Yes, I Use HAL's Website to Find Cruises...... But...

[sail7seas]

The trend to environmental awareness and cost saving by eliminating paper brochures is seemingly becoming more attractive to cruise companies and other businesses...... more and more lately.

 

I agree most of us here use their website often and can find our itineraries there but there is no question the pretty, glossy photo, printed brochures still sell cruises. Lots of them.

 

Because I had an HAL Americas brochure on the counter and DH saw it, he leafed through it the other night while I was finishing cooking dinner, found a cruise and we booked it next day.

 

DH certainly has computers, knows how to find HAL's website but there is no way he would have gone to the website to find a cruise. We have many booked and he usually leaves finding and booking to me.

 

Power of suggestion is very strong. A pretty brochure from his favorite cruise line at his fingertips and a brief five minutes to spare and we added a cruise booking to our list that we highly likely would not have booked otherwise.

 

It isn't (yet) time to do away with pretty brochures IMO

[kazu]

The trend to environmental awareness and cost saving by eliminating paper brochures is seemingly becoming more attractive to cruise companies and other businesses...... more and more lately.

 

I agree most of us here use their website often and can find our itineraries there but there is no question the pretty, glossy photo, printed brochures still sell cruises. Lots of them.

 

Because I had an HAL Americas brochure on the counter and DH saw it, he leafed through it the other night while I was finishing cooking dinner, found a cruise and we booked it next day.

 

DH certainly has computers, knows how to find HAL's website but there is no way he would have gone to the website to find a cruise. We have many booked and he usually leaves finding and booking to me.

 

Power of suggestion is very strong. A pretty brochure from his favorite cruise line at his fingertips and a brief five minutes to spare and we added a cruise booking to our list that we highly likely would not have booked otherwise.

 

It isn't (yet) time to do away with pretty brochures IMO

 

I totally agree. While I use the website, the brochure makes it so much easier to compare cruises and consider itineraries.

 

I'd be lost without mine. If HAL hadn't sent me this one it would have made the decision a lot harder.

 

I always love the brochures. And we do recycle :)

 

And it made it really easy for dh to agree to our latest one ;) yup, it's done :):)

[whogo]

The problem with HAL's website is that it does not show what the competing lines have to offer. I do not pay much attention to glossy brochures. I shop the online agencies for cruises over 12 days that visit places of interest. If the itinerary, price, and ship appeal to me I will book the cruise. I am not tied to Holland America, obviously. I have been quite happy on Royal Caribbean, would like to try Celebrity, would consider Princess, and hope to snag a bargain on the luxury lines. The cruise line's website is the last place I look.

[kazu]

The problem with HAL's website is that it does not show what the competing lines have to offer. I do not pay much attention to glossy brochures. I shop the online agencies for cruises over 12 days that visit places of interest. If the itinerary, price, and ship appeal to me I will book the cruise. I am not tied to Holland America, obviously. I have been quite happy on Royal Caribbean, would like to try Celebrity, would consider Princess, and hope to snag a bargain on the luxury lines. The cruise line's website is the last place I look.

 

 

I confess, I don't buy on the HAL website - I use it to check for their specials and to see what room availability is looking like for the category I want. ;)

[rafinmd]

My preference is to get pdf versions of the brochures and keep them on my laptop so they're always available. I can never find paper brochures when I want them and like to have access to what's available whether I'm on line or off.

 

Sometimes I'll also take the "schedule at a glance" page of a brochure and scan it.

 

Roy

[Two@Sea]

I also use the website to find cruises, and make comparisons between different lines...

 

But that beautiful, glossy, wonderous brochure gets us to actually make our bookings. :D

 

The pdf online versions never seem to have the same effect. ;)

[sail7seas]

....same as e-docs do not provide the same 'doc dance' excitement. I still miss receiving that blue travel wallet filled with luggage tags and cruise tickets.

 

[cp556]

Sorry, duplicate post

[cp556]

....same as e-docs do not provide the same 'doc dance' excitement. I still miss receiving that blue travel wallet filled with luggage tags and cruise tickets.

 

 

I miss that excitement, too, Sail. Today we received the email saying our e-docs were ready to print out for our next cruise ... good news, yes, but not nearly as exciting as opening the blue wallet!

[pmcubed]

....same as e-docs do not provide the same 'doc dance' excitement. I still miss receiving that blue travel wallet filled with luggage tags and cruise tickets.

 

 

I admit that was probably the most exciting part of my first cruise!!

[erewhon]

It's easier for DH to read the brochure when he is relaxing after work, then I hear the magic words "lets book a cruise":).

[kazu]

It's easier for DH to read the brochure when he is relaxing after work, then I hear the magic words "lets book a cruise":).

 

yup - that's how I got the last one booked ;) no pressure :)

[kazu]

....same as e-docs do not provide the same 'doc dance' excitement. I still miss receiving that blue travel wallet filled with luggage tags and cruise tickets.

 

 

Me too Sail. It's fun to print them off - it's real, but it's nowhere near what it was like receiving that lovely package. thank heavens I saved the old wallets - we still use them :)

[KirkNC]

I agree, that is what gets my DW and DD's attention, they never look on the internet.

 

Kirk

[cruisinggranmama]

Printed brochures are great. DH never looks online but peruses every brochure mailed to us. Sometimes I have to hold him back. They get his attention.

[Stevesan]

....same as e-docs do not provide the same 'doc dance' excitement. I still miss receiving that blue travel wallet filled with luggage tags and cruise tickets.

 

 

 

Aw, come on now. You have a drawer full, just as I do. :p

[Randyk47]

The trend to environmental awareness and cost saving by eliminating paper brochures is seemingly becoming more attractive to cruise companies and other businesses...... more and more lately.

 

I agree most of us here use their website often and can find our itineraries there but there is no question the pretty, glossy photo, printed brochures still sell cruises. Lots of them.

 

Because I had an HAL Americas brochure on the counter and DH saw it, he leafed through it the other night while I was finishing cooking dinner, found a cruise and we booked it next day.

 

DH certainly has computers, knows how to find HAL's website but there is no way he would have gone to the website to find a cruise. We have many booked and he usually leaves finding and booking to me.

 

Power of suggestion is very strong. A pretty brochure from his favorite cruise line at his fingertips and a brief five minutes to spare and we added a cruise booking to our list that we highly likely would not have booked otherwise.

 

It isn't (yet) time to do away with pretty brochures IMO

 

While we do our hardcore research on the Internet it is often the printed brochures that get our interest and kick start that process. No doubt the brochure we received from Silversea a couple of months ago led us to booking with them for 2012. Their brochure, along with ones from HAL and several other lines, usually wind up on the patio table and we'll sit out there and contemplate (day dream?) about another cruise. The brochure pointed us in the right direction and after Internet research and meeting a Silversea rep here in San Antonio at a cruise fair we took the leap. The brochure still gets perused through, probably to reinforce that we've made the right decision. :)

[BumperII]

We do all of the above, and on just about every cruise we load up with the cruise catalogs at the cruise consultants desk. Of late, we try to have our future HAL cruise choices made and a cabin picked out while on board. Our online TA recommended this to take advantage of the $100 pp reservation.

All that said, the first thing I do in the morning is go to my online TA site to find out if anything on sale is appealing.:o

[sail7seas]

Aw, come on now. You have a drawer full, just as I do. :p

 

 

:D Yes,,,,,, we have dozens but I always got that same thrill each time we got a new one for the next upcoming cruise. ;)

I've never discarded a one.

[legalwife]

I like the paper brochures as well. I can easily whip one out and show a friend what we are planning. I enjoy flipping through them prior to our cruise and having something to hold in my hands no matter where I am - inside or outside.