Tired of the Erroneous Demographic Reports......

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Just out of curiosity, how many of you complaining about "erroneous demographics" actually routinely cruise on other lines besides HAL? I for one do and can categorically state that on every HAL cruise I've been on the passengers are older on average than on other similar cruises. (Not that there is anything wrong with that.) This past year alone I went on three transatlantic cruises; one each on HAL, Celebrity and RCL.

 

In previous years, I've taken HAL cruises from 7 days to 30 days in length; when compared to cruises of similar lengths on other lines, my HAL cruises have always had older (not to mention more infirm) passengers. In fact, on one cruise, I had a gentleman in his late 60s complain to me that the passengers were too old and boring (his words not mine).

 

As for me, I like HAL fine. I've been sailing on HAL ships since the early 90s when I was in my 30s. But when I board I know what to expect; and that includes a majority of passengers wanting to eat dinner before 6:00pm and a ghost ship before midnight.

 

HAL advertises and caters to an older clientele. There's no reason to deny it and there's no reason to be upset by it.

 

Let the flaming begin. :)

I agree that my NCL and RCL cruises had a younger demographics but that was definitely not the case on a 7 night Crown Princess and our Celebrity Solstice 7 night. Comparing 7 night to 7 night I have found the ages to really be the same. The Crown Princess cruise was actually considerably older than comparable HAL Caribbean cruises which really shocked me.

For longer voyages HAL is the only cruise line I have taken with 10, 14, or 15 days so I honestly cannot compare.

[SwissMyst]

.............

 

HAL advertises and caters to an older clientele. There's no reason to deny it and there's no reason to be upset by it.

 

Let the flaming begin. :)

 

Crank up the charcoal because it looks like the MadMed at HAL advertise to a different demographics than just "older clientele" if the models they use are any indication. Unless of course they are marketing to leering old men using younger babes in twin sets as bait. http://www.hollandamerica.com/main/Main.action?WT.mc_id=PPC_HQ_Google_US

 

You got one part of this right. HAL does "cater" to its clientele, no matter what their birthdates.

[iancal]

Why are HALsters so defensive?

 

Who really cares what other people say or think as long as you enjoy the cruise. That is the bottom line.

[Mary Ellen]

I'm not going to argue with posters who say that the HAL passengers are old, it varies from cruise to cruise and from my experience the variables some attribute to the 'old-ness' of the passengers don't hold up.

 

I've been sailing on HAL since my mid-20s. Obviously I don't feel that HAL is an old folks cruise line. The typical HAL cruise for us the past few years has been in the neighborhood of 3 weeks. The type of cruise many here have said would have "older" passengers. We took a 7-day Disney cruise earlier this year and found the ages of the adult passengers quite similar to what we've seen on HAL. We noticed more scooters on Disney than we normally see on HAL.

 

However, I took a shorter HAL cruise to the Caribbean, without DH, about a month ago. When I returned home I told him that a good number of the other passengers looked like they were on vacation from nursing homes. I was amazed that many were fit for travel. If there was someone else onboard that sailing, for whom this was their first time on HAL, I could easily see why they could feel that HAL's typical passenger was OLD. On this cruise, they were.

[Crew News]

My experience with HAL has the number of juveniles aboard from 12 during the school year to 256 during spring break on a Caribbean cruise.

 

It is remarkable how well HAL keeps kids occupied during the day and out of sight of the rest of the passengers. EVERY kid from 5 years old to teens that I have asked has had a "really fun" time.

 

The only large group of kids that I remember seeing were ten five-year-olds, adorned with paper, Crayola-colored pirate hats and bearing paper swords as they marched, single file, near the Culinary Arts Center. For those who can remember the Wizard of Oz, the group chanted, like the Wicked Witch of the West's monkey army, "Oh we Oh, Oh we Oh." For those who saw the spectacle, they could not help but smile.

 

So when you start observing the average age of HAL passengers, don't forget to include all of the kids that are having just as much fun as the adult passengers in that average.

[kazu]

My husband and I will both be 52 when we take our first HAL cruise in November, and we're REALLY looking forward to it. Our November cruise is going to be our first after I retire in June. Up to this point, our cruises have been restricted to the high-volume school vacation times because I'm a principal and that's the only time I can travel.

 

Most of our Spring Break cruises have had between 900-1,300 children on them!:eek: Even though we've mastered the art of creating an adult experience on a child-filled ship, I can't wait to take longer cruises with more intriguing itineraries. We're fairly traditional in our cruise preferences...we like sitting at a large table and getting to know interesting, well-travelled people, dressing for dinner, and attending lectures, seminars, wine tastings, etc. We hope HAL will be a perfect fit!

 

 

It sounds like HAL should be a good fit for you. There are some pretty fantastic itineraries that are offered. enjoy your retirement and your cruises:)

[Somerset Steve]

When HAL announces the addition of Rock Climbing walls, Waterslides and Waterparks then we might really see the demographics change!! :eek: :eek:

(I say that in jest, but then I think of the poor Veendam.....:eek:)

 

 

 

What is the significance of your comment 'The Poor Veendam' ?

 

I am sailing on her next month :eek:

[Grandma Gilly]

DH and I (50's) are travelling with daughters and sons-in-law (30's) and grandchildren (6, 4 and 2) in the summer on Nieuw Amsterdam. I am sure we will have a brilliant time! We chose this cruise for its superior itinerary.

 

Just our family will change the demographics for this cruise!

[m steve]

I think that HAL ships get a more sophisticated clientelle than say Royal or Carnival. The kids are better behaved and there are many who like the late seating. I don't think only old people sail on HAL even though I am one of them. My DD and SIL are in their 40's and enjoy sailing with us.

[Megsie1000]

I have to admit feeling very defensive (as you shall see by my comments below) on this board when I hear people saying how they love HAL because there are less children on board. :mad:

 

You can't have it both ways. You can't say you hate how they say it's a line for old people and then in the next breath when somebody comes on asking a question about the kids programs, rush forward waving your arms basically saying "HAL ISN'T FOR KIDS!!!" I have seen it time and time again when parents come in here to ask a question. It is a wonder by the responses they get that any of them choose to book HAL.

 

Just how many kids is too many kids? Are there room for mine, or will they be seen as a nuisance because there might be a few too many of them on there? My kids are well behaved in public and are used to eating in restaurants, etc., but like any children on this earth, they have their moments. I don't really want to spend my entire vacation wondering whether people are glaring holes into the back of my head because I dared to spend my hard-earned money to bring my children with me on our family vacation.

 

I never, ever got the impression on our last HAL cruise that our children were a nuisance from the HAL staff. In fact, our children were made to feel so welcome that it brings tears to my eyes to think of it. Our 2-year old had glasses and he got so much attention from the waiters in the dining room. They would see him coming, a bunch of them would rush up to us and say "good morning, Mr. Jack! Nice to see you Mr. Jack!" He loved it. They told us how our girls reminded them of their own children back home. They were lavished with attention and loved every minute. The only people on board who made us feel less than welcome were a few grumpy passengers. Even they were few and far between, but still...

 

IMO, by offering some of the best deals at sea for 3rd & 4th passengers (who are often children), HAL is trying to move their image away from the perception and toward being a more family-friendly line.

[esther e]

We're old -- almost really old. And we like cruising with people older than we are, and fatter. That way we're the thinnest and youngest.:D

 

In our over 70 cruises, I cannot think of one time there weren't a myriad of ages on the ship; of course, there have been times where there were no children at all, but travelers from 40-90. I don't know which I'd like least: ill-behaved kids or crotchety old people.

[sail7seas]

We're old -- almost really old. And we like cruising with people older than we are, and fatter. That way we're the thinnest and youngest.:D

 

In our over 70 cruises, I cannot think of one time there weren't a myriad of ages on the ship; of course, there have been times where there were no children at all, but travelers from 40-90. I don't know which I'd like least: ill-behaved kids or crotchety old people.

 

 

:D Great post......... love it. :)

[sail7seas]

Just out of curiosity, how many of you complaining about "erroneous demographics" actually routinely cruise on other lines besides HAL? I for one do and can categorically state that on every HAL cruise I've been on the passengers are older on average than on other similar cruises. (Not that there is anything wrong with that.) This past year alone I went on three transatlantic cruises; one each on HAL, Celebrity and RCL.

 

In previous years, I've taken HAL cruises from 7 days to 30 days in length; when compared to cruises of similar lengths on other lines, my HAL cruises have always had older (not to mention more infirm) passengers. In fact, on one cruise, I had a gentleman in his late 60s complain to me that the passengers were too old and boring (his words not mine).

 

As for me, I like HAL fine. I've been sailing on HAL ships since the early 90s when I was in my 30s. But when I board I know what to expect; and that includes a majority of passengers wanting to eat dinner before 6:00pm and a ghost ship before midnight.

 

HAL advertises and caters to an older clientele. There's no reason to deny it and there's no reason to be upset by it.

 

Let the flaming begin. :)

 

 

We only sail HAL but we are observant, aware people. When we share a dock in Cozumel, St. Maarten, Crown Bay, San Juan etc etc, I make a point to stand around a while and watch as the 'other' ships disembark and watch them come down the gangway. I purposely watch the demographic as it interests me to compare. Without fail, the guests leaving "X" and Princess, in particular, are remarkably similar to the mix going down HAL's gangway.

 

I am sure they all have the exact numbers but it would surprise me to hear the numbers don't indicate this close similarity. OF COURSE, one cruise to another, one particular ship to another, there will be a variance but I expect an overall comparison would be very similar.

 

 

 

 

My experience with HAL has the number of juveniles aboard from 12 during the school year to 256 during spring break on a Caribbean cruise.

 

It is remarkable how well HAL keeps kids occupied during the day and out of sight of the rest of the passengers. EVERY kid from 5 years old to teens that I have asked has had a "really fun" time.

 

The only large group of kids that I remember seeing were ten five-year-olds, adorned with paper, Crayola-colored pirate hats and bearing paper swords as they marched, single file, near the Culinary Arts Center. For those who can remember the Wizard of Oz, the group chanted, like the Wicked Witch of the West's monkey army, "Oh we Oh, Oh we Oh." For those who saw the spectacle, they could not help but smile.

 

So when you start observing the average age of HAL passengers, don't forget to include all of the kids that are having just as much fun as the adult passengers in that average.

 

 

 

I SO agree. Club HAL does a wonderful job with the children and now and then when we see the five something year old group going through Lido or some other area of the ship, they are so adorable and having such a good time, one would have to have a stone heart to not love the sight. It always gives me a big smile. Congratulations to Club HAL counselors...... they do a GREAT job IMO

 

 

 

 

I have to admit feeling very defensive (as you shall see by my comments below) on this board when I hear people saying how they love HAL because there are less children on board. :mad:

 

You can't have it both ways. You can't say you hate how they say it's a line for old people and then in the next breath when somebody comes on asking a question about the kids programs, rush forward waving your arms basically saying "HAL ISN'T FOR KIDS!!!" I have seen it time and time again when parents come in here to ask a question. It is a wonder by the responses they get that any of them choose to book HAL.

 

Just how many kids is too many kids? Are there room for mine, or will they be seen as a nuisance because there might be a few too many of them on there? My kids are well behaved in public and are used to eating in restaurants, etc., but like any children on this earth, they have their moments. I don't really want to spend my entire vacation wondering whether people are glaring holes into the back of my head because I dared to spend my hard-earned money to bring my children with me on our family vacation.

 

 

<snip>

 

 

Not all of us.

Please don't lump us all the same.

You do NOT see me write such things.

 

 

 

[b

[IRL_Joanie]

What is the significance of your comment 'The Poor Veendam' ?

 

I am sailing on her next month :eek:

 

Veendam went through a re-fit a couple years ago and some of the things that were done to her were not received happily by many. There were problems after the refit and those were also not received well.

 

I've never been on her, but know from the MANY posts about what was done and the problems....

 

TWO of the problems were the removal of the Sea View Pool and the installation of new aft cabins and above those was added a wading type poolette about 2-6 inches deep with lounges inside it:(

 

Because of that new wading poolette leaked, and I mean seriously leaked into the new cabins below.

 

To rectify this serious poolette problem HAL then took Veendam to drt dock to remove the poolette and replaced it with Hot tubs instead. Those have also not been well received. You can see photos of them here: http://joanjett2000.topcities.com/HAL/Veendam/Lido-Seaview-Aft-Pool-Area.html

 

This is why the comment about the Veendam, I believe

 

Joanie

[kazu]

I have to admit feeling very defensive (as you shall see by my comments below) on this board when I hear people saying how they love HAL because there are less children on board. :mad:

 

You can't have it both ways. You can't say you hate how they say it's a line for old people and then in the next breath when somebody comes on asking a question about the kids programs, rush forward waving your arms basically saying "HAL ISN'T FOR KIDS!!!" I have seen it time and time again when parents come in here to ask a question. It is a wonder by the responses they get that any of them choose to book HAL.

 

Just how many kids is too many kids? Are there room for mine, or will they be seen as a nuisance because there might be a few too many of them on there? My kids are well behaved in public and are used to eating in restaurants, etc., but like any children on this earth, they have their moments. I don't really want to spend my entire vacation wondering whether people are glaring holes into the back of my head because I dared to spend my hard-earned money to bring my children with me on our family vacation.

 

I never, ever got the impression on our last HAL cruise that our children were a nuisance from the HAL staff. In fact, our children were made to feel so welcome that it brings tears to my eyes to think of it. Our 2-year old had glasses and he got so much attention from the waiters in the dining room. They would see him coming, a bunch of them would rush up to us and say "good morning, Mr. Jack! Nice to see you Mr. Jack!" He loved it. They told us how our girls reminded them of their own children back home. They were lavished with attention and loved every minute. The only people on board who made us feel less than welcome were a few grumpy passengers. Even they were few and far between, but still...

 

IMO, by offering some of the best deals at sea for 3rd & 4th passengers (who are often children), HAL is trying to move their image away from the perception and toward being a more family-friendly line.

 

I have never NOT seen children welcome on board a HAL ship.:) My sister takes hers on every cruise and she said they had the best reception ever on the eurodam. Hers are like yours. Well behaved (most of the time).

 

She also loved the children's services like Club Hal!:D

 

I think sometimes people just post incorrectly. Any issues with children that I have ever seen (and I can only remember one) was not due to the children but to the parents.

 

The issue I refer to was not the child misbehaving, but my fear for the child as it was in the pool alone with no adults supervising her:o

[LAFFNVEGAS]

We're old -- almost really old. And we like cruising with people older than we are, and fatter. That way we're the thinnest and youngest.:D

 

In our over 70 cruises, I cannot think of one time there weren't a myriad of ages on the ship; of course, there have been times where there were no children at all, but travelers from 40-90. I don't know which I'd like least: ill-behaved kids or crotchety old people.

I love this post too :D

[gelo7]

I kinda like that reputation, it keeps certain people away. The other boards say the HAL is old, X is too sophisticated, and Princess too boring.

[mamaofami]

Me too, Lisa.:):)

[Viesczy]

I have to admit feeling very defensive (as you shall see by my comments below) on this board when I hear people saying how they love HAL because there are less children on board. :mad:

 

You can't have it both ways. You can't say you hate how they say it's a line for old people and then in the next breath when somebody comes on asking a question about the kids programs, rush forward waving your arms basically saying "HAL ISN'T FOR KIDS!!!" I have seen it time and time again when parents come in here to ask a question. It is a wonder by the responses they get that any of them choose to book HAL.

 

Just how many kids is too many kids? Are there room for mine, or will they be seen as a nuisance because there might be a few too many of them on there? My kids are well behaved in public and are used to eating in restaurants, etc., but like any children on this earth, they have their moments. I don't really want to spend my entire vacation wondering whether people are glaring holes into the back of my head because I dared to spend my hard-earned money to bring my children with me on our family vacation.

 

I never, ever got the impression on our last HAL cruise that our children were a nuisance from the HAL staff. In fact, our children were made to feel so welcome that it brings tears to my eyes to think of it. Our 2-year old had glasses and he got so much attention from the waiters in the dining room. They would see him coming, a bunch of them would rush up to us and say "good morning, Mr. Jack! Nice to see you Mr. Jack!" He loved it. They told us how our girls reminded them of their own children back home. They were lavished with attention and loved every minute. The only people on board who made us feel less than welcome were a few grumpy passengers. Even they were few and far between, but still...

 

IMO, by offering some of the best deals at sea for 3rd & 4th passengers (who are often children), HAL is trying to move their image away from the perception and toward being a more family-friendly line.

 

Megsie,

I think folks tend to use the word "children" when they actually mean out of control shaved primates, it is just that the words "child" or "children" are easier to type. Personally I don't care your age, from 1 month to 1188 months, long as you're not a sour pussed, self absorbed drain on the life of everything within 2 light years, you are ACES in my book! I do think it is cute when the little ones are all dressed up. Nothing brings a smile to my face faster than a chickabiddy dressed in their best and looking better than me!

 

FWIW we are not the median age of HAL, I'm 40 and Karen just turned 45.

 

It is sad that there is so much stereotyping, from lines to passengers. Don't go on line X because of Y. I can't stand line Y because of passenger Zs.

 

From our experience the smaller ships on HAL do attract the "older" cruisers that the line is noted for, but on the Vista class there is a far more dynamic ranges of ages. The V class ships are our choice of ships on HAL, because they offer the best of all worlds.

 

Why sail on the smaller ships when for a little bit more we could sail the luxury lines if we wanted the small ship exeperience?

 

Derek

[Sophiebaby]

SwissMyst, you were on the recent 45-day cruise on the Maasdam, as was I. I noticed a huge number of "boomers" on board. There were also a lot of passengers traveling solo, as was I. Many of them were much younger than I (and I'm in my early 70s). Sure there were a lot of much older folks on board which is understandable, since they have the time to travel. But I was very much surprised by the number of very agile, physically active people that I would say were between 55 and 65. Do you agree?

 

Please HAL...no rock walls and skating rinks! We can be physcially fit walking around the deck on Lower Promenade and taking the stairs rather than the elevator (which I saw a lot of people doing).

[LindaM]

I kinda like that reputation, it keeps certain people away. The other boards say the HAL is old, X is too sophisticated, and Princess too boring.

 

I don't think X is too sophisticated!! Maybe at one time they were a step above Princess and HAL and thus commanded a higher price. We've been on Constellation and Millenium--nothing special, IMHO! We were the youngest at our tables, in fact!!

[jhannah]

Such as always been ... and such will always be. Many people are in the camp that seems to profess, "My mind is made up. Don't confuse me with the facts." Trying to convince them that HAL is not a line reserved for those with one foot in the grave is like trying to correct improper grammar on this or any other social networking board.

[innlady1]

We're old -- almost really old. And we like cruising with people older than we are, and fatter. That way we're the thinnest and youngest.:D

 

In our over 70 cruises, I cannot think of one time there weren't a myriad of ages on the ship; of course, there have been times where there were no children at all, but travelers from 40-90. I don't know which I'd like least: ill-behaved kids or crotchety old people.

 

Esther...great post! :D

[Two@Sea]

Such as always been ... and such will always be. Many people are in the camp that seems to profess, "My mind is made up. Don't confuse me with the facts." Trying to convince them that HAL is not a line reserved for those with one foot in the grave is like trying to correct improper grammar on this or any other social networking board.

 

You're correct in your post. ;)

[SwissMyst]

SwissMyst, you were on the recent 45-day cruise on the Maasdam, as was I. I noticed a huge number of "boomers" on board. There were also a lot of passengers traveling solo, as was I. Many of them were much younger than I (and I'm in my early 70s). Sure there were a lot of much older folks on board which is understandable, since they have the time to travel. But I was very much surprised by the number of very agile, physically active people that I would say were between 55 and 65. Do you agree?

 

Please HAL...no rock walls and skating rinks! We can be physcially fit walking around the deck on Lower Promenade and taking the stairs rather than the elevator (which I saw a lot of people doing).

 

I am twixt and between being a War Baby myself pushing 70 right now, but I would say this was a fairly seasoned group of passengers far more on the Silent Generation side of the equation than the trailing Baby Boomers. We didn't notice many younger than ourselves.

 

It was a great group of passengers however, that is for sure. So if I felt "younger", that would be only a by a few years to the majority of the other passengers. It was a lively, interested, courteous, friendly and welcoming group of passengers.

 

During the sea days I started doing a sunrise mile around the promenade deck and was surprised how few were out there at that time which is often when one does see the fit boomers. But it was just me and the guy who was putting out the deck chair cushions and hosing down the woodwork for the most part.