Reason's for HAL' deep discounts in Carribbean

[sailingskyward]

As a huge fan of the Lawrence Welk show, I object to the comment, two posts ago.

[Florida_gal_50]

The music at BB Kings is not quite like Lawrence Welk :D

No kidding, and neither is most music I've heard on the music walk. I'm no fan of Laurence Welk.

[Hlitner]

I will try to stop laughing at the Lawrence Welk comments (what ever happened to Myron Floren) and comment about some previous comments. The current situation in the Caribbean (due to the hurricanes) has little to do with HAL's bargain basement pricing. HAL has had bargain basement Caribbean pricing for many years. In fact, when we cruised 14 days on the Westerdam a few years ago, a balcony cabin cost us more than 1/3 less than a similar cabin on Celebrity (which is why we tried HAL).

 

But getting back to Lawrence Welk, perhaps that does a lot to sum up HAL and many of its passengers. Trust me that you will not find any Lawrence Welk music (or many fans) on RCI, Norwegian, MSC, etc. I am a senior who was forced to watch Lawrence Welk (as a child). Now, even as a senior, I much prefer Pink Floyd, the Eagles, Adele, etc. Listening to the old HAL Cats (or other pick up bands used on HAL) play "In the Mood" without any woodwinds or horns is very sad. Glen Miller must be rolling over in his grave when he hears his music played with a HAL truncated band that has 2 keyboards, 2 guitars, and a drummer. Ouch! I actually once told a HAL Cat member that they should simply call their music "Roller Skating Music" and he truly roared with laughter and admitted it was true. But he also told me that "its a living" and they work with what they have.

 

For many years we would listen to HAL production shows where they played music from shows like South Pacific, Oklahoma, Pal Joey, etc....all of which were big shows in the 50s. And then we would go on other cruise lines where we heard production shows using music from Frank Wildhorn (Jeckyl and Hyde, Scarlet Pimpernel), newer Andrew Lloyd Weber shows, Les Mis, Elton John, etc. Lets face it, HAL works hard to keep their fans....most of whom are collecting Social Security (I am in that crowd). But this formula just does not work for most Caribbean cruisers. I just returned from 14 days in the Caribbean on the Celebrity Reflection. On the pool deck, some afternoons, we had a hard rock band (they were fabulous). Other days we had Valentina and Peter, and amazing Ukrainian duo who could easily handle Adele, John Cale, John Lennon, Colbie Cailat, etc.....music which would seldom be heard on HAL. Even the classical duo (a Spanish ladies due with Violin and Cello) did mostly modern music in a lounge (where folks would actually have the nerve to talk). On HAL they would have stuck them in a quiet lounge where nobody dares to speak....but falling asleep is allowed.

 

IMHO HAL needs a total make-over if they want to succeed in the Caribbean market and demand higher prices. And they would have to do it with their most modern ships (such as the Koningsdam) since most Caribbean cruisers want a balcony cabin without being forced to pay for a suite.

 

I will be very honest. As a 5 Star Mariner on HAL, we still like the line. But I would never, ever recommend anyone cruise on HAL in the Caribbean unless they had one foot (connected to a knee replacement) in a nursing home.

 

Hank

[DeeniEncinitas]

People are not sure the Caribbean is back up and running.

 

I agree with you 100%!

Denise:)

[Florida_gal_50]

I would love to hear which cruises are deeply discounted. I've taken a quick look and the only one I saw that was deeply discounted was a Jan cruise on the k. Are they 7 day cruises? I'm thinking about something for March or April but 7 days isn't worth it to me.

 

I think I'd rather listen to any music other than Adele. Can't stand her.

[MisterBill99]

and then consider that HAL has the shortest Lido opening hours in the industry.

I have to disagree with you on this. We sailed Eurodam for a week in the Caribbean in March and the buffet was open for a late night snack every night at 10:30. Compare that to Anthem of the Seas, whose buffet closed at 9pm every night (even on late port days), leaving you go to their not very good pizza place or cafe that only served small sandwiches and snacks. Of course you could also pay for pastries at the Starbucks store or pay to eat at the pub.

 

BTW we really enjoyed our Eurodam cruise, and we are in our early 60's. The food was very good, probably better than Celebrity of late, and the crowd wasn't as old as I expected. We're sailing Kdam to Norway this June and looking forward to it.

[JimnKaren]

We were on Veendam for 14 days in mid-December. Less than 900 pax on board! I had initially thought that it might be due to news coverage about hurricane damage, but changed my mind a bit once I saw the demographics on the ship.

 

There were (surprisingly) many people under 18! We had only 4 sea days out of 14. Lots of ports and lots of things to do. What?

 

It was, in my opinion, all about timing. Too many folks, no matter the price, wanted to cruise late December, not the middle of the month!

 

I cruise the cruise lines postings and notice that there are some cruise lines that just don't discount. They seem to me to be willing to sail with less-than-full ships rather than discount to draw more passengers. Holland America Line does the discount thing. And yet, they still did not draw enough to come close to 9/10 full. OK with me, that left lots of open tables in the dining room for me and plenty of seating for the 3 great shows that the dancers and singers provided.

 

I have looked at my future booked cruises (on more than HAL) and see plenty of open cabins. Is it too many cabins? And yet, the marketing gurus have determined that building larger capacity ships is the way to go. No thanks. I'll stay with less than 4,000 passengers.

 

Jim

[SilvertoGold]

This is what I don't understand: 900 pax on the Veendam in mid-December and HAL didn't reduce pricing to fill the ship better than that? 150+ cabins empty? Lots of income lost there, not to mention lost fares.

 

Yet HAL is selling off some January Caribbean cruises at reasonably low prices. What is the difference?

[Hlitner]

I would love to hear which cruises are deeply discounted. I've taken a quick look and the only one I saw that was deeply discounted was a Jan cruise on the k. Are they 7 day cruises? I'm thinking about something for March or April but 7 days isn't worth it to me.

 

I think I'd rather listen to any music other than Adele. Can't stand her.

 

There is a dirty little secret (which is not a secret here on CC) about deeply discounted cruises (on any line). The amazing deals only happen after final payments are due. This is to prevent those, who have already booked, from getting the last minute deals. So yes, when you look into the latter part of March and beyond (still outside the final payment period) you are not going to see great deals. So, for example, to satisfy your concern I just randomly decided to look at the March 4 seven day Caribbean cruise on the Rotterdam. Since that ship does not have balconies (except in suites) I priced out Cat E, which is an outside cabin. The cost per person/day is $650 and taxes/fees bring it to about $700 or $100 per person/day. Plus, my favorite cruise agencies would all enhance that with an OBC plus we would be able to get another OBC for being a stockholder. The price of that cruise is liable to come down even more once we get into February. And that is just one example. Now consider that a 7 day cruise on the Celebrity Equinox on March 3 is over $1100 for an outside cabin or over 50% more per passenger day than charged by HAL. And I will tell you, having been on both ships, that the Equinox is a lot nicer ship (in nearly every way) then the Rotterdam (we spent the entire month of August on this ship). What is even more interesting is that Celebrity will sell out the Equinox....which is a much larger ship than the Rotterdam...which will likely sail in early March with quite a few empty cabins.

 

Hank

[EDLOS]

I will try to stop laughing at the Lawrence Welk comments (what ever happened to Myron Floren) and comment about some previous comments. The current situation in the Caribbean (due to the hurricanes) has little to do with HAL's bargain basement pricing. HAL has had bargain basement Caribbean pricing for many years. In fact, when we cruised 14 days on the Westerdam a few years ago, a balcony cabin cost us more than 1/3 less than a similar cabin on Celebrity (which is why we tried HAL).

 

But getting back to Lawrence Welk, perhaps that does a lot to sum up HAL and many of its passengers. Trust me that you will not find any Lawrence Welk music (or many fans) on RCI, Norwegian, MSC, etc. I am a senior who was forced to watch Lawrence Welk (as a child). Now, even as a senior, I much prefer Pink Floyd, the Eagles, Adele, etc. Listening to the old HAL Cats (or other pick up bands used on HAL) play "In the Mood" without any woodwinds or horns is very sad. Glen Miller must be rolling over in his grave when he hears his music played with a HAL truncated band that has 2 keyboards, 2 guitars, and a drummer. Ouch! I actually once told a HAL Cat member that they should simply call their music "Roller Skating Music" and he truly roared with laughter and admitted it was true. But he also told me that "its a living" and they work with what they have.

 

For many years we would listen to HAL production shows where they played music from shows like South Pacific, Oklahoma, Pal Joey, etc....all of which were big shows in the 50s. And then we would go on other cruise lines where we heard production shows using music from Frank Wildhorn (Jeckyl and Hyde, Scarlet Pimpernel), newer Andrew Lloyd Weber shows, Les Mis, Elton John, etc. Lets face it, HAL works hard to keep their fans....most of whom are collecting Social Security (I am in that crowd). But this formula just does not work for most Caribbean cruisers. I just returned from 14 days in the Caribbean on the Celebrity Reflection. On the pool deck, some afternoons, we had a hard rock band (they were fabulous). Other days we had Valentina and Peter, and amazing Ukrainian duo who could easily handle Adele, John Cale, John Lennon, Colbie Cailat, etc.....music which would seldom be heard on HAL. Even the classical duo (a Spanish ladies due with Violin and Cello) did mostly modern music in a lounge (where folks would actually have the nerve to talk). On HAL they would have stuck them in a quiet lounge where nobody dares to speak....but falling asleep is allowed.

 

IMHO HAL needs a total make-over if they want to succeed in the Caribbean market and demand higher prices. And they would have to do it with their most modern ships (such as the Koningsdam) since most Caribbean cruisers want a balcony cabin without being forced to pay for a suite.

 

I will be very honest. As a 5 Star Mariner on HAL, we still like the line. But I would never, ever recommend anyone cruise on HAL in the Caribbean unless they had one foot (connected to a knee replacement) in a nursing home.

 

Hank

Could not have said it any better...................some have said HAL was appealing to a younger crown with BB King, Twin Pianos and Lincoln Center.......And I can't stop laughing !

[MisterBill99]

I have looked at my future booked cruises (on more than HAL) and see plenty of open cabins. Is it too many cabins? And yet, the marketing gurus have determined that building larger capacity ships is the way to go. No thanks. I'll stay with less than 4,000 passengers.

 

Jim

Is HAL building ships that are bigger than (or even close to) 4000 passengers? If not, what point are you trying to make relative to HAL.

[ditmar2007]

2. Avoiding the States right now. With all the gun violence in the US, we have sworn off all US travel, including cruise ports. Many of our Canadian friends have made the same decision.

 

This.

 

Isn’t the US tourist industry suffering a bit ATM? I hear many saying they choose other vacation destinations.

[silvercruiser]

On the Rotterdam cruise I mentioned earlier we did NOT have BB King. In fact, even the music that was piped in was old, old, old. Every single song I heard was from WW II days. I'm already elderly, but I'm feeling too young lately for HAL.

[Aquahound]

If the reasons given in the previous posts are true, then how come deals are hard to find on Royal Caribbean? We went on the Oosterdam last year and it was cheaper than a 5 day Royal Caribbean cruise we originally were looking at. My parents are going on the Harmony of the Seas in May and they are paying much more than you would pay on HAL.

 

Maybe HAL cannot compete in the market place with their present product and create demand for higher pricing. HAL has upped their game with the excellent food we had on the last HAL cruise, but still no high-speed internet and sub-par entertainment.

 

I still believe HAL does not know what they want to be....

 

I agree. I cruised K'dam last month. When I was shopping, the competitors...RCI, Celebrity and Princess...were as much as double the price and were nearly sold out. Come cruise time, those cruises were sold out and we sailed 800 under capacity. I think the reason for the low HAL prices are obvious. They can't compete in the Caribbean.

 

Many people mentioned the hurricanes. I think that's wrong because the other cruise lines don't seem to have a problem.

 

I would love to hear which cruises are deeply discounted. I've taken a quick look and the only one I saw that was deeply discounted was a Jan cruise on the k. Are they 7 day cruises? I'm thinking about something for March or April but 7 days isn't worth it to me.

 

I paid $849 my VE balcony on K'dam in November on an 11 night cruise. That's $77/night.

[sail7seas]

At the Mariners luncheon on the Rotterdam, Dec. 3-17, I was seated with a group who'd just received their bronze medallions and I'd just gotten my silver medallion, so we were all experienced HAL cruisers. The general agreement was that if this had been their very first cruise ever, they probably woudn't ever book another one. The whole experience was just 'watered down' in so many ways.

Thank you or posting this. when I have tried to say simlaar have been told I am living in the past, and my g good old days memories are mocke.d, those who say such, know not of what they speak. They do not know what hAL can provide and has provi ded. We do know and are luc ky we came to cruising when we did. I am Platinum and o n my most rec ent c ruise did not even go to the Mariners Brunch. I NEVER would have done that in the past.

Then again, we had he formal night Mariners parties in show lounge for so many years and tthose parrties were fun.

 

Medallions were presented at the party with all Marriners s who wished to come being present. if friends were fetting a Medalllion, their group of family and friends were all there to enjoy it with them.

 

We all know HAL (an d all cruise lines) are for profit businessses) but HAL has cut way too deeply and stripped down so much of what cruisingf should be and has beeen. No Cruise Sfftaff is rridiculous IMO CD is an emcee now and that is gthe exttent of cruising actvities he or she inolves themseslves in. Remember passport to fitness? horse racing, ship b uilding?golf putting? Not to mentionn what the dinner menus used to be, today they are exercises in creattive writing. No resem blance to what is on the plate we might be served. IMMO Adequate staffing in mDR that gave stewards time to intteract with their guests. We got to know so many so well and enjoyed seeming them again on one ship or anotther. Dutch night, is gone as are most connections to the Holland in Holland America.

Edited December 28, 2017 by sail7seas

[USNUZULOOSE]

For cheaper cruise I would take no matter where it was going. So many rates going up. But it is also costly to fly across from the west coast just to get a cheap cruise/\.

[Florida_gal_50]

There is a dirty little secret (which is not a secret here on CC) about deeply discounted cruises (on any line). The amazing deals only happen after final payments are due. This is to prevent those, who have already booked, from getting the last minute deals. So yes, when you look into the latter part of March and beyond (still outside the final payment period) you are not going to see great deals. So, for example, to satisfy your concern I just randomly decided to look at the March 4 seven day Caribbean cruise on the Rotterdam. Since that ship does not have balconies (except in suites) I priced out Cat E, which is an outside cabin. The cost per person/day is $650 and taxes/fees bring it to about $700 or $100 per person/day. Plus, my favorite cruise agencies would all enhance that with an OBC plus we would be able to get another OBC for being a stockholder. The price of that cruise is liable to come down even more once we get into February. And that is just one example. Now consider that a 7 day cruise on the Celebrity Equinox on March 3 is over $1100 for an outside cabin or over 50% more per passenger day than charged by HAL. And I will tell you, having been on both ships, that the Equinox is a lot nicer ship (in nearly every way) then the Rotterdam (we spent the entire month of August on this ship). What is even more interesting is that Celebrity will sell out the Equinox....which is a much larger ship than the Rotterdam...which will likely sail in early March with quite a few empty cabins.

 

Hank

Thank you for the information. I usually book after final so I know the deep dark secret ;). The way it sounded to me was that there was some huge fire sale I wondered if I was missing.

[Florida_gal_50]

I agree. I cruised K'dam last month. When I was shopping, the competitors...RCI, Celebrity and Princess...were as much as double the price and were nearly sold out. Come cruise time, those cruises were sold out and we sailed 800 under capacity. I think the reason for the low HAL prices are obvious. They can't compete in the Caribbean.

 

Many people mentioned the hurricanes. I think that's wrong because the other cruise lines don't seem to have a problem.

 

 

 

I paid $849 my VE balcony on K'dam in November on an 11 night cruise. That's $77/night.

That's a great price for sure but I find prices are usually pretty good in November. I've found prices are usually quite a bit higher for January and February,

[iancal]

We shopped for a Caribbean cruise for the first week in December. In the end we did an AI instead.

 

When we were looking at cruises HAL was not even on the list. We had Princess on the short list. It would be for other itineraries but not for this one. Once was enough.

Edited December 29, 2017 by iancal

[RiotAct]

2. Avoiding the States right now. With all the gun violence in the US, we have sworn off all US travel, including cruise ports. Many of our Canadian friends have made the same decision.

 

I'm very sorry to hear that. It seems a bit overcautious to me, but to each their own.

[sammiedawg]

The Caribbean is not the only weak seller for Holland America. They couldn’t give away some Zuiderdam New England cruises this past fall. We booked another line eight weeks out which was when we knew our fall schedule. We couldn’t help notice a HAL ten day out of NYC was selling for $584 , sailing the same day as ours. Balcony was $700 and change. They still didn’t sell out as I watched the prices up until sail date.

I was not tempted because the onboard experience is too important

[pamrose228]

We just came back from a PARTIAL CANAL. I agree port Time was terrible in most cases and there was no life after the early stage show. I won’t be doing HAL again it just was a bore even though the food was the best I had cruising.

 

We paid $1400 each two in an upper promenade window cabin. Third person was free. Free grats for two 11 days) $200 obc and a couple other perks,

 

Price good but in our mid sixties need more active things to do,

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Homosassa]

We just came back from a PARTIAL CANAL. I agree port Time was terrible in most cases

Funny, we are doing the exact itinerary on the Zuiderdam in a week. Port times are as follows:

 

Half Moon Cay: 8 AM -2:30 PM

Aruba 1 PM - 11 PM

Curacao 8 AM - 4 PM

Panama Canal/ Gatum Lake/ Colon From past experience, the day will start somewhere around 5:30 AM and we leave Colon at 8 PM

 

Puerto Limon, Costa Rica 6:30 AM - 4 PM

 

Yeah, terrible....:confused:

[pamrose228]

Funny, we are doing the exact itinerary on the Zuiderdam in a week. Port times are as follows:

 

 

 

Half Moon Cay: 8 AM -2:30 PM

 

Aruba 1 PM - 11 PM

 

Curacao 8 AM - 4 PM

 

Panama Canal/ Gatum Lake/ Colon From past experience, the day will start somewhere around 5:30 AM and we leave Colon at 8 PM

 

 

 

Puerto Limon, Costa Rica 6:30 AM - 4 PM

 

 

 

Yeah, terrible....:confused:

 

 

 

cartagena was 7am to 1 pm

Everything closed in Curacao on Sunday

left Colon at 6idh

Costa rica cancelled

aruba 1 to 6

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[kazu]

cartagena was 7am to 1 pm

Everything closed in Curacao on Sunday

left Colon at 6idh

Costa rica cancelled

aruba 1 to 6

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

You did look at the days of the week for your cruise and check out in advance what was open on Sundays, right?

 

I don't get Curacao, it's a lovely spot and we have been there on Sundays - restaurants are open, etc. Or was shopping your big priority :confused:

 

Costa Rica cancelled is no one's fault. that's a weather thing, docking issue or just plain bad luck.

 

Sorry you were so unhappy and hard to please. It behooves each of us to see what days we are in ports and what's available. Research is not that hard to do.