Hal-la land not so grand any more.

[iancal]

Allergies are one thing.

 

Spores in the air, especially in the closed confines of a cruise ship cabin, are quite another. For some people the pose a significant respiratory issue if they get into the lungs.

 

Some people may make light of it however to others it can lead to a significant health hazard.

[Tennessee Titan]

We always eat at a table for 2.

How do you recognize a "voluble malcontent"? What is that anyway???

[VennDiagram]

WedMD explores the relationship between stress and allergic reactions, and admits there is still much that is unknown:

http://www.webmd.com/allergies/features/stress-and-allergies#1

 

So you are speculating. Thanks for confirming.

Edited May 4, 2017 by VennDiagram

[VennDiagram]

Allergies are one thing.

 

Spores in the air, especially in the closed confines of a cruise ship cabin, are quite another. For some people the pose a significant respiratory issue if they get into the lungs.

 

Some people may make light of it however to others it can lead to a significant health hazard.

 

Totally agree.

[frbob]

We will not attack the OP (which is actually against board guidelines) but rather will stick to what was implied versus our own experience. To a great degree we do agree with the OPs overall assessment...that HAL has cut back in too many areas. Since we do a lot of cruising (on several different lines) the cut backs have definitely impacted our own booking habits. There are times we will book with another cruise line, instead of HAL, because our own list of pros/cons favor the other line. We still book with HAL, because despite many cutbacks it is still a pretty good cruise line and we often love the HAL itineraries. We will readily admit that we now go on HAL with lowered expectations...and with good cause.

 

Have to smile at some of the posts because our next HAL cruise is on the "Rottendam" which has been our least favorite ship (of any cruise line) since our last Rottendam cruise (Jul 2011). At that time there were many physical problems on that vessel and we really hated the aft deck "bird bath" which replaced the pool (so they could cram in a few more cabins). But this is 6 years later and we shall see if some things have improved (we know the bird bath is a permanent fixture). Recent reviews here on CC are mixed (at best) and generally not very flattering. As to Lancal's comment (we have seen this before) which essentially says, if one has issues they should go elsewhere...we do not agree. For us its a balancing act. We have wanted to do the VOV itinerary for a few years..and it just so happens this is the vessel that HAL has on that popular cruise.

 

So, in the interest of a great itinerary....we will hold our nose and head back to the Rotterdam. We really hope that things will be vastly improved....but if its not we will just "roll with the waves" and have a great time. We already know that some of entertainment (Barry from Boston and the BB King show) are in tune (pun intended) with our taste. So if the ship still sucks (physically) we will drink away our sorrows during the evening hours :).

 

Hank

 

Great post and perspective. I totally agree.

[frbob]

What always surprises me, although it shouldn't, is when Fr Bob, the thread originator, complains yet again about HAL ( or Celebrity, or Princess), as he has for years, but then still continues to come back for more. Why, if he dislikes cruising so much, does he do that?

 

 

Not a complainer...just more honest and discriminating than you appear to be. You can settle for mediocre if you want...your right...your choice.

[frbob]

What always surprises me, although it shouldn't, is when Fr Bob, the thread originator, complains yet again about HAL ( or Celebrity, or Princess), as he has for years, but then still continues to come back for more. Why, if he dislikes cruising so much, does he do that?

 

Cruise ships are now just basic transportation to get to places I want to visit. The romance of cruising is over.

[frbob]

In your post you stated that you are going to seek "other travel options." I, like you, am disappointed that cruising isn't what it once was.There has definitely been a steady decline, but it seems to have been across all cruise lines. I found our recent Disney cruise came closest to our cruises of 15-20 years ago. I have only been on one short Luxury Cruise Line, (Radisson Seven Seas, now Regent) since I had not cruised with them before nor have I since, I cannot say if they are declining, improving or holding steady. I have only cruised once each on Norwegian and Celebrity so can't compare them either, but Holland, Princess, Carnival and RCCL have all declined. We too, are squarely middle class and can't fork out the big bucks for the luxury cruise companies.

 

That said, I have not really found anything else that provides the escape and pampering that cruises do. Princess and Holland seem to work best for me from an overall value for the price paid standpoint. The nickel and diming has definitely increased. Some of my friends have done All Inclusive resorts, but when all things. air, transfers, etc., are added in I found them to be out of my budget for any I would be willing to stay out. As understaffed as the cruise ships have become, I don't think it is any better at those resorts.

 

I don't drink, can take my own pictures, usually do my own thing on shore, and don't buy a bunch of stuff in the onboard shops. I enjoy the shows and games, getting to know my waiter and table companions, doing as much or as little as I want and things like that. Due to booking through Costco we had a large onboard credit on our last cruise (Coral Princessl, 15 night, Panama) and actually struggled to use it. Our final on our shipboard account was less than $25. Since they started nickel and diming for everything it is almost a game for us to see how little we can spend. Princess still lets you take on wine and bottle water, my brother and his wife drink wine and princess let them each bring a bottle of wine on board, then they bought another in port. They open it themselves so they don't pay a corkage fee. I brought a case of bottled water.

 

So, after that long rant the bottom line of my purpose in replying is this; what type of vacations are you looking into that you think will provide better value? I will say, that we spent a week on the North Shore of Oahu cost a little more per person that we would have likely spent on a 7 night caribbean or mexico cruise. We had a wonderful time. but each day/evening, we had to find somewhere to eat, and sites to see and activities to do. Some of our food was great, some not, same goes for service. I know there is some of that on a cruise but the lists of things to do are pre organized for you and somewhat limited (can be a good or bad thing.) If you find something awesome, please share with the rest of us.

 

 

Great post! I can't disagree with anything you have said. Cruising has generally been reduced to basic transportation for me. The bloom is off the rose. I will continue to use cruise lines to get to places we want to visit...no great expectations on the qualities of food, entertainment or services. If they exceed my very low expectations, GREAT!

[frbob]

I'll join you!!!!

👍

Denise:)

 

(y)(y)

[Ferry Beach Kayaker]

Many get upper respiratory infections on board ships including ourselves, mainly from inadvertently putting their contaminated fingers into their own nose or eyes. Not necessarily from perceived and unconfirmed "mold" exposure. I would not without definite confirmation, assume the source of your post-cruise distress.

 

We also had a "water leak" from the fire suppression fixture after they ran their routine test on one ship. It was either quickly stopped or remedied after a call to the front desk, and it was explained this was not untypical after this sort of testing. So yes, there can be "water leaks" in cabins too. How did you get it confirmed your water leak came from the kitchen galley drain?

My ceiling leaks happened three different times over a series of several weeks... the plumber that can to my cabin at 4 a.m. Told me it was a kitchen drain that was directly overhead after spending hours trying to fix it. The fix lasted a couple of weeks then it happened again then it happened for the third time... the yellow form they were pulling out of the ceiling had black mold on it.

By the way I am a retired RN ..I don't put my fingers in my eyes and nose and I religiously wash my hands and use hand sanitizer. Lots of people were sick.

[bUU]

Not a complainer...just more honest and discriminating than you appear to be. You can settle for mediocre if you want...your right...your choice.

I read Old As Dirt Mom's point to be that you're​ deciding the experience is mediocre yet you are still going back and settling for "mediocre" over and over again. It makes one wonder whether you're being "honest and discriminating" or instead curmudgeonly.

 

This message may have been entered using voice recognition. Please excuse any typos.

[iancal]

We have found most of the cruises, the actual cruise ship experience itself- not the ports, to be mediocre no matter what cruise line it happens to be. Seems to us that mediocrity, compared to the past, pre cuts era, is the norm these days. HAL is right in there with the rest of mass market clan.

 

That is one of the reasons why we have reduced the number of cruises we take, and are looking for attractive prices that match the level of mediocrity offered. Notwithstanding the marketing bumph and the pretty brochure pictures.

 

When we get a good one we are very pleasantly surprised and pleased.

[Tinknock50]

Did all this mediocrity start recently? I don't remember experiencing any of that on my last HAL cruise in 2013.

[kevingastreich]

Not for nothing, but aftet 40+ Hal cruises I find the Company has done more cutting than improving. Staffing is down, food quality is down, service has slipped, equipment is not so great. No niceties anymore on Hal. They have turned to cheap, cheap, cheap. I rate the Cruise Line no better than 3-Star, maybe less. Time to seek other travel options. If you don't agree, I really don't really care about any snotty remarks in rebuttal, than you very much.

Just got off the NA after 16 day Panama Canal cruise. Plenty of staff, plenty of good food and a beautiful ship. I did notice no personalized stationery and I do miss that. BTW, it was definitely better than the Ranger! '76-'80 HeHe

[Tatka]

Well, we don't see mediocrity with lines that were not mediocre before (at least 14 last years).

Maybe we have different criteria of mediocrity?

 

Something is worse, something is better. We abandoned a line that was mediocre in our eyes from the beginning.

[bUU]

Something is worse, something is better. We abandoned a line that was mediocre in our eyes from the beginning.

What you wrote raised an interesting point. How much of this is people simply developing a taste for better things, perhaps even grades they couldn't afford previously?

 

 

 

This message may have been entered using voice recognition. Please excuse any typos.

[Tatka]

This too could've contributed, however line I was talking about wasn't our cup of tea from the beginning. Not because we are snobs and definitely not because we suddenly became snobs. Just different strokes...

 

That particular line from what I heard (from different sources) has actually improved from what it was