3rdGenCunarder

Pop tops on Eurodam in January. Useless on a tour because once it's open, you can't close it.

As I said earlier, I think internet is the decider. I travel solo and I want internet. But when I traveled with DH, we could share a plan, as we weren't online all the time, especially him. A quick email check once a day and he was done. So for two people who are light internet users, having two plans is a convenience, but not really necessary.

If they're coming here to post press releases, I'm hoping that they at least glance at the comments. Too optimistic? I just wish they were better at communicating with booked passengers. They have made a change in the itinerary. Tours for were different from what was shown on the booking page AND some of those tours have changed again. Not everyone checks the website or Cruise Critic to keep up on what's happening. A lot of people book and assume that they will get exactly what they booked. I know cruise lines can make changes. It happens. But they need to keep passengers informed. It isn't just AQV. HAL just cancelled a cruise. Some of the people on my roll call were notified on Tuesday. It's Friday and neither I nor my TA has received word of this from HAL. The only reason I know is from the roll call. Thank goodness for Cruise Critic and posters who share info about their cruises.

I got the survey this morning. It must not be totally "canned," because I had different questions about the Caribbean than @bluemarble had. Alternate port suggestions for a Caribbean cruise were Galveston or Miami. Perhaps I said something about preferring not to fly to an embarkation port or the convenience of a US port and it chose questions based on that. I did get the question about dressing up and I said strongly agree to that.

Before LC, was there a bar in Explorer's Lounge? It seems like a convenient place for a drink before dinner--just a short walk to the MDR.

It does include soft drinks, cans of water (no more plastic bottles), specialty coffees. I haven't done the math for HIA with only non-alcoholic beverages.

Did you buy both HIA and CO? I've never seen CO folded into HIA.

I rinse the sink to check for soap bits before I wash anything. I've never heard of people being bothered about this until now. Lots of people must wash things out in a sink when they travel. Tide and Woolite wouldn't make those little travel packets if there wasn't a market for them.

That sounds like a good choice for re-entry. And what a lovely memory it will make for you and your grandson.

The itinerary and tours have been updated to reflect the changes. Some tours are different from what was showing before. It's still wonky in places. The map shows a stop at Muskegon, which has never been on the itinerary. And my cruise says it departs from Chicago on one page and Chicago/Milwaukee on another page. I really hope it's Chicago. I'm not looking forward to a 2-hour bus ride. @uktog, I look forward to hearing about your experiences on AQV and how the real thing compares to the descriptions.

This time around they're only honoring the per diem for cruises of the same length or shorter.

That's a good question! The press release date is Feb 13. Passengers and agents should have been told before then, or at least, on that same date.

That question will not generate reliable information. People who like anytime dining might say they disagree, even if they like dressing up. Or people who like fixed dining might say disagree, if they don't like to dress up. I love Caribbean departures from Florida because I have lots of choices of inexpensive flights, or I can take the train. Having to fly to one of the islands makes things more complicated. But if the itinerary were right, I would do it, especially for Guadeloupe or Barbados.

Another thing that factors into the value is mariner perks. When I did the math, I forgot that 4* mariners get a discount on specialty restaurants and specialty coffees. I also get a discount on wine packages. So HIA may have been slightly less of a bargain than I initially thought.

I think the big question is, do you intend to buy an internet package? That and the drink package are the two largest parts of HIA. Depending on the length of your cruise, HIA gives you money toward excursions and specialty restaurants. (and you can pre-book both, you don't have to wait until you're on board) It gives you an internet package, usually surf, the middle level. If you're looking at a 10-day cruise and HIA is offered at $50 per day, that's $500 per person. Surf plan is (unless price has gone up) $130 for 10 days. I think at 10 days, you would get $200 toward excursions. So that's $330 accounted for, not counting the specialty dinners (becasue I don't remember the price). That leaves $170, or $17 per day. You aren't paying $50 per day just for drinks. When you consider the other elements, assuming you will book excursions and/or eat in specialty restaurants, you don't need to drink a lot to come out ahead.

Yeah, but I bet the Yacht Club never had any fights!!!

I don't think older clientele want less entertainment or fewer activities. I think they put up with the situation and hope it will get better. There's comfort in the familiar, I'll admit to feeling that way. But I don't like the way HAL is going. I was bored on Eurodam in January. Unfortunately, I don't see a lot of other options that work for me for a winter warm getaway, which is most of what I do on HAL. I don't want a mega ship or a Carnival-type party ship. I sail solo, and I don't like the price of a lot of the smaller, all inclusive lines. I'm not sure I want to move down the "food chain" and sail on lines that are running older ships. The only other line I sail (and prefer), Cunard, doesn't offer much leaving from the US. Now that they've taken to skipping NY on the way to the Caribbean at the time I want to travel, I feel like HAL is what's left. Or maybe just go to a resort somewhere and sit on a beach.

I just tried calling HAL. If you say you want to book a cruise, they put you through to an agent asap. Two different agents, same answer "We have no sailings for Zaandam in February 2024." Clueless.

That's 2025. The 2024 cruise doesn't exist. There's a HAL page all about the legendary cruises. Every one has a link (underlined blue text) except the 2024 Amazon. If I just go to the "Legendary cruise" link, there are 16 shown, and 2024 isn't among them.

I don't know what's going on. The only cruises that appear for Zaandam are two trans canal. The first is westbound, and the second arrives at FLL on Feb 3. The Feb 3 cruise doesn't appear. The Amazon doesn't appear (although there is a version planned for 2025). It's a mess. Hard to believe they've been in business for 150 years...

The first of those two is so much easier to market. I think (opinion) that more people travel for the lively experience--fun ships!!!--than for a specific itinerary. This board self-selects with people who cruise a lot. And for those with a long history of sailing with HAL, the experience of going to a variety of ports. But I suspect (opinion again) that we aren't in the majority. A lot of people just want to "take a cruise." I know people who tell me they have booked a cruise. Oh, what ship? I don't remember is often the answer. The second is nearly impossible to market. "Sedate" is not a good marketing word, as people will think passengers are sedated. Self-contained means "just entertain yourself," or "sit in your cabin all day."

About 15 years ago, we took our first and only Princess cruise. There was piped-in music everywhere. The chair hogs grabbed all the loungers at the aft adult pool (which had piped in music and a few kids) before sunrise. We did manage to find somewhere to sit at the midship pool, but only in the morning. At noon, the movie screen lit up and they showed kiddie movies with LOUD volume. We retreated to our teeny tiny balcony. After that, I had my Scarlett O'Hara moment--as God is my witness, I'll never go without a balcony again! Having a balcony means I'll always have that quiet space where I won't have to fight to get a place to site. I've been lucky in not having noisy or smoky neighbors. Just peace, quiet, and the sea. I don't necessarily spend all my time there, but I like knowing I have a refuge if I need it.

I'd love to know if they track new vs return passengers. A hotel or cruise line has one chance to impress a new customer and turn them into a repeater. Maybe someone who is disappointed will give them a second chance. But a lot of people tend to be one and done if they don't like a product. If HAL is getting a lot of one and done bookings, they need to figure out a way to fix that.

Seriously, they asked if we want attendants to apply our sunscreen?????????? I suppose, as a solo, I should find that helpful. But some how I, no, just don't.

I agree that some of the older less-able passengers show that travel is possible in advancing years. I've often said that HAL isn't God's waiting room, but a place for people who point to the heavens and say "Not yet!" But lately, HAL is going from sedate to boring. Not all of the retirement-age passengers have to go to their cabins for a nap every afternoon. Give us something interesting to do! There will be increased enrichment for the legendary cruises. Great! But what about the other cruises. Will they get enrichment programs? And no, rooms set up with scrabble boards, mahjong tiles, or playing cards is not my idea of entertainment or enrichment. I love to relax, read, look at the sea. But not all day long. Every entertainment change makes HAL worse. Yes, there's lively music. Billboard, BBKing, Rolling Stone. Good, that makes the fans of loud pop music happy. What about variety? There's no more classical, unless you happen to be on a cruise with a few LC performances in the main showroom (if that really ever happens). No jazz combo. No dancing. No piano bar. Pitiful showroom choices. No guest entertainers. One BBC nature film is a nice change from other types of entertainment, but that's enough. On a 10 day cruise, there were four Step One shows. They're all pretty much the same with different videos and music. They need more variety, more guest entertainers. Bing back the guy who played the turkey baster!!! (don't roll your eyes, he was hysterical). When I book a HAL cruise, it's for the itinerary more than entertainment. Most of my HAL cruises have been winter getaways. Mostly, I want warmth, sea, and sunshine. Sadly, I don't expect much in the way of enrichment or entertainment. But I would like a little something to my taste for the evening. Failing that, I'm bored, so I'll just go to my cabin and hope for a good movie or just read. Pathetic to spend money to do something I do most evenings at home. No wonder I'm never up and about at midnight. HAL gives me no reason to stay up late.