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shrimp56

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Posts posted by shrimp56

    Poor Communication Regarding Cancelled Cruise

    in Holland America Line

    Posted

    And what name would you apply to arguments that the whole world should array itself as a single passenger sees fit?

     

    In the end, the reality is that in the mass market such expectations as expressed by the op are not reasonable. Holding to such expectations is a decision to subject yourself to regular and continual disappointment.

    Which I gather you enjoy.

    Over and out.

    Poor Communication Regarding Cancelled Cruise

    in Holland America Line

    Posted

    Consumers are going to think whatever they want but inter-company commissions about new protocols is not instantaneous. It takes time to discuss what those protocols should be and then time to deploy them. Companies don't want their staff saying anything until they have been informed what to say and more importantly what to say NEXT. Consumers finding out online can expect to wait for a time before practically any mainstream company is ready to respond to questions about things they have not yet communicated to the those customers. What is reasonable is for customers to practice mature restraint when setting their expectations for how rapidly mainstream mass market suppliers prepare for and response to changes.

     

    And I would expect here, in this forum, that would be natural... here in this forum that is so fixated on status and number of stars someone has, one would expect to wait until the cruise line can PULL TOGETHER OPTIONS for rebooking it's 5 star Mariners, then time to contact them, process their rebooking requests, then going onto 4 star Mariners, etc. I can just imagine the frantic chest-beating responses to this thread if people were being told that yes the cruises are cancelled but the decisions are STILL BEING MADE about what to offer in compensation, to whom, under what circumstances, and so forth.

     

    Being rude just demonstrates the lack of mature restraint that I discussed above.

     

    This message may have been drafted using voice recognition. Please forgive any typos.

    I thought "twit" was kind, considering...

     

    I must congratulate you though, on the most thorough and skillful wielding of the "self-sealing" argument, as we call it in logic, that I have seen in many years.

    Confirmed! Prinsendam has been sold! (4 threads merged)

    in Holland America Line

    Posted

    So what you are saying is that it was more costly to operate. Thanks for clarifying this.

     

    That's true but perspective would illumine that we're taking about a combined bus and hotel, not a home. There is so much out there on to which to spread our care and concern; focusing it on something that should have been recognized as ephemeral to start with means it was withheld from being spread more liberally, on durable things (such as the ports visited and the people who live there, and the seas themselves). Over-investing in the ephemeral has a cost; the question is do we pay the costs we incur with grace?

     

     

    This message may have been drafted using voice recognition. Please forgive any typos.

    We all have a right to our own reasons for mourning a loss. That includes you. If you don't want to remember in the manner that as other posters do, that's fine. What isn't fine is your continually putting down those whose response to an issue differs from yours.

    Holland American Cruises: Buyer Beware You're Not Booking with Certainty for anything

    in Holland America Line

    Posted

    We had our Rotterdam Sept 3 cruise canceled. My complaint isn't with the cancellation per se, but the backasswards way they handled the timing of the letter to the TAs in relation to the lack of schedule updates on the website.schedule.

     

    We took our first Princess cruise last April on Diamond Princess in Japan. The ship was too big. Unloading the ship at a port took too long. Some things were better than HAL, some were not, but I was impressed in general with their communication after the booking. Princess knows who they are and executes their vision well on land as well as onboard. HAL hasn't a clue who it is anymore. Poor communication, and inconsistent messages wear one down.

     

    If we weren't 4 star, as much as we love our Dutch ships, we would have bailed before. Our next 2 cruises are on HAL (Zaandam and Prinsendam), but then our next two are on Princess: A return to Japan with a DiaPrin cruise and, after the miserable OBC offer from HAL, we have replaced the canceled Rotterdam cruise with a July Sapphire Princess one that has a better itinerary for us.

    HAL replacing ParkWest

    in Holland America Line

    Posted

    Are you thinking that ParkWest leaving will affect the art on display on the ship? Why do you think the two are related? The only place I've ever see PW art is in their "gallery" and where the auction is being held.

    I don't know that they will, although, as I read it, they will start with a more general program and add art for sale after a while. Read under "projects" on their website.

     

    Basically the company installs art in hotels, resorts, and now ships.

    HAL replacing ParkWest

    in Holland America Line

    Posted

    Looks like they decorate with art. If Seattle removes the wonderful art from the pre-Pinnacle ships, that may well be the sign that it's time for us to find another cruise line. In the 6 years we have sailed on HAL we have had wonderful experiences, made new friends and enjoyed the art and the Dutch-ness of the ships. I'm sure they could make a lot of money selling the wonderful items on the R & S ships in particular.

     

     

    BTW the way, the comment that ArtLink will be on all ships by the end of 2018 EXCEPT Prinsendam, is another piece of evidence that P-dam is going bye-bye.

    Almost "Live" Ms Zaandam 14-Day to Alaska (May 21 - Jun 4, 2018)

    in Holland America Line

    Posted

    I hope to be able to post the menus that i have collected so far when I get to Anchorage.

     

    Suggest you bring a staple remover or you will be breaking fingernails trying to remove staples from the new laundry marking system. I think that I prefer the old laundry labels.

    That's the laundry system we found on Diamond Princess this past April. It IS a pain.

     

    Thanks for your reports and posted goldmine of information. We'll be on Zaandam on July 30, thus completing our R class collection. Next goal is a cruise on Westie as she's the lone Vista Class ship that has eluded us.

    Confirmed! Prinsendam has been sold! (4 threads merged)

    in Holland America Line

    Posted

    The PRINSENDAM is NOT a sister of the ALBATROS...the former ROYAL VIKING SEA. The PRINSENDAM is 10,000 tons larger and 15 years younger than the former RV SEA. Fred. Olsen Lines owns the sisters of the former RV SEA, now named BLACK WATCH (ex RV STAR) and BOUDICCA, (ex RV SKY).

    While that may be technically true, you have to remember that RV Sea was stretched and Prinsendam has been altered.

     

    BUT having sailed on the RV Sea before her stretch and on Pdam last summer I can tell you that they are more alike than different in their style and layout. Personally I consider RV Sea Pdam's older sister who had a major mid-ship transplant.

    Zaandam May 21-June 4 Alaska Cruise Log

    in Holland America Line

    Posted

    You might try posting from near the Future Cruise Consultant’s desk ( next to the Egyptian art). I got pretty good internet there. It was the only cone I could find. They must have placed the rest in the plenum so it’s hard to know where they are.

    Good advice! Will test on our August Zaandam cruise and report back.

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