Things missing but at least we are cruising

[Dismomx5]

My sisters were on the Koningsdam May 28-June 4th. One had towel animals every day, the other only on gala nights. I think it must be dependent on who your steward is and how busy they are.

[Horizon chaser 1957]

On 6/18/2022 at 7:14 AM, RedneckBob said:

No big deal unless we run out of rum or toilet paper! I don’t know which would be worst 😳

Every port in Alaska sells both. The toilet paper is cheaper, and it’s not confiscated at the gangway. There lies your answer.

[Horizon chaser 1957]

28 minutes ago, Dismomx5 said:

My sisters were on the Koningsdam May 28-June 4th. One had towel animals every day, the other only on gala nights. I think it must be dependent on who your steward is and how busy they are.

We didn’t get a towel animal until the first Gala night. In the morning, I left it on the table ‘reading’ a paperback and holding a wine glass. We got a towel animal every night for the rest of the cruise.

[Cruising-along]

16 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

On the koningsdam in November 2021 and March 2022 we only had towel animals and chocolates on gala nights.  I do like the towel animals but I can understand getting rid of them.

Our cruise was Sept-October 2021.  Maybe it was our wonderful cabin stewards, or maybe they weren't having supply issues yet, but we had both towel animals and chocolates every night.  In fact we had extra chocolates most days! 

[RedneckBob]

Great news. We just got tall coffee cups and covers not from Containers but Amazon delivery in Juneau. HAL will go where no other cruise lines goes to get things done.

[jhsocal]

Thank you for the review and answers to questions. It seems like "inconsistent" is the key word from cruise to cruise.

[mahi mahi]

Just got off Zuiderdam Wednesday and we had chocolates and towel animals every night!

[Kristal Blade]

1 hour ago, mahi mahi said:

Just got off Zuiderdam Wednesday and we had chocolates and towel animals every night!

I’m pleased to hear this. We have booked Zuiderdam in August, first cruise for our grandkids and I was really hoping they would do towel animals. I know my grand daughter (8) will love them. Her brother (11) won’t care!

[albingirl]

4 hours ago, Kristal Blade said:

I’m pleased to hear this. We have booked Zuiderdam in August, first cruise for our grandkids and I was really hoping they would do towel animals. I know my grand daughter (8) will love them. Her brother (11) won’t care!

 

4 hours ago, Kristal Blade said:

I’m pleased to hear this. We have booked Zuiderdam in August, first cruise for our grandkids and I was really hoping they would do towel animals. I know my grand daughter (8) will love them. Her brother (11) won’t care!

If we had kids sailing with us, it would be nice to see towel animals.  As for me, I really don't care and don't want the cabin stewards to waste their time.  I've seen enough of them.

[Nodakboiler]

Just returned from B2B on the Nieuw Statendam in Europe. The ship had run out of straws at some point and also had run out of Malbec wine and Bailey's. At some point only 12 bottles of Malbec were delivered to the ship and you could only order is from the Pinnacle and Club Orange restaurants. We had a great time, but this is just the reality of sailing in 2022. Also, European airports are a mess with cancelled flights,  striking baggage handlers and air traffic controllers. We had some passengers whose lost luggage caught up to them in  day 8-9 of a 12-day segment. 

[albingirl]

1 hour ago, Nodakboiler said:

Just returned from B2B on the Nieuw Statendam in Europe. The ship had run out of straws at some point and also had run out of Malbec wine and Bailey's. At some point only 12 bottles of Malbec were delivered to the ship and you could only order is from the Pinnacle and Club Orange restaurants. We had a great time, but this is just the reality of sailing in 2022. Also, European airports are a mess with cancelled flights,  striking baggage handlers and air traffic controllers. We had some passengers whose lost luggage caught up to them in  day 8-9 of a 12-day segment. 

I really love it when they run out of Bud Light on a cruise.  The best selling beer, hands down, in the USA and they don't stock enough.  Crazy.

[BruceMuzz]

On 6/19/2022 at 8:07 AM, mxschwartz said:

Can you find out why they are leaving earlier and shortening all the times at port?

 

Thanks!

Easy answer.

Leaving earlier and shortening port times means lower cruising speeds = lower fuel costs.

It also means more hours that the Casino and Duty Free Shop are open = more revenue and profits.

With HAL, it is ALWAYS about the money.

[oakridger]

9 hours ago, albingirl said:

I really love it when they run out of Bud Light on a cruise.  The best selling beer, hands down, in the USA and they don't stock enough.  Crazy.

 

Yes, I mean really??!!  I used to drink Bud Light and on two cruises they were out of it.....both leaving from Ft. Lauderdale!!  This was before Covid/supply chain issues!!   Now, I know Florida has an ample supply of Bud Light, it was just bad planning on HALs part!

 

~Nancy

[ontheweb]

15 hours ago, albingirl said:

I really love it when they run out of Bud Light on a cruise.  The best selling beer, hands down, in the USA and they don't stock enough.  Crazy.

So, they come up light on Bud Light. 😒🤣

[rodndonna]

14 hours ago, BruceMuzz said:

Easy answer.

Leaving earlier and shortening port times means lower cruising speeds = lower fuel costs.

It also means more hours that the Casino and Duty Free Shop are open = more revenue and profits.

With HAL, it is ALWAYS about the money.

 

Is there a cruise line (or any for profit business) where that isn't the case? 

[Boatdrill]

On 6/18/2022 at 9:26 AM, Troubador222 said:

I can't speak for how HAL supplies their ships but I do know how RCCL does it. I drive a truck and we move freight for their Alaska ships. We haul dry goods and frozen food from warehouses in Miami FL and run them to Seattle.

When Carnival had a ship home ported in San Diego, their supplies also came via truck from Miami.

Would you happen to know why cruise lines don't use west coast warehouses ? 

[Cruiz'nBaers]

On 6/18/2022 at 5:05 PM, ger_77 said:

On 6/18/2022 at 5:05 PM, ger_77 said:

I don't care about the towel animals, I want chocolate !!!  LOL

 

We were on the Nieuw Amsterdam in October, chocolates on formal nights on a 7 night cruise.    On Celebrity in February on a 10 night cruise, chocolates every night.  Skimping on pillow chocolates, HAL, seems pretty cheap to me . 

[Skipper's Mom]

On 6/19/2022 at 10:56 AM, RedneckBob said:

Update to things missing.

 

Dined at Tamarind last nite. It was excellent. Things missing were no scallops and three types of Saki. But the HAL shopping bags appeared yesterday that were not available last cruise

Maybe because you're on B2B they felt you only needed one bag for both cruises?

[Boatdrill]

4 hours ago, Cruiz'nBaers said:

We were on the Nieuw Amsterdam in October, chocolates on formal nights on a 7 night cruise.    On Celebrity in February on a 10 night cruise, chocolates every night.  Skimping on pillow chocolates, HAL, seems pretty cheap to me . 

🙄

[ew101]

The good news is cruise lines have a well organized supply chain.  The containers arrive on time and you have your food and beverages and local, geographic shortages are unimportant.  But, there is limited storage aboard and you have to order weeks in advance.  We talked to a Bar Manager about a rumored lack of limes on a voyage.  They try to trace food and beverage purchases so there is not a "jump in a taxi and go to the store" process.  If you get a run on an item, they can be out.  

 

In the world of MBA programs there is the "Beer Game" - if everyone over-orders and panics the supply chain explodes.  Beer Distribution Game: MIT Sloan Students Learn About Supply Chain - Bloomberg

 

Trader Joes recently got kudos.  Early in 2020 they switched their ordering system from "pull" (stores decided what to order) to "push"- the computer sent them what they ordered last week or last year.  This kept their "in stock" percentages amazingly high.  

 

 

[cruisemom42]

23 hours ago, rodndonna said:

 

Is there a cruise line (or any for profit business) where that isn't the case? 

 

Of course, but there is a line that most businesses have to observe called value for money. Customers soon suss when they are paying for more than they are receiving. IMO that's been happening with HAL for some years now.

 

It's the difference between being charmed into offering up your credit card versus being mugged for it.

[rodndonna]

1 hour ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Of course, but there is a line that most businesses have to observe called value for money. Customers soon suss when they are paying for more than they are receiving. IMO that's been happening with HAL for some years now.

 

 True, but that is the nature of business. They all make decisions and take directions to attempt to increase profit, although some of these decisions may result in a loss of profit. 

 

I haven't been with HAL long with2 cruises and both since Covid, but if what you are saying is true, and the Value for money does not compare well with other cruise line offerings, they won't survive.  That is the nature of business.

[Troubador222]

On 6/25/2022 at 8:13 AM, Boatdrill said:

When Carnival had a ship home ported in San Diego, their supplies also came via truck from Miami.

Would you happen to know why cruise lines don't use west coast warehouses ? 

No, I don’t. Their headquarters may be in Miami as well.