My feelings on Half Moon Cay

[sblahars]

I was just on the Zuiderdam last week. We visited Half Moon Cay. In the recent months, I did alot of reading on everything about the ship and ports, and I seemed to get the feeling that people loved Half Moon Cay. I notice that people on these boards tend to be overdramatic about things, trying to sound poetic but end up sounding trite.

 

After visiting Half Moon Cay, I see that it was in no way overdramatic...when people said they would have been happy if they ONLY went there, I thought they weren't really serious...but about 2 hours into our visit...we were looking for places where we could hide and live on the island without being noticed. I couldn't believe how perfect of a place it is. The sand, the water, the horses...incredible. Now I understand what people mean when they say they would be happy staying there the whole cruise. And I am ususally the kind of person who has no interest in going to a beach.

 

But what I want to know is, why is Holland America not visiting the Caribbean next summer? Is this island just going to be dormant during that time? Seems like such a shame.

[Candy]

HAL won't visit Half Moon Cay next summer because there will be no HAL ships in the Bahamas or Caribbean. Period. They didn't ask us, just did it.:mad:

...snip... But what I want to know is, why is Holland America not visiting the Caribbean next summer? Is this island just going to be dormant during that time? Seems like such a shame.

[jhannah]

Yes, HMC is a pristine paradise that's hard to exaggerate. Glad you discovered its beauty.

[Ziggy7]

They didn't ask us, just did it.:mad:

You would think they would at least poll past passengers! Also, I'm honored you like my pictures enough to post a link to them in your signature Candy! Your very sweet!

 

sblahars, Glad you enjoyed HMC! It is a very nice beach (Island), I am probaly one who tooted my horn for HMC hehehe.

[cruznon]

From what I understand, next summer nearly every ships that sails will end up in Alaska! We wanted to do Alaskan cruise , but NOT when there are so many ships there. Imagine 5 or 6 ships docking in the same small towns!:(

 

It's truly sad that no HAL ships will visit HMC next summer....

[Ziggy7]

From what I understand, next summer nearly every ships that sails will end up in Alaska! We wanted to do Alaskan cruise , but NOT when there are so many ships there. Imagine 5 or 6 ships docking in the same small towns!:(

 

It's truly sad that no HAL ships will visit HMC next summer....

I thought they were leaving just one in the Caribbean, the Zuiderdam ??? Anyone else here that ?? Or am I cockoo hehehe

[Candy]

I thought they were leaving just one in the Caribbean, the Zuiderdam ??? Anyone else here that ?? Or am I cockoo hehehe

I would do a 6th Zuidy in a Chicago minute! Why didn't someone call me?

 

Ziggy... your photos are the best!

[kryos]

But what I want to know is, why is Holland America not visiting the Caribbean next summer? Is this island just going to be dormant during that time? Seems like such a shame.

Can you say "hurricanes?"

 

I think Carnival will be using the island on some of their Caribbean itineraries during that period.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

From what I understand, next summer nearly every ships that sails will end up in Alaska! We wanted to do Alaskan cruise , but NOT when there are so many ships there. Imagine 5 or 6 ships docking in the same small towns!:(

 

It's truly sad that no HAL ships will visit HMC next summer....

I think many of the cruiselines are taking a bath in the Caribbean during hurricane season. I know last summer when I did a b2b on the Zuiderdam, we got all kinds of onboard credits for missed ports, cancelled shore excursions ... you name it ... because of the hurricanes. Then, to make matters worse, the ship had to remain out to sea for an additional 2 days because Port Everglades was closed. People missed their flights home, passengers were angry/inconvenienced, etc. Then, a lot of the passengers due to embark that Saturday in Fort Lauderdale started cancelling their cruises. They were not willing to take a shortened cruise even though they would have gotten a partial refund. Also, it was too much of a hassle trying to get to Port Everglades because of the weather.

 

I was fortunate in that I was schduled to remain on the ship for that following week anyway, so I wasn't inconvenienced in the slightest by the shortened second week. I was on the ship anyway. I paid for two weeks, and I got two weeks. However, I also got onboard credits equivalent to what was being offered to other passengers to extend their cruise for that second week.

 

When we finally departed Port Everglades that Monday evening, there were only about 800 passengers on the ship. Everyone else had cancelled. The Zuiderdam holds in excess of 2,000. It was like sailing on your own private yacht. There were so few people that they went to one dinner seating and one show time. They had plenty of room to accommodate everyone.

 

Nice for the passengers, a major loss for the cruiseline. I doubt they could have possibly broken even on that week's sailing.

 

I would imagine there will be more of the same on Caribbean sailings over these next several months. That's why a lot of cruiselines are opting to send their Caribbean ships to Alaska during the summer months in 2006 and beyond.

 

My problem with that is that Alaska is gonna sure become a zoo with all those extra ships plying its waters in the summertime.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[MBeamTX]

I suspect Rita is right about the financial toll of hurricane season, but it seems a particular shame to leave Half Moon Cay unvisited next summer after HAL made such big investments in the children's area, stables, jet skis, etc.

 

I rather hope they don't have Carnival ships using it during that time. Just think what could happen - all those Carnival fans might switch to HAL just to get at HMC and then we'd have Harley t-shirts and belly rings in the dining room on formal nights. :eek:

 

<running away very, very fast>

Susan

[Krazy Kruizers]

Back in March I started a thread when we discovered that the Zuiderdam nor any other ship would be doing the Caribbean in the summer of 2006.

I asked what everyone thought would happen to the horses, etc., from the begining of May until the end of September. That is a lot of time for the island not to be used.

Many of us wondered if Varnival might use the island during that time being as they will still have a few ships in the Caribbean in the summer of 2006.

[Krazy Kruizers]

HAL will make money by sending the Zuiderdam to Alaska. The cabin rates for Alaskan cruises are much higher than those for the Caribbean.

[Candy]

Can you say "hurricanes?"

 

I think Carnival will be using the island on some of their Caribbean itineraries during that period. Blue skies ... --rita

As much as I love HMC, it's not enough to make me switch.

 

Candy <-- will retire on Zuidy one day

[Ziggy7]

I think many of the cruiselines are taking a bath in the Caribbean during hurricane season. I know last summer when I did a b2b on the Zuiderdam, we got all kinds of onboard credits for missed ports, cancelled shore excursions ... you name it ... because of the hurricanes. Then, to make matters worse, the ship had to remain out to sea for an additional 2 days because Port Everglades was closed. People missed their flights home, passengers were angry/inconvenienced, etc. Then, a lot of the passengers due to embark that Saturday in Fort Lauderdale started cancelling their cruises. They were not willing to take a shortened cruise even though they would have gotten a partial refund. Also, it was too much of a hassle trying to get to Port Everglades because of the weather.

 

I was fortunate in that I was schduled to remain on the ship for that following week anyway, so I wasn't inconvenienced in the slightest by the shortened second week. I was on the ship anyway. I paid for two weeks, and I got two weeks. However, I also got onboard credits equivalent to what was being offered to other passengers to extend their cruise for that second week.

 

When we finally departed Port Everglades that Monday evening, there were only about 800 passengers on the ship. Everyone else had cancelled. The Zuiderdam holds in excess of 2,000. It was like sailing on your own private yacht. There were so few people that they went to one dinner seating and one show time. They had plenty of room to accommodate everyone.

 

Nice for the passengers, a major loss for the cruiseline. I doubt they could have possibly broken even on that week's sailing.

 

I would imagine there will be more of the same on Caribbean sailings over these next several months. That's why a lot of cruiselines are opting to send their Caribbean ships to Alaska during the summer months in 2006 and beyond.

 

My problem with that is that Alaska is gonna sure become a zoo with all those extra ships plying its waters in the summertime.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

Rita, I believe you are right, but why couldnt they just change their leaving ports to NY and cruise around the Eastern Caribbean, not many hurricanes went that way and if it does they can change ports to the higher Bahamas :) Just a thought IMHO :)

 

Susan, too funny of your description of Carnival cruisers :)

[brfan]

I thought they were leaving just one in the Caribbean, the Zuiderdam ??? Anyone else here that ?? Or am I cockoo hehehe

 

The Zuiderdam is doing Alaska next year. This year she's the only ship doing the Caribbean from HAL.

 

Brenda

[RockyMtnTexan]

I'm sad too that HAL won't be in the Caribbean next summer. We sometimes do quick, somewhat last-minute vacations during the summer (a la our cruise on the Zuiderdam next weekend), and it's hard to beat the Caribbean for being easy to get to and very affordable.

 

It's too bad that HAL couldn't leave at least one ship in the Caribbean, as they did this year. Not only for HMC, but for the ports, too. I know that one ship isn't going to make that much of a difference, but if several cruiselines follow suit, then couldn't some of the people at the ports, especially the smaller, less-visited ones, suffer a bit financially? I don't know how many, or if, other ships will be taken from the Caribbean next summer, but it's just a thought...

[Candy]

We may have to bite the bullet and do a MexRiv, TransCanal or Hawaii next year.

 

Candy <-- needs some new brochures

[arzz]

Where will the Oosterdam be next summer?

[sail7seas]

Where will the Oosterdam be next summer?

 

 

She'll be in Alaska.

[sail7seas]

JMHO....

 

 

I think hurricanes have very little to do with HAL not leaving a ship in the Caribbean next spring, summer, fall. I think it has much more to do with the fact they can charge much higher fares for Europe and Alaska.

 

Hurricanes are not a new phenomenon. HAL has sailed the Caribbean uninterrupted for a great many years. They go west if the hurricanes go east. They go east if the hurricane is south.....ships are moveable structures.

 

It has everything to do with higher revenue IMO

We love sailing the Caribbean in the summer. We'll have to find an alternative to HAL ships if we wish to be in the Caribbean next summer. We always loved Resorts long before we ever started cruising. NO reason to think we won't still love them.

[Oceanwench]

I asked Capt. John Scott on the Zuiderdam about this very issue.

He said HAL got "hammered by the hurricanes" in 2004, plus Alaksa trips are very lucrative.

 

While hurricanes are not a new phenomenon, they come in cycles. We have been on the low [inactive] cycle for many, many years.

That has changed, and we are experiencing a cycle of very active hurricane seasons.

[bookworm0911]

There are many factors which would contribute to HAL making a decision as to where to place their ships. Increased revenues on certain routes certainly would be one, but that could be countered by increased costs, too. Food and fuel may be higher in Alaska, but increased fares may be attainable week-in and week-out also. Certainly in the mix is weather and hurricanes have to be a major consideration in HAL's decision (and other cruiselines, too) to limit or even eliminate summer Caribbean cruising. We don't have all the numbers so how can we say what HAL should do?

 

What's a cockoo? :eek:

[sail7seas]

I asked Capt. John Scott on the Zuiderdam about this very issue.

He said HAL got "hammered by the hurricanes" in 2004, plus Alaksa trips are very lucrative.

 

While hurricanes are not a new phenomenon, they come in cycles. We have been on the low [inactive] cycle for many, many years.

That has changed, and we are experiencing a cycle of very active hurricane seasons.

 

 

Hurricanes?? Revenue?? Bottom line is no HAL ships in the Caribbean next spring, summer or fall.

[Candy]

Hurricanes?? Revenue?? Bottom line is no HAL ships in the Caribbean next spring, summer or fall.

HAL spring Caribbean cruises:

 

March 2006: Noordam, Veendam, Ryndam, Zaandam, Westerdam, Volendam, Maasdam & Zuiderdam,

 

April: Zaandam, Noordam, Veendam, Zuiderdam & Westerdam

 

Summer: Either we change cruise lines or change oceans.

 

Candy <-- will sail on sumpin' somewhere

[Renorita]

Fall: Didn't check on other sailings, but we will be on the Westerdam for our Halloween dam Cruise in October! :)