Did HAL Sell the Prinsendam?

[Grumpy1]

And we're booked for the first one after her dry dock -- 14-day holiday sailing leaving FLL on Dec. 22nd. :D

and we'lll be getting on as you get off. Where in SW Florida are you? We found out a few days ago that Paul123 is about a mile away from us here in Naples and we got together at his place for munchies and libations. Paul and Maria split their time between here and south of London. We sold our place in Ohio, so now we split our time between SW Florida and various HAL ships:)

[Southbound]

Hi Grumpy, We're in Englewood, just a few miles south of Venice and a short bike ride to the Gulf. We do an annual 6/6 between FL and NJ (5 mins. from the Meadowlands).

[Grumpy1]

Hi Grumpy, We're in Englewood, just a few miles south of Venice and a short bike ride to the Gulf. We do an annual 6/6 between FL and NJ (5 mins. from the Meadowlands).

We might have to try for a Cruise Critic meetup around Fort Myers sometime. Should be able to drag a few of the others in the area out.

[zlato]

Greetings from Boca Grande, Fl to all my SW Florida neighbors. Our next HAL cruise is on the Prisendam (May 21-June 24) this year. Getting excited as the date draws nearer!

[HeatherInFlorida]

We might have to try for a Cruise Critic meetup around Fort Myers sometime. Should be able to drag a few of the others in the area out.

 

You might even get me to join you in Ft Myers if I can drag DH over there! He thinks you're all nuts so it might be tricky:D ! I think that would be really fun!

[Southbound]

Grumpy, Sounds good to me.

Heather, I suspect that the folks at such a meetup would enjoy proving your DH right; in fact, that might even be a good theme for it.:D

[Grumpy1]

You might even get me to join you in Ft Myers if I can drag DH over there! He thinks you're all nuts so it might be tricky:D ! I think that would be really fun!

Hey, what's nuts about us? At least we would be meeting close to water... what's nuts is a bunch of cruisers getting together to talk about cruising in.... LAS VEGAS!!!!:eek:

[letsgonow]

Greetings from Boca Grande, Fl to all my SW Florida neighbors. Our next HAL cruise is on the Prisendam (May 21-June 24) this year. Getting excited as the date draws nearer!

 

Hi Zlato -

 

We will also be on the Prinsendam for the Transatlantic. As you can see, we also live in Lee county - Cape Coral. Most people probably don't realize you have to drive through another county, Charlotte, to get from Cape Coral to Boca Grande. I have been to Boca Grande a few times and love that small town atmosphere, complete with wood framed screen doors. Hope to meet you on the ship.

 

Steve

[zlato]

Greetings Steve:

 

I have a brother who now lives in Cape Coral, and prior to establishing residence in Boca Grande, we used to visit Sanibel on a regular basis. We purchased a home in Boca Grande, however, because of its laid back and friendly atmosphere. I am afraid, however, that a few snowbirds have discovered this paradise. Please don't tell too many people about the island, and I am sure no one else is reading this?

 

Hopefully, we will meet on the ship. Also, we will be staying a few extra days in Amsterdam. Have you been to Amsterdam previously? Any recommendations would be appreciate.

 

Jim

[HeatherInFlorida]

Hey, what's nuts about us? At least we would be meeting close to water... what's nuts is a bunch of cruisers getting together to talk about cruising in.... LAS VEGAS!!!!:eek:

 

LOL! You have a point there, Grumpy!!!!:D

[avalon1025]

Hi all,

 

Reading this post was interesting as the Dec 2006 drydock is now a 7 day cruise! Good opportunity to try this ship at great prices!

[fridayeyes]

All very interesting suggestions but my money for the name(s) of the Signature class is still on one (or more, depending how many will be built) of the historic names and HAL has still a few of those to chose from:

Edam

Leerdam

Potsdam

Spaarndam

 

So if they name one of the ships Edam, do you think they'll name her sister ships Goudam and Leydendam?

 

*ducks and runs*

 

Terribly sorry. Very cheesy of me. Won't happen again.

 

 

 

Tonight.

[Grumpy1]

Terribly sorry. Very cheesy of me. Won't happen again.

At least not until the next time someone lobs you a pitch that's so easy to hit:D

[Williebill]

I sure hate to see HAL sell the Prinsendam, she is a wonderful ship.

[sailorbill]

The desire to sell the Prinsendam is undoubtedly coming from the bean counters at both HAL and Carnival Corp. She may not be meeting current profitability goals and future projections may show an even bleaker picture. Rising oil prices may be the real culprit here. The prinsendam carries only 700 passengers to cover the costs of oil and sails longer itineraries that require lots more fuel than the ships just short hopping island to island in the Caribbean. It is quickly becoming more cost effective to stay in port than to sail long distances. Also the Prinsendam may be less fuel efficient than the newer ships.

 

Another negative for the Prinsendam is that it is the odd duck in the fleet from a mechanical, engineering, training and repair standpoint. It is several years older than the Statendam and was engineered and built in Finland whereas the rest of the HAL fleet was engineered and built in Italy. Machinery, systems and components of the S and R class ships are either identical or very close and below decks personnel can shift from ship to ship with little to no retraining. Operating and repair procedures and replacement parts will be the same from ship to ship. The same thing can be said for the vista class ships. Not so for the Prinsendam. While machinery, systems and components may be similar and some parts identical, there is most likely enough of a difference that shifting personell around is not as easy and much more retraining is required. Also replacement parts are probably harder and more expensive to acquire for the older ship.

 

Anyway, that is my read of the situation. HAL would not be trying to unload the Prinsendam if loyalty and fondness for the ship by its passengers were the only criteria by which to judge whether to keep or sell the ship.