Thoughts on a So-So Cruise - Nieuw Amsterdam - March 5-12

[Tennessee Titan]

Thanks for your review.

 

It seems some can't accept anything other than a perfect 'blue sky' review from others. Or that others may value different things -- and have just as much right to their opinion.

 

They will seize upon any negative and disregard your positive comments about the cabin size, the Dive-In, BB King, Club Hal and even the ship's layout and decor. As if you've only come here for the purpose of belittling their favorite child. :loudcry:

 

Never mind, you raise some good points for consideration.

 

It's interesting to me personally how some pretend that HAL has never had many daily activities, while in fact there used to be more. More lectures, more games, more 'lessons'. Not necessarily cutting edge, but at least something. I love reading as much or more than your average HAL cruiser, but even for me there's only so long I can keep my nose in a book.

I don't mind or object to a subjective bad review. What infuriates me is that today so many "reviewers" inject their personal afflictions/problems/likes/dislikes and imply fault on the part of the ship or crew.....

[3rdGenCunarder]

Thanks for your review.

 

It seems some can't accept anything other than a perfect 'blue sky' review from others. Or that others may value different things -- and have just as much right to their opinion.

 

They will seize upon any negative and disregard your positive comments about the cabin size, the Dive-In, BB King, Club Hal and even the ship's layout and decor. As if you've only come here for the purpose of belittling their favorite child. :loudcry:

 

Never mind, you raise some good points for consideration.

 

It's interesting to me personally how some pretend that HAL has never had many daily activities, while in fact there used to be more. More lectures, more games, more 'lessons'. Not necessarily cutting edge, but at least something. I love reading as much or more than your average HAL cruiser, but even for me there's only so long I can keep my nose in a book.

 

(bold is mine) For years, I've read posts about onboard lectures, but never come across any when sailing. I'm not counting tour lectures or the "port lectures" that are just sales pitches for the vendors that have some kind of relationship with HAL. But speakers with some interesting information about the area we're visiting. On our recent 11-day Zuiderdam partial canal transit, the "port expert" also did a few lectures. One was on pirates, I forget what the other was. Not a big deal, but SOMETHING. And the theater showed some documentaries about the canal. So maybe HAL is starting to make improvements there.

 

They also had a new program of having coffee and a chat with someone. It usually was a performer--the singers and dancers one day, the steel drum guy (who also gave lessons), etc. And I think there were more culinary demos than before. (It's the old "culinary center" and not ATK yet)

 

And they had the best computer teacher I've come across in ages.

 

Let's hope it's a trend that they're trying to increase the "content" of the cruises.

[cruisemom42]

(bold is mine) For years, I've read posts about onboard lectures, but never come across any when sailing. I'm not counting tour lectures or the "port lectures" that are just sales pitches for the vendors that have some kind of relationship with HAL. But speakers with some interesting information about the area we're visiting. On our recent 11-day Zuiderdam partial canal transit, the "port expert" also did a few lectures. One was on pirates, I forget what the other was. Not a big deal, but SOMETHING. And the theater showed some documentaries about the canal. So maybe HAL is starting to make improvements there.

 

They also had a new program of having coffee and a chat with someone. It usually was a performer--the singers and dancers one day, the steel drum guy (who also gave lessons), etc. And I think there were more culinary demos than before. (It's the old "culinary center" and not ATK yet)

 

And they had the best computer teacher I've come across in ages.

 

Let's hope it's a trend that they're trying to increase the "content" of the cruises.

 

That's very good to hear!

[RuthC]

(bold is mine) For years, I've read posts about onboard lectures, but never come across any when sailing. I'm not counting tour lectures or the "port lectures" that are just sales pitches for the vendors that have some kind of relationship with HAL. But speakers with some interesting information about the area we're visiting.

I can remember enrichment lectures on cruises at least as far back as 2003, and probably earlier. I absolutely remember an entire team of experts on my first Antarctica cruise in 2002, and believe they gave lectures as well as commentary.

Scenic commentary while entering or leaving particular ports also goes back for years.

My experience with port lecturers is not shilling for vendors, but rather excellent information for those going out on their own. There is also an opportunity to sit with them and ask individual questions during their desk hours.

All of these were on longer cruises, though, and to places other than the basic Caribbean islands. That may be the difference.

[OlsSalt]

.......

My experience with port lecturers is not shilling for vendors, but rather excellent information for those going out on their own. There is also an opportunity to sit with them and ask individual questions during their desk hours.

All of these were on longer cruises, though, and to places other than the basic Caribbean islands. That may be the difference.

 

This is still the case - the longer cruises still have plenty of enrichment lecturers, as well as an independent port lecturer along with the shorex staff presentations. Those cruises often have more sea days where this makes these series more appropriate.

 

However, the word was they are not available for less than 14 day cruises, even when two 14 day segments are sold as a 28 day "collector" cruise. So that is a change -in the past we did have some independent lectures on shorter cruises.

 

On our 28 day "Baltic and Scotland-Scandinavia" collector cruise last year, we had an exceptionally good port lecturer whose main job was to NOT sell shore excursions, and HAL did keep these two activities separate. Her job was to provide background info and tips about places to visit on your own plus be available at her desk for more personalized follow-up info.

 

We also on the longer cruises have more talks by staff and officers, CD interviews and one particularly insightful one slide presentation called "Veedam Condfidentiall" that took us behind the scenes to see where the crew lived, worked and played. That cruise also had a history of HAL which was also excellent by Capt Albert. So the best answer is, it depends on who is also on board too.

 

On our last 11 day Caribbean, we also had a dedicated port lecturer but he was of lesser quality, but still offered some reasonable introduction lectures. Often due to time restraints on this cruise this was a combined presentation with the shorex staff.

 

So enrichment lectures remains a mixed bag now, dependent on the quality of those hired for this task, and now very dependent upon the cruise segment length. The addition of all those additional spa and art talks recently are not really enrichment talks, but mainly sales presentations with deceptive titles.

 

I would not count them as them as the more traditional pure enrichment offerings that HAL has offered in the past, but those people now do take up onboard cabin space and there are only so many "beds" available for the support staff.

[Copper10-8]

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

~ Hoog van de toren blazen ~

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

 

 

"Hoog van de toren blazen" - "to blow from up high in the tower" - Dutch for "High and mighty" - Good one :D

[Susie51]

Thank you for sharing your detailed review. I started cruising with HAL while I was in my 50's so the activities were just my style.

[EDLOS]

I am surprised that no on has touched upon the endless lectures on the marvelous art and gem stone lectures on board. These can surely enhanced your cruise experience and occupy a significant part of your cruise time . There appears to be no reduction of these and the amount trees cut down to stuff flyers in your cabin mail box each day !

[OlsSalt]

I am surprised that no on has touched upon the endless lectures on the marvelous art and gem stone lectures on board. These can surely enhanced your cruise experience and occupy a significant part of your cruise time . There appears to be no reduction of these and the amount trees cut down to stuff flyers in your cabin mail box each day !

 

You must have missed the prior posts: ITA

 

..........The addition of all those additional spa and art talks recently are not really enrichment talks, but mainly sales presentations with deceptive titles.

 

I would not count them as them as the more traditional pure enrichment offerings that HAL has offered in the past, but those people now do take up onboard cabin space and there are only so many "beds" available for the support staff.

[geoherb]

Thanks for posting your review. I had many of the same thoughts about our Zuiderdam cruise last month--except the production show cast we had was very good. I never left the dining room hungry. I adjusted what I ordered depending on what I had had earlier in the day. Sometimes I'd order an entrée as an appetizer in addition to another entrée.

[Minoushka]

My last cruise on HAL was last May on Eurodam .Contrary to this persons experience mine was abolutely the best .I too have specific food allergies ...green peppers ..which are invariably used as garnish or colour in many dishes .I was well taken care of in the dining room and food was deeeeeelicious throughout .i did ask what was in foods at the buffet and never took achance trying anything if they were not sure of contents ,?I felt by being vigilant I avoided serious problems .Green peppers make me violently sick

 

Recently on an NCL cruise the maitre d of a spe ialty restaurant came to see me because my cruise card allerted my allergy .He remembered me from a pre ious cruise 4 yearsprior ....lol...he told me in all his years he never met anyone else allergic to green peppers ..Im ok with hot peppers ..not with green bell peppers ..now how specifican allergy is that ???But somehow I manage

 

I loved the outdoor BBQs that HAL offerd when we were in Istanbul .In spite of the cold it was an awesome e perience and very yummy .I was told by a staff member we get more on a European cruise because it is more expensive ...which it usually is I can only say good things about HAL and hope to return on another ship this summer in Europe .

 

Michele

[iancal]

Enhancement lectures? We can and do organize our own private shore excursions when we cruise. Nor do we need the authorized shore store speil. The cruise line has enough of our money,they do not need a piece of the revenue from these stores.

 

Art Seminars? Well if you call misleading art auctions a seminar then I guess you are correct.

 

Gem Seminars? Same. If you prefer to pay a premium even for buying so called tax free gems/jewelry on a cruise then do so. We find the prices and the quality better when we buy at home. Plus it is significantly easier to return to the store for adjustments. We also have no need for inflated jewelry appraisals, aka salestools.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Enhancement lectures? We can and do organize our own private shore excursions when we cruise. Nor do we need the authorized shore store speil. The cruise line has enough of our money,they do not need a piece of the revenue from these stores.

 

Art Seminars? Well if you call misleading art auctions a seminar then I guess you are correct.

 

Gem Seminars? Same. If you prefer to pay a premium even for buying so called tax free gems/jewelry on a cruise then do so. We find the prices and the quality better when we buy at home. Plus it is significantly easier to return to the store for adjustments. We also have no need for inflated jewelry appraisals, aka salestools.

 

I agree that too many "lectures" are sales events (you forgot to include the spa talks, another revenue lecture). But I was pleased that there was an attempt to give us more than that.

 

On the subject of the authorized stores, it annoys me that the maps in the cabin booklet and given out at the gangway have NO practical information. Like where is the post office--I still send post cards. Or a pharmacy or grocery store near the port. Something other than gemstones international. I asked the port expert why they didn't put useful things like the post office on the maps. She shrugged and said, "oh, you know, things move around." Really? How often does a post office get moved??????????????

[OlsSalt]

Enhancement lectures? We can and do organize our own private shore excursions when we cruise. Nor do we need the authorized shore store speil. The cruise line has enough of our money,they do not need a piece of the revenue from these stores.

........

 

At less than $100 a day for room, board and transpiration, how is the cruise line already taking "enough of your money"? I think you got a good deal.

[USN59-79]

I agree that too many "lectures" are sales events (you forgot to include the spa talks, another revenue lecture). But I was pleased that there was an attempt to give us more than that.

 

On the subject of the authorized stores, it annoys me that the maps in the cabin booklet and given out at the gangway have NO practical information. Like where is the post office--I still send post cards. Or a pharmacy or grocery store near the port. Something other than gemstones international. I asked the port expert why they didn't put useful things like the post office on the maps. She shrugged and said, "oh, you know, things move around." Really? How often does a post office get moved??????????????

Totally agree with the port information provided by the ship. I assume that they really don't want us to have useful information as we would then be less likely to purchase their shore excursions. But I noticed on the current WC that the info provided in the booklet in the cabin is 90% useless. We typically leave the ship and walk to the local tourist info booth and pick up a useful map. I have often asked on my comment sheet why the ship couldn't request these in advance from the country's tourist agencies and provide them to us before the ship arrives. We could then plan our activities and really enjoy the port. Of course, I have never received an acknowledgement of that comment.

[iancal]

Less than $100. day? Not us. Not for several years...even though we book inside the final payment window. I understand you comment though. Last summer last minute HAL Alaska 7 day insides from Vancouver were going out the door at $329. plus port taxes. Incredible but that is supply and demand.

 

We find the enrichment lectures extremely variable. On our RCI NZ cruise we had a first class enrichment speaker whilst going through Milford Sound. Last month, on Crown Princess SA cruise, we had a disaster of an enrichment speaker on personal safety. But we also had a very good enrichment speaker on the voyage itself. He gave us so much information on the ports and on the local transportation. It enabled us to avoid the ships tours and DIY at a fraction of the cost.

 

The one thing that we very much dislike is an sales presentation presented as an enrichment seminar...like many of those shopping, art, and port guide lectures on various cruise lines

[DisneyDatknee]

[emoji184] Diamonds International [emoji184] "People cruise to the Caribbean just to buy diamonds"! "Did you know the diamonds are the most frequently bought souvenirs?" Yeah.... I bet.

 

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[albingirl]

Thanks for your review. I really like the lectures relative to ports on the long cruises. Gives me some insight about where we are heading. Heck, I like everything, including the culinary art center, library, trivia, you name it. Especially when you have a lot of sea days like on a transatlantic.

[OlsSalt]

Del Sol is our favorite over-hyped, under visited tourist store. I rarely see anyone in them nor see their products used by any customers, which are not that attractive to start with. Cute gimmick, but that's it.

 

They put a shop in my downtown in California, which has a tourist population but there was never a single customer ever the whole time they were there. No joke, I passed this store often. Yet they hung on for several years at that pricey downtown rental location.

 

That always makes me wonder if some of these "Caribbean" businesses are just fronts for other more lucrative "trade" that also passes through the Caribbean when you see them popping up all over, with a limited customer inventory and high overhead.

[styles27]

[emoji184] Diamonds International [emoji184] "People cruise to the Caribbean just to buy diamonds"! "Did you know the diamonds are the most frequently bought souvenirs?" Yeah.... I bet.

 

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My brother in law surprised my sister with a ring for their 25th anniversary from Diamonds International. He "thought" he had gotten a great deal....$900 for what they told him was a $2400 ring. He even had the "official" appraisal from them to prove it.

 

He had it appraised when they returned home for insurance purposes and the ring appraised at $750 from 2 different gemogologists.

 

It's been a few years and I don't think he's quite gotten over it yet. lol.

My sister does like the ring and all in all it wasn't like he paid $3000 for a $750 ring so I say enjoy the ring and learn from the experience.

 

 

I personally wouldn't buy something that's more than a couple of hundred dollars and I'd have to be in love with it.

 

We had a lady at our dinner table on a cruise one time that had bought from this company and while we were eating dinner a pearl fell right out of the ring. It's junk.

[Liz54]

We were on the ship the previous 2 weeks. Week one was exceptionally good. Food, staff, entertainment. I was about to book my second HAL cruise when week 2 began with the infamous group of 1200. I started the thread on this.

 

I suspect that as others have said the staff was completely burned out. There was little thought or planning and the staff were left to deal with the fallout. This is not to excuse then, and particularly HAL. Just for context.

As well bar servers had a washout of a week as the 1200 largely did not drink. They took a big hit in the wallet with lost commissions ans tips.

 

At the end of the day, HAL has certainly lost a huge amount of good will. I am sorry our unhappiness spilled over into your cruise.

[Aurora95]

Thank you for your comments about HAL. I can see that everyone has preferences. I'll stick with HAL. They are still my favorite cruise line.

 

 

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[WoodtreeYJ]

...but they really do have a long way to go if they are going to capture the next generation.

 

Thanks to the OP for the thorough review. Everyone is certainly entitled to their own opinions and perspectives, but I do have to respectfully disagree with the OP's generalized statement that HAL have a long way to go to capture the next generation.

 

My wife and I are working professionals in our early 30s, and we have previously cruised with Carnival and Royal Caribbean in addition to HAL. The laid back and relatively quiet atmosphere and experience of HAL is what makes HAL our top choice when we go on cruises. For us, vacation is a time to relax, and so we cannot imagine ever going back to the party atmosphere of Carnival and Royal Caribbean.

 

Although we may occasionally try out new cruise lines in the future, we will likely be sticking with HAL over the next several decades, unless HAL's clientele changes dramatically, at which we will have find another cruise line that targets the "mature" clientele.

 

So long story short, I think different people just look for different atmospheres on cruise ships, and it's certainly not a generation thing. At least that's in my humble opinion.

[easyboy]

Thank you for your review.

[YankeePenny]

We are 50 and 62. I am so looking forward to HAL. Quiet and calm atmosphere and we are not social, so this is our kind of cruise line. And yes, I do watch several news channels a day do I am looking forward to that. This will be great for us.

 

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