So, how’s HAL doing these days?

[seatrial]

The fact that HAL no longer provides an after-dinner butter mint pretty much sums up things up for me. It was the little things that made HAL special. Those little things are mostly gone. Carnival Corporation is really the pits and in my opinion has ruined the lines it owns.

[JesseLivermore]

On 10/7/2022 at 9:26 AM, LocoLoco1 said:

 Tis Crazy to see CCL stock at 1992 levels, less than $7/sh. 

 

i bought some @7. 60 and now regretting it seeing it to 6.X I hope they don't go BK at this rate and can continue the OBC to soften the pain. I know there are macro forces at work that CCL can't control other than cost cutting

 

  There was a dedicated thread for this I can't find anymore?

[Damcruiser]

On 10/11/2022 at 4:25 PM, true45 said:

We are looking forward to trying our first HAL sailing in the NS next month.  Variety is the spice of life.  
 

Happy sailing

 

You might find me up in the Crow's nest.  We liked the NS so much we will be onboard for 7 weeks

[BetsyS.]

On 10/11/2022 at 4:50 PM, seatrial said:

The fact that HAL no longer provides an after-dinner butter mint pretty much sums up things up for me. It was the little things that made HAL special. Those little things are mostly gone. Carnival Corporation is really the pits and in my opinion has ruined the lines it owns.

I miss the after-dinner butter mints too and the Yum Yum man ringing the chimes before dinner. I was on the Veendam years ago and the crew show was fantastic. 

The crew loved doing it. The Veendam had a librarian and a big library. The Chocolate 

Extravaganza was a special event. I hope that HAL will bring back the things that passengers miss.

[larrywizzit]

On 10/11/2022 at 4:25 PM, true45 said:

We were on the Celebrity Summit and The Apex this past year and the entertainment was super.  The Apex has differing entertainment in several venues from the main theater (example — contemporary violin show), smaller theater (ex Motown full band with horns & great lead singer & dance floor) Eden with funky quirky innovative theatre type show and the Atrium area band, music at the pool etc.

We are looking forward to trying our first HAL sailing in the NS next month.  Variety is the spice of life.  
 

Happy sailing

 

I honestly couldn’t care less about entertainment. We don’t go too much except maybe to listen a band play in BB King or Rolling Stone. We rarely even eat in the dining room. I’m going to be in the warmth, eat well, read and get my work done.

 

I still work remotely for my old company, so this is an experiment to see if I can do it from a cruise ship. Obviously, mostly while in port for mobile internet access. 
 

Ship’s internet is too flaky for that. 

[sggorden]

I am on the koningsdam right now. It's a 16 day Vancouver to the Hawaiian islands and back cruise. I have been on 3 previous HAL cruises before Covid (as well as 25 other cruises before covid and 1 celebrity cruise this summer. I was always very happy w hal. Unfortunately there are so many things that don't live up to past cruises on HAL. The long and short of it is that the ship is full and staffing is not. Food not as good, most activities are centered around promotional activities the ship can charge for. At two ports all excursions were wait listed - not enough excursions for the guests. Very little stage entertainment, showing movies instead. Staff at guest relations and shore excursions seem to use the app to blame everything on. 

I just made myself stop here because I could go on and on. 

The Celebrity cruise was only 80% full and was just like pre Covid nothing to complain about. 

Not a thing has been done to say hal is sorry - not even a chocolate covered strawberry in the cabin! 

This will be my last HAL cruise unless I receive satisfaction. 

 

[ChinaShrek]

1 hour ago, sggorden said:

 

The Celebrity cruise was only 80% full and was just like pre Covid nothing to complain about. 

Not a thing has been done to say hal is sorry - not even a chocolate covered strawberry in the cabin! 

 

 

You compare HAL to Celebrity but do not mention prices. I am seeing a lot of cheap HAL cruises and casino offers. Perhaps, we are getting what we pay for?

[bz]

Back last week for a 6-night cruise on the Noordam, Vancouver to San Diego.  You can read my review.  Staff was great, food was not.  Several cold itmes from the Lido.  Not as many choices in the MDR..  Meatload on the carving station with peas & carrots, mac & cheese on the MDR menu 2x.  Sent back 2 breakfasts, 1 fish dinner @ Pinnacle.  In over 25 cruises I don't think I ever sent a meal back.  I loved Billboard on other cruises, these 2 piano players not so great.  Lincoln Stage, another favorite, takes place in what seems like a conference room.  Room steward knocking on the door around 5 p.m. to ask what time are we going to dinner.  We have the Eurodam booked in February and are not canceling only b/c we want the itinerary (partial of the Panama Canal).

[Tudy]

16 hours ago, ChinaShrek said:

You compare HAL to Celebrity but do not mention prices. I am seeing a lot of cheap HAL cruises and casino offers. Perhaps, we are getting what we pay for?

I can answer the question of price comparison. Sailed Celebrity 3 weeks ago. Have Eurodam cruise Nov 9.

-Celebrity Equinox Concierge cabin (deluxe veranda) $130pp per night: With drinks, gratuities, wifi, and $250 OBC

-Eurodam VD $200pp per night: with Drinks, internet, 2 nights in specialty dining, $525 OBC

 

This will be our second cruise on HAL, our first since covid. It will be interesting to see what I think.

[Banditswife]

we've been on 4 cruises post pandemic- 31 days on Carnival & 21 days on HAL.  Yes there are cut backs, but that is everywhere on land, sea & air.  We had only sailed HAL 1x pre pandemic & did not really care for the slower climate,  but gave HAL another try w/ an offer too good to pass up.  Thoroughly enjoyed our 21 days on HAL last Oct.  So much so that we booked 14 days on N Statendam for next month.  I felt dining was better than our pre covid cruise- but maybe because I had missed cruising so much, I appreciated it more.  Our 3 Carnival cruises were hit & miss- 1 was what I would call really bad in dining & entertainment.  The other 2 were great.  We are looking forward to sailing on N Statendam & making HAL our cruise line of choice.

[Mary229]

21 hours ago, larrywizzit said:

I honestly couldn’t care less about entertainment. We don’t go too much except maybe to listen a band play in BB King or Rolling Stone. We rarely even eat in the dining room. I’m going to be in the warmth, eat well, read and get my work done.

 

I still work remotely for my old company, so this is an experiment to see if I can do it from a cruise ship. Obviously, mostly while in port for mobile internet access. 
 

Ship’s internet is too flaky for that. 

My BIL rents a business room from a hotel while in port.  His work requires large data transfers of video files.  It works very well for him and he travels frequently 

[albingirl]

On 10/11/2022 at 4:50 PM, seatrial said:

The fact that HAL no longer provides an after-dinner butter mint pretty much sums up things up for me. It was the little things that made HAL special. Those little things are mostly gone. Carnival Corporation is really the pits and in my opinion has ruined the lines it owns.

An after dinner butter mint sums it up for you? I never, in all my years of sailing, ever was offered one of those. What are they?

[Guest ldtr]

On 10/18/2022 at 12:50 PM, sggorden said:

I am on the koningsdam right now. It's a 16 day Vancouver to the Hawaiian islands and back cruise. I have been on 3 previous HAL cruises before Covid (as well as 25 other cruises before covid and 1 celebrity cruise this summer. I was always very happy w hal. Unfortunately there are so many things that don't live up to past cruises on HAL. The long and short of it is that the ship is full and staffing is not. Food not as good, most activities are centered around promotional activities the ship can charge for. At two ports all excursions were wait listed - not enough excursions for the guests. Very little stage entertainment, showing movies instead. Staff at guest relations and shore excursions seem to use the app to blame everything on. 

I just made myself stop here because I could go on and on. 

The Celebrity cruise was only 80% full and was just like pre Covid nothing to complain about. 

Not a thing has been done to say hal is sorry - not even a chocolate covered strawberry in the cabin! 

This will be my last HAL cruise unless I receive satisfaction. 

 

Not unusual for excursions to be sold out on Hawaii cruises on just about any ship.  Limited capacity for excursions on Kauai, Maui, and the big Island.

[Damcruiser]

9 hours ago, Banditswife said:

we've been on 4 cruises post pandemic- 31 days on Carnival & 21 days on HAL.  Yes there are cut backs, but that is everywhere on land, sea & air.  We had only sailed HAL 1x pre pandemic & did not really care for the slower climate,  but gave HAL another try w/ an offer too good to pass up.  Thoroughly enjoyed our 21 days on HAL last Oct.  So much so that we booked 14 days on N Statendam for next month.  I felt dining was better than our pre covid cruise- but maybe because I had missed cruising so much, I appreciated it more.  Our 3 Carnival cruises were hit & miss- 1 was what I would call really bad in dining & entertainment.  The other 2 were great.  We are looking forward to sailing on N Statendam & making HAL our cruise line of choice.

We’re in the same boat in attitude and sailing.  Perhaps we will see you onboard 

 

[MISTER 67]

On 10/9/2022 at 8:08 PM, ldtr said:

Activities during the day is also getting rather thin with half of those listed on my recent cruise being related to the Spa, Art Gallery or retail stores.

Too much Trivia also, cheap way to entertain the passengers with even cheaper prizes.

Edited October 20, 2022 by MISTER 67

[mcrcruiser]

All the  publicly traded  cruise lines   are trying  yo make a   decent profit  , where they fail & will fail are in cut backs of quality ,food & or  services   .so if that happens obviously  they will slowly go the way of  other once   giants   .

 

Today .consumers will change  much more quickly  that evet in the past  . They feel that to get the most bank for their vacation dollars  they can do alternative trips  than cruises  .

 

 

[Damcruiser]

7 hours ago, MISTER 67 said:

Too much Trivia also, cheap way to entertain the passengers with even cheaper prizes.

There is no such thing as "too much trivia" On our recent Nieuw Statendam cruise there was standing room only every day.

Prizes mean nothing but it is a great way to exercise the mind and meet new people.

[JesseLivermore]

11 hours ago, MISTER 67 said:

Too much Trivia also, cheap way to entertain the passengers with even cheaper prizes.

 

prizes?? I would have played

[BetsyS.]

On 10/19/2022 at 5:39 PM, albingirl said:

An after dinner butter mint sums it up for you? I never, in all my years of sailing, ever was offered one of those. What are they?

The butter mints are good. They have a nice buttery flavor. On the Veendam years 

ago, the Yum Yum Man would offer the mints and also ginger in the MDR as guests 

were leaving after dinner. It was a nice tradition. 

[larrywizzit]

On 10/19/2022 at 12:29 PM, Mary229 said:

My BIL rents a business room from a hotel while in port.  His work requires large data transfers of video files.  It works very well for him and he travels frequently 

I have thought about this. I already experimented with tethering to my mobile phone and it seems adequate. I’ll probably stay aboard to work if the signal in port is decent.

 

But, yes, I did think about renting time in a hotel’s business centre if the need arises. As long as the company approves the expense of course. 🙂

[Damcruiser]

On 10/20/2022 at 6:55 PM, BetsyS. said:

The butter mints are good. They have a nice buttery flavor. On the Veendam years 

ago, the Yum Yum Man would offer the mints and also ginger in the MDR as guests 

were leaving after dinner. It was a nice tradition. 

Years ago, (perhaps decades),  I remember liquers at the ice cream station that the passenger could add.

[BetsyS.]

26 minutes ago, Damcruiser said:

Years ago, (perhaps decades),  I remember liquers at the ice cream station that the passenger could add.

If my memory is correct, years ago I would ask for creme de menthe to be put

on ice cream. It was delicious.  Those were the days!

[JeffElizabeth]

On 10/18/2022 at 1:50 PM, sggorden said:

I am on the koningsdam right now. It's a 16 day Vancouver to the Hawaiian islands and back cruise. I have been on 3 previous HAL cruises before Covid (as well as 25 other cruises before covid and 1 celebrity cruise this summer. I was always very happy w hal. Unfortunately there are so many things that don't live up to past cruises on HAL. The long and short of it is that the ship is full and staffing is not. Food not as good, most activities are centered around promotional activities the ship can charge for. At two ports all excursions were wait listed - not enough excursions for the guests. Very little stage entertainment, showing movies instead. Staff at guest relations and shore excursions seem to use the app to blame everything on. 

I just made myself stop here because I could go on and on. 

The Celebrity cruise was only 80% full and was just like pre Covid nothing to complain about. 

Not a thing has been done to say hal is sorry - not even a chocolate covered strawberry in the cabin! 

This will be my last HAL cruise unless I receive satisfaction. 

 

We were on that same cruise. Food wasn't as good for us. Thought the staff from room stewards to cruise director staff to restaurant and bar staff were great. We used to love Prinsendam, Amsterdam,  and Old Rotterdam. We didn't care for the suite on the Konigsdam.  Don't even consider it a suite, more like a Vista. The tours? I heard they couldn't get enough people in Hawaii to work the tours. I don't know, was only able to book a tour to the air museum.  Did have problems in Maui getting taxi service away from the docking area. 

[JeffElizabeth]

On 10/20/2022 at 4:51 AM, MISTER 67 said:

Too much Trivia also, cheap way to entertain the passengers with even cheaper prizes.

We loved all the trivia. Had the drink package so we enjoyed winning even if we already had 16 free drinks daily. Also made the five straight sea days pass. 

[cruisemom42]

On 10/9/2022 at 8:12 PM, Damcruiser said:

The main theatre is a big draw on Celebrity but shows do not change from week to week. Their live music is very limited and dance floors are rarely used.  On their newer ships they are relegated to the atrium of high traffic areas.

 

I am just off 19 days on BTB Celebrity cruises and have to differ regarding live music. Celebrity has a great orchestra backing all their shows and entertainers and they make good use of them throughout the ship (for example, one night they provided a jazz set in one venue). In addition, on our cruise they had two other "dance" bands, a guitarist who popped up in a number of venues and a duo of classical cellists who were wonderful.  In addition they have a good DJ and still stage several production shows as well as hosting guest entertainers.

 

Some of the shows were repeated on the BTB but some were different. I had no trouble at all finding something to do everything night and some nights was feeling very put out because I wanted to stay up later but knew I should head to bed due to an early excursion the next day....

 

I feel Celebrity offers a lot of choices for everyone, whereas HAL has more or less put their eggs into a single basket with regards to entertainment.