HAL continuing to downgrade its product

[Roz]

It was the Rotterdam.  My sister and I had high hopes for a new ship, but HAL definitely didn't put their best foot forward.  

[dwc13]

1 hour ago, LizzGo said:

Just started following this thread. We will be cruising on HAL in January  after mostly Celebrity and one MSC.  Now I’m a little bit worried about the food! I’ve always heard HAL was a notch up from Celebrity. If it is as good we’ll be fine. 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

 

Food quality/taste/presentation and, to a lesser extent availability, is subjective. Even so, I'm optimistic you'll find plenty of food to enjoy during the cruise.  

 

Just remember, a bad day on a cruise beats a great day at the office.

 

 

[KroozNut]

2 hours ago, LizzGo said:

Just started following this thread. We will be cruising on HAL in January  after mostly Celebrity and one MSC.  Now I’m a little bit worried about the food! I’ve always heard HAL was a notch up from Celebrity. If it is as good we’ll be fine. 🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻🤞🏻

 

Don't worry about the food. Depending on who is talking, it's either sub-par or it's the best afloat today. Our personal opinion is that it's top notch. We haven't personally sailed X, so, can't really compare. But a good friend of ours who has sailed X and HAL told us he thinks they're about equal; with HAL better at some things, and X at others.

Bottom line is that you shouldn't be disappointed with HAL's food..

[MISTER 67]

3 hours ago, Cruising-along said:

Wow!  What ship was this?  Just goes to show that each ship and each sailing can be so different because we had all these things (except for the long wait at Dive In) on the NS in Oct-Nov. 

 

About the food on Celebrity -- we haven't sailed Celebrity since 2017 and we thought their food wasn't good at all.  I'm looking forward to seeing how it is on our next Celebrity cruise next fall.

 

3 hours ago, Roz said:

It was the Rotterdam.  My sister and I had high hopes for a new ship, but HAL definitely didn't put their best foot forward.  

We were on the Rotterdam in April and we had everything you didn't, that's strange. It was a pretty good cruise except for lack of entertainment in the Main Showroom, the group that performed in Lincoln Center was outstanding and received standing ovations after every performance. Great group in BB Kings but the piano players/singers in Billboard Onboard were pretty bad.

We've had 3 cruises with Celebrity this past summer and the food on Celebrity is better than HAL, excellent service on both lines and beautiful clean ships.

Edited November 12, 2022 by MISTER 67

[Hlitner]

2 hours ago, dwc13 said:

 

Food quality/taste/presentation and, to a lesser extent availability, is subjective. Even so, I'm optimistic you'll find plenty of food to enjoy during the cruise.  

 

Just remember, a bad day on a cruise beats a great day at the office.

 

 

Hmmm.  Availability of toast, salt/pepper, and butter are subjective?  Cheerleading is reaching new heights.

 

Hank

[Seasick Sailor]

3 hours ago, Roz said:

It was the Rotterdam.  My sister and I had high hopes for a new ship, but HAL definitely didn't put their best foot forward.  

 

Wow Roz. We sailed Rotterdam 30+ days Dec/Jan. We always had toast, condiments,  coffee/ cappuccino etc. We were very pleased with food and staff. We sail on her again for 45 days beginning Dec 11th. Can't wait to be onboard! I'm sorry you weren't treated well. 

[YXU AC*SE]

19 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

My question was a simple one, addressed to you:  given the experience reported of having inexpensive (and un-elegant) dishes like "rustic lasagna" as a dinner entree several times on a short cruise, does it really seem to support your premise that things are "getting back to normal"?

 

For those of us who have upcoming cruises booked, in the Navigator app you can see the day's MDR menus for the ship upon which you're booked-- 

 

Tonight's mains on Rotterdam? :

Penne caprese

Rustic home-made lasagne 

Spaghetti meatballs

Parmesan-crusted chicken breast

Chili prawns w/ garlic butter

Eight-ounce New York striploin

Grilled salmon w/ capers and dill

+ upsell menu.  

 

follow for a few days and draw your own conclusion.      Scott.  

 

 

[Florida_gal_50]

31 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

Hmmm.  Availability of toast, salt/pepper, and butter are subjective?  Cheerleading is reaching new heights.

 

Hank

As I recall Roz sailed when the ship was at capacity and the ship was not staffed for it.  People struggle to understand that when you sail on a ship at half capacity and full staff it’s a different experience.  

[Florida_gal_50]

6 minutes ago, YXU AC*SE said:

 

For those of us who have upcoming cruises booked, in the Navigator app you can see the day's MDR menus for the ship upon which you're booked-- 

 

Tonight's mains on Rotterdam? :

Penne caprese

Rustic home-made lasagne 

Spaghetti meatballs

Parmesan-crusted chicken breast

Chili prawns w/ garlic butter

Eight-ounce New York striploin

Grilled salmon w/ capers and dill

+ upsell menu.  

 

follow for a few days and draw your own conclusion.      Scott.  

 

 

I can tell you mine has rustic lasagna smack bad in the middle of the chicken and salmon that’s available every day even though it’s not spelled out as such.  Lasagna was on there yesterday too along with the salmon and chicken.  Draw your own conclusion. 

[Damcruiser]

As a long time celebrity cruiser, we were very happy with the food on Nieuw Statendam.

[YXU AC*SE]

24 minutes ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

 Draw your own conclusion. 

 

(1) Consumer preference leans toward pedestrian menu choices ? 

(2) One is averaging down one's food cost ?  

 

I won't piss and moan about cutbacks,  but simply note the apparent linkage between menu choice and inflation [un-]adjusted pax per diems paid.  If I didn't perceive value, I wouldn't be cruising w/ HAL. It all comes down to tradeoffs, right?  Fora like these help to inform that consumer value proposition decision.   Scott. 

[Roz]

1 hour ago, YXU AC*SE said:

 

For those of us who have upcoming cruises booked, in the Navigator app you can see the day's MDR menus for the ship upon which you're booked-- 

 

Tonight's mains on Rotterdam? :

Penne caprese

Rustic home-made lasagne 

Spaghetti meatballs

Parmesan-crusted chicken breast

Chili prawns w/ garlic butter

Eight-ounce New York striploin

Grilled salmon w/ capers and dill

+ upsell menu.  

 

follow for a few days and draw your own conclusion.      Scott.  

 

 

 

I've been following menus on the Navigator app and noticed the same - penne, spaghetti, and lasagna.  Three Italian/pasta dishes in one night.  

[Roz]

1 hour ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

As I recall Roz sailed when the ship was at capacity and the ship was not staffed for it.  People struggle to understand that when you sail on a ship at half capacity and full staff it’s a different experience.  

 

That is correct.  Passengers in this forum were reporting ships at 30/40/50% capacity.  The Rotterdam was at 92% (according to the captain) and CCers not on the same sailing disputed that figure.  

[dwc13]

2 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Hmmm.  Availability of toast, salt/pepper, and butter are subjective?  Cheerleading is reaching new heights.

 

Hank

 

 

On a recent cruise, 3 types of pizza were served at lunch, dinner, and late meal (10:30pm), but not at breakfast and not available 24hours. To some passengers, the availability of pizza was acceptable. For others, especially those keeping later hours, not having a 24 hour option for pizza meant availability was somewhat disappointing. Die hard pizza fans can eat pizza every meal including breakfast and would likely do so on occasion if given the option, so not having pizza available 24 hours/at breakfast meant availability was unacceptable. Still others might only like sausage pizza or stuffed pizza or gluten free pizza and because none was an option, pizza was not available for them to eat. In other words, availability is not exclusively a binary outcome. It can also have a subjective component that depends upon the perspective of the person. 

 

 

 

Edited November 13, 2022 by dwc13

[Florida_gal_50]

1 minute ago, Roz said:

 

That is correct.  Passengers in this forum were reporting ships at 30/40/50% capacity.  The Rotterdam was at 92% (according to the captain) and CCers not on the same sailing disputed that figure.  

It’s always amazing to me that people refute what others say unless it’s happened to them.  I’ve always found you to be a reputable poster.  If you say something I know it’s happened. 

[Hlitner]

1 hour ago, Florida_gal_50 said:

As I recall Roz sailed when the ship was at capacity and the ship was not staffed for it.  People struggle to understand that when you sail on a ship at half capacity and full staff it’s a different experience.  

So you are saying that folks should only sail on HAL if the ship is half full?  

 

Hank

[RuthC]

21 hours ago, LMaxwell said:

Things can't be always available if they aren't always on the menu; whether there's a section for it or not. 

Ah, yes, they can. Took me years of sailing HAL to discover there are things that don't appear on the menu, but are available every night. This was long before the 'always available' selections made an appearance, too. 

My question had been if I don't know to ask for the item, how will I ever get it. But I learned, and I just might be pleasantly surprised. 

[Florida_gal_50]

55 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

So you are saying that folks should only sail on HAL if the ship is half full?  

 

Hank

Well that would be lovely, wouldn't it?  

[BetsyS.]

Ruth C - You're right.  It is always good to ask for things. Crew wants to help 

in every way they can. 

[PACD_JG]

I consider raising the unlimited 7-day laundry from $49 to $63 a downgrade...

[FlaMariner]

41 minutes ago, PACD_JG said:

I consider raising the unlimited 7-day laundry from $49 to $63 a downgrade...

 

The business case for "using HAL laundry vs paying Delta baggage fee" just turned negative.  Rethinking our "just bring one carry on" strategy.   LOL

[Overhead Fred]

1 hour ago, PACD_JG said:

I consider raising the unlimited 7-day laundry from $49 to $63 a downgrade...

 

Where was the cruise? The $9 per day sounds like the European price if I recall correctly.

[oldbluff]

1 hour ago, PACD_JG said:

I consider raising the unlimited 7-day laundry from $49 to $63 a downgrade...

I recently added unlimited laundry to some Nov-Dec. 2022 sailings and it was still $7/day.  North American home ports, of course.

 

Did HAL announce an increase?

[PACD_JG]

@Cajun Traveler stated - We just got off N. Statendam yesterday and the laundry was $30 per bag or $63 unlimited for 7 night cruise.  Although the weekly price has increased from $49, we found it was still a good value. The laundry department did an excellent job.  We sent out laundry 3 times and it was always returned within 24 hours.

 

I am on the Nieuw Statendam over Thanksgiving, so this affects me.

[oldbluff]

5 minutes ago, oldbluff said:

I recently added unlimited laundry to some Nov-Dec. 2022 sailings and it was still $7/day.  North American home ports, of course.

 

Did HAL announce an increase?

I see in the Laundry Prices topic that several people on the New Statendam out of Ft Lauderdale we’re charged $9/day. I just went into my Dec 10th booking and it is still $49 for 7 nights to add unlimited laundry. Perhaps the fee is now more if initiated on board vs. prepaid. Or they are testing the new rate on a ship or two to see the results in usage.