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Rethinking HAL Signature Ships - Now I Know What They REALLY Are

cruisetrail

By cruisetrail,
in Holland America Line

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cruisetrail

cruisetrail

Posted
Posted (edited)

I am about to finish a longer break in my extensive Signature Class ships review.

 

What people do when they don't write reviews?

They cruise!

 

Well, they also work hard, have business trips, etc. That's what happened to us.

 

However, we were lucky to have a break during a break - we took a cruise on the MSC Divina a couple of month ago.

Yacht Club! This is an variation of the "ship within a ship" concept that was introduced earlier by NCL ("Haven").

 

Having experienced this unforgettable, incomparable (add your adjective) luxury and exclusivity we have to "come back" to our cruises on the Eurodam and Nieuw Amsterdam and look at them from a new perspective.

 

Honestly, our experience with the unparalleled luxury of the YC wasn't eye opener because, for experienced cruisers, many things were clear a priori.

Now it's time to verbalize it.

 

1. "Ships within a ship" is merely a pretentious enclave within a ship. It's not "all inclusive". And it's the rest of the ship that defines the quality of the cruising experience (product quality) overall.

We choose a "mansarde in Paris" over a "palace in Cambodia", however, my 90 y.o. grandpa would be happy in a "luxury" eclave of this kind.

 

2. We now call HAL Siganture class ships "Yach Club Plus" - ships where "luxury & exclusivity" & far better amenities are available to every passenger - from inside cabins to suites - either included in the price or for extra charge.

 

3. After adding a few minimal but visible details HAL Signature Class product can be marketed as "Most Affordable LUXURY at Sea". Easily and rightfully.:)

 

4. HAL Signature Class ships deliver the best value at sea.

 

A few details & photos sometime later...

 

Enjoy your cruises!

Edited by cruisetrail
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alexkrn46

alexkrn46

Posted
Posted

What is a "Yach Club Plus"?

 

What type of room and how was cost?

 

Was free and well stocked mini bar included? Restocked twice a day?

 

What about Premium dining?

 

 

Free complete newspaper of your choice?

 

Daily fresh fruit basket?

 

24 hour Concierge available?

 

 

Nitendo Wi?

 

Memory foam mattress? With Egyptian Sheets?

 

Marble bathrooms?

 

Great entertainment and little or no announcements.

 

Sounds like a great deal, if it is less than $2400 per person, with all that included?

 

Unfortunately I am not finding that on the HAL web page.

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Mr. Dog

Mr. Dog

Posted
Posted

I don't post a lot but......

 

 

I don't think u can call Holland a luxury cruise line - especially the Signature ships. I think maybe the Prisnedam is the closest but even it is not a Seabourn or Silversea.

 

I am curious though - did you really go on MSC? It seems that many on that board think you did not? http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2048727

 

Or did you come here hoping that the Holland board would go for it when the MSC board didn't ?

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shandryl

shandryl

Posted
Posted
I don't post a lot but......

 

 

I don't think u can call Holland a luxury cruise line - especially the Signature ships. I think maybe the Prisnedam is the closest but even it is not a Seabourn or Silversea.

 

I am curious though - did you really go on MSC? It seems that many on that board think you did not? http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2048727

 

Or did you come here hoping that the Holland board would go for it when the MSC board didn't ?

 

Mr Dog, thanks for providing the link. ;) Good on you for catching that!

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jtl513

jtl513

Posted
Posted (edited)
Or did you come here hoping that the Holland board would go for it when the MSC board didn't ?
From the number of photos without people and in unusual places on his "Grand Tour" thread in February (http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1895592), I believe he worked on the Signature ships for some time. I asked him that on that thread, but he never gave an answer. Edited by jtl513
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POA1 "Live from...." Rare

POA1

Posted
Posted
From the number of photos without people and in unusual places on his "Grand Tour" thread in February (http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1895592), I believe he worked on the Signature ships for some time. I asked him that on that thread, but he never gave an answer.

 

Definitely spent a fair amount of time compiling the photos. (If you have an EXIF viewer, look at the images with it.)

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Mr. Dog

Mr. Dog

Posted
Posted
From the number of photos without people and in unusual places on his "Grand Tour" thread in February (http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1895592), I believe he worked on the Signature ships for some time. I asked him that on that thread, but he never gave an answer.
\

 

agree with u. I am mostly a lurker but read a lot.

 

thought he could be a hot man - there is one big on photos - but who knows?

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innlady1

innlady1

Posted
Posted
\

 

agree with u. I am mostly a lurker but read a lot.

 

thought he could be a hot man - there is one big on photos - but who knows?

 

Mr. Dog...it could well be the Hotel Director on our 21 day Nieuw Amsterdam cruise last October was a huge photography buff...had very interesting photo programs throughout the transatlantic portion of our cruise. Perhaps it is he....

 

At that time, he mentioned he hoped his next contract would be on the Eurodam so that he could continue with Baltic photography.

 

His work has appeared in several travel publications...very impressive.

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sail7seas

sail7seas

Posted
Posted
Mr. Dog...it could well be the Hotel Director on our 21 day Nieuw Amsterdam cruise last October was a huge photography buff...had very interesting photo programs throughout the transatlantic portion of our cruise. Perhaps it is he....

 

At that time, he mentioned he hoped his next contract would be on the Eurodam so that he could continue with Baltic photography.

 

His work has appeared in several travel publications...very impressive.

 

 

Interesting.

Whoever did all that work, it is impressive. Wonderful photos.

 

Do you recall that Hotel Directors name?

 

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Mr. Dog

Mr. Dog

Posted
Posted

 

However, we were lucky to have a break during a break - we took a cruise on the MSC Divina a couple of month ago.

Yacht Club! This is an variation of the "ship within a ship" concept that was introduced earlier by NCL ("Haven").

 

Having experienced this unforgettable, incomparable (add your adjective) luxury and exclusivity we have to "come back" to our cruises on the Eurodam and Nieuw Amsterdam and look at them from a new perspective.

 

Honestly, our experience with the unparalleled luxury of the YC wasn't eye opener because, for experienced cruisers, many things were clear a priori.

Now it's time to verbalize it.

 

 

Enjoy your cruises!

 

am confused. U said in your 1st post (#1) u sailed on the MSC

 

 

The Signature ships have appeared as a comparison for two reasons.

1. We were considering MSC Divina for a budget cruise last fall, but finally found a better deal from... HAL (Signature Class). My pre-cruise research was posted as a thread on MSC board (33,000 views).

2. Our impressions from the Signature ship were still fresh, so some YC exclusivities looked like grotesque in comparison.

 

here U say U were considering MSC but did Holland.

 

thnx for reply but it now sounds like U did not sail MSC despite your 1st post where U said you did?:confused:

 

luxury is about a lot more than amenities but service + food + other things. I know U disagree

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sppunk

sppunk

Posted
Posted

HAL's signature ships are good sure but there is no fact whatsoever they are even close to the best value at sea.

 

Value isn't defineable. To pretend (there is a lot of that going on here I believe) it can be stated as an absolute fact is foolish.

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POA1 "Live from...." Rare

POA1

Posted
Posted (edited)
HAL's signature ships are good sure but there is no fact whatsoever they are even close to the best value at sea.

 

Value isn't defineable. To pretend (there is a lot of that going on here I believe) it can be stated as an absolute fact is foolish.

 

If I can interject... If value isn't definable (straw man fallacy) the rest of your argument collapses.

 

This is just awful reasoning. You can do better. :)

Edited by POA1
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sppunk

sppunk

Posted
Posted
If I can interject... If value isn't definable (straw man fallacy) the rest of your argument collapses.

 

This is just awful reasoning. You can do better. :)

 

I didn't word that correctly - I mean you can't factually say they are the definitive best value. I blame the wang wangs ...

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Host Jazzbeau Great Review Rare

Host Jazzbeau

Posted
Posted

Thanks cruisetrail for your in-depth reviews of HAL Signature Class and Celebrity S-Class. Thanks to your review I have added HAL to my list of lines to monitor.

 

Now that I understand a little of what appeals to you in a cruise ship, it would be interesting to read your review of Celebrity M-Class (no Promenade Deck, which I agree is a real loss, but beautiful art deco furnishings [not recreations, but the original ones from the Normandie etc.]) and Coral/Island Princess (I think you would find the overall design to your liking).

 

I know that when you've been asked about this in the past you replied that you concentrate on "flagships" -- but given trends in cruise ship design (bigger, flashier, more and more focus on squeezing dollars rather than pleasing passengers) you should reconsider. Help more people appreciate the last of the great designs still sailing!

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