Overhead Fred Posted September 25, 2019 #1 Share Posted September 25, 2019 Our 10/31/20 14-day Southern Caribbean cruise on the Zaandam has been cancelled by HAL. I got an email notification late yesterday. In talking with our PCC, the cancellation appears to be related to the redeployment of the Veendam to Tampa and it sounds like at least a couple ships are impacted. The Zaandam might be moving to the west coast and taking over some of the Rotterdam's itineraries. I am not sure where the Rotterdam is headed. So keep your eyes peeled if you are booked on these ships in 2020! HAL offered us 3 alternative Caribbean cruise choices with $50 pp OBC (for an interior) and the same "per diem rate" that we had with the Zaandam. We also will keep our early booking bonus perks. We are inclined to take the 11-day Nieuw Statendam Southern Caribbean cruise on Nov 11 as the replacement if we can get a suitable interior cabin. I have heard that many of the interiors on the Nieuw Statendam are on the small side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare 3rdGenCunarder Posted September 25, 2019 #2 Share Posted September 25, 2019 22 minutes ago, Overhead Fred said: Our 10/31/20 14-day Southern Caribbean cruise on the Zaandam has been cancelled by HAL. I got an email notification late yesterday. In talking with our PCC, the cancellation appears to be related to the redeployment of the Veendam to Tampa and it sounds like at least a couple ships are impacted. The Zaandam might be moving to the west coast and taking over some of the Rotterdam's itineraries. I am not sure where the Rotterdam is headed. So keep your eyes peeled if you are booked on these ships in 2020! HAL offered us 3 alternative Caribbean cruise choices with $50 pp OBC (for an interior) and the same "per diem rate" that we had with the Zaandam. We also will keep our early booking bonus perks. We are inclined to take the 11-day Nieuw Statendam Southern Caribbean cruise on Nov 11 as the replacement if we can get a suitable interior cabin. I have heard that many of the interiors on the Nieuw Statendam are on the small side. From what I've heard, the cabins on K and SN are smaller than the equivalent on other ships. If you look at the website, you'll see that the numbers are smaller, but not a lot. I think it's mostly perception. Bathrooms are larger at the expense of space in the main part of the cabin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doone Posted September 25, 2019 #3 Share Posted September 25, 2019 I would sail in an inside cabin on the K'dam and NS. I peeked in when I was on the K'dam and I have to say, they are smaller but doable if price is an issue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowmilker Posted September 25, 2019 #4 Share Posted September 25, 2019 We've sailed in an interior cabin on the Kdam. It was great. Lots of storage. Nice big bathroom. Excellent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Mary229 Posted September 25, 2019 #5 Share Posted September 25, 2019 (edited) We had an interior on the Koningsdam for that same itinerary this spring. The room was small but efficient. That itinerary is very outdoorsy so you won’t be in the room that much. We did spend a whole afternoon of a sea day comfortably in our cabin gorging bonbons from room service and watching on demand movies Edited September 25, 2019 by Mary229 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krazy Kruizers Posted September 25, 2019 #6 Share Posted September 25, 2019 OP Thank you for informing us about some ship changes in 2020. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Overhead Fred Posted September 25, 2019 Author #7 Share Posted September 25, 2019 26 minutes ago, Krazy Kruizers said: OP Thank you for informing us about some ship changes in 2020. While I very much appreciate everyone's input on inside cabins on Konigsdam and Nieuw Statendam, the redeployment of ships was the most important part of my initial post. It might not quite match the reshuffling engendered by the Prinsendam sale, but having Veendam back in Tampa may ultimately affect a lot of folk's booked cruises in 2020. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zelker Posted September 25, 2019 #8 Share Posted September 25, 2019 We were notified yesterday that our 32 day Hawaii-South Pacific cruise that was originally on Rotterdam (scheduled to sail out of San Diego on 11-17-20) will now be on the Zaandam. Have to wait a few days until they assign new confirmation numbers to existing reservations and then we can call to get a new suite # assigned, assuming we don’t like where they move us. Hopefully they won’t change the itinerary but that remains to be seen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkacruiser Posted September 25, 2019 #9 Share Posted September 25, 2019 19 minutes ago, Overhead Fred said: While I very much appreciate everyone's input on inside cabins on Konigsdam and Nieuw Statendam, the redeployment of ships was the most important part of my initial post. It might not quite match the reshuffling engendered by the Prinsendam sale, but having Veendam back in Tampa may ultimately affect a lot of folk's booked cruises in 2020. Hi Fred, This reshuffling of some of the fleet's sailing schedules is quite interesting. One has to wonder what thinking is taking place in the executive offices of HAL in Seattle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeeniEncinitas Posted September 26, 2019 #10 Share Posted September 26, 2019 I have such a wonderful PCC! we have a cruise on Rotterdam 3/11/2020 San Diego to FLL Panama Canal. I sent an email and she responded Hi Denise, Thanks for your email. I haven't been notified of any changes to your Rotterdam cruise. So far, we've only been notified about a handful of Oct-Dec 2020 cruises that have been affected. Hope you're doing well and having a great day! 🙂 Risa Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Overhead Fred Posted September 26, 2019 Author #11 Share Posted September 26, 2019 (edited) HAL's website appears to be catching up with the Zaandam/Rotterdam redeployments. Zaandam arrives in Fort Lauderdale from Canada on October 31, 2020. Rotterdam arrives in Fort Lauderdale from Europe on November 1, 2020. The next cruise listed for Zaandam is a San Diego to Fort Lauderdale (Panama Canal transit) from December 19, 2020 to January 2, 2021. The next cruise listed for Rotterdam is a Tropical Caribbean out of Fort Lauderdale from December 20, 2020 to December 27, 2020. So any cruises already booked between roughly November 1 and mid December on these ships are going to be affected. Zaandam will be on the west coast during this time and will do a 32 day South Pacific out of San Diego on about November 17, 2020 (replacing the Rotterdam). So it looks like there should be a westbound Panama transit around October 31 (which is not showing up yet), the 32 day South Pacific, and then the eastbound Panama transit for the Zaandam. I do not have a clue about where the Rotterdam will be during this time. It might stay in the Caribbean. In any regard, there should be a few new November/December 2020 cruises showing up on the HAL website for these two ships. Edited September 26, 2019 by Overhead Fred Spelling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zelker Posted September 26, 2019 #12 Share Posted September 26, 2019 Interestingly, the 2020-2021 Cruise Atlas already showed the Zaandam doing a westbound Canal cruise Oct. 31-Nov. 17, and then 32 day South Pacific. I say interestingly because it was in print and yet nobody at HAL seemed to know anything about it when asked. The email we received from our big box TA last night says that tomorrow we will be given a new confirmation number and stateroom assignment so they are obviously scurrying to get these changed up and back on the website so that people can book them. If you're interested in seeing what itineraries are going to be available for Rotterdam and Zaandam between October and December before they show up on the HAL website, check out the Cruise Atlas: https://digital.cenveomobile.com/publication/?i=606175&p=&pn=#{"issue_id":606175,"page":0} Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
summer slope Posted September 26, 2019 #13 Share Posted September 26, 2019 14 hours ago, DeeniEncinitas said: I have such a wonderful PCC! we have a cruise on Rotterdam 3/11/2020 San Diego to FLL Panama Canal. I sent an email and she responded Hi Denise, Thanks for your email. I haven't been notified of any changes to your Rotterdam cruise. So far, we've only been notified about a handful of Oct-Dec 2020 cruises that have been affected. Hope you're doing well and having a great day! 🙂 Risa We are on this cruise also, thank you for the information. The cruise is at the end of a 10 day land portion. It would really mess up our agenda if it was cancelled or changed. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rkacruiser Posted September 26, 2019 #14 Share Posted September 26, 2019 This whole itinerary scenario reminds me of the classic Abbott and Costello routine of "Who's on First.." 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AtlantaCruiser72 Posted September 27, 2019 #15 Share Posted September 27, 2019 (edited) There also had been a thread here several months ago that discovered two conflicting Zaandam cruises. She was showing ending and starting two different cruise same day. One in FLL the other in SAN. I Think someone flubbed up when they put out the schedules for Zaandam and Rotterdam and perhaps swapped ship names inadvertently on several sailings and HAL just now sorting it out. DOH!!!!!!! Edited September 27, 2019 by AtlantaCruiser72 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hugger Posted September 27, 2019 #16 Share Posted September 27, 2019 we also were notified of the Zaandam being cancelled for 10-31-2020 Hoping to get it rebooked on the Eurodam - wonder how they're going to handle the Vista Suite Bookings? I appreciate this thread as I hadn't found my email about the per diem and the amentities remaining the same until I saw the post and went looking for it THANK YOU Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zelker Posted September 27, 2019 #17 Share Posted September 27, 2019 13 minutes ago, hugger said: we also were notified of the Zaandam being cancelled for 10-31-2020 ... Hmmmm….. that makes no sense. Zaandam will be on the east coast in the fall, and then we were just confirmed on her replacing the Rotterdam on 11-17-20 roundtrip out of San Diego. SOMEhow she has to get from FLL to SAN which I'm pretty sure would be via the Canal … or magic fairy dust. LOL Anyway, did they tell you they were replacing your 10-31-20 cruise with a different ship or that it was just cancelled? She still shows doing the holiday eastbound Canal when we disembark on 12-19-20. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Overhead Fred Posted September 27, 2019 Author #18 Share Posted September 27, 2019 Our 14 day 10/31/20 Southern Caribbean was cancelled and HAL offered 3 alternative bookings - 11 day S. Caribbean on Nieuw Statendam (11/11/20), 10 day S. Caribbean on Nieuw Statendam (11/22/20), or 14 day East/West Caribbean on Eurodam (11/8/20). If we picked one of these, we would get extra OBC and retain our current Zaandam perks. If we did not choose one of the three, they would refund our fare (only deposits so far for us) and we would need to start from scratch with a new booking. We have not decided what to do yet, but are leaning towards the 11 day S. Caribbean on 11/11/10. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glenna1 Posted September 27, 2019 #19 Share Posted September 27, 2019 I would definitely go to S Caribbean. East and West so much more crowded. South more exotic, more cultural flavor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CabinBoy2020 Posted September 27, 2019 #20 Share Posted September 27, 2019 Thanks everyone for this information. I'm booked on a Nov 1, 2020 FLL to San Diego Panama Canal cruise on the Rotterdam. The Cruise Atlas mentioned above shows a different date (11/8/20) for the Rotterdam. The booking is still listed under my account on the HAL website for 11/1/20. I wish they would clarify these changes as they will obviously impact other plans. Again, I appreciate the information from all of you. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CabinBoy2020 Posted October 3, 2019 #21 Share Posted October 3, 2019 HAL cancelled my 11/1/20 Panama Canal cruise on the Rotterdam. They offered two alternate dates at the same price per day plus $50 OBC. I took this as an opportunity to look for other options and found a nice Oceania Insignia Panama Canal cruise. It's more expensive than HAL, but it's a smaller ship, a bit more inclusive overall, and a chance to try their "Finest Cuisine at Sea." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GrammieK Posted October 3, 2019 #22 Share Posted October 3, 2019 You will love Oceania! Did a Panama Canal cruise on insignia years ago and loved it! Let me know if you have any questions or check the Oceania boards. K 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindaler Posted October 3, 2019 #23 Share Posted October 3, 2019 On 9/25/2019 at 6:14 PM, DeeniEncinitas said: I have such a wonderful PCC! we have a cruise on Rotterdam 3/11/2020 San Diego to FLL Panama Canal. I sent an email and she responded I am on the two cruises right before you. I sure hope that they don't take us off the Rotterdam. With special needs we have carefully booked cabins and MDR tables. What a mess if we have to go through that again. We have not received any notices yet. I too have a call in to my PCC. Hopefully he will say that it will only affect the later in the year cruises. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lindaler Posted October 3, 2019 #24 Share Posted October 3, 2019 Just got off the phone with my PCC who assured me the Rotterdam will be on schedule for the early part of the year. The cruises affected are much later in the year and will not affect the Panama Canal cruises ending with the March 11, 2020. Our Feb. 8th and Feb. 24 will be as planned. I am sorry for those affected but at least you have a little time to plan for the changes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeeniEncinitas Posted October 3, 2019 #25 Share Posted October 3, 2019 5 minutes ago, lindaler said: Just got off the phone with my PCC who assured me the Rotterdam will be on schedule for the early part of the year. The cruises affected are much later in the year and will not affect the Panama Canal cruises ending with the March 11, 2020. Our Feb. 8th and Feb. 24 will be as planned. I am sorry for those affected but at least you have a little time to plan for the changes. I received a email from our PCC the day I posted and am so sorry I did not CC back! She told me the same thing Oct-Dec were the cruises effected. Enjoy your cruise Denise😊 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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