Transatlantic Crossings

[bigwally]

an hour or so of exercise...walking/gym etc in the morning and again in the afternoon I find to be a good use of time on sea days...i have generally been disappointed in most of the HA lectures...most are experts on their subjects but stand there and read their "speech" or power point presentation and have little or no public speaking skills....remind me of a few of the worst college professors that were mind numbing boring...but every now and then you get one who is not only knowledgeable but also entertaining....

 

I was put off HAL lectures for life when our "lecturer" was talking about Viking visits to the British Isles but confessed to not knowing (unprompted mind you) where they first visited and when.

 

The correct answer, of course, is Lindisfarne, and in 793.

 

Now I'll concede that not everyone would know that, but he should have!

[AKJonesy]

TA's are the best ways to get around those lost "jet lag" days.. Currently undoing a recent land-based trip to Switzerland - those 3-4 jet lag days are pretty much wasted at both ends of airplane trips, which make the 7 day at-sea days look like the far better choice because you ease into the time changes.

 

If I had my perfect travel budget, it would now include limos to the airport, luggage direct, and first class air travel ..... or TA's to get to European cities.

 

Well I would agree with you that a TA crossing would eliminate the jet lag, and I admit that I don't do well on the jet-lag. I've had enough miles to do the flat-bed first class a few times...ahhhhh

[kazu]

My husband is an occasional cruise lecturer and we will be doing our first Transatlantic next month. We have been on cruises with rather poor lecturers and an occasional good one (including Jim McParland). There does not seem to be a very good feedback mechanism so someone who is willing to go anywhere anytime may get lots of gigs, whether or not their lectures are any good. We have run into a couple of lecturers who seem to have a very steady diet of lecture opportunities yet were not very good--poor Powerpoint presentations, script read verbatim, poor presentation skills. Even though he seems to be fairly well received, my husband occasionally goes a year or more without being offered an assignment.

 

HAL used to have lecturers on all of their Panama Canal cruises--we did quite a few of those. But, those no longer have lecturers and neither do many other fairly long cruises. I doubt lecturers will be eliminated from Transatlantic and Transpacific cruises since they have so many sea days or from Grand Voyages. Otherwise, don't count on it. More cost cutting.

 

I am sorry to hear that your husband doesn't get more offers. It's a real loss to passengers :( I really enjoyed his lectures on our mutual cruise and I know others did as well. I even included remarks on my survey in the hopes we would find him on another cruise.

[Myrtle Ave. Mayhem]

I've really noticed cut-backs and changes that are getting poor reviews. The launch of Koningsdam and the Rotterdam retrofit scathing reviews and other changes makes me wonder if the President has his eyes on the ball. I'm intrigued by Statendam, but after the Koningsdam launch and seeing all of the disappointment, I don't know that I would travel right during a new launch or right after a retro. I think if you are new to HAL and have only been on a few cruises, you probably think it's pretty good, but now it seems it's getting stale and the cutbacks becoming a lot more obvious. We'll probably book unless I muster up enough energy to plan a self-directed trip, but.... All the comments here are appreciated.

 

I agree completely. As much as I love HAL, it's sad to watch a fantastic cruise line quickly become a shadow of its former self. That' not to discredit the dedicated hard working crew members, but more about how I think corporate management has no crasp/concern for the preferences of long time Mariners.

[OlsSalt]

I agree completely. As much as I love HAL, it's sad to watch a fantastic cruise line quickly become a shadow of its former self. That' not to discredit the dedicated hard working crew members, but more about how I think corporate management has no crasp/concern for the preferences of long time Mariners.

 

I suspect management does have a good understanding what many long-time HAL cruisers want. And they are not in a position to keep offering it. HAL is not a "shadow of its former self" at all. It is different and is changing with the times and the realities of the increasingly global economy. We see this all over now. "Everything" is a shadow of its former self ..for those of us lucky enough to have these seasoned, long-term memories.

[AKJonesy]

I suspect management does have a good understanding what many long-time HAL cruisers want. And they are not in a position to keep offering it. HAL is not a "shadow of its former self" at all. It is different and is changing with the times and the realities of the increasingly global economy. We see this all over now. "Everything" is a shadow of its former self ..for those of us lucky enough to have these seasoned, long-term memories.

 

I think you and Myrtle and both right. We are lucky to have known the good ol days...just like I suspect other things in life. I hope you enjoy your upcoming Alaska trip.

[mcmarya]

I am sorry to hear that your husband doesn't get more offers. It's a real loss to passengers :( I really enjoyed his lectures on our mutual cruise and I know others did as well. I even included remarks on my survey in the hopes we would find him on another cruise.

 

Thanks, Kazu, for providing positive input! Hopefully someone reads those comments. Even though he sometimes feels like no one in management really cares, he always tries to provide something of interest.

[ithaca gal]

Lectures? No thanks! Then again, I went to Catholic school for 13 years ... maybe there is a DIFFERENT kind of lecture? ;p

[3rdGenCunarder]

On the Maasdam TA a few years back, there were three enrichment lecture series a day- what I learned on that TA still resonate with me today. Plus some of the lecturers held special informal seminars for further Q&A and discussion. So if your "educational" travel (think of something like Exploritas - Roads Scholars - former Elderhostel), then TA's can be great experiences.

 

Otherwise, you are spot on - 7 days can drag on if there is nothing new on the horizon to explore on your own. I like doing a TA that was port intensive first before the long open sea portion. Our poked all over the western Mediterranean from Civitavecchia first before ending ing FLL.

 

Or think of a self-dsiciplined "spa" fitness program for those 7 days - set up a schedule and a "starvation" meal plan, with a few spa indulgences thrown in just like you would do at a pricy land-based resort. Except you have already paid for most of it. In fact this would be a good package for HAL to put together as an enticement for TA's and have a "leader" manage the scope of this self-contained fitness program onboard. (Without branding it by any celebrity's name).

 

One of the allegedly leading concerns about cruising from a marketing perspective is they are associated with "weight gain". How about a lose five pounds and lower your BP with a "Pritiken" type bootcamp week?

 

Sorry, but "weight loss cruise" is an oxymoron!

;p

[Vict0riann]

Sorry, but "weight loss cruise" is an oxymoron!

;p

 

I do occasionally "lose" some weight on a cruise, but then DH "finds" it!:D

[kazu]

I do occasionally "lose" some weight on a cruise, but then DH "finds" it!:D

 

How DARE he? !!?:eek::'):halo:

[anna373]

Unfortunately the mass market cruise lines don't utilize passenger reviews for lecturer feedback. I'm also an occasional lecturer and agree with you on these points, but he should be getting lots of offers. I run a facebook group for those of us in this quirky industry, we'd love for him to join: https://www.********************/cruisespeakers/, or go to facebook and search for "cruisespeakers", then click on the "groups" tab at top

Edited February 25, 2018 by anna373

[SilvertoGold]

I do occasionally "lose" some weight on a cruise, but then DH "finds" it!:D

 

With us, it is the other way around:eek:

Those dam cruises!