HAL Transatlantic Sea Day Expectations?

[Fire6]

We have cruised about a dozen times (Carnival, NCL, and Princess) but are taking our first HAL cruise and first transatlantic next spring to celebrate our retirements (Oosterdam from Florida to Rome in April). We are prepared to entertain ourselves on the sea days, but we are curious what entertainment/enrichment that HAL may offer in the 5 or 6 sea days between Florida and our first port.  I've tried to search the forum, but haven't had much luck.  Thanks!

[VMax1700]

Oosterdam will be commencing her westward Trans Atlantic on November 5th from Barcelona and there is every possibility that there will be a 'Live from' thread during the cruise by a very long standing HAL cruiser @kazu.  That will give you an indication of what will be happening when the ship returns towards Europe next spring.

One very important element will be your Roll Call.  The Roll Call for the October cruise can be found here.   It is a pretty special Roll Call that is almost 90 pages long with over 2000 replies.  Read it at your leisure over the coming months!  Some people on the roll call had booked a previous TA that was cancelled because of Covid and this sailing will be the culmination of many months of waiting and many ship changes, as well as many heartaches and life changing events.  

Enjoy your cruise, but enjoy your planning too.  

[kazu]

23 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

Oosterdam will be commencing her westward Trans Atlantic on November 5th from Barcelona and there is every possibility that there will be a 'Live from' thread during the cruise by a very long standing HAL cruiser @kazu.  That will give you an indication of what will be happening when the ship returns towards Europe next spring.

 

I’ve had some requests, shockingly so yes there is indeed a strong possibility of a LIVE thread being done 😉. 

 

[Mosaic]

There will really not be any special entertainment/enrichment events on a TA per say.  They will be the same as most itineraries. Enjoy.

[FlaMariner]

We've done two HAL TA's (NS & Rotterdam) and a sea day is the same as any other HAL cruise sea day, from our experience. 

 

We love 'em. 

 

If you are into lots of people involved activities, I agree w/Vmax that you need to jump in to your roll call.  They plan all kinds of stuff that will keep you very busy w/people. 

 

For us, it's all about the food, the greenhouse spa pool, the food, the EXC talks, the food, the gym, the food,   reading good books on our balcony, the food, billboard onboard, the food and of course, the food. Rinse and repeat. 

 

Enjoy the journey.......

 

 

 

 

 

[Hlitner]

We have done dozens of TAs and some TPs on multiple cruise lines including HAL.  HAL does have a daily schedule of activities, but pales in comparison to many other lines.  For most folks that is fine since they can usually find enough to keep them busy (if they want to be busy).  But just understand that HAL is not an activity-oriented cruise line.  I recall on HAL crossing where we had an excellent Cruise Director, an Assistant Cruise Director and a couple of other folks who helped the CD on a part time basis.  We just got off the MSC Seashore (Yacht Club) where the Cruise Director introducted her cruise director staff of 18 (yes, eighteen) souls.  The CD/entertainment department was huge and well run.  With that kind of staff the CD was able to schedule in amazing array of activities, but we did talk to some veterans of RCI and Carnival who thought that even MSC had fewer activities than they expected based on those other two lines.  

 

HAL is somewhat unique when we compare it to other lines.  It sometimes seems that the only thing the CD Staff do on HAL is host Trivia and Bingo!   On all of our longer HAL cruises there has been at least 1 lecturer and the lectures are generally well attended.  If I were to have any complaint about the lecturers, there does seem to be a tendency of HAL to use the same lecturers again and again!  If you get unlucky and get a lecturer that you have already heard, and he/she simply repeats similar lectures, that can be a real bummer (this has happened to us on two cruises).  On the other hand, the best two onboard lecturers we have heard at sea were both on HAL cruises (Dr. Alan Wright and Danny Catt).

 

Hank

[StLouisCruisers]

Our favorite HAL lecturers were John Maxtone-Graham and Kainoa, two totally different people.  I'm sure many here are familiar with them.🙂

[Sir PMP]

I would say: just relax and enjoy the crossing.

[kazu]

5 hours ago, Mosaic said:

There will really not be any special entertainment/enrichment events on a TA per say.  They will be the same as most itineraries. Enjoy.

 

Most of my TA’s have been on the Prinsendam admittedly but there were indeed enrichment events with excellent speakers.  One was even on our roll call.  I guess I’ll find out soon enough in a couple of weeks now that I won’t be on her 😉 

[albingirl]

I just love a long transatlantic

And we adored the Atlantic adventures  with the crossings both ways. We really got into a rhythm with the ships and never got bored. They had plenty of activities, and no, I never learned how to fold a napkin. Great guest lecturers and different people joining the ship at different stages, like entertainment. Loved every single minute. But, I need to add that I love to read and that probably helps on the long cruises 

[Iamthesea]

HERE is a thread from someone currently on a repositioning on the Nieuw Statendam.  They are posting the days activities.   Start at post #28

Edited October 22, 2022 by Iamthesea

[rkacruiser]

4 hours ago, StLouisCruisers said:

John Maxtone-Graham

 

I have read his books, but, I have not heard him lecture.  As you probably are aware, he passed a few years ago.  

 

I think that there might be an enrichment lecturer hired.  Some of the EXC presentations and presenters can be of such type as part of their programs.  It depends upon the presenter and what she/he knows about the EXC programs they are discussing.  

 

There may be an opportunity to book a Behind the Scenes Tour.  It would have a cost to it; the group would be small, probably no more than 14-15 guests; meeting with the Heads of the Departments and visits to the Engine Control Room, the Bridge, areas below decks guests may not usually visit, and a more thorough tour of the Galley with the Executive Chef, and opportunities for Q&A everywhere one visits; an end of the tour cocktail party with canapes and a gift of some type.  Well worth the tour's cost!