HokiePoq

On 3/3/2022 at 4:02 PM, Janet&Carl said:

 

 

completely agree with your perspective - we booked for a "Black Sea" experience but feel that the questions did not cover adequately what my response to alternate ports would be.  My guess is they were just trying to work out how many people wanted to live dangerously and still go into the Black sea not cancel if they removed Odessa

 

Yes.  I felt it was a somewhat loaded question.  When I chose YES, it seemed as if it was worded in hopes most would say NO.   Then the survey results would be announced as a large majority do not want to go to the Black Sea.

We are on the May 5th cruise.   Ours is complicated by a land tour the week before.  We purchased as a package.  I would be pleased with a future cruise credit where we could book something else rather than a trip to places we've already been and I would not have spent the $$ to see again.

I feel guilty even being worried about a trip when things are so awful for others.   

We are on this cruise and got that email and several others.   Of course we will not go to Odessa and the rest of the itinerary is uncertain.   I would much rather the whole cruise be cancelled and a refund given than not actually being able to enter the Black Sea....which is entirely possible given safety concerns.   With Turkey considering closing the Bosphorus and the ship departing from Istanbul.....not sure if even Istanbul is a safe departure port.   They have our $$$ and I guess we'll have to wait and see.   

We have an early September sailing out of Athens with final payment in May.    Our TA advised friends to cancel their July sailing of the same itinerary.   We have not heard anything.   Would appreciate input on hanging in or rescheduling to 2022.  I did not see that topic addressed in the Atlas special appearance thread.  Have any Atlas ships sailed yet?

6 hours ago, RuthC said:

Considering the covid-19 situation, and that there seems to be no significant progress to subdue it world-wide, I don't know that I even can realistically expect to cruise again. 
My two booked cruises, for October '20 and August '21 have both been canceled by HAL, and I wasn't sure the August '21 cruise was going to be viable for me anyway. 

I fully expect it is going to take at least until the fall of '21 before I would consider cruising, and then there would have to be a decent itinerary to get me aboard. 

Yes.   My unique polar icecap cruise on the Veendam was cancelled.  I looked and couldn't find another that we hadn't already done.   I'm not going to put myself at risk for something I've already done.   I worry that we've been on our last cruise.  Not interested in seven day cruises to places we've been one or many times.

6 hours ago, Hygge! said:

For HAL or US cruises? I don’t bet.  But cruising has resumed just not for US citizens or out of US ports.  But on a positive not I Have booked several cruises for the Fall of 2021.  My glass stays at least half full most days.  And the latest announcement of a U.K. vaccine maybe by the fall?  One can only hope. Be safe, wear masks!  

I have one booked for all of 2021 on Azamara to replace my cancelled Veendam cruise in July 2021.   

Another cruise booked in 2022.   You are right.....one can only hope.   Didn't have to put a lot of $$ down on the two that are booked, so I am paying for HOPE.   I hadn't realized just how much travel meant to me.   It means a lot.

15 hours ago, Nodakboiler said:

We were supposed to be on the July 26, 2021 Veendam sailing of the British Isles. We were attracted to the itinerary because of the ports along the western Irish coastline. My DW reached out to our HAL PCC about a refund of the deposit. We were told to wait 30 days or so because HAL was developing an itinerary on a different ship that it is substituting for our Veendam cruise. I guess we will just have to wait and see. We have had four other trips already cancelled because of Covid-19. 

We were on that, too.   We just got a cancellation email.  Is that what you got?  I'm thinking your email didn't say anything about a substitute?    We mainly booked for the polar icecap cruise prior to this one but our booking was for a back to back and the British Isles itinerary was quite nice as well.    You are ahead of me, five to three cancellations.    

2 hours ago, annandme said:

 

If you're talking July 3, 2021, so were we.  I saw a few pages back, a link to a spreadsheet from HAL recommending "Any Europe" be sold as an alternative to this cruise.  "Any Europe"?  As a replacement for this unique itinerary?  How tone deaf can they be?

That was our cruise as well.   Had been so looking forward to this one as it was unique.  You are so right.  
Any Europe will not do.   I'm thinking only a small ship could do this itinerary to the polar icecap.    Have been having a pity party as two other trips have bit the dust this year leaving zero trips this year and that was the one I'd planned for next year.   I know this is a first world problem but I'm still bummed.   

On 7/14/2020 at 6:45 PM, KirkNC said:

Captain Jonathan posted it on the FB group World Cruise 2020 HAL Amsterdam.  Due to arrive in Fla on August 27th.

Your luggage has had an adventure even if you didn't.  I came on this thread to find out about your luggage.   Glad to hear it's scheduled to be repatriated in August.   They better not sell it with your luggage onboard!  Has it been transferred to another ship?

23 hours ago, DFD1 said:

The Holland America which so many of us remember and love has been dying a slow death for several years. The sale of these ships is sort of the last nail in the coffin.

 

Small ship cruising in the future will be on the premium cruise lines or, perhaps on some of the cruise lines owned and home-ported in other countries which may still operate smaller ships.

 

The bean counters finally won.

I am afraid you are right.  We sail for itinerary and now the only way to find something unique is to go with an upscale line.    We did the Alaska, Caribbean, Med cruises in our early cruising days.   Some may sail just to ride around on the ship but we want to see different places. The small ships did that.  So many good memories of the Veendam, Maasdam and Rotterdam cruises to great places.   More $$ for less cruises (if we can cruise again) seems to be what is coming.   

23 hours ago, Lady Chew said:

This is really no surprise.  Orlando Ashford & the senior management team were on the 2019 world cruise, had a presentation & Q&A session with passengers.  The theater was completely full.  It was very clear that the small ships were not and could not be profitable at the HAL price point.  Ashford stated that they could not create a business plan for a new 1500 passenger ship and make it work.  This statement basically said that any new ships would be in the 2500 passenger and greater class.  The key to this is, they were trying to build the business plan around the HAL price point.

 

The implication was that they could not put new capital into these old ships and operate them at a profit.

The current crisis has made things worse.  These ships will certainly not be worth more when this is over than they are now.  We are wondering if the new president of HAL is tasked with rebranding the line or overseeing a merger with the Princess brand.  

I think a merger  or at least reciprocity is a good idea.   Carnival has been backward in reciprocity between lines.   After being dumped yesterday from a  long awaited unique cruise, we booked an Azamara cruise.  Pleased to see reciprocity with Celebrity.  We are accustomed to a sale here and there.  To see four at once  makes me concerned about the survival of the line.   That was a huge amount of bookings to trash all at once with no replacement of itinerary.   Now I read certain Grands are being moved.   Our itinerary was a one of a kind....never to sail again if there are no more small ships?  Looks like Zaadam will be busy with the Grands.

7 hours ago, Crazy For Cats said:

I have the Veendam booked for a March 2021.  No email as yet.  I’m hoping it is switched to Zaandam or Volendam.  Assuming ships are sailing by then.

We were on Veendam July 2021 and got the email cancelling us.   Heartbroken as it was a unique itinerary and Veendam is our favorite ship.   We spent 90 days on Veendam and also have enjoyed Rotterdam and Maasdam.   Not sure when the effective date of the sale is or if any will be attempted before the sale.   We weren't switched, just dumped.  Hope you have better luck.

We got that blasted email too.  Our 37 day polar icecap/around the British Isles cruise for July 2021 is cancelled.   

Haven't checked to see how much cruise credit we'll get, but will there be any cruise I want to go on again?

Read an article somewhere that cruises would all be short when they resume.  I will not fly to Europe....scratch that....anywhere for a seven day cruise.   Pity party underway here.  Yes, I know this is a first world problem but I am still bummed.

16 minutes ago, sleslie said:

Our Feb 2, 2021 San Diego - Hawaii Cruise has been cancelled. 

Wow!   That is far out.   Now I'm worried about July 2021.

13 minutes ago, hallux said:

I'm not really sure what that buys them.  CND's are already cash in the bank, and can be used as the sole deposit on a cruise that's not yet within the final payment window.  That results in no more cash in the bank than is already there.

 

The official terms & conditions state book and sail by expiration of the certificate.

That matches what my TA was told.  They did make an exception for us to book in 2022.

8 hours ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

Interesting. I have a nextcruise set to expire in December of this year also. Did online chat with NCL and the representative said I could extend the nextccruise by two years, but would have to complete the sailing by December 2022.

 

In other words, I was told it is 'sail by" if they extend the deadline.

Sounds like they will take them pretty much anytime to get a booking at this point in time, doesn't it?   We booked February, 2022.

My understanding was book by.  Mine expires 12/31 this year.  I'd forgotten I had it but fortunately received a call from NCL.  

When my TA was booking for us, she was told it had to be used by but they would make an exception.   We booked for 2022 and used the certificate which I really appreciate.   She was told that if I cancelled I would lose it.   Whether this is a written policy or whether it depends on who you talk to, I don't know.

31 minutes ago, Lovincruisin1321 said:

 

Let her enjoy the anticipation.   If it doesn't happen, she will be notified and you will still have a friend.

Yes.  OP, you have done your best.  Let the cruise line burst the bubble.   

On 6/19/2020 at 3:26 AM, JanDom said:

We are also going with HAL because of the older and smaller ships.
We always booked the old ones even if we had the chance to book a newer one for the same stops !
Hope they will stay in the fleet 😞


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I'm with you....love the older and smaller ships, especially the Veendam.  We have 37 days booked on the Veendam for next year...if it happens.   Wonder what they will do with bookings for whatever ship or ships they sell.   

Bigger ships can't get into a lot of ports we've been to on the Veendam previously.   Never got to sail on the Prisendam but understand that was the case and perhaps Veendam has been scheduled for some of those itineraries.

51 minutes ago, Aquahound said:

 

 

I don't see why they couldn't roll out a singular program similar to Hilton Honors.  It would cover all brands but the benefits would vary based on what brand you choose.  As a HH Diamond member, I get a couple free bottles of water and a better parking spot at a Hampton Inn, but in a Conrad or Waldorf, I get free upgrades and concierge lounge access with free drinks and a personal concierge.  

 

I'm just speculating.  There's probably no real benefit to the corporation to do this.  

I have met people on a cruise who sail only with RCCL and Celebrity because of the free happy hour.   They move from line to line but not to other brands.   Diamond/Elite benefits are pretty generous in comparison to HAL which is not reciprocal.

This would be great.  We are four star Mariners but have never sailed on Princess.   Would do so if benefits are reciprocal.

Yes.  Our fabulous agent left the company after a few years.  He had our best interest at heart.   The next one not so much.  Probably would never have booked with a TA had he stayed.   

19 hours ago, stickey_mouse said:

We are booked! Thanks for sharing your opinions. D

Did you book the 2021 North Cape or another itinerary?   Come on over to roll call for North Cape if that's the one.  We are on a combo North Cape and UK cruise and some others are on combo North Cape/Baltic cruise.  It was the unique North Cape cruise that drew our attention at future cruise presentations.

OP, thanks for sharing your experience.   Says to me to put as little $$$ as possible into any future bookings.   We just made a new booking using a future cruise certificate that was ready to expire.    Hopefully we can go, but if not, will only have that to lose.   

Not me.   We have been to six continents on cruises....tried to make it seven but only got as far as Miami before Argentina closed its borders.   We like the onboard experience but cruise to see the world.   And meeting wonderful people is a bonus in doing it, not to mention taking one's bed and bath along with you.   Land tours may take you to places a ship can't....but not in as much comfort.   I always knew the day would come when we couldn't cruise....thought a health problem would occur for one of us, never envisioned the current situation.   Rejoice over every cruise we've ever taken and will cruise again as soon as it is safe to do so.