10 Day Sea of Cortez

[jsmac3]

Does Holland America offer this cruise anymore?

[cruz chic]

Did a search on a major online TA from Oct.2011 to Dec.2012. It doesn't look like it.

[SwissMyst]

Does Holland America offer this cruise anymore?

 

I thought it was still occasionally done - by one of the smaller HAL ships. We did it last spring on another cruise line and we thought it was a great itinerary, particularly liking low-key Loreto.

 

We would take it again, and hope it also included Mazatlan which was dropped from our trip at the last minute and substituted with a second day in Cabo San Lucas (NG for us - we used it to go to Todos Santos which we thought was not worth the trip)

 

I hope this itinerary comes back too in some form -there are several port choices in the Sea of Cortez including the jumping off port for Copper Canyon. Some of those Cortez ports had gone to a great deal of effort to buff themselves up for cruise stops - so there goes another dent to the Mexican economy well beyond the grizzly havoc in Mazatlan and Acapulco.

 

My regrets Mexico - you have great cruising potential in the Sea of Cortez - wild an lovely with a strong sense of history and tenacity.

[Ine]

Unfortunately not anymore at the moment.

We loved that itinary and hopefully HAL will bring it back.

[cruz chic]

I would also like to see it again.

[jsmac3]

Thanks to all of you.

[cruisinjudy]

I would also like to see it again. That was our favorite winter cruise since it is a short flight to San Diego and ten days was often a good length for the time we had available. Of course Hawaii is also a great trip from San Diego.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We did it a couple of times years ago. Loved it.

That was when HAL also had 10 day Mexican Riviera cruises.

We would do back-to-back cruises - 20 days -- well worth the hassle to fly across the country for those cruises combined.

[solocanadian]

I too wish they would reinstate this cruise. This itinerary with 4 day coastal to Vancouver make for a great 14 day cruise.

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

I, too, hope HAL brings the Sea of Cortez itinerary back - love Loreto and Guaymas. Barbara

[cruisinjudy]

I too wish they would reinstate this cruise. This itinerary with 4 day coastal to Vancouver make for a great 14 day cruise.

Ahh yes that would be good!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Sadly -- it won't happen. HAL lost too much money on those Itineraries. And with HAL moving out of the North American market more and more each year -- those itineraries are gone.

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

I'm curious. What itineraries does HAL make money on these days? It must be the seven day Caribbeans and Alaska on the Vista ships with new cruisers is my guess. The current Asia Pacific Grand Voyage started out with about 780 (if I remember correctly). Shorter cruises must make the money - too bad for those of us who prefer 14 days or longer.

[SwissMyst]

Sadly -- it won't happen. HAL lost too much money on those Itineraries. And with HAL moving out of the North American market more and more each year -- those itineraries are gone.

 

We have been seeing a trend towards more global passengers since the amount of disposable income has grown so dramatically around the world, particularly in the China, India and Russia - plenty at the high ends.

 

Is HAL positioning itself with its more classic, traditional cruise ship appeal to be the first in line - like Buicks are still loved in Shanghai due to their nostalgic allure of the high-life this city stood for in the 1930's?

 

With a growing number of US passengers vocally rejecting many of HAL unique traditions and making more cruise as personal entertainment adventures than travel-destination experiences, this does seem like a sound market positioning choice to make.

 

Additionally we have noticed occasionally small HAL ships have to compete with the mega ships for the newer docking spaces which are set up to conveniently handle the larger ships who disgorge far more happily spending passengers than do HAL ships so they get relegated to the more remote and unappealing positions.

 

Or the smaller ports where HAL ships can still use are getting downgraded in favor of the large capacity docking spaces. Hong Kong again a good example of losing its superb downtown Harbor Terminal location to the new facilities being constructed in the far less desirable former downtown Chaitak airport location now that the airport was moved to Lantau Island.

 

Cruise now and cruise often and love HAL to death as much as you can is all I can say.

[Krazy Kruizers]

I'm curious. What itineraries does HAL make money on these days? It must be the seven day Caribbeans and Alaska on the Vista ships with new cruisers is my guess. The current Asia Pacific Grand Voyage started out with about 780 (if I remember correctly). Shorter cruises must make the money - too bad for those of us who prefer 14 days or longer.

 

 

A hotel manager once told me that the Vista class and Signature class ships in the Caribbean are making money as people are more willing to spend more money on a 7 day cruise than on the longer cruises. They tend to buy more drinks and spend more at the spa and shops.

HAL "Claims" that the Med and Asian cruises always sail full (I don't believe that) and they make money on them. The reason I don't believe that all these cruises sell out completely is because I know someone who was on the Prinsendam in Europe and the ship was only half full!! Donn't see how HAL is making money on some of those cruises.

[cruz chic]

A hotel manager once told me that the Vista class and Signature class ships in the Caribbean are making money as people are more willing to spend more money on a 7 day cruise than on the longer cruises. They tend to buy more drinks and spend more at the spa and shops.

 

HAL "Claims" that the Med and Asian cruises always sail full (I don't believe that) and they make money on them. The reason I don't believe that all these cruises sell out completely is because I know someone who was on the Prinsendam in Europe and the ship was only half full!! Donn't see how HAL is making money on some of those cruises.

I agree. There always seems to be deals for Europe.