Any one know if HAL is coming

[sassy~one]

back to Norfolk Va? Thank You Sassy

[nurseblissful]

hey sassy. this ocean view girl sure hopes so. but i have no info. i will track your thread to see if anyone else does. man, it was so nice taking the maasdam out of norfolk......

[sab490]

For 2007 only RCCL Empress and Carnival Victory are scheduled to depart from Norfolk. We are no better off in Phiily. We only get NCL Crown for 1st half of the summer and Empress for 2nd half. And Baltimore only gets RCCL Grandeur. I think the addition of the Red Hook (Brooklyn) terminal has pretty much sealed our fate. The other east cost ports will only get one or two older and/or smaller ships each season.:mad:

[Janet524]

Hopefully with the new cruise terminal scheduled to open in late April it will encourage HAL to come back to Norfolk. The boarding process was not the best (to say the least) and finding your luggage upon return was a zoo with the jury-rigged tent facility that was used. I know there was a lot of criticism about the arrangement. Maybe with that problem resolved HAL will return for the 2008 season and other lines will join them.

[kryos]

Hopefully with the new cruise terminal scheduled to open in late April it will encourage HAL to come back to Norfolk.

I think I heard that the problem was making it back to Norfolk in time for the scheduled disembarkation time. Something about the seas being rough sometimes on the route used to get back into Norfolk? I don't think the problem was necessarily the cruise terminal and it's facilities. So, if that's true, then I doubt HAL has any plans to return to that port anytime soon ... new cruise terminal or not.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

For 2007 only RCCL Empress and Carnival Victory are scheduled to depart from Norfolk. We are no better off in Phiily.

I live in Philly too. I think the problem with our cruise terminal is that it can only accommodate smaller ships due to the depth of the water at the pier. I heard that the Port of Philadelphia wants to dredge the waterfront in order to be able to accommodate larger ships. If they do that, perhaps more lines will make Philly a home port ... at least in the warmer weather months.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[gizmo]

Kyros,

 

I don't know about the Vista's but Philly can handle all the other Hal ships. The Rotterdam sailed out of Philly a couple of years ago. I think it was only 1 cruise but the ship docked at the cruise terminal in the old Navy Yard.

[sab490]

My point about Brooklyn was that with three cruise terminals (incuding Bayonne) and three major airports, NYC now can handle more ships and it is more accessible to more people than the other ports. I'm not sure whether the river depth is an issue for the Vistas. I do know that problem with Philly as a home port for Canada/New England and as a port of call is the amount of time it takes to sail up through the Delaware Bay and River and back again. The dredging issue is more for cargo ships than cruise ships.

 

- Steve

[dahamilton3]

I think it's safe to say that Holland-America will send a ship back to Norfolk. How long that will be is another question entirely. I have heard rumors for several months that one of the Vista-class ships is a good possibility. The catch? Once twice a year...in the Spring and in the Fall, and for only four sailings. A nine-night S. Caribbean and a five-night Bahama (Half-Moon and Nassau) in the Spring, and the same again in the Fall. Let's keep our fingers crossed!!! Forgive the mention of Carnival here...but it is the "parent company". Carnival loves to "test" a particular market with a smaller, older ship before making a commitment...ie: Maasdam. My best guess: 2009...let's see!

[sail7seas]

My point about Brooklyn was that with three cruise terminals (incuding Bayonne) and three major airports, NYC now can handle more ships and it is more accessible to more people than the other ports. I'm not sure whether the river depth is an issue for the Vistas. I do know that problem with Philly as a home port for Canada/New England and as a port of call is the amount of time it takes to sail up through the Delaware Bay and River and back again. The dredging issue is more for cargo ships than cruise ships.

 

- Steve

 

 

Boston is perfect for the Canada/New England cruises and don't see any reason they'd change to Philly. We love having Maasdam come to Boston week after week! :)

[CDRMark]

We all would love to be able to drive to the ship. The problem is the further up the coast you go the more impact weather and mechanical problems impact any Caribbean itinerary. Noordam works in New York (so far) because she is new and fast. Maasdam had some issues sailing from Norfolk (hours closer to the Carib) because while lovely she is slower and older. All us olders are more prone to mechanical problems and moving a bit slower. ;)

 

A little bird tells me that the city and state are wooing heavily to get traffic for the new facility.

 

Cheers

Mark

[mariner]

Revenue is really key.

 

There was a lot of business for MAASDAM the first year and it steadily declined.

 

If HAL thinks it can fill ships, without undercutting the NYC fares, then they'll be back.

[Linda&Vern]

:rolleyes: That would be the greatest cruising news we could hear!!

 

Linda & Vern

 

Maasdam Christmas & New Years 2004

Maasdam Thanksgiving 2005

Veendam Christmas 2006