After Reading Numerous Posts over the last Several Weeks, These are my thoughts

[cgolf1]

2 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Hmm.  Azamara, Oceania, and Seabourn quickly come to mind.   

 

Hank

 

That may work for you, but we being thrifty refuse to pay that cost and likely wouldn't like that level of service either. When onboard the world cruises HAL has look pretty incredible, if things like our jobs wouldn't get in the way. We want to get to Australia, but my wife doesn't even like the flights to Florida, so a world cruise could pull that off for us. So if HAL is the line with the unique itineraries that is where our money will go.

 

The most expensive 7 night cruise we will do is the Galapagos, but that is a bucket list destination cruise. 

[Mary229]

8 minutes ago, cgolf1 said:

 

I use the paper daily sheets for each days notes which makes it easier for me to do the trip reports when I get back. Also when I reference an activity or performance or need to.

I have the pad to do the official HAL review only.  I want to be sure not to miss any imp issues.  I rarely do public reviews anymore.  

[Mary229]

5 minutes ago, cgolf1 said:

 

That may work for you, but we being thrifty refuse to pay that cost and likely wouldn't like that level of service either. When onboard the world cruises HAL has look pretty incredible, if things like our jobs wouldn't get in the way. We want to get to Australia, but my wife doesn't even like the flights to Florida, so a world cruise could pull that off for us. So if HAL is the line with the unique itineraries that is where our money will go.

 

The most expensive 7 night cruise we will do is the Galapagos, but that is a bucket list destination cruise. 

On the last Grand South America cruise HAL offered Galapagos excursions, I think they were 2-4 days.  Look at the overland adventures.  You can take a half segment of that cruise.  

[BermudaBound2014]

4 hours ago, julia said:

Well, I would have killed for some "QUIET" on our recent 35 night Koningsdam!  The non-stop, loud, techno-crap music played 24/7 EVERYWHERE, and most sadly, in the Crow's Nest.  There was no peace and quiet, aside from our balcony. It was grating and annoying, and many were complaining (including myself). I was fed the excuse that "this is what Seattle wants" (basically ignoring the older demographics of a lengthy cruise).  So... good luck with that Seattle, our next cruise is on Oceania.

 

Techno-crap music would certainly be annoying, but that isn't exactly what I meant by 'quiet'. I should have said a more subdued atmosphere overall when compared to a loud/rowdy/dancing-all-day party atmosphere. Here is what a typical sail away looks like on a main stream line (not sure if this is NCL or RCL but it's pretty much the same). This pic is pretty mild. Don't even get me started on the 24/7 party happening on Carnival. There's absolutely a place for that type of 'fun' but clearly it's not what HAL is targeting. They are marketing to a more 'quiet' atmosphere. Side note: I do hope the techno-crap music isn't blaring on my cruise. I will single handedly organize a mutiny 🙂  

 

[cruisemom42]

1 hour ago, cgolf1 said:

That may work for you, but we being thrifty refuse to pay that cost and likely wouldn't like that level of service either.

 

There's thrifty and there's thrifty.

 

When Azamara has an 11-day cruise in the Eastern Med available this summer for around $2200 per person, I don't find that out of line. 

 

Level of service? I don't understand this -- you don't want excellent service? 

[BermudaBound2014]

2 hours ago, Mary229 said:

@Globehoppers after a breakup with HAL a number of years ago I dated Oceana.  I agree with every word you wrote but would go further and  say the crew were downright surly.  Never again.  My sister still won’t sell their product 5 years later 

 

I really need to pick your brain on this one. You are the first person to mention Oceana as poor service. 

[cgolf1]

6 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

There's thrifty and there's thrifty.

 

When Azamara has an 11-day cruise in the Eastern Med available this summer for around $2200 per person, I don't find that out of line. 

 

Level of service? I don't understand this -- you don't want excellent service? 

We like excellent service, but suite level/personalized service is not for us. We sailed the suite life twice on Disney and didn’t use the extra services and it wasn’t a good fit for us. We priced out I believe Oceania and Viking earlier this year and it was an easy no. Maybe Azamara is cheaper than the two lines I looked up. 
 

That and we haven’t had any issues with the level of service on the four lines we have sailed, hoping that doesn’t change. 

[cruisemom42]

1 minute ago, cgolf1 said:

We like excellent service, but suite level/personalized service is not for us. We sailed the suite life twice on Disney and didn’t use the extra services and it wasn’t a good fit for us. We priced out I believe Oceania and Viking earlier this year and it was an easy no. Maybe Azamara is cheaper than the two lines I looked up. 
 

That and we haven’t had any issues with the level of service on the four lines we have sailed, hoping that doesn’t change. 

 

Neither Oceania nor Azamara are "suite only" experiences and unless you choose to book a suite there is no butler or "extra services" -- just the normal good service one expects.

[cruisemom42]

3 hours ago, OlsSalt said:

If they can sell off their older, popular smaller ships; why not sell off their newer ones that confuse the former HAL brand - destination ships for older, quieter travel oriented passengers who can roll with a little "inconsistencies" and not reject the entire cruise experience when where they are going is still what matters most?

 

I really think this is in the realm of fantasy, given the millions HAL has spent building and launching their Pinnacle class ships, not to mention that one of them is now their flagship....

 

Also, I question how many cruisers out there are REALLY willing to put up with what can be considerable (not little) inconsistencies and deficiencies for the sake of itinerary when there are often other choices available. I sail for itinerary absolutely as my #1. That doesn't mean I am willing to settle for a noticeably subpar experience onboard ship.

 

[cgolf1]

13 minutes ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I really think this is in the realm of fantasy, given the millions HAL has spent building and launching their Pinnacle class ships, not to mention that one of them is now their flagship....

 

Also, I question how many cruisers out there are REALLY willing to put up with what can be considerable (not little) inconsistencies and deficiencies for the sake of itinerary when there are often other choices available. I sail for itinerary absolutely as my #1. That doesn't mean I am willing to settle for a noticeably subpar experience onboard ship.

 

I do feel we all have a different expectation of what the cruise experience we expect. If you read my review from our Canada/New England cruise from a week and a half ago, you may read that and may not want to Sail HAL again if you had that experience. While we found HAL a cruise line we would sail again. We have seen bumps in the road on all lines we sailed, and figure if there is enough good we ignore some of the misses.

[RuthC]

46 minutes ago, BermudaBound2014 said:

 

I really need to pick your brain on this one. You are the first person to mention Oceana as poor service. 

Not really. I said that after my one & done on Oceania, and there was at least one other poster after me that I can think of who also said similar. 
My Oceania cabin stewards were good, but at least one of them was Indonesian, and culturally, was so much like my HAL stewards have been. 

[Guest ldtr]

8 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

I really think this is in the realm of fantasy, given the millions HAL has spent building and launching their Pinnacle class ships, not to mention that one of them is now their flagship....

 

Also, I question how many cruisers out there are REALLY willing to put up with what can be considerable (not little) inconsistencies and deficiencies for the sake of itinerary when there are often other choices available. I sail for itinerary absolutely as my #1. That doesn't mean I am willing to settle for a noticeably subpar experience onboard ship.

 

HAL cruisers also want a low price point. The only way HAL can keep their prices competitive with Princess and Celebrity (adult focused mass market) is to go with larger ships. They still have the lowest average ship size of their mass market competition.

 

To go back to the smaller ships would mean prices going up into the range of the premium lines with their smaller ship sizes.

 

Pretty clear what HAL focus is. Price competitive with other mass market lines, smaller average ship size than their competition, more longer unique itineraries that their competition.

[albingirl]

17 hours ago, MISTER 67 said:

We are 4 Star Mariners and have been cruising with them since the early 90s, with a total of 70 cruises I think I’ve forgotten more about cruises than most people will ever know including maybe you.

You have been pretty clear about the fact that you are no longer sailing with HAL.  You've made that point on several occasions.  Your assumption, as well, about my sailing experience is irrelevant.  

[DCThunder]

13 hours ago, slidergirl said:

Now, I think it was drunk corn hole - plenty of beer around the playing field.

Sounds like a tailgate before every SEC football game.  They'd need a few bottles of Jack and some White Claws to really round it out. 

[Guest ldtr]

2 hours ago, albingirl said:

You have been pretty clear about the fact that you are no longer sailing with HAL.  You've made that point on several occasions.  Your assumption, as well, about my sailing experience is irrelevant.  

Cruise lines are like religions. When one is a believer in one, then after they convert to another, they feel the need to convert others.

Edited May 18, 2023 by ldtr

[richwmn]

1 hour ago, DCThunder said:

Sounds like a tailgate before every SEC football game.  They'd need a few bottles of Jack and some White Claws to really round it out. 

Sounds like you have been to a couple of SEC games. Around here you would have to add Jim.

 

[PACD_JG]

6 minutes ago, ldtr said:

Cruise lines are like religions. When one is a believer in one, then after they convert to another, they feel the need to convert others.

Cruise lines are like religions.  People feel guilt for leaving regardless of the facts, but both God and HAL know you'll eventually come back.

[HappyInVan]

5 minutes ago, PACD_JG said:

People feel guilt for leaving regardless of the facts, but both God and HAL know you'll eventually come back.

 

Maybe! 😎

[cgolf1]

3 minutes ago, PACD_JG said:

Cruise lines are like religions.  People feel guilt for leaving regardless of the facts, but both God and HAL know you'll eventually come back.

 

I don't know about guilt, but when we first moved away from Disney for many reasons after 12 cruises with them, we were super nervous and second guessing our decision until the moment we stepped foot on another line, RCCL, and realized that other lines were equal to or even way better than what we experienced on Disney. 

 

Now we are cruising free agents and select cruises and which line using the criteria we have set up. There are a few lines we won't sail based on experiences of people we know, but there are some lines out there we will likely try in the future. It also makes reviews post cruise easier because I don't have the viewpoint that any line is the best and I have multiple experiences to compare to.

 

But wow that first step out of the bubble of sailing one cruise line is huge with lots of anxiety!

[HappyInVan]

2 hours ago, ldtr said:

HAL cruisers also want a low price point. The only way HAL can keep their prices competitive with Princess and Celebrity (adult focused mass market) is to go with larger ships. They still have the lowest average ship size of their mass market competition.

 

 

HAL pax like me like a satisfying experience. Steak instead of gristle. Enough servers in the restaurant, instead of waving my hand in the air.

 

You'll be surprised how much we'll pay for a full experience.

 

 

[Guest ldtr]

1 hour ago, HappyInVan said:

 

HAL pax like me like a satisfying experience. Steak instead of gristle. Enough servers in the restaurant, instead of waving my hand in the air.

 

You'll be surprised how much we'll pay for a full experience.

 

 

Of course lots of variation in what one expects. You could put 10 people in a room and get 10 different views on food, service, etc.

 

For example I have found food quality and dinning room operations on a recent cruise to be better than Princess and Celebrity. Perfect, no, but certainly competitive with they competition in the type cabin I book.

 

Others will have other desires and expectations.

 

I really do not care what you pay or what you consider a full experience. If HAL does not deliver what you want there are other lines. We have sailed on 5 in the past year, and will sail on 5 in the next year (not all the same), including a 50 passenger ship around  smaller Greek Island where bigger ships do not and cannot go. That cruise certainly cost far more than HAL, but is also a totally different experience.

[kazu]

19 hours ago, cruisemom42 said:

 

Neither Oceania nor Azamara are "suite only" experiences and unless you choose to book a suite there is no butler or "extra services" -- just the normal good service one expects.

 

Actually, on O if you book the PH (Penthouse) category, you get a butler.  (For what little use they are).  Note - the Penthouse is not the Penthouse like on HAL - it is a nicely laid out verandah cabin.

 

 

18 hours ago, RuthC said:

Not really. I said that after my one & done on Oceania, and there was at least one other poster after me that I can think of who also said similar. 

 

Yes.  I was one and done too.  DDDH was especially upset.  The most mild mannered person I know who always told me to do the surveys - took his on O and enclosed a letter to the HD.  

He said he would never step foot on one of those ships again.  I can say a lot of O regulars were very unhappy on that cruise as well.

[cruisemom42]

15 minutes ago, kazu said:

Actually, on O if you book the PH (Penthouse) category, you get a butler.  (For what little use they are).  Note - the Penthouse is not the Penthouse like on HAL - it is a nicely laid out verandah cabin.

 

I did say "unless you choose to book a suite", and from where I'm sitting, a Penthouse would be a suite category. At least that is what Oceania themselves refer to it as:

 

 

 

(Note the categories continue below where I "snipped", including basic veranda, oceanview and inside categories.)

[Mary229]

As to HAL’s pricing model it also reflects the bifurcation.  The grand voyages and the new Ultimate voyages are higher per day than the standard cruises where they have to compete not only with their peers but all of the budget cruise lines.  Hey - it pays the bills.  
 

the grands and ultimates are supposed to offer better enrichment, better food and better entertainment but that has been inconsistent 

[Wakepatrol]

On 5/16/2023 at 7:31 AM, newtocruiseinblue said:

What about the price difference though? Isn't beyond a little beyond on price? Just wondering...I would have to travel less if I chose beyond. I'm still doing celebrity, the newer ships seem out of my price range...

That’s a good point. We booked it awhile ago when Covid was slowing down. We booked the Ascent for next March and it was very expensive compared to previous we have booked. The sumner cruises in Florida which they used to give away are now a fortune and sold out?