CNSJ

DO NOT underestimate the value of the tote bag.

In the first few seasons following COVID-19, the cruise industry worked hard to get people back on ship. There were those afraid to sail without masks and those who didn't want to wear one. Somehow we made it through, but the cruise lines kept losing money as we found our way back aboard. Now people want to cruise again! The cruise lines all have big debt loads and need to generate cash. Bottom line: HAL needs to make money to pay its debt and return a dividend to its shareholders. Right now Carnival Corp is boasting very full ships for 2023 and very strong demand in 2024. Demand is up, supply is pretty much steady (less Carnival recycling Costa ships and the crazy MSC buildout) so the simple facts is prices go up. Throw in inflation and other things impacting operating costs....and we will see higher prices. If they reduce the number of ships (get rid of less efficient money makers) - prices have to go up as there is less supply of cabin days. I would be curious to see the revenue models for the CCL Cruise line family. Carnival ships may charge less (than HAL) per passenger day at sea for a comparable cabin (Oceanview to Oceanview / Balcony to Balcony) but they likely have a higher number of average passengers per cabin, and my guess is the non fare revenue (booze/speciality/spa etc.) is higher than on HAL. The most basic formula is revenue minus the cost of goods & services = profit. I imagine that HAL non-fare revenue per adult passenger per day is 50% lower than Carnival fleet wide. Throw in more people and the non-fare revenue per square foot of cabin might be in the 65% lower range. HAL needs to earn a profit. It's a business, and the forecast is up for the cruise industry. Prices will rise on everything. Standby for Higher Cruise Prices. Deals will be fewer and farther than between. Cruise less or spend more. Maybe a bit of both.

Would have met Marty and Gail on Rotterdam next fall in the Baltic and TA back, but just switched to spring TA Eastbound, and a follow on to Norway. Concerned Norway prices will jump due to the pending limits on ships in Fjords after 2025 season.

I guess that makes you Dutch citizens as the ships are registered in NL.

Hmmm 8 B2Bs.....thats a lot of 5 Star Pinnacle Grill Dinners, shareholder credits, other misc affiliation OBCs etc., if played right as I expect you do. Book them while onboard and ....you know the drill. So one AARP bonus a year.....not much. Might as well save it for a $200 benefit. Admire your ability to cruise that long straight. We did 7 +weeks last year straight, which was our longest. Hoping to get a 21-28 day run in each year, plus a spurious 10-14 somewhere else.

Time will tell if this new model also includes deeper discounted cabins in the 90 days prior to cruise. Of course cabin selection is usually poor and the flights cost more.....can't win.....

Both DW and I have the $50 credit. Perhaps it morphs up as you book a longer cruise or a higher category.

Thank you for doing the research for all of us! I am so worried about being on a cruise with the "Knitting Group" - I can imagine skies of yarn everywhere, women armed with knitting needles at the buffets, and the like! Chaos for sure!!!!!

And we shall all enjoy an OBC of up to $200 on the future bookings we make!

You make excellent points.

This will be one of the most tracked Topics on this site for the next few weeks! Once we all find out the secret to getting this applied to existing cruises.....My guess is 90% or more of the cruise critic members that frequent the HAL category are eligible for AARP membership. HAL knows it demographics. I can't see HAL not making it applicable to cruises booked as too many people would try to reface/rebook, which costs them time and money. OBC costs HAL very little as people spend it on high margin things like drinks and shore excursions. Smart move by HAL.

My observation is that fine people of the UK, Canada, and Australia are very well represented amongst the passengers on every HAL ship I have sailed. Particularly in Europe.

Relax and enjoy watching the seaplanes land and take off. Even better with cup of coffee!

The Holland America Credit Card does accrue HAL credit, but it's only 2% on HAL purchases and 1% on all else. If you intend to only hold the Amazon card, the HAL card will give you more benefit when you pay for cruises. If you cruise frequently, you should consider travel credit cards that provide as much as 3% or more return, plus a host of other travel benefits. (Just google best travel credit cards to start). With the hAL card....If you save up the points for higher redemptions you can get a pretty decent return. Read the fine print! Combine cc points with AARP gift cards and you can save us much as 12% or more.

Konningsdam, and her Pinnacle class sisters are our overall favorites....just wish the promenade deck was more like the previous two classes (Vista and Signature)....but you can still walk loops on the deck, just not as wide and open as we had come to enjoy. I think you will find HAL a good choice.

HAL is home for us. Celebrity and Royal Caribbean were not as good in the areas that matter to us. Although we have not been on the Mega Ships of RCI or Celebrity's Edge ships. Our priorities that we find HAL does very well. 1. Great service 2. Well appointed staterooms 3. Clean, well-maintained and safe ships. 4. Not a floating theme park! 5. Superb buffet at Lido Marketplace (we only eat in MDR an average of 2 nights a week) I realize that Seabourn and Oceania may do these well too....but for a standard balcony cabin, twice the price. You will love the Rotterdam!

Extra bags will allow you to have separate "loads" for cold water wash, low heat dry, etc.

Was able to secure the upgrade to VA on Deck 6. Not sure why the cabins on Deck 5 are cat V? The lifeboats block a bit of view down on Deck 5, so i consider deck 6 superior. Either way, Club Orange saved (book VH and then upgrade to VA) me $125 a person over the straight VA booking.

Thanks for the heads up. Regardless of our ability, there is always rain to consider!

Thank you Bill. I was able to get a "chat" session with HAL and asked the question. The response was that the INTERIM AMS DROP- takes you from ship at Rotterdam port to the Hôtel Mövenpick Amsterdam City Centre, which is where the Amsterdam cruise port is as well. We plan to stay at the Doubletree, so it looks like a 15 min walk, doable with roller luggage. I found it interesting that HAL charges $10 more to take you to airport which is closer. There must be a fee for bus operators to unload/load passengers at Schiphol Airport.

Without a tote bag (to add to my collection of dozens of them) why even cruise?

The tote bag it seems is reason enough!😀

Arriving in Rotterdam after a Norway trip next year. HAL transfer options include the following: TRANSFER RTM SHIP/AMS AIRPORT for $39 a peron or TRANSFER RTM SHIP/INTERIM AMS DROP- for $29 a person I am trying to figure out where the INTERIM AMS drop takes you to. I desire to get to Amsterdam near the Central Station. Not flying out for a few days. Anybody know the answer?

Thanks All. See you onboard Nancy! It seems HAL is sold out of post cruise transfers as of now. I'll see if they open up. Taxi to Haarlem may cost a few $$ more, but I may avoid the rush/craziness at Schiphol! Seems there are lots of trains Haarlem to Rotterdam.

Found a great deal on a Transatlantic on Zuiderdam from Fort Lauderdale to Ijmudien, NL in May 2025. Although most HAL ships dock in Amsterdam proper or Rotterdam, Zuiderdam is crossing to Ijmudien which is about 30km west of Amsterdam on the North Sea Coast. Our back to back has us shifting the same day to the Rotterdam, which leaves from Rotterdam. Zuiderdam arrives at 7 am, Rotterdam departs at 3 pm. First glance says after arrival in Ijmudien to grab a taxi to Haarlem Train Station, then take train to Rotterdam Centraal Station and then a taxi to second ship. Anyone have other suggestions or ideas? Anyone else doing same?