Volendam to house Ukrainian refugees for 3 months

[cwtravel]

This cancelled the first three cruises scheduled for the Volendam (which I am not booked on) - otherwise a great move by HAL.

[VMax1700]

4 minutes ago, cwtravel said:

This cancelled the first three cruises scheduled for the Volendam (which I am not booked on) - otherwise a great move by HAL.

https://www.carnivalcorp.com/news-releases/news-release-details/holland-america-line-ship-will-become-temporary-home-ukrainian

[cwtravel]

Press release

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/holland-america-line-ship-will-become-temporary-home-for-ukrainian-refugees-in-the-netherlands-301515860.html

[MikeD4134]

I am on the May 29th sailing and this sucks.

[albingirl]

Wonderful news,  For those displaced, you will be offered other sailings.  For the Ukrainians, this is life affirming and a chance to make their plans for relocation.  I am glad Holland America has their priorities in order.

[Torquer]

Wow!  Glad we cancelled our May 15 cruise on Volendam about 6 weeks ago.  It certainly is a nice thing for HAL to be doing, but it really sucks for all the people who had booked these cruises and were looking forward to it, planning for it, and perhaps had non-refundable airline and tours booked.

 

I have to wonder how many people were really booked on these cruises; I believe they were mostly to Norway.  I have to believe if HAL had solid bookings and were making money on real cruises, they wouldn't have agreed to do this.

[rafinmd]

I was suspicious at first that this came out April 1 but it is also on the HAL web site.

 

Roy

[albingirl]

6 minutes ago, Torquer said:

Wow!  Glad we cancelled our May 15 cruise on Volendam about 6 weeks ago.  It certainly is a nice thing for HAL to be doing, but it really sucks for all the people who had booked these cruises and were looking forward to it, planning for it, and perhaps had non-refundable airline and tours booked.

 

I have to wonder how many people were really booked on these cruises; I believe they were mostly to Norway.  I have to believe if HAL had solid bookings and were making money on real cruises, they wouldn't have agreed to do this.

Well, that's a very cynical thing to say.  I am certain that HAL will be spending a boatload of money housing 1500 people for 3 months.  I don't think that there is anything but a humanitarian effort involved and the news has been heartbreaking for the world to witness.  Your comments are  sad for me to read.

[OlsSalt]

12 minutes ago, albingirl said:

Well, that's a very cynical thing to say.  I am certain that HAL will be spending a boatload of money housing 1500 people for 3 months.  I don't think that there is anything but a humanitarian effort involved and the news has been heartbreaking for the world to witness.  Your comments are  sad for me to read.

 

US tax dollars have been allocated for Ukrainian refugee relief efforts. That may be the funding source.

[FlorenceItaly]

5 minutes ago, OlsSalt said:

 

US tax dollars have been allocated for Ukrainian refugee relief efforts. That may be the funding source.

The article mentions they will receive 1 million dollars

[VMax1700]

24 minutes ago, rafinmd said:

I was suspicious at first that this came out April 1 but it is also on the HAL web site.

 

Roy

That was my initial reaction until I checked the Carnival Corp press release site.  Also, it would be a really sick April Fool joke.

[Torquer]

15 minutes ago, albingirl said:

Well, that's a very cynical thing to say.  I am certain that HAL will be spending a boatload of money housing 1500 people for 3 months.  I don't think that there is anything but a humanitarian effort involved and the news has been heartbreaking for the world to witness.  Your comments are  sad for me to read.

Huh?  The news articles clearly say that the Netherlands and City of Rotterdam are chartering the ship for three months.  Surely you don't believe HAL is doing this out of the goodness of their corporate heart.  It must be because they are making more or almost as much money in this charter arrangement than if they had run the original cruises.  Anything else would be a bad decision for Carnival stockholders.

[RynoWally]

17 minutes ago, albingirl said:

Well, that's a very cynical thing to say.  I am certain that HAL will be spending a boatload of money housing 1500 people for 3 months.  I don't think that there is anything but a humanitarian effort involved and the news has been heartbreaking for the world to witness.  Your comments are  sad for me to read.

This is nothing but wishful thinking, HAL put a great spin on this. They are no doubt turning a profit, all of these refugees are being subsidized by some governing authority. What you think is a humanitarian effort by HAL, is nothing but a cloak for the profits they will be receiving, I won't forget it. 

[Laminator]

5 minutes ago, RynoWally said:

This is nothing but wishful thinking, HAL put a great spin on this. They are no doubt turning a profit, all of these refugees are being subsidized by some governing authority. What you think is a humanitarian effort by HAL, is nothing but a cloak for the profits they will be receiving, I won't forget it. 

I don't see any other cruise company stepping up to help. No matter the motive what HAL is doing is commendable!

[rotjeknor]

I just read on the Dutch national news site that the Volendam will be docked in the Merwehaven in Rotterdam to be used as accommodation for refugees from Ukraine. She is on her way to Rotterdam now . The article states a period of three months, HAL personnel will provide food and cleaning. 
The city council of Rotterdam picks up the tab and is looking for a more permanent solution.

On the HAL website, all cruises  with the Volendam are canceled up to june 12 , but on HAL’s blog it says that cruising will resume July 3rd.

 

Edited April 1, 2022 by rotjeknor

[albingirl]

14 minutes ago, RynoWally said:

This is nothing but wishful thinking, HAL put a great spin on this. They are no doubt turning a profit, all of these refugees are being subsidized by some governing authority. What you think is a humanitarian effort by HAL, is nothing but a cloak for the profits they will be receiving, I won't forget it. 

 

14 minutes ago, RynoWally said:

This is nothing but wishful thinking, HAL put a great spin on this. They are no doubt turning a profit, all of these refugees are being subsidized by some governing authority. What you think is a humanitarian effort by HAL, is nothing but a cloak for the profits they will be receiving, I won't forget it. 

Unbelievable.   

[OlsSalt]

10 minutes ago, Laminator said:

I don't see any other cruise company stepping up to help. No matter the motive what HAL is doing is commendable!

 

Other cruise lines are also participating in relief efforts. Some under the Carnival umbrella, some not:

 

https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/cruise-ships-and-ferries-offer-housing-for-displaced-ukrainians

[Laminator]

3 minutes ago, OlsSalt said:

 

Other cruise lines are also participating in relief efforts. Some under the Carnival umbrella, some not:

 

https://www.maritime-executive.com/article/cruise-ships-and-ferries-offer-housing-for-displaced-ukrainians

I think you missed the point of my post. It was geared toward the poster I quoted. 

[RynoWally]

10 minutes ago, Laminator said:

I don't see any other cruise company stepping up to help. No matter the motive what HAL is doing is commendable!

Commendable? That's a stretch, I'm positive there are other lines throwing their hats into the ring on this as well. So naive, if the government was going to throw money at me that would result in myself making a profit beyond my mortgage, I would definitely give them access to my rentals to use for this. 

[VermeulT]

I think this is great.

[idiebabe]

I also think this is great!  👏

[puppycanducruise]

My heart breaks for the people of Ukraine.

[jakkojakko]

I have a booking on ms Volendam in that period.

My booking is still on the HAL site, unchanged.

Today is april first

Three months is a very strange length of time. The amount of refugees will only increase and will certainly not be over in three months.

 

All this makes me question the validity of the message.

[kazu]

5 minutes ago, jakkojakko said:

I have a booking on ms Volendam in that period.

My booking is still on the HAL site, unchanged.

Today is april first

Three months is a very strange length of time. The amount of refugees will only increase and will certainly not be over in three months.

 

All this makes me question the validity of the message.

 

the message is valid.  Some roll call members have already received their cancellation notices with the cruise they are being transferred to.

 

A shame HAL made this decision after their final payment 😞 

[ger_77]

I'm pleased to see our cruise line of choice is stepping up to help those who have been displaced by this senseless violence against them and their country.