO of HAL?  Or, perhaps, they were too young to do so?

From what I heard , they were not really into it. A shame imo ,  because the family van der Vorm had been in the company since 1933 .

[rotjeknor]

8 hours ago, Sir PMP said:

What a name for a bridge...

Officially called the Rijnhavenbrug (bridge) , but people in Rotterdam are quick with nicknames . As the bridge is pedastrians only and goes the former red light district, a name like hoerenloper seems only fitting ....

[CruisinS]

13 hours ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

Homeric I (1931), the former Mariposa (butterfly) of Matson Lines. Home Lines operated her from 1955 until she was scrapped at Kaohsiung, Taiwan in 1974

 

Oceanic (1965) Home Lines had her until 1985. Afterwards, she became Starship Oceanic, then Big Red Boat I, both for Premier Lines, and then once again Oceanic for Pullmantur Cruises. She finished her career as Oceanic with the Japanese Peace Boat organization until scrapped at Zhoushan, PRC in 2012 

 

I was on the Oceanic sailing out of NY in April 1982 when she was clipped by a freighter in dense fog.  Dented the bow and  damaged a couple of lifeboats.  Coast Guard inspected the next morning and allowed us to go on.

Sorry... a little off-topic, but the picture of her brought back memories.  Wonderful ship!

[rkacruiser]

11 hours ago, CruisinS said:

but the picture of her brought back memories.  Wonderful ship!

 

Oceanic was a memorable vessel on which I cruised.  Homeric:  as a visitor prior to a sailing, she was as "old world elegant" as the Nieuw Amsterdam of 1938 was when I visited her in 1971.  

[RedmondCruiser]

On 5/13/2020 at 4:46 AM, Krazy Kruizers said:

I agree about restoring the Crow's Nest -- complete with Libraries.

 

More activities on sea days.

 

Bring back music in the Ocean Bar -- our last 3 cruises there wasn't any music there.  

 

Do away with the Loud music for entertainment.

 

Bring back the production shows -- one hour!!

I totally agree.  The Crows Nest is integral to HAL.   Including the desert extravaganza.  

 

The home office has parred down far too many items.  People will pay for product if you have it.  Now they just need to survive the Covid nightmare and get back to business.  I think HAL fans should expect that the S class ships along with some of the R class ships will no longer be sailing for HAL.   

[SageGuy]

On 5/17/2020 at 7:19 AM, kazu said:

 

Huh??  Where is this coming from???  When was the last time you were on HAL?

No smoking on balconies or on most areas of the ship other than one by the sea view pool and in a smoking section in the casino of some of the ships.

I agree with you. We're non-smokers and since HAL changed its smoking policy to not even permitting smoking on your own balcony, this has not been an issue for us. We avoid the smoking area outside. 

[Jimbo59]

Bring back the “Yum-Yum” man in the MDR. Also the man who plays the chimes to announce dinner.

[Boatdrill]

Please turn off the overhead music that plays constantly throughout the ship in elevators, outdoor decks, Lido, atrium, Pinnacle Grill, etc.

 

Thank you. 

 

Edited May 20, 2020 by Boatdrill

[trident]

We sailed on the HOMERIC for our honeymoon .Also sailed on the OCEANIC  AND DORIC  before HAL  brought  HOME LINES .Do  you remember that on home lines you would pay for reserved deck chairs? STEVE&FRAN

[1ANGELCAT]

6 minutes ago, trident said:

We sailed on the HOMERIC for our honeymoon .Also sailed on the OCEANIC  AND DORIC  before HAL  brought  HOME LINES .Do  you remember that on home lines you would pay for reserved deck chairs? STEVE&FRAN

I remember paying for a deck chair on my first HAL cruise in 1976 on the SS Statendam.

[crusinbanjo]

On 5/16/2020 at 1:44 PM, cruisemom42 said:

 

Me? I have no idea. 

 

I mostly take cruising as I find it, and I am not a loyalist. I cruise on a variety of lines. I know things change over time, some for better and some for worse but it's up to me to decide whether the value is there.

 

Mrs Banjo and I take the same attitude.  WE cruise a number of lines and our favorites and loyalties have changed along with changes made by the cruise lines.  We always search for value in both quality of product and interest of the IT, then balance all of that with the costs.  Interesting to think back at how we and the cruise lines have all changed over the years 

[BJzink]

On 5/15/2020 at 8:35 PM, Himself said:

Those were the days my friend!  Those were the great days or I should say the nights.

I have pictures of "High Tea" which are very similar.  Also miss the selection of tea from a tea chest passed around by a waiter.

[RuthC]

10 hours ago, Boatdrill said:

Please turn off the overhead music that plays constantly throughout the ship in elevators, outdoor decks, Lido, atrium, Pinnacle Grill, etc.

 

Thank you. 

 

YES!!! Bring back the quiet, refined atmosphere throughout the ship. Eliminating all that awful background 'music' won't cost a penny, either. 

[quack2]

Complete promenade deck.

[quack2]

3 hours ago, RuthC said:

YES!!! Bring back the quiet, refined atmosphere throughout the ship. Eliminating all that awful background 'music' won't cost a penny, either. 

 

Amen.

 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

On 5/13/2020 at 6:43 AM, RuthC said:

A resounding YES! But I have been willing to pay more for years now, if it meant keeping the HAL I used to cruise on. With HAL, I know what I have, and I know all too well what I've lost. 
The company can't keep the standards it had when the cost of those standards increased, but the prices charged hold steady (or decline!). 

I think that the old HAL may now be called Seabourn.   I heard Orlando say once that if you want Seabourn sized ships be ready for Seabourn pricing.  

 

Nevertheless, I did one Seabourn cruise and while the smaller ship, unlimited beverages, bigger cabin and higher quality food per plate was superior to HAL,  the individual service from HAL crewmembers, from the beverage staff to the waiters was superior on HAL.   

 

The mainstage on HAL is big enough to produce the shows I like and there are enough people to have some action in the Casino.    Seabourn's small ship means a small stage and less extravagant shows.   The casino on Seabourn was mostly empty and they didn't even have a poker table.   

 

I like the current HAL value proposition and find the ala carte pricing to meet my requirements.    

 

For those who prefer the old HAL, I would suggest Seabourn or Crystal - both very fine alternatives, albeit more expensive.

 

As far as what to bring back?   The HAL Cast production shows.   I have seen them all, love them all and never miss a chance to see them once again.

[BJzink]

I sure miss the cold fruit soups in the MDR!  And the small flowers on each table - those silly "lamps" don't make it.

 

[iancal]

There is no secret to this.  You get what you pay for (sometimes).   Champagne will cost more than beer.

[RocketMan275]

4 minutes ago, iancal said:

There is no secret to this.  You get what you pay for (sometimes).   Champagne will cost more than beer.

And, that's Orlando Ashford's fault.

[rafinmd]

1 hour ago, BJzink said:

I sure miss the cold fruit soups in the MDR!  And the small flowers on each table - those silly "lamps" don't make it.

 

Amen

Roy

[RuthC]

2 hours ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

For those who prefer the old HAL, I would suggest Seabourn or Crystal - both very fine alternatives, albeit more expensive.

Seabourn, especially, is more a luxury line. The old HAL was not that; it was a premium line. Carnival Corporation has nothing filling that niche right now, as the current HAL is mass market. 
I don't need all the free booze/wine, the balcony cabins, and some of the other amenities that Seabourn offers. A line at a higher price point than HAL currently, but lower than Seabourn, would be the ideal. 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

12 minutes ago, RuthC said:

Seabourn, especially, is more a luxury line. The old HAL was not that; it was a premium line. Carnival Corporation has nothing filling that niche right now, as the current HAL is mass market. 
I don't need all the free booze/wine, the balcony cabins, and some of the other amenities that Seabourn offers. A line at a higher price point than HAL currently, but lower than Seabourn, would be the ideal. 

I agree, that would be perfect.  

 

When I was on my Crystal/Seabourn cruises, I wasn't taking full advantage of many of their wonderful offerings.   

 

I liked the formality on Cunard, but that is probably a bridge to far - I wonder if Cunard will be able to keep that tradition alive.  

[rkacruiser]

10 hours ago, 1ANGELCAT said:

I remember paying for a deck chair on my first HAL cruise in 1976 on the SS Statendam.

 

Rotterdam V, 1970 and 1971:  I paid for two deck chairs on both cruises.  One chair was by the aft pool in the Sun, the other one was in an area that was sheltered by wind and Sun.  

 

Not needing to do so today is a positive change to cruising!

[Himself]

I loved the chilled soups.  In the good old days you had a choice between a broth soup, a cream soup and a chilled soup each night.