Holland America dropping Knitting/Crafting Groups

[Becabica]

On our last HAL cruise, we discovered that Holland America is no longer permitting publication of events that allow knitters/crocheters/handcrafters to meet. Apparently, they are moving in an "exciting new direction" and they don't want to include these groups in their agenda anymore. This is very disappointing to me because I have enjoyed my meetings onboard and have made some lasting friendships as a result. I would like to see if we can bring pressure on HAL to return these meet-ups to their agenda. They still have self directed activities for card playing (twice a day), chess, scattergories, and numerous other activities, but it seems that hand-crafts just don't make. :(

[dot73]

HAL's new direction: if it doesn't earn money, get rid of it. Surely, room could be found for a small group to get together a couple of times during a cruise. Pretty soon, a more and more past passengers are going to feel more and more unwelcome as HAL is trying for a different type of passenger.

[Vict0riann]

I always enjoyed the "Sit and Stitch" meetings too. I "heard" that they prefer to use the Crow's Nest for more lucrative goings-on!:eek: On Prinsendam in November, they told me just to put a note on the "board" in the library (turned out to be a clipboard stashed in a corner behind the librarian), but we had a plan and the roll call assembled as we had decided, and everyone just mentioned it to anyone they saw around the ship who was working on a project - we ended up with a large crowd meeting every sea day, and even had a water-colourist who showed us her paintings from each of the ports and explained how she worked at sea!

 

The roll call has the same plans for the next cruise!:)

[bUU]

HAL's new direction: if it doesn't earn money, get rid of it.

My boss is just like that, too.

 

On Prinsendam in November, they told me just to put a note on the "board" in the library (turned out to be a clipboard stashed in a corner behind the librarian)

Is there a bulletin board in the Navigator application of some sort that passengers could use to post public messages?

 

 

 

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[Scrapnana]

How much does it cost to put it in the daily program? Couldn't be much.

 

This just makes joining your roll call and setting something up more important. On my last long cruise the roll call set up a time and place. More and more people who were not on the RC joined us as the cruise progressed. Getting together to work on crafts is a great way to meet people you might not otherwise get to know as well as learning about different types of crafts.

[bUU]

How much does it cost to put it in the daily program? Couldn't be much.

Isn't the issue more so capitalizing on available real estate... that they don't want to promote activities that neither foster overall satisfaction of the prime demographics nor raise justifying revenues?

 

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[Quartzsite Cruiser]

We got off the Westerdam a week ago. There was not any mention of a crafts group get together in the daily program. However, there was a private knitting group on board, and they usually met in one corner of the Captain's Corner of the Crow's Nest.

 

The Crow's Nest was used for trivia at noon on sea days and 4 p.m. on port days. A couple of times bingo was held there when a speaker was using the Vista Lounge. The only other organized activity was the HAL Privileges presentations. There were several of these throughout the cruise, and they took over most of the Crow's Nest. Maybe it was the free glass of wine that brought people out. We received an invitation to one presentation, but did not attend.

[Maureenxx]

Sad to hear. Have always enjoyed joining others for crafts and needlework. A nice get together, especially on sea days and long cruises. As far as I am concerned, HAL's "new direction" is just a way of telling their long-term loyal cruisers that "we don't want you around anymore". I guess we are too frugal with our money. Younger cruisers are more apt to be loose with their spending. Guess it's time to start a new cruise line with nicely appointed small ships for those of us who just want to enjoy the open sea and visit interesting places. I always thought that was what a cruise was all about, but it looks like that idea is no longer popular.

[OlsSalt]

Funny, I thought knitting and crafts were "so Midwestern", which is how HAL CEO Arnold Donald, on TV recently described the HAL experience.

[bUU]

I've never lived in the Midwest, but I have lived outside New York, Philadelphia, Boston, and Atlanta, and there were very active knitting, quilting and/or crafts groups at our churches in New England and in the South.

 

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[Tennessee Titan]

I note that venues such as Lincoln Center, Billboard, etc. sit empty all day. There is a claim that contracts forbid their use for other purposes 24/7. Really a shame......

[bUU]

That's predictable. These groups lending their names to things don't want their trademark associated with anything out of their control.

 

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[kazu]

How much does it cost to put it in the daily program? Couldn't be much.

 

This just makes joining your roll call and setting something up more important. On my last long cruise the roll call set up a time and place. More and more people who were not on the RC joined us as the cruise progressed. Getting together to work on crafts is a great way to meet people you might not otherwise get to know as well as learning about different types of crafts.

 

Totally agree Kathi :).

[AV8rix]

This just makes joining your roll call and setting something up more important. On my last long cruise the roll call set up a time and place. More and more people who were not on the RC joined us as the cruise progressed. Getting together to work on crafts is a great way to meet people you might not otherwise get to know as well as learning about different types of crafts.

 

Like Jacqui, I agree 100%. In fact, before this thread ever started, four of us beaders have been discussing on our roll call plans to meet on sea days on our upcoming Zaandam trip, and visiting bead shops together when in port.

[geoherb]

Unfortunately, a lot of HAL roll calls are pretty quiet. Our cruise last month on the Zuiderdam to the Panama Canal never reached more than a dozen or so people posting and just a few pages long. It was a big difference from our Princess cruise in December that had over 100 people signed up for a meet and greet. On our Zuiderdam cruise, the knitters met in the Ocean Bar.

[bUU]

I'm hoping ours will be different but don't expect it will. It seems to me that most passengers are cruising to enjoy a vacation with their traveling companion(s), specifically, not to connect up with strangers that they probably won't see again because they live on opposite sides of the country.

 

We met a nice couple at dinner on our last cruise. We talked a bit about future cruising plans. I even helped them by sharing some of my research for a cruise that we both planned to take. But even there, they are taking that cruise this year and we'll take it next year. A practically ideal situation for people having cruised with each other before cruising with each other again and it just simply didn't happen.

 

Heck, I have a couple of co-workers from 30 years ago with whom we have an open invitation to join them on a cruise to Bermuda something they do every year. This is a couple I worked with for many years. I knew both of them before they met each other. And that cruise has not happened yet. It just never came together. It is hard enough sometimes to arrange vacations with family much less with others.

 

And our society does not place a very high priority on expanding the base of one's acquaintances and friendships beyond those that are tightly aligned with those we already have. The differences between people now are such that the chances of randomly coming into the orbit of a person with whom you'll share the same values, and who places the same amount of importance of having similar values, is pretty small. It seems to me the low numbers in roll call threads, especially in contrast to how many Cruise Critic members there are and therefore how likely it is that a number of other passengers on these cruises are Cruise Critic members but choose not to join the Roll Call, can be attributed to many people simply figuring it's not worth it.

 

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[TiogaCruiser]

I always enjoyed the "Sit and Stitch" meetings too. I "heard" that they prefer to use the Crow's Nest for more lucrative goings-on!:eek: On Prinsendam in November, they told me just to put a note on the "board" in the library (turned out to be a clipboard stashed in a corner behind the librarian), but we had a plan and the roll call assembled as we had decided, and everyone just mentioned it to anyone they saw around the ship who was working on a project - we ended up with a large crowd meeting every sea day, and even had a water-colourist who showed us her paintings from each of the ports and explained how she worked at sea!

 

The roll call has the same plans for the next cruise!:)

 

Then if HAL leaves a gap our RollCall will fill it. And CC might just get some new members.

 

 

HAL: lead, follow or get out of the way.

 

Now to pack my crocheting and fly fringe.

[highland cruiser]

Returned from the Maasdam Auckland to San Diego cruise on Feb. 22. In the Daily Navigator every day was : Sit and Stitch Meet- Bring your craft and enjoy the view (unhosted). It took place the Crow's nest port side. Only days it wasn't in the Navigator were port days. Maybe it was included on this cruise as we had so many sea days. I didn't attend but noticed a lot of ladies stitching on this cruise! :)

[ChinaShrek]

 

And our society does not place a very high priority on expanding the base of one's acquaintances and friendships beyond those that are tightly aligned with those we already have. The differences between people now are such that the chances of randomly coming into the orbit of a person with whom you'll share the same values, and who places the same amount of importance of having similar values, is pretty small. It seems to me the low numbers in roll call threads, especially in contrast to how many Cruise Critic members there are and therefore how likely it is that a number of other passengers on these cruises are Cruise Critic members but choose not to join the Roll Call, can be attributed to many people simply figuring it's not worth it.

 

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This is happening in America today concerning our political identities. Most liberals live in the same neighborhoods as other liberals, and conservatives live with people who are also conservative. In many cases, liberals do not even talk with a single conservative (in person) during a typical week.

[TheEmerson]

My DW always brings her knitting and quilt work with her on every cruise. Neither of us ever saw posted in the daily programs of such meet ups. I keep teasing her to bring her Singer Featherweight each cruise we take.

[Adoptionmsw]

I had a similar experience on our three week cruise on the Oosterdam in February. HAL assigned a room and time but refused to list it in the daily program. I didn't learn of the group until the first week was nearly over. DH and I have been on several long cruises and the needlework group was always listed. I've so enjoyed these groups. We were given the same story about the "new direction." One of our knitters called Seattle during the cruise but nothing came of it. It's really too bad. Knitting continues to grow in popularity. Note all the pink hats worn to D.C. On 1/21.

 

 

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[Maureenxx]

I am already so tired of hearing about HAL's "exciting new direction". Just an excuse for less staff and service.

[bUU]

I am already so tired of hearing about HAL's "exciting new direction". Just an excuse for less staff and service.

As I read the trip reports from recent cruises and learning about BB Kings and America's Test Kitchen, and as I read about the new O Magazine partnership, it seems that the "exciting new direction" is something other than an excuse, but rather involves real offerings, some of which I believe I'll be quite interested in.

 

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[Adoptionmsw]

As I read the trip reports from recent cruises and learning about BB Kings and America's Test Kitchen, and as I read about the new O Magazine partnership, it seems that the "exciting new direction" is something other than an excuse, but rather involves real offerings, some of which I believe I'll be quite interested in.

 

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BB King has been around for a while now and we enjoy it. I personally have not been interested in the cooking demonstrations although I'm sure many like it. It just troubles me that some interest groups, bridge for example, merit mention in the daily schedule but needlework does not.

 

 

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[RuthC]

I am already so tired of hearing about HAL's "exciting new direction". Just an excuse for less staff and service.

Agreed. HAL may be taking a "new direction", but it sure doesn't "excite" me. It turns me right off.

If I start a dalliance with another line, I won't so much be leaving HAL as HAL is leaving me.