HAL offering longer cruises from US

[0106]

Yes, did the Panama Canal Ft Lauderdale to SanDiego this February and loved it.  Bucket list.

[*Miss G*]

11 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

Of course it's a marketing campaign. It even has a catchy slogan "See the world from your doorstep". 

 

This non-news hit the financial circuit this morning and Travel pulse this evening. If history repeats itself; this will be headline 'news' (or non-news for the HAL die hard fans lol) among the industry players this weekend. 

 

The “See the World from Your Doorstep” campaign highlights the cruise line’s roundtrip voyages from Boston, Fort Lauderdale, San Diego and Seattle. Holland America Line offers more roundtrip cruises from the U.S. over fifteen nights long than any other cruise line, with 225 ports in 91 countries.

 

https://www.travelpulse.com/news/cruise/holland-america-reports-significant-interest-in-longer-roundtrip-cruises-from-us-ports.html

 

 

 

I think it’s brilliant.  (Nice save, btw. lol)

[*Miss G*]

10 minutes ago, ChinaShrek said:

Thanks! I am looking at the Zuiderdam for the Panama Canal. Would you book that ship?

 

Absolutely!  Had a great time.  ☀️ 🏖 

[CruiserBruce]

35 minutes ago, ChinaShrek said:

Thanks! I am looking at the Zuiderdam for the Panama Canal. Would you book that ship?

Absolutely. Had it booked for a 24 day Med cruise in 2021...until Covid canceled it.

[BermudaBound2014]

31 minutes ago, *Miss G* said:

 

I think it’s brilliant.  (Nice save, btw. lol)

 

Not following how I got in trouble. In my first post I called this a marketing strategy. In my second post I agreed with you, added the official slogan, and posted to yet another news story about this 'non-news' lol. 

 

 Regardless, I'm glad I made the save  😉

 

 

[rkacruiser]

Long voyages are cruises that HAL have excelled at from most perspectives:  entertainment, speakers, a destination specialist (or more), dining, offering shore excursions (of port duration as well as overland excursions) that are quality, well planned and executed, with a member of the Shore Excursion or other staff member along on the trip with a first aid pack, etc., and assisting tour members.  

 

From what I think I am learning, the Zuiderdam has been chosen as the ship to sail the long cruises that the Prinsendam and the Amsterdam once did.  

[Turtles06]

1 hour ago, ChinaShrek said:

Thanks! I am looking at the Zuiderdam for the Panama Canal. Would you book that ship?

 

I would.  Sailed her on the wonderful Viking Passage in 2018 (which was 21 days), and booked her for B2B Panama Canal full transits for this coming winter, but HAL pulled her and substituted the Zaandam. 

[crystalspin]

1 hour ago, ChinaShrek said:

Thanks! I am looking at the Zuiderdam for the Panama Canal. Would you book that ship?

My favorite ship (so far). We did a FLL-CPH transAtlantic in an inside-with-a-window on the Observation Deck. Steps to the Crows Nest. But in post-COVID times, I would only book a balcony...

 

If you do book a balcony, and want to use it in the canal, choose port coming FLL-California and starboard the other way. It is not intuitive.

[Mary229]

7 hours ago, NCTribeFan said:

I was looking at the Volendam Amazon sailing that's RT from FLL this fall (which I can't take because I'm on a B2B2B on Carnival Med/Med/TA that's been postponed twice).

 

Unfortunately, I don't see anything comparable for fall 2023.  I would almost certainly book that.  Think I'm just missing something or that they haven't posted an itinerary for that yet?

It has been offered every year for a while.  I assume they will continue to offer it.  It was my preference but I was vetoed in favor of the BA to FLL segment.  

[Florida_gal_50]

3 hours ago, HappyInVan said:

HAL was founded in 1873 as a shipping company. Running longer voyages (like Cunard 1879) to far places. As I recall, HAL has always offered several long voyages.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holland_America_Line

 

Today, the longer voyages make sense because they offer the elderly (a growing market) an opportunity for 'adventure'. Aloha!

 

They make economic sense because these itineraries are often heavily booked, and pricey. Profits, profits, profits!

 

IMHO, HAL should continue to sharpen their focused strategy. Rather than compete on a me-too basis against the big ships.

 

 

Heavily booked?  I can see for a world cruise.  I wish they’d use the smaller ships since the older crowd prefers them and they are easier to fill and leave the never ships for short cruises.  I have zero interest in sailing on the zaandam and I have been on the ship before.

[retird]

6 hours ago, Tampa Girl said:

I am not sure why this is such news.  HAL has been sailing long cruises out of various U.S. ports for a long time. I think that all of the Grand Voyages (WC's, Grand Africa, Grand Asia, Grand South America, etc.) have been going out of U.S. ports.   The Asian non-Grands have been sailing from the U.S. West coast on cruises of more than 15 days for years.  And they have been sailing out of San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Boston, FLL, Tampa, etc.  HAL always been known for its long voyages and out-of-the-way ports.  It surely beats flying across one of the "ponds" to board a ship. 

 

Love the long cruises!  We are currently booked on the '24 WC, and I will be curious to see how close the 2023 WC and the other forthcoming Grands will be to the pre-Covid days.  Predictions?

I interpreted that the OP was talking about “Roundtrip” longer cruises that would leave and go abroad and then return to the same US port.    I see lots of longer cruises from US ports terminating at a port other than the commencement port,  But no Roundtrips other than the standard Caribbean.

[DAllenTCY]

Zuiderdam round trip from San Diego October 3, 2022....45 nights

 

Koningsdam round trip from San Diego February 18, 2023...35 nights

 

Volendam round trip from San Diego October 2, 2023....51 nights

 

David

 

 

 

[CruiserBruce]

8 hours ago, retird said:

I interpreted that the OP was talking about “Roundtrip” longer cruises that would leave and go abroad and then return to the same US port.    I see lots of longer cruises from US ports terminating at a port other than the commencement port,  But no Roundtrips other than the standard Caribbean.

Today N. Statendam is completing an Iceland/Greenland 24 day cruise, roundtrip out of Boston. Not sold as two cruises.

[NCTribeFan]

I'll keep looking for a RT from Port Everglades to the Amazon.  Don't know that I can fit it in my budget since I have the Rotterdam TA + 10 nights following next April and I'm thinking of the Westerdam TP in spring 2024.  Might have to stick with a 11-night sailing for fall 2023.

 

Did a quasi-B2B TA a few years ago.  NCL Star EB Miami-Barcelona in late April, 3 nights in an AirB2B in Barcelona, then Carnival Horizon WB Barcelona-NY.  It was fabulous.  Only reason we could do that was that Horizon was a new ship and rather than keep her in the Med for the entire summer, they brought her to the states.  Don't find many westbound TAs in the spring.  Well, there's Cunard but that's def not in my budget. 

 

I'd be pretty excited to be able to do a transocean sailing RT from a US port.

 

 

[Mary229]

10 hours ago, retird said:

I interpreted that the OP was talking about “Roundtrip” longer cruises that would leave and go abroad and then return to the same US port.    I see lots of longer cruises from US ports terminating at a port other than the commencement port,  But no Roundtrips other than the standard Caribbean.

There are quite a few - the VOV, Iceland, Tahiti and of course Alaska and Canada.  They are doing also a grand Africa, Grand Australia and the World Cruise.  All of these are round trip

[Tampa Girl]

13 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Heavily booked?  I can see for a world cruise.  I wish they’d use the smaller ships since the older crowd prefers them and they are easier to fill and leave the never ships for short cruises.  I have zero interest in sailing on the zaandam and I have been on the ship before.

 I agree that a smaller ship would be preferable.  However, since you don't like the Zaandam, what other smaller ships do you have in mind?  Is there another choice besides the Volendam?

[Tampa Girl]

15 hours ago, TwoBadKnees said:

 

Sorry, but I couldn't remember Transatlantic round trip voyages, other than the World Cruises, being offered.  Going round trip from the US east coast to Europe is of interest to me.

Did the Med Grand Voyage sail R/T from the U.S.?  I don't remember and that has not been sailing for several years.  

[BermudaBound2014]

9 hours ago, DAllenTCY said:

Zuiderdam round trip from San Diego October 3, 2022....45 nights

 

Koningsdam round trip from San Diego February 18, 2023...35 nights

 

Volendam round trip from San Diego October 2, 2023....51 nights

 

David

 

 

 

 

22 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

There are quite a few - the VOV, Iceland, Tahiti and of course Alaska and Canada.  They are doing also a grand Africa, Grand Australia and the World Cruise.  All of these are round trip

 

Just now, Tampa Girl said:

Did the Med Grand Voyage sail R/T from the U.S.?  I don't remember and that has not been sailing for several years.  

 

 

I'm no where near as good as most of you when it comes to HAL itineraries.

 

Some of the news articles are suggesting that HAL is adding addition long RT sailings from the USA based on current demand. Others are suggesting HAL is just 'highlighting' its existing niche.

 

Can anyone with a history of HAL confirm/deny? Does it appear that HAL is offering more 15+ night trips RT from the USA than they did pre-covid?

 

 

 

[Turtles06]

14 hours ago, crystalspin said:

If you do book a balcony, and want to use it in the canal, choose port coming FLL-California and starboard the other way. It is not intuitive.

 

I'm curious as to why you say that.  During the Canal transit, and especially when going through the locks, one should experience things from all over the ship  -- high, low, fore, aft, midships -- and not be sitting on one's balcony.  But if you do want to hang out for awhile on the balcony, a good time to do that is when the ship is crossing Gatun Lake; at that point, there is two-way traffic, with ships (including big container ships) passing each other on their port sides.    I haven't yet gone through the Canal from south to north, so perhaps I'm missing something in your recommendation. Could you please explain?  Thanks!

[Mary229]

49 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

 

 

 

I'm no where near as good as most of you when it comes to HAL itineraries.

 

Some of the news articles are suggesting that HAL is adding addition long RT sailings from the USA based on current demand. Others are suggesting HAL is just 'highlighting' its existing niche.

 

Can anyone with a history of HAL confirm/deny? Does it appear that HAL is offering more 15+ night trips RT from the USA than they did pre-covid?

 

 

 

The only big difference I have seen is the massive deployment to Alaska and Canada this year.  That season is going to end soon and it will be interesting to see what is in store.  HAL, IMHO, is just not that competitive in the Caribbean.  I would like to see something more interesting happen there .  Many of you don’t likely know that Princess made a recent entry into the Texas market leaving from Galveston - that is different and signal a change.  The longer cruises mentioned above are not new or are updated versions in the plans before this current trend

[Tradestock]

16 hours ago, ChinaShrek said:

Thanks! I am looking at the Zuiderdam for the Panama Canal. Would you book that ship?

My husband and I enjoyed the ship and itinerary.  It was our first cruise with HAL. So far, it ranks as the best cruise we have taken. 

 

On a different note, is the Amazon/Antarctic round trip from FLL scheduled on a routine basis?  Or, is the 2023 voyage a once only scheduling of the itinerary?  

[boulders]

17 minutes ago, Tradestock said:

On a different note, is the Amazon/Antarctic round trip from FLL scheduled on a routine basis?  Or, is the 2023 voyage a once only scheduling of the itinerary?  

 

It's fairly routine. I remember seeing it 10 years ago. Other cruise lines do it as well. 

[StLouisCruisers]

1 hour ago, Tampa Girl said:

Did the Med Grand Voyage sail R/T from the U.S.?  I don't remember and that has not been sailing for several years.  

The Prinsendam sailed R/T from FLL doing a Grand Med and Africa in Mar-Apr-May, 2018 (54 days).

 

 

 

18 minutes ago, Tradestock said:

My husband and I enjoyed the ship and itinerary.  It was our first cruise with HAL. So far, it ranks as the best cruise we have taken. 

 

On a different note, is the Amazon/Antarctic round trip from FLL scheduled on a routine basis?  Or, is the 2023 voyage a once only scheduling of the itinerary?  

I don't know about routinely, but they've had the Grand South America/Antarctica (includes Amazon) scheduled in January 2021, January 2022 and January 2023.  The first two were cancelled but it appears it will finally happen in January 2023.  It could be two or three years before it's scheduled again.  You never know with Antarctica.

[Mary229]

24 minutes ago, Tradestock said:

My husband and I enjoyed the ship and itinerary.  It was our first cruise with HAL. So far, it ranks as the best cruise we have taken. 

 

On a different note, is the Amazon/Antarctic round trip from FLL scheduled on a routine basis?  Or, is the 2023 voyage a once only scheduling of the itinerary?  

There was a recent thread where it was said the grand South American would be retired

[Guest ldtr]

15 hours ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Heavily booked?  I can see for a world cruise.  I wish they’d use the smaller ships since the older crowd prefers them and they are easier to fill and leave the never ships for short cruises.  I have zero interest in sailing on the zaandam and I have been on the ship before.

The grand voyages usually sell out well in advance and command a premium price  per day compared to shorter cruises. I would consider that to be heavily booked.