If you Don't Think HAL is a bargain today, Think Again

[iancal]

I really think that there is a simple solution for those who want a higher end cruise that what is offered on HAL and other mass market lines.  Or for those who cry and long for the 'good old days' of cruising.

 

Simply take what you paid for your HAL cruise long ago and adjust it upwards for the rate of inflation over that period.   I suspect that you will have more than enough to cover the costs of a cruise on a premium or even a luxury line.  Problem solved.  Or is the real issue that you are no longer willing to pay the equiv. of what you paid in years gone or for some odd reason you now think you should get considerably more than you pay for?

 

If you are not happy with the cutbacks on the mass market lines then pay more to get more on other cruise options.   You get what you pay for (if you are lucky).    It you are not willing to pay more then why all the moaning and groaning?  Instead of price increases the cruise lines have turned to expense reduction and optional sources of on board revenue and profit.  That appears to be the reality of the mass market cruise line business today.  Either go with the flow and accept it or change vendors.

Edited December 9, 2019 by iancal

[cruisequeen4ever]

My first cruise was the Nieuw Amsterdam in 1989! 😀 Home of the Big Apple Kids Club and lots of adventures! ❤️ I remember seeing the fare in the brochure my dad had, and if I remember correctly, our Inside was either $999 or $1,199 pp. We added air on for $300 pp. That was the most expensive cruise ever because it launched my lifelong cruise addiction! 🤣

[Vic The Parrot]

16 minutes ago, cruisequeen4ever said:

My first cruise was the Nieuw Amsterdam in 1989! 😀 Home of the Big Apple Kids Club and lots of adventures! ❤️ I remember seeing the fare in the brochure my dad had, and if I remember correctly, our Inside was either $999 or $1,199 pp. We added air on for $300 pp. That was the most expensive cruise ever because it launched my lifelong cruise addiction! 🤣

I was on Nieuw Amsterdam one year later after you.  

 

My first sailing on HAL, and I was hooked.  😎

[Vic The Parrot]

On 12/6/2019 at 7:24 PM, RedneckBob said:

Currently on eBay

I checked a few days ago, and nothing on eBay with that description. Oh well, thanks anyway. 

[*Miss G*]

1 hour ago, ArnoldDonald said:

Redneck Bob is correct.

In the good old days, HAL was a good value product. It offered a very good quality product for a decent price.

Then Carnival stepped in and gutted the product - to keep prices low and profits high - with minimal investment.

Today it is a bargain - as in cheap. The form is still there (somewhere), but the substance is gone.

 

No matter the product, there is always somebody who can do it cheaper.

And there is always somebody who is willing to buy that cheaper product - and then make lame excuses about the decision.

 

Next we will be talking about renting a tent and borrowing a leaky canoe. It's not quite as good as an expensive cruise, but it is a great bargain - and there are no gratuities, dress code, smokers, or scooters to worry about.

 

Welcome to Cruise Critic!

[Mosaic]

Yes, often HAL is a bargain too often---that is the problem.  Except for NS, which often at $1,000.00 per cabin, are over priced and diluted.

[HappyInVan]

3 hours ago, ArnoldDonald said:

Next we will be talking about renting a tent and borrowing a leaky canoe. It's not quite as good as an expensive cruise, but it is a great bargain - and there are no gratuities, dress code, smokers, or scooters to worry about.

 

Great analogy.

 

There's always someone happy to pay less, and claim that it is a premium product.

[Copper10-8]

3 hours ago, ArnoldDonald said:

..............Next we will be talking about renting a tent and borrowing a leaky canoe. It's not quite as good as an expensive cruise, but it is a great bargain - and there are no gratuities, dress code, smokers, or scooters to worry about.

 

Which reminds me of the tale of two Inuit guys (the original inhabitants of the Arctic - northern Canada/Greenland/Alaska/eastern Siberia) who were sitting in their kayak and were chilly, so they decided to light a fire in the craft...

Unsurprisingly it sank (the two dudes survived), proving once again that you can't have your kayak and heat it too.

[rucrazy]

35 minutes ago, Copper10-8 said:

proving once again that you can't have your kayak and heat it too.

GROANS 😂

[ABoatNerd]

4 hours ago, iancal said:

I really think that there is a simple solution for those who want a higher end cruise that what is offered on HAL and other mass market lines.  Or for those who cry and long for the 'good old days' of cruising.

 

Simply take what you paid for your HAL cruise long ago and adjust it upwards for the rate of inflation over that period.   I suspect that you will have more than enough to cover the costs of a cruise on a premium or even a luxury line.  Problem solved.  Or is the real issue that you are no longer willing to pay the equiv. of what you paid in years gone or for some odd reason you now think you should get considerably more than you pay for?

 

If you are not happy with the cutbacks on the mass market lines then pay more to get more on other cruise options.   You get what you pay for (if you are lucky).    It you are not willing to pay more then why all the moaning and groaning?  Instead of price increases the cruise lines have turned to expense reduction and optional sources of on board revenue and profit.  That appears to be the reality of the mass market cruise line business today.  Either go with the flow and accept it or change vendors.

 

iancal, excellent analysis. Thank you very much.

 

Your comment (if you are lucky), is highly relevant.  Check out the Oceania reviews, not consistent and not consistently 4 or 5 stars - which they should be given the price $. I will no longer patronize Oceania due to their downgrading as well as the arrogant on board management, lower staff levels and downgraded food offerings, choice/ingredients/presentation. 

 

It seems all cruise lines at every level are downgrading, presume due to high bookings.

 

I am more than happy to pay more given inflation, which is reasonable, but it does not seem to be enough to even procure the excellence that we enjoyed not even 5 years ago. That, that, that is the issue.

 

 

 

 

[iancal]

Good for you.   Oceania is hardly the only alternative out there.   That is what shopping and comparing is all about.  I can think of a number of alternatives to the mass market lines. 

 

I have never understood this business of constantly complaining about a cruise line, or any other business, while at the same time rewarding them with your business.   Fool me once, shame on you.  Food me twice, shame on me.  I do not think that any mass market cruise line out there sets the gold standard of cruising any more based on the comments we have seen.  HAL is not exception to this despite all the warm and fuzzies.  They all seem to be in a race to the bottom.  

 

Edited December 9, 2019 by iancal

[*Miss G*]

My hairdresser took her first cruise recently.  I told her not to read CC beforehand.  She had a wonderful time.

[HappyInVan]

3 hours ago, ABoatNerd said:

 

I am more than happy to pay more given inflation, which is reasonable, but it does not seem to be enough to even procure the excellence that we enjoyed not even 5 years ago. That, that, that is the issue.

 

 

 

 

 

Hmmmm.

 

Those travelling on HAL pay a wide spread of fares. I would not be surprised if those paying huge discounts are quite happy. The problem is that those paying close to 'regular' fares are dissatisfied. You're now find them at MSC YC, Celebrity, RSS, Seabourne etc.

 

So, the smart money has already walked.

 

BTW, didn't someone recently tell us that they had upgraded/bumped from OV cabin to NS?

 

 

Edited December 10, 2019 by HappyInVan

[iancal]

I believe that HAL does deliver good value-but certainly not on all cabin types. 

 

Do I think that HAL is a bargain.  Not when compared to other mass market lines.  They are comparable.

 

HAL and its competitors  are all a bargain in the sense the fares have been less than inflation.   Even adjusted for the take aways.

Edited December 10, 2019 by iancal

[RedneckBob]

Lets bring this topic full circle. I didn't mean to talk about the cuts to the boats over the years or one might say. "death by a thousand cuts". As spoken by TAD..., per inflation over the past 31 years we are getting a great product for the price. Now if they start charging for eating in the Lido or MDR that will be a problem. Or if HAL charges for each roll of toilet paper used I will bring my own triple ply paper; Oh, I shouldn't had said that. Last time I posted such a statement I was flamed for being the cause of the pipe blockage on the boat. It was a joke ! C'mon Man (or Woman}. need to be politically correct.

[travelnap]

16 hours ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

Which reminds me of the tale of two Inuit guys (the original inhabitants of the Arctic - northern Canada/Greenland/Alaska/eastern Siberia) who were sitting in their kayak and were chilly, so they decided to light a fire in the craft...

Unsurprisingly it sank (the two dudes survived), proving once again that you can't have your kayak and heat it too.

Copper, are you trying to say that those two Inuits didn't have very good intuition when it comes to keeping warm.  That was cute and funny.

[tuolumne couple]

On 12/6/2019 at 6:55 AM, RedneckBob said:

Hi y'all, Redneck Bob hear.

 

Just the other day I was clearing out, getting rid of or just dusting off some storage boxes in my barn. I opened one box and low and behold there was this Cruise Brochure, Holland America Line, Caribbean cruises 1988-1989. It looked brand new! ....... I guess we don't know how good we have it today!

 

How fun, what a great find! We keep most of our old brochures for memorabilia...same goes with menus, wine lists and the daily planners.Yes, we do have it good, and the good just keeps on getting better. We just got of the Eurodam , and we love all the improvements! Fun to see both the old and the new. Thanks for sharing.

[cruisemom42]

20 hours ago, HappyInVan said:

 

BTW, didn't someone recently tell us that they had upgraded/bumped from OV cabin to NS?

 

 

 

There were a couple of paid upgrades in that progression.

[LocoLoco1]

For What It's Worth. March 2020 48-day cruise on KONINGSDAM Florida to Vancouver,CA 'Round So. Amer. $2999/pp plus taxes.

[MISTER 67]

Our first cruise on Sitmar's Fairwind in 1982 cost us 1550.00 each for an outside cabin for a 7 day Caribbean cruise but it included air fare from Chicago. Looking back it's still the best cruise we ever had and naturally hooked us on cruising.

Edited December 11, 2019 by MISTER 67

[HappyInVan]

On 12/9/2019 at 6:10 PM, *Miss G* said:

My hairdresser took her first cruise recently.  I told her not to read CC beforehand.  She had a wonderful time.

 

Don't know why you keep trawling these threads? Do you enjoy?

 

 

Edited December 11, 2019 by HappyInVan

[LocoLoco1]

3 hours ago, MISTER 67 said:

Our first cruise on Sitmar's Fairwind in 1982 cost us 1550.00 each for an outside cabin for a 7 day Caribbean cruise but it included air fare from Chicago. Looking back it's still the best cruise we ever had and naturally hooked us on cruising.

Agreed. As a youngin' ( 1972-73) Fremantle (Perth) to Singapore for $159. Chandris Line. What a memorable nightmare; but hooked ever since... if I wanna cruise, I cruise.

[Homosassa]

14 hours ago, MISTER 67 said:

Our first cruise on Sitmar's Fairwind in 1982 cost us 1550.00 each for an outside cabin for a 7 day Caribbean cruise but it included air fare from Chicago. Looking back it's still the best cruise we ever had and naturally hooked us on cruising.

 

10 hours ago, LocoLoco1 said:

Agreed. As a youngin' ( 1972-73) Fremantle (Perth) to Singapore for $159. Chandris Line. What a memorable nightmare; but hooked ever since... if I wanna cruise, I cruise.

 

 LOL - similar cruise history here. Chandris Britanis, 1976 ($400  each seven night Caribbean, included round trip air NYC - Aruba- NYC), great cruise.

 

March 1985 - Sitmar Fairseas - 14 night Trans Panama Cruise, Aruba - San Diego,  $1200 each for inside cabin, included air from Baltimore to and from cruise. Our 17 month old daughter was free (not even taxes or port fees). Another great cruise

[*Miss G*]

11 hours ago, HappyInVan said:

Don't know why you keep trawling these threads?

 

Just add it to the long list of other things you don’t know.

[HappyInVan]

2 minutes ago, *Miss G* said:

 

Just add it to the long list of other things you don’t know.

 

 

Well, maybe you should take your own advice??