HAL overhauling onboard shops?

[Dr.Dobro]

Excerpt from letter delivered to Zaandam guests on March 27 (approaching Panama Canal, ending at Fort Lauderdale April 2 with drydock to follow):

 

"We're excited to announce that we are embarking on a new era in shopping on Holland America Line as we transition our retail stores on a select number of ships. In order to prepare for this transition, our onboard shops will need to take inventory of their current merchandise while preparing for our new and exciting products to arrive. Unfortunately, this means that all onboard stores will begin shutting down during this voyage and will ne fully closed by the end of the day on March 30."

 

Signed by Francois Birarda, hotel director.

[Adoptionmsw]

Excerpt from letter delivered to Zaandam guests on March 27 (approaching Panama Canal, ending at Fort Lauderdale April 2 with drydock to follow):

 

 

 

"We're excited to announce that we are embarking on a new era in shopping on Holland America Line as we transition our retail stores on a select number of ships. In order to prepare for this transition, our onboard shops will need to take inventory of their current merchandise while preparing for our new and exciting products to arrive. Unfortunately, this means that all onboard stores will begin shutting down during this voyage and will ne fully closed by the end of the day on March 30."

 

 

 

Signed by Francois Birarda, hotel director.

 

 

 

We got this same letter when we sailed on the Rotterdam in February. Halfway through the cruise all the shops closed. Not sure what they are transitioning to as they did not reopen before we disembarked.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[retiretwo]

We received the same letter on the Oosterdam in MAR.

[cruisencrazy]

I heard from Effy jewelers that they are opening stores on Holland America ships.

[3rdGenCunarder]

"On a select number of ships." More fragmentation of HAL's identity! It's getting to the point where it's nearly impossible to know what to expect onboard. Some ships have the new shops, some have the old shops. And there's the wild card of some ships having a separate O shop.

 

Some ships have hydropools, some don't. Most ships have an aft pool, but some don't. Some ships have Lincoln Center, some have the classical duo. Some ships have BB King, some don't. Some ships have a library, some don't. Some ships have EXC in the Crows Nest, some have the original Crows Nest.

 

Thank heavens for CC where we can piece together expectations for our cruises!

[Krazy Kruizers]

Here is a review that talks a little bit about the new shops. I thought I had seen a review that talked more about the shops, but so far I can't find it.

 

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2611358[YOUTUBE][/YOUTUBE][YOUTUBE][/YOUTUBE]

[Krazy Kruizers]

Found another review about the new shops.

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2616014

[sail7seas]

I heard from Effy jewelers that they are opening stores on Holland America ships.

 

 

Can Diamonds International be far behind? :D ;)

[jhannah]

Can Diamonds International be far behind? :D ;)

Oh, let's hope not!

[sail7seas]

Oh, let's hope not!

 

 

 

I

Maybe it is time they are waving good bye to the jewelry shop to which they provided such wonderful real estate? It was the rare time I eve saw any 'shoppers' in there It must be telling I cannot remember the name of that shop :eek: hmmmmm

[DeeniEncinitas]

Good morning all!

Just returned on Maasdam Sunday from South America.

The shops current were small and stocked with nothing impressive. Left 2/25 and on 3/10 told us shops will close for inventory and will not open due to new shops coming onboard. When I asked what new shops I got from “I don’t know or coach, Tiffany’s, a men’s new line of clothing!” Who knows.

Denise:)

[OlsSalt]

I wonder where in the HAL food chain do these decisions get made, and on what criteria. Obviously the have to be formally signed off by upper management, but the real decisions get made elsewhere. What is their goal and what data drives their decision process.

 

Personally I find much of the onboard merchandise for resort wear is not geared to the age demographics of many HAL cruisers. I actually liked their former large array "$10" accessory offerings to add a few fun throw away items which added to the variety of what one wears while onboard. Name brand boutiques or "duty free" items would be the lowest on my own list.

 

I also liked the ship and port specific items, not the generic fit any "dam" ship or larger geography locations. Bringing on genuine local handicraft was also welcome in case one did not have time in port to pick anything unique. Weather specific items were always welcome too - in case it got too cold or too warm or too rainy for what one might have packed up front.

 

However, I am not a shopper - are these shops meant to actually provide items cruisers might need or want, or to provide an onboard "entertainment" impulse buying shopping experience? In the new world of baggage weight restrictions, any "heavy" souvenir is now automatically out, no matter how gorgeous or desirable.

[TiogaCruiser]

On or around March 10 there was a post on the HAL blog that specified which shops were going in. I cannot now find that post, so I guess it was taken down.

[sail7seas]

Thanks for sharing what information about the shops is known Tiffany's on the ships is ........ fun. :)

 

Marabella,,,,,,,, was that the name of that jewelry shop that was almos t always empty?

[OlsSalt]

Thanks for sharing what information about the shops is known Tiffany's on the ships is ........ fun. :)

 

Marabella,,,,,,,, was that the name of that jewelry shop that was almos t always empty?

 

I always suspected the real transactions when on in a vault in the back room.

[sailingskyward]

Yes, Marabella was the previous jewelry shop onboard HAL ships. I can't recall ever seeing any passengers in there, or even any staff

[ger_77]

We were on the Eurodam in January when my friend was in the jewelery area looking at a nice slim chocolate diamond bracelet. After hemming and hawing over it, the clerk said "Come with me" and took us into the Marabella boutique where he tried to convince her she needed the $67,000 bracelet - after she shuffled her feet over one costing about $2,000. Her response of "I need to think about it" was as close as he got to a sale. LOL I don't recall ever seeing a sales transaction completed in the times I've been in that shop.

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

[sail7seas]

Thanks for confirming he name of the shop I wasn't sure I remembered correctly.

[OlsSalt]

We were on the Eurodam in January when my friend was in the jewelery area looking at a nice slim chocolate diamond bracelet. After hemming and hawing over it, the clerk said "Come with me" and took us into the Marabella boutique where he tried to convince her she needed the $67,000 bracelet - after she shuffled her feet over one costing about $2,000. Her response of "I need to think about it" was as close as he got to a sale. LOL I don't recall ever seeing a sales transaction completed in the times I've been in that shop.

 

Smooth Sailing! :) :) :)

 

I need a $67,000 world cruise in a Pinnacle Suite long before I need a single bracelet.

[OlsSalt]

What if someone were to write a spy novel about a cruise ship, a diamond merchant, and the global drug trade?

[arzz]

Hello Dr. Dobro!

 

Shops on the Prinsendam over the holidays were seemingly short on merchandise. We had extra OBC and had a real tough time spending it!

 

Where and when are you cruising next? In addition to the Antarctica cruise in our signature we are off to Cuba in June on the Veendam - could always use some spectacular trivia partners!