HAL upping their profit margin?

[iancal]

If it were not for Carnival Corp, there probably would be no HAL today.

 

When Carnival acquired HAL, HAL was on the verge of insolvency. HAL reached a point where they could not even obtain the credit facilities necessary to renew their aging fleet (aging fleet..sounds familiar). The business was not generating the required cach flow and the return on capital was unacceptable to most other investors.

 

The HAL sale was a fire sale. I would lay the blame for HAL's current standards on poor management and very poor marketing rather than their parent Carnival Corp. I just hope they HAL management does not follow the same path with Princess.

[donaldsc]

Don't get me wrong I like HAL - but our last two cruises seemed to lack in a couple of areas.

First of all, the theater shows aren't nearly as good as they used to be and while at one time people used to hurry to claim a near the stage seat, now they opt for the back rows. Reason: The music is just too damned loud even for this hearing impaired gent, so loud that the singers are hard to hear over the music.

Secondly, we have noticed a trend that HAL often parks their ships at commercial piers instead of accommodating "tourist" piers. About this time last week we berthed at a commercial pier in St. Thomas -among Crowley shipping containers several miles and taxi $$$ from town while a RCL cruise ship tied up within walking distance of the town center.

 

I can only conclude that these actions were deliberate - to drive us out of the theater with its poor drink sales and into the bar/entertainment venues where HAL passengers are more likely to opt for a cocktail. The same goes for remote ports - I think HAL hopes that people who haven't purchased an excursion will remain on board and hit the Lido bar.

 

 

HAL should have never sold out to CCL,

 

HAL is not in business to make you the cruiser happy. HAL is part of a stockholder owned for-profit company. They have a fiduciary duty to maximize the profits to their stockholders in any way that is legal. If they do it in a way that drives away customers, then hopefully they will modify their business model to regain their profits.

 

That is the way private enterprise and the capitalist system works.

 

DON

[Palmetto Lady]

We haven't been on a HAL ship since 2011. The cabin stewards have to service more cabins. You formerly could get espresso or cappuccino at dinner without paying extra. (I know one should only drink cappuccino until 11:00, but my husband likes it)