Why Doesn't HAL Ask For Unique Itinerary Recommendations ?

[XBGuy]

1 hour ago, FlaMariner said:

 

. . . but why are folks leaving California?  

 

 

Sadly, not fast enough.

[Florida_gal_50]

On 10/12/2022 at 12:07 PM, Homosassa said:

For those of you that are not long time HAL cruisers :

 

Once a upon a time HAL had small ships that did  unique itineraries and would be longer than seven days.

 

Then HAL was sold to Carnival and the Carnivalization started.  We will not go into the small touches that made a HAL cruise special and were deleted first.

 

HAL and Princess basically had the same socioeconomic market demographic.  What to do?

 

Start HAL on the downward trend to be a step experience between bottom of the barrel Carnival and the higher tier lines.

 

Delete the small ships, build big ones. 

 

Big ships can not port at many of the old itinerary ports which means limited offerings for itineraries and shorten cruise lengths to fit the new marketing demographic.

 

Somehow, unless the HAL brand is sold , I don't see anything new or unique happening at HAL in the future.

Personally, I love the bigger ships.  I never enjoyed the ornate look of hals older ships.  While some may be able to take 50 day cruises on old ships with unique ports I suspect that isn't a large majority.  

[Florida_gal_50]

On 10/12/2022 at 9:55 AM, Mary229 said:

Anyway.   @mcrcruiser you are welcome to write them with your thoughts any time.  And before you criticize that suggestion I will let you know I recently wrote Jerome Powell and received a personal response that day from his assistant.  The written word can be powerful 

Yes, but unfortunately "talk" is cheap.  Action is the thing that matters to me anyway.

[Mary229]

17 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

Yes, but unfortunately "talk" is cheap.  Action is the thing that matters to me anyway.

To each their own.  I have written a lot of letters in my time and have gotten great results sometimes and of course no results sometimes.  It sure beats sitting around on the forum moaning

[Florida_gal_50]

6 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

To each their own.  I have written a lot of letters in my time and have gotten great results sometimes and of course no results sometimes.  It sure beats sitting around on the forum moaning

Yes of course it does but if nothing happens it is a waste.  If you have plenty of free time I guess it's not an issue.

[mcrcruiser]

3 hours ago, FlaMariner said:

 

Agree with the weather but why are folks leaving California?  

 

Wonder if HAL's delays and limited cruises from California  is about their costs to operate in California and the future they see there?  

 

I noticed the short west coast/re-position runs from Alaska were dirt cheap this year and the one ship that hangs around and goes to Cabo, etc. has low prices and they did exit the area at one time.

 

Perhaps HAL is contemplating a way to just get the ships from Alaska to Florida as fast as they can and bypass California because it is no longer worth it.....too much hassle/expense?

 

As far as California's population growth.....

 

The state’s largest decline was between 2020 and 2021 when the population dropped 0.7%.

 

The decrease in Calif population is all about political problems  .That has zero impact on cruise lines  because people drive into Calif from Arizona & Nevada  & perhaps even further  to take cruises from LA & San Diego & SF 

Edited October 13, 2022 by mcrcruiser

[Homosassa]

On 10/12/2022 at 2:44 PM, Crazy For Cats said:

I would like to see the 14 day Seattle round trip to Alaska return.  We did that on the Maasdam and it was our favorite Alaska adventure.  We went up to Anchorage and visited different ports on the return trip.  That itinerary would justify the hassle of flying from Boston to Seattle.  

You have just hit the points of my previous post:

 

Masdam was a small ship; it could go into ports that the current HAL ships can not.

 

The market demographic was still available that could afford to do a fourteen day cruise on a small ship,

[USN59-79]

I would suggest, rather than more ports, to spend more than 8 hours or so in each port.  When I think of all the times we have stopped at Barcelona and each time we have seen something different.  If they stayed one or two days in a port, you would have a choice or more than one excursion.  The cruise line would have less fuel expenses and probably food expenses as many of us would be eating ashore.  I think a 14 day cruise stopping in the same ports as a 7 day cruise could be less expensive for the cruise line and maybe less expensive for the cruisers.

[rodndonna]

13 hours ago, USN59-79 said:

I would suggest, rather than more ports, to spend more than 8 hours or so in each port.  When I think of all the times we have stopped at Barcelona and each time we have seen something different.  If they stayed one or two days in a port, you would have a choice or more than one excursion.  The cruise line would have less fuel expenses and probably food expenses as many of us would be eating ashore.  I think a 14 day cruise stopping in the same ports as a 7 day cruise could be less expensive for the cruise line and maybe less expensive for the cruisers.

 

Our first ocean cruise many years ago was a 7 day west med cruise NCL out of Barcelona (with the typical popular ports Rome, Florence, Naples ..)   On it, we heard of a few who were repeating it (back to back for 14 days). I thought it was odd initially but then as the cruise went on that week I realized they were onto something. It was essentially  a 14 day cruise with 2 days at each port.  Not sure if they got a good deal doing the 2 back to back that way.

 

[rodndonna]

20 minutes ago, rodndonna said:

 

Our first ocean cruise many years ago was a 7 day west med cruise NCL out of Barcelona (with the typical popular ports Rome, Florence, Naples ..)   On it, we heard of a few who were repeating it (back to back for 14 days). I thought it was odd initially but then as the cruise went on that week I realized they were onto something. It was essentially  a 14 day cruise with 2 days at each port.  Not sure if they got a good deal doing the 2 back to back that way.

 

 

Editing my response:

Thinking about our  booked HAL cruise in Sept 2023, it is a 'little' like that - on our 12 days we have 3 overnights. One at the start (overnight in Venice) and at the end (overnight in Athens) and one during the cruise (overnight in Istanbul). The start and end overnights can be viewed as 2 days in port, but in our case are being used as "we can still have time to visit that port without taking a hotel" since we are flying. The Istanbul port is the only port during that cruise I would want an overnighter, so that seems to work for us having 'some' of the cruise be overnighters.

[mcrcruiser]

15 hours ago, Homosassa said:

You have just hit the points of my previous post:

 

Masdam was a small ship; it could go into ports that the current HAL ships can not.

 

The market demographic was still available that could afford to do a fourteen day cruise on a small ship,

We remember that cruise into Alaska , going to Kodiak Island   ,Anchorage ie   .We believe that a small sjp ala Volendam could go up the Anchorage inlet 

 

   These are the things I  wanted to see on this thread   because imo HAL is being  to near sighted & perhaps nt all their fault but more the fault of Carnival corp ,  Miami 

[mcrcruiser]

41 minutes ago, rodndonna said:

 

Our first ocean cruise many years ago was a 7 day west med cruise NCL out of Barcelona (with the typical popular ports Rome, Florence, Naples ..)   On it, we heard of a few who were repeating it (back to back for 14 days). I thought it was odd initially but then as the cruise went on that week I realized they were onto something. It was essentially  a 14 day cruise with 2 days at each port.  Not sure if they got a good deal doing the 2 back to back that way.

 

Yes Yes Yes  this is the thinking & creative   way  . No extra hotel expenses & the time really to dig into the sights &  savor the culture 

[mcrcruiser]

22 minutes ago, rodndonna said:

 

Editing my response:

Thinking about our  booked HAL cruise in Sept 2023, it is a 'little' like that - on our 12 days we have 3 overnights. One at the start (overnight in Venice) and at the end (overnight in Athens) and one during the cruise (overnight in Istanbul). The start and end overnights can be viewed as 2 days in port, but in our case are being used as "we can still have time to visit that port without taking a hotel" since we are flying. The Istanbul port is the only port during that cruise I would want an overnighter, so that seems to work for us having 'some' of the cruise be overnighters.

There are small ship cruise lines that can get into ports that big ships can not   ,Hal still has 2 ships that are small  in comparison to their  pinnacle  sized ships   & perhaps there is a real desire for people to be in med ports more than just one say  but over night  & even get to ports that the larger vessels can not  get to   .

 

 This is why creative thinking is needed with HAL & candidly other lines which still have the smaller vessels  but not the high prices  of  the luxury lines 

[Boatdrill]

On 10/12/2022 at 8:11 AM, DCThunder said:

As someone living on the East Coast, I can sincerely say that the Mexican Riviera is one of the last places on earth I would want to go.  So expanded ports of call in Mexico are of no interest to me.  

Good point, and it goes the other way as well. West Coasters vacation in Hawaii and Mexico (Cabo, Puerto Vallarta). Most have little interest in going to the Caribbean. 

[FlaMariner]

Interesting.

 

I just got a survey today from HAL about "where I'd like to cruise".

 

They asked areas of the world and and if you chose Yes, then they asked for your interest in various locations in that area of the world.

 

I was interested in anything but Alaska, the Pacific coast, Canada and the Caribbean. 

 

They also asked your preferred cruised length and I chose 14 days. 

 

 

[richstowe]

27 minutes ago, FlaMariner said:

I was interested in anything but Alaska, the Pacific coast, Canada and the Caribbean. 

Well that's 90% of the cruise itineraries .  🤣

[FlaMariner]

53 minutes ago, richstowe said:

Well that's 90% of the cruise itineraries .  🤣

 

LOL. Exactly.  Been there, done that. 

[mcrcruiser]

2 hours ago, Boatdrill said:

Good point, and it goes the other way as well. West Coasters vacation in Hawaii and Mexico (Cabo, Puerto Vallarta). Most have little interest in going to the Caribbean. 

We did many Caribbean cruises probably every island at least once & some more than once .We live in San Diego county   .When we did those cruises  air fares on direct non stop Alaska Airlines  was reasonable , today recently priced coach   fares  were $1056  round trip . for 2 .  No doubt rental cars ,hotel rates & restaurants are all more expensive due to  this high inflation 

 

  Perhaps what it could come down to  is  to lower the cost of travel to the port because when a person adds the cost to get to the port it may very well  price them  from  going on cruises .  not only  the cost to get to the cruise oier but  the average higher cost of cruise cabins  .This must have a impact on cruise sales   long term 

 

 

[Cruise Junky]

On 10/14/2022 at 4:09 PM, richstowe said:

Well that's 90% of the cruise itineraries .  🤣

I think you missed the word BUT 😂

[kazu]

We lost approximately 200 ports when HAL sold the Prinsendam.  I was at dinner with an officer when he said 50 and I said I think it’s more like 200 - he looked at me winked and smiled and said yes, it’s more than that.

It went to a lot of places the others can’t go.  So unique itineraries to a certain extent disappeared when we lost that ship IMO.

 

When you are docked next to yachts believe me - you know the other ships in the fleet can’t fit.  

 

[richstowe]

4 hours ago, kazu said:

We lost approximately 200 ports when HAL sold the Prinsendam. It went to a lot of places the others can’t go.  So unique itineraries to a certain extent disappeared when we lost that ship IMO.

 

When you are docked next to yachts believe me - you know the other ships in the fleet can’t fit.  

 

I was fortunate to sail on the Veendam twice a giant 😉 compared to the Prinsendam. Even so we we experienced the joy of smaller ships when we berthed in downtown Hamilton Bermuda instead of the giant concrete Royal Navy/King's Wharf, which all the other ships were stuck at . Being in the heart of Bermuda made the cruise .

So unique ports are unlikely with todays large larger and largest ships .

[mcrcruiser]

On 10/14/2022 at 3:39 PM, FlaMariner said:

Interesting.

 

I just got a survey today from HAL about "where I'd like to cruise".

 

They asked areas of the world and and if you chose Yes, then they asked for your interest in various locations in that area of the world.

 

I was interested in anything but Alaska, the Pacific coast, Canada and the Caribbean. 

 

They also asked your preferred cruised length and I chose 14 days. 

 

 

Several cruises come to mind  with HAL   .you can enjoy a trans Atlantic  coupled with a B2B  cruise  . flying across the   Atlantic   is then reduced to one way  flight . coming back to the states from Europe you fly in the day time . Going to  Europe are red eye flights  .  Another interesting  cruise is   south America & the ant Artic    or WestCoast  usually   from San  Diego to  Australia    

[FlaMariner]

8 hours ago, mcrcruiser said:

Several cruises come to mind  with HAL   .you can enjoy a trans Atlantic  coupled with a B2B  cruise  . flying across the   Atlantic   is then reduced to one way  flight . coming back to the states from Europe you fly in the day time . Going to  Europe are red eye flights  .  Another interesting  cruise is   south America & the ant Artic    or WestCoast  usually   from San  Diego to  Australia    

 

Agree.  

 

We've enjoyed TA's where we fly to Europe, touring an area (Florence, Paris, London, Amsterdam, etc.) and then head to the port (Rome , Amsterdam or Barcelona)  for a relaxing TA HAL cruise with a port or three stops.....We have more of these cruises to take/enjoy.

 

We are heading for South America for the first time in March.....Flying to Lima and going to spend a few days climbing Machu Picchu and then flying to Santiago to catch the Oosterdam 17 night back to Fort Lauderale.

 

In October, we are doing our first trans Pacific to Japan and then plan for 5 days in Japan before flying home. 

 

Australia/New Zealand, Southeast Asia, India, Africa, Middle East come to mind as places HAL cruises and we want to go. 

 

We are at a point now where we need ships going to places other than the Caribbean and Alaska.

 

We are cruising the Caribbean this fall but doing so because it is an easy way to enjoy HAL and taking the fam on this one over Thanksgiving (give Her Majesty a break and let HAL cook the turkey this year).

 

We have never been to Alaska and our plan is to hold off on cruising Alaska (staying in the USA) until we are older and have to stay "closer to home".  Same for Hawaii.

 

We have a lot of places in the world left to see before the bucket is kicked.....We need HAL to have itineraries that get us there......

 

I'm glad HAL asked my opinion.

[leerathje]

Well, @mcrcruiserlooks like your wish may come true....check out the product planner.  14 day Mexico cruise, San Diego Circle to Hawaii.....  I guess we will really see as of the 21st.

 

L.

 

 

Edited October 18, 2022 by leerathje

[Boatdrill]

On 10/13/2022 at 4:33 PM, USN59-79 said:

I think a 14 day cruise stopping in the same ports as a 7 day cruise could be less expensive for the cruise line and maybe less expensive for the cruisers.

That sounds like a great idea. According to their HAL's Sales Department, HAL has more overnights than other cruise lines.

 

But tying up a ship (literally) in port for two days is expensive, and at the same time, there's less onboard  revenue being generated.