Itinerary change for February cruise

[love4trvl]

Our Nieuw Amsterdam cruise February 10th will no longer be going to Key West, but instead it will go to Nassau 😞  Bummer!

[sailawayward]

and our bonaire stop became an overnight in aruba. we expected it but were hoping for more time in curacao instead. we're not complaining! we have a fabulous cruise planned. hope you do, too! 

[ottahand7]

Our February 23 stop in Key West is also cancelled.  We are now going to Nassau and have one less hour in Cozumel.   Really not interested in  Nassau.   

[sailawayward]

like a dummie, i've only driven to key west.

[horseymike]

47 minutes ago, sailawayward said:

and our bonaire stop became an overnight in aruba. we expected it but were hoping for more time in curacao instead. we're not complaining! we have a fabulous cruise planned. hope you do, too! 

We got overnight in curaçao instead of Bonaire, do you think we could get them to switch it ?
🤣

Hope you have a great cruise 🚢.

[canadianbear]

32 minutes ago, horseymike said:

We got overnight in curaçao instead of Bonaire, do you think we could get them to switch it ?
🤣

Hope you have a great cruise 🚢.

I’d much rather overnight in Curacao than Aruba at least.  Sorry about Bonaire though.  I’m hoping our November cruise gets to all the ABC Islands.  

[horseymike]

9 minutes ago, canadianbear said:

I’d much rather overnight in Curacao than Aruba at least.  Sorry about Bonaire though.  I’m hoping our November cruise gets to all the ABC Islands.  

I really like Bonaire too. I wish HAL would not be changing itineraries like this even though I know they spell out their right to do so in the cruise contract.

[sailawayward]

i think the citizens of bonaire had a little something to do with this one.

[canadianbear]

1 minute ago, horseymike said:

I really like Bonaire too. I wish HAL would not be changing itineraries like this even though I know they spell out their right to do so in the cruise contract.

We love Bonaire-such a quaint place & of course the snorkelling is amazing!  I guess there is so many places that are limiting ships now it’s hit or miss which ship gets in. 

[cbr663]

This is a regular occurrence and I think will escalate over the next couple of years as more and more ports such back against over tourism and the cruise industry.  The pandemic showed many ports that they can survive and even prosper without the cruise ships and I have noticed more and more commentary of the negative environmental impact of the cruise industry.

 

Our cruise in Nov has had multiple port changes.  A booked cruise to Norway in 2024 also has experienced multiple changes and we cancelled it and booked a British Isles.  That cruise has had so many changes that it hardly resembles the original cruise and we will be cancelling that cruise also.

 

Just my opinion - I think cruise lines with large ships are facing very strong environmental head winds that will have a significant impact on the industry.  Over tourism was been mentioned in the media prior to the pandemic and now it seems that lots of ports are actually taking action.

[canadianbear]

@cbr663  I wish HAL would have continued making the smaller ships that have amazing itineraries and can get into places the larger ones can’t.  

[foodsvcmgr]

Maybe it’s just me, but I’d rather NOT go to a port that really doesn’t want my business!

Once one of these anti-cruise, anti-tourism initiatives backfires somewhere, the tide of public opinion may turn again.

[cwd79]

We have a 7 day Caribbean cruise scheduled for Feb that has Key West listed as a port. We have never been there and solely booked the cruise for that port. We have had three cruises with Holland America in the past 10 years that had Key West as a port on the cruise itinerary but never actually ported. Either the port was changed at the last minute or some other reason we couldn't port there. We've decided if we don't make it there for the fourth time, we are going to fly there instead lol. 

[Blackduck59]

When you live in a city that is often viewed as a port of convenience to keep within a protectionist US law, you find a 2 hour port call from 8 PM to 10 PM an insult. Why should we spend millions of dollars to arrange shore power or upgrade our port facilities for such a visit where many passengers don't even leave the ship. If you're going to make a port visit make it a visit, if not find some other place to keep within US law. Like others have commented I think some of these ports are finding out the cruise ship isn't the boon to business they thought it was. Those ships that do come and stay for a full day, where passengers are able to actually see and explore the port will be more than welcome. If it's a five minute stop to not run afoul of another country's protectionist law, then cruise on by.

[lyndarra]

My late wife and I experienced just that in 2015. A last night, late arrival in either Victoria or Vancouver (can't remember which).

It was such a short stop we stayed on board and had the best Beef Wellington ever at a two top table (which we have never done before). We were on Celebrity Solstice out of Seattle.

(It evoked memories of the Griswalds visit to the Grand Canyon)😉

Edited September 17, 2023 by lyndarra

[Blackduck59]

2 minutes ago, lyndarra said:

My late wife and I experienced just that in 2015. A last night, late arrival in either Victoria or Vancouver (can't remember which).

We stayed on board and had the best Beef Wellington ever at a two top table (which we have never done before). We were on Celebrity Solstice out of Seattle.

It would have been Victoria Lyndon, of course we didn't know you then. Now you know who to contact if you are in Victoria of the North. 😉

[lyndarra]

3 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

It would have been Victoria Lyndon, of course we didn't know you then. Now you know who to contact if you are in Victoria of the North. 😉

Thanks Lyle. We enjoyed the Alaska cruise so much we did it again the following year out of Vancouver after arriving from Calgary. We visited Butchart Gardens that year.

Sorry all, wandered a little OT.

Edited September 17, 2023 by lyndarra

[cbr663]

15 hours ago, canadianbear said:

@cbr663  I wish HAL would have continued making the smaller ships that have amazing itineraries and can get into places the larger ones can’t.  

 

I think the smaller ships are definitely going to have the advantage.

 

I'm amazed when I read of all the large, new build ships that are on order from the different cruise lines.  Where are they going to sail?  Are cruise passengers actually going to want to go on these itineraries?  So many ships now are marketed as the ship as the destination and I don't see this continuing as the environmental push back picks up steam.

 

I'm experiencing it now.  Itineraries changing after booking.  Lots of changes.  Some with different ports while others are docking way outside of the actual ports and you are looking at long bus rides to get into port - all only to spend even less time in port.  As much as we enjoy cruising, we don't enjoy cruising like this.  We have a land based trip booked for a couple of weeks and another cruise for Nov.  DW and I have discussed it and usually on our cruises we book a cruise onboard and buy FCDs but we don't think we will be doing either on our Nov cruise.  We have recently met a wonderful TA and we are receiving some great marketing material from her and we are considering more land based travel right now.

[AKJonesy]

I recently watched a documentary about a cruise ship with the latest and greatest environmental protection engineering systems.  The $ was massive but I think the cruise industry will have to adapt to much more stringent requirements going forward.  I was thinking how cool it would be to go on a tour on this ship to see this technology and what they are doing to mitigate their environmental impact.  I do worry for the cruise industry because I do believe that no matter what mitigation efforts they may take, there will always be the naysayers that will criticize the industry.  IMHO.  

[3rdGenCunarder]

13 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

When you live in a city that is often viewed as a port of convenience to keep within a protectionist US law, you find a 2 hour port call from 8 PM to 10 PM an insult. Why should we spend millions of dollars to arrange shore power or upgrade our port facilities for such a visit where many passengers don't even leave the ship. If you're going to make a port visit make it a visit, if not find some other place to keep within US law. Like others have commented I think some of these ports are finding out the cruise ship isn't the boon to business they thought it was. Those ships that do come and stay for a full day, where passengers are able to actually see and explore the port will be more than welcome. If it's a five minute stop to not run afoul of another country's protectionist law, then cruise on by.

 

I was trying to choose between two Alaska itineraries several years ago, and the big difference--and deciding factor--was the length of time in Victoria. Those evening calls are a joke. By the time you get off the ship, find a taxi or shuttle, you have at best an hour before having to get back to the ship. Victoria is worth much more time than that!

 

I've been to Victoria three times on cruises. Butchart Gardens twice, and last time I binged on TWO foodie tours in one day. 

[3rdGenCunarder]

16 hours ago, canadianbear said:

@cbr663  I wish HAL would have continued making the smaller ships that have amazing itineraries and can get into places the larger ones can’t.  

 

I'm grateful that they did keep two of the smaller ships. My Feb cruise is on Zaandam, and I'm hoping the small size will let us keep our itinerary, which includes Key West and Bonaire. 

 

Barring changes to SOLAS or other laws, the small ships have a lot of years left in them, if HAL takes good care of them. they're 20 or a bit more, but QE2 and Norway (ex France) made it to almost 40.

 

The Pinnacle ships are too large for my taste. No way am I floating around on a "the ship is the destination" 6000-passenger Behemoth of the Seas. 

[RuthC]

4 hours ago, 3rdGenCunarder said:

they're 20 or a bit more, but QE2 and Norway (ex France) made it to almost 40.

As did Rotterdam. She debuted in '59, and made her grand exit in '97. 

OK, to be honest her exit wasn't so 'grand', but not all of that was due to the condition of the ship. The send-off, however, was magnificent. 

[FlaMariner]

19 hours ago, cwd79 said:

We have a 7 day Caribbean cruise scheduled for Feb that has Key West listed as a port. We have never been there and solely booked the cruise for that port. We have had three cruises with Holland America in the past 10 years that had Key West as a port on the cruise itinerary but never actually ported. Either the port was changed at the last minute or some other reason we couldn't port there. We've decided if we don't make it there for the fourth time, we are going to fly there instead lol. 

 

You've got us beat in trying to get to Key West.....

 

We've attempted two HAL cruises since the unpleasantness (that means Covid) and both cruises had Key West cancelled (reasoning on both was "operational issues" and got the message, I believe, a month before go time......and exchanged for Bimini on one and Freeport on another.  Yuck.  

 

I'm think "bait and switch" is at work??

 

I'm a native Floridian and have been to Key West before (via air) but our goal was to get our 80+ Mother there for an easy visit...she's never been and wants to "see it".....We've given up for now and if the fine people of Key West will not welcome us, it's probably best to forget about it.......

 

Good luck with the February attempt to visit Key West!