GO TO BED

[oldmovieguy]

I’ve just seen a report on YouTube that suggests that everything on Holland America, the Konigsdam in particular,  just shuts down at 11pm. What!, on other cruises we have done on different line we are just getting into our stride, tell me it isn’t so. Many thanks.

[ski ww]

It's up to you to make the most out of your cruise. I would not believe everything I see on YouTube. Take into consideration on who posted it.

[Mary229]

A few of the music/dance venues continue on and the casino is all night.  Generally the ship outside of those venues is very quiet after 11.

 

lots of HAL cruisers, myself included, are early to bed early to rise.  This is not an age thing, this is how some people are .  HAL ships tend to be in port as early as possible and stay all day and people want to explore. There won’t be many 4 hour stops I have experienced on other lines

Edited August 20, 2022 by Mary229

[carlmm]

Unfortunately it got in my experience worse over time. 

15 years ago or so, on my first HAL cruise, the party was going on every night in the crows nest until one or two in the morning, sometimes later. Well, at the time of course the crows nest was a lounge with nightly entertainment.

On my last cruise, everything was dead after 10 or 10.30 pm. The ships being bigger and more venues do not help if HAL does not use musicians and so on to create a lively atmosphere.

[Florida_gal_50]

2 hours ago, oldmovieguy said:

I’ve just seen a report on YouTube that suggests that everything on Holland America, the Konigsdam in particular,  just shuts down at 11pm. What!, on other cruises we have done on different line we are just getting into our stride, tell me it isn’t so. Many thanks.

If you are a party all night person hal is probably going to disappoint.  I love a quiet existence so I’m happy about that.  I wonder if cruise critic poster @Hlitnerposted the YouTube video😛.  Sounds like it came from him.

[Hlitner]

1 minute ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

If you are a party all night person hal is probably going to disappoint.  I love a quiet existence so I’m happy about that.  I wonder if cruise critic poster @Hlitnerposted the YouTube video😛.  Sounds like it came from him.

Nope, I do not post anything on Youtube.    Keep in mind my post in this thread was simply reacting to the OP's post/observation.  Having a lot of family living in Florida (where they are in the habit of rushing to early birds at 4pm) I get the Florida culture :).    

 

Hank

[DCThunder]

Just now, Hlitner said:

Having a lot of family living in Florida (where they are in the habit of rushing to early birds at 4pm) I get the Florida culture :). 

Hey, got to get home in time to watch a Gunsmoke rerun before Wheel of Fortune starts!

[PACD_JG]

Assume you're referring to this video and the remarks starting at 3:05.

 

Three things:  It's an Alaska Cruise - most people spent their money to sightsee Alaska, and that's a bit hard to do when you've been up all night.  Also...she's probably not wrong - I wouldn't know because I was asleep by 11 each night!  And there's plenty of choice in cruise ships, and HAL is probably not for you (but you already knew that before you posted...)

 

 

Edited August 20, 2022 by PACD_JG

[Hlitner]

12 minutes ago, DCThunder said:

Hey, got to get home in time to watch a Gunsmoke rerun before Wheel of Fortune starts!

Geez, I will admit to watching Gunsmoke (it is on ME TV) and some other streaming sites   Festus was one of my hero's along with Onslow (Keeping up Appearances).

 

Hank

[cruisemom42]

It's possible to both cruise for the itinerary AND want to enjoy some nightlife onboard ship. Perhaps the hours are more reflective of HAL's overall older demographic than a conscious focusing on ports...

 

I'm one that is usually ashore until the last moment and doing things on my own (e.g., not just sitting in a bus all day). Yet I am also a night owl, and I prefer lines that not only offer a main lounge "event" of some kind every night but also a secondary, later show. 

 

I'll admit I have not been on one of the newer HAL ships with the full music venue, but I find the offerings on other ships good if a bit limited and repetitive over more than a 7-day cruise.  I don't gamble, so choices in the evening are few. There are nights when I've given up and gone back to my cabin to watch TV or a movie (which to me is a defeat, it's not why I'm on vacation). 

 

Celebrity and Princess (other lines I cruise) have more going on in the evenings and a livelier atmosphere. The Celebrity cruise I took last summer to Alaska was certainly hopping -- despite the oft-quoted thought here that Alaska cruises are "quieter" due to the active nature of the excursions....

 

[albingirl]

Music is our thing and the Pinnacle class ships have more to offer in the way of night time entertainment.  After being at the beach all day (exhausting), or laying around on lounge chairs on the ship (tiring), I'm usually ready for bed early.   HAL has had that reputation forever, for the old and early bird gang, but that's why I love it.

[LMaxwell]

It's not my impression that everything shuts down after 11; but you may only find one or two venues + casino still "going".  Find it odd people on this post are trying to convince you the ships are lively late at night or "it's what you make it".  MSC, Royal Caribbean, NCL...much more late night entertainment if that's a high priority for your enjoyment 

[BermudaBound2014]

Simply put: If nightlife is a high priority, HAL is not the best choice. 

[Petrocelli]

I have only been on one cruise (Koningsdam Inner Passage), so I don't have much to compare it to.  But if you love music, HAL's music walk is outstanding.  

 

My wife and I started each evening with cocktails and classic music around 5:00.  We'd have dinner, head to music walk, and go between the three venues (rock, blues, and Billboard).  We were enormously entertained and had the best time we've had in years.  

 

Admittedly, I'd head back to the room around 11, but that's because I was in the gym by 7 every morning.  And my "night " started with classical music (and cocktails) at 5.  At age 62, that's about as good as I can do.

Edited August 21, 2022 by Petrocelli

[crystalspin]

1 minute ago, Petrocelli said:

My wife and I started each evening with cocktails and classic music around 5:00.  We'd have dinner, head to music walk, and go between the three venues (rock, blues, and Billboard).  We were enormously entertained and had the best time we've had in years.  

Hey I think you two are us!

[KroozNut]

14 hours ago, oldmovieguy said:

I’ve just seen a report on YouTube that suggests that everything on Holland America, the Konigsdam in particular,  just shuts down at 11pm. What!, on other cruises we have done on different line we are just getting into our stride, tell me it isn’t so. Many thanks.

 

It's true.. 😏

 

[KroozNut]

26 minutes ago, Petrocelli said:

Admittedly, I'd head back to the room around 11

 

Okay, I'll admit that I'm a career U.S. Navy veteran of 24 years, but I cannot just let improper shipboard terminology go unchecked.

 

'Rooms' are in land based hotels, or at your own home. A 'cabin' or 'stateroom' is what we call them on a ship.

 

Sorry, couldn't help myself! 😉

[cruisemom42]

50 minutes ago, Petrocelli said:

 

Admittedly, I'd head back to the room around 11, but that's because I was in the gym by 7 every morning.  

 

19 minutes ago, KroozNut said:

 

Okay, I'll admit that I'm a career U.S. Navy veteran of 24 years, but I cannot just let improper shipboard terminology go unchecked.

 

'Rooms' are in land based hotels, or at your own home. A 'cabin' or 'stateroom' is what we call them on a ship.

 

 

Hey, at least he used "head".  🤣🤣🤣

[CruiserBruce]

Some people feel the need to bash people's choice of when they go to bed, or when they "call it a night". Or when they get up. Why? Who the hell cares? Its personal choice.

[MarinersBaseballFan]

In a different HAL topic, SGCruiser2013 recently posted the entertainment schedule for a typical day on the Koningsdam for 8/17/2022, after a day of Cruising Glacier Bay.

Link to Topic:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2873339-live-from-koningsdam-august-13-rt-vancouver/

 

I cropped the image below to show only the evening events.

 

 

[AFNavigator]

15 hours ago, DCThunder said:

Hey, got to get home in time to watch a Gunsmoke rerun before Wheel of Fortune starts!

Had lunch in an old BBQ joint one time and, while I was in line waiting to pay, I overheard one older gentleman telling his buddy, "Look how late it is.  I gotta get home so I can take a nap in time to wake up for dinner".

[Petrocelli]

4 hours ago, KroozNut said:

 

Okay, I'll admit that I'm a career U.S. Navy veteran of 24 years, but I cannot just let improper shipboard terminology go unchecked.

 

'Rooms' are in land based hotels, or at your own home. A 'cabin' or 'stateroom' is what we call them on a ship.

 

Sorry, couldn't help myself! 😉

Thanks!  Like I said, I've only been on one cruise so I'm not familiar with nautical terminology.

 

FYI, my cabin was on the left-hand side of the boat.

[crystalspin]

4 minutes ago, Petrocelli said:

FYI, my cabin was on the left-hand side of the boat.

HAHAHA 

 

PORT

[Sue from Canada]

20 hours ago, oldmovieguy said:

I’ve just seen a report on YouTube that suggests that everything on Holland America, the Konigsdam in particular,  just shuts down at 11pm. What!, on other cruises we have done on different line we are just getting into our stride, tell me it isn’t so. Many thanks.

I'm a night owl and don't usually go to sleep before 4 am.  HAL is pretty dead around 11pm.  I wish someone would have some activities for us to do.  I'm usually in the Casino and out on an outside deck listening to the waves.  Maybe HAL could put in the daily program that card games will be available in whatever room.  Or even better, run a movie (and popcorn) to start at 1am.

[oldmovieguy]

Many thanks to all you good folks who have replied to my query. I guess it’s a truism that us Brits tend to party on a bit in the late evening’s, I may be a bit slow during the day, hitting 76 next week, but I find a few beers and nips loosens up the joints considerably, if we do decide to cruisE HAL I promise to keep the noise down. Night night.