What things on HAL would you be willing to do without?

[sail7seas]

Works for me!!! ;)

 

[SabreSailor]

WOW!

 

Glad to see this kind of reaction to a simple post this morning!

 

I think it's inevitable that all companies will be (are being) forced to make cost cuts.

 

I met the on-board florists (they were a husband/wife team) on a HAL cruise a couple of years ago. They were responsible for getting a weekly supply of flowers and getting all of them arranged and distributed throughout the ship - dining room, Lido, cabins, elevator lobbies, etc. Big effort. HAL has to pay two salaries plus pick up the cost of a cabin they could otherwise rent, plus food, etc. And the cost of the flowers plus air shipment weekly to each ship can't be trivial.

 

But those who made the comments about keeping the fresh flowers are right. They are part of what makes the HAL experience what it is. The bookkeepers in Seattle are probably not working with that kind of emotional feeling - their direction is to cut things that "don't matter", and unfortunately they are probably not in the best position to judge that.

 

I'm willing to pay a surcharge (but include it in the fare, thank you!) to have flowers, the NY Times, etc.

 

It may stir up another brouhaha, but I for one could do without the Dutch Dessert Extravaganza - it is fun to look at, but it must take a tremendous amount of manpower (and food) to create; the folks at the late sitting have just finished their own dessert and pushed away from the table - and a half-hour later they can look, but don't have room for, all those goodies. And after an hour, most of that must be discarded....

[Willsot]

I agree - the chocolate extravaganza.

For me personally, the casino, SPA, and Pinnacle (I know, revenue-producers, so we need to keep those),

and smoking.

[caviargal]

Any late night buffet or extravaganza is of no interest to me.

 

Don't do the shows at all, preferring live music.

 

Charge extra for Club HAL programs. X charges extra for some of the extended hour options and they are quite popular.

 

Add another premium wine tasting as these have been VERY popular on my HAL sailings.

 

Have a more extensive collection of premium wines by the glass. I would pay for a good glass of wine and their by the glass selection leaves a lot to be desired.

 

Add another specialty restaurant and make it more reasonable, 20pp vs 30. We tend to prefer these to the dining room and would be regulars there. Italian would be wonderful! On the Vistas there seem to be several under utilized areas that could be adapted.

 

Improve the quality and variety of fitness classes so they are worth paying for.

 

I know that many object to the changes that competitive pricing is causing all all lines and HAL is no different. IMO, they need to keep what sets them apart and offer more options that are in addition to the standard offerings.

[RetiredMustang]

As others have said, what I could live without, some others can't. But, here are the things I would give up:

 

1. Art auctions, without a doubt. I don't care if HAL makes money on them, they are a pestilential nuisance. I'm somewhat arthritic and occasionally have bad days. I don't care any more if on a bad day, my knees and hips steer me into kicking some "art" stacked five deep in the main passageway.

 

2. The NY Times daily. I go on cruise to get away from the news, and even if I wanted it, I would rather read news online, instead of the ancient history in the printed paper. My copy goes directly into the recycle bin without delay.

 

3. Shows performed by onboard talents. I never go to the Broadway or Vegas revue style shows. The only ones I make, occasionally, are the comedian or magician.

 

4. Port shopping talks. I never go, and never watch them repeated incessantly on TV, so would probably not even notice if they stopped. If they had talks about the history, culture and sights of ports, I might find those interesting.

 

5. Spa treatments. Never been to one. Probably never will. They are probably revenue-makers, though, so they will no doubt stay. I just don't use them.

 

6. Unwanted photography. HAL is much better on this issue now than previously, but there are still too many times when it is easier and faster just to let the ship's photographers snap the shot so you can get on with things, rather than give them a nose tackle's forearm shiver over the side. What a waste of our and their time, not to mention photo paper/chemicals/etc. Stop blocking the path or interrupting dinner, and ask us if we want it before you take our photo!

 

7. Captain's reception. We haven't made one in years. Same old tired champagne, same old tired jokes, same old long lines.

 

8. Midnight buffets. Again, nothing particularly against them, but we haven't made one since our first cruise.

 

Sorry, I realized on re-reading the above notes that I'm being pretty cranky this evening, so I'll add some love. ;) Love the flowers, love the (authentic) art that is part of the ship's decor, love the service, love the slow pace and quiet nooks and corners, love the elegant pampering -- love being at sea.

 

Dave

[mechcc]

As for cost cutting - get rid of all the advertisements for the spa, shopping talks, on-board shop specials, and yes art auctions that are delivered to the staterooms daily. Not only cut printing and paper costs but might save a tree or two in the process. And the weight of the paper would lighten the weight brought on board thus making the fuel useage less. Then I throw most of that useless paper away, which is then burned and emits bad stuff into the air.

Some of those items mentioned in other posts experienced cruisers can do without like the Captain's Reception, Chocolate Extravagance, Afternoon Tea, the production shows, etc. But those are the items that make a new cruiser an addict or make the once in a lifetime vacation even better.

I would also like to see the Art Auctions go away but HAL (and all cruiselines) make money on these auctions so okay have them but please put them in a lounge not used during the day so I don't trip over the art, nor do I have to be quiet at a bar that is open and in the vacinity of the auction.

[raadsel]

Really think HAL could do away with the "late night snack". Over the years I have read here that the number of people going to them has diminished.

 

I think the problem with cutting the late night snack back further is that it has become a meal for the entertainers (and other evening crew). While they likely could eliminate it from the Lido, I don't think it would save money as they would still need to make this meal in the crew areas. Instead, by keeping it in the Lido they can still feed many of the entertainment crew and allow passengers the option of a late snack.

[Willsot]

I forgot to add (for me) the baked Alaska routine (and the Dutch hats routine). I do agree with Mechcc, however, that some of these things (chocolate extravaganza, baked Alaska, photos, etc.) do make nice memories and impressions for first-time or once-only cruisers.

[Tricia724]

Nothing. Nada. Zilch. I want it all!

Seriously, HAL has done away with so many little things---starting with the "Dutch Girl" at boarding, and continuing on down, that I don't want to lose anything else that makes HAL, HAL.

 

What she said!

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have lost a lot already over the years.

 

Sad!!

[sail7seas]

Call me the cheerleader.....once again. :) It's okay.

 

Everyone moans and groans how much we've lost but everyone also pipes up on the threads about price increases for our cruises.

 

We all go to the grocery store. Notice the price jumps? EVERYONE is paying more for food. It's about corn, according to CNN. They did a piece that this new push for ethenol fuel needs corn. No one is interested in my going into the whole thing here, I'm sure.

 

We all (or most of us except those who ride public transportation) fill our tanks and all know the price at the pumps.

 

Insurance rates have skyrocketed.

 

Paper goods very pricey.

 

The list goes on and we all know how highly priced everything is.

 

Pay more or do with less.

 

Simple economics.

For US.......we think HAL has done an excellent job of maintaining a fine product while keeping the price in the range of good value for the money. IN OUR OPINION.

 

Yes..... I am sorry some things have gone by the wayside. I miss the ship's hostess; the Dutch girl costumed for photos; I don't like to hear this new experiment with Captain's Welcome Aboard Party; I don't like how pricey shore excursions have gotten and some other things I won't bother to list.

 

But I love the ships and the crews and HAL more than ever and we are still well pleased on our cruises.

 

No one wants to pay more so something has to give. We all have budgets; so do the ships.

 

[May4]

I agree that corporations are wise, and indeed obligated, to keep a sharp watch on fuel costs, insurance, rising commodity prices, labor costs, and the like.

 

That said, it seems as though profits and executive salaries are quite healthy at this time.

 

Is Carnival Corp. hurting for money at the moment? I understand that they are not. I seem to remember PHAT earnings last year.

 

I'm not an economist. Nor am I invested in the stock market. I will leave it to others to look out for the bottom line.

 

I'm just saying that it doesn't seem to me that the sky is falling yet. Why the tighter and tighter squeeze?

 

And don't get me started on Exxon!:(

[bookworm0911]

I would be interested in knowing what % the price of a HAL cruise has risen over the past year. Everyone posts like most of the cruises have gone up a lot. Inflation is very low- only 2 1/2%.

[SabreSailor]

My turn to jump in again....

 

Thanks for all your thoughtful comments. With all the negative talk about the art auctions, I've got to believe that the vendor must be paying their employees' way onboard, and make enough from the few folks that buy that stuff. I've never seen a crowd at an onboard art auction, nor heard anybody rave about one.

 

Re corporate profits, as an alumnus of a major corporation, there is a never-ending competition amongst financial types to prove you can do something more affordably than your predecessor. It's what gets you the next promotion in those circles. The problem seems to be a breakdown in what their customers want and are willing to pay for (which the captains and hotel managers know very well) and the pressures of finance in the home office.

 

Yes, fuel costs are rising, food costs are rising, and I'm willing to pay more for the HAL experience if it's left the same. I'll bet most of you would too if you were confident that the fare increases covered HAL's true cost increases. But all too often in American industry, the greed of some corporate executives (note I am NOT suggesting HAL/Carnival execs necessarily, since I don't know anything about them) will cause them to raise prices at the same time they have lowered costs to make themselves and their compensation look better.

 

I'm all for the HAL experience. I just hope that the cost-cutting doesn't get to the point where it starts turning off HAL loyalists.

[bepsf]

IMO Hal does not need any more cutback ideas. I think they have enough already. :rolleyes:

 

My thoughts exactly.

[mamaofami]

I've never even been to one late night snack. After eating all day, I'm too full to consider eating again. My chocolate on the pillow is enough for me.

Speaking about costs, multiply that little chocolate times 365 nights times all the passengers times all the ships...(Ruth, don't even look here).

[kryos]

It may stir up another brouhaha, but I for one could do without the Dutch Dessert Extravaganza - it is fun to look at, but it must take a tremendous amount of manpower (and food) to create; the folks at the late sitting have just finished their own dessert and pushed away from the table - and a half-hour later they can look, but don't have room for, all those goodies. And after an hour, most of that must be discarded....

I think the Dutch Dessert Extravaganza is another of the HAL "touches" that lots of people would hate to see go. No, I don't think HAL should even consider eliminating that. However, I can certainly agree with others on this board about eliminating the late night buffets ... or at least scaling them way back. How on earth can people eat a full dinner and then go up to the Lido for that is beyond me. And, I have rarely seen that many people in the Lido when I've wandered up there for my before bed cup of java and one of those buffets was going on.

 

I say sure, have some dessert items available for people who may want a bite to eat before bed ... but eliminate the full-blown late night buffets. I doubt very many people would complain ... because they wouldn't even realize they were gone.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[gizmo]

My turn to jump in again....

 

Thanks for all your thoughtful comments. With all the negative talk about the art auctions, I've got to believe that the vendor must be paying their employees' way onboard, and make enough from the few folks that buy that stuff. I've never seen a crowd at an onboard art auction, nor heard anybody rave about one.

 

The art auctions make a lot of money for the cruise line. This was confirmed by a person who works for Hal.

 

I don't think most people object to the actual auctions. It is the blocking and cluttering up of hallways and the uppper atrium area that annoy people.

 

On my last cruise, there was very little of this. Instead of tripping over the pictures on the way to dinner they had them in one of the rooms where those interested could go view them.

[kryos]

Speaking about costs, multiply that little chocolate times 365 nights times all the passengers times all the ships...(Ruth, don't even look here).

That's why I do my part and tell the steward to not even bother leaving them. I can't eat chocolate and on my last cruise, even though I had a cabin mate, she didn't eat chocolate either. So, we did our part in saving HAL a few cents. :)

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

6. Unwanted photography. HAL is much better on this issue now than previously, but there are still too many times when it is easier and faster just to let the ship's photographers snap the shot so you can get on with things, rather than give them a nose tackle's forearm shiver over the side. What a waste of our and their time, not to mention photo paper/chemicals/etc. Stop blocking the path or interrupting dinner, and ask us if we want it before you take our photo!

This, at least it seems to me, is a major area of waste. How many people actually buy those overpriced photos? Seems I see a lot of them still hanging in the photo gallery towards the end of the cruise. So it would seem that HAL is printing an awful lot of pictures that are being tossed in the trash.

 

I say come up with a smarter way of doing things. Perhaps work something out where the photographers don't have to print the pictures ... rather they can be displayed on a guest's in-cabin television, and then the guest can order prints as they want them ... in any size. Of course, I'm not "techie" enough to know how this can be done, but surely the photographers can somehow code each photo by cabin number and then a special channel can be added to the in-room televisions that will allow a guest to display only their photos and perhaps some general ship photos.

 

Would definitely save a lot of trees from being chopped down ... don't you agree?

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

I think the problem with cutting the late night snack back further is that it has become a meal for the entertainers (and other evening crew). While they likely could eliminate it from the Lido, I don't think it would save money as they would still need to make this meal in the crew areas. Instead, by keeping it in the Lido they can still feed many of the entertainment crew and allow passengers the option of a late snack.

Much of the "crew" is not allowed to eat in the Lido anyway ... so believe me, they are still having some sort of a meal in the crew mess for them. As for the few entertainers, casino personnel, etc., who maybe eat this meal in the Lido, they could always have food brought in for them in a non-passenger area ... a much less elaborate, and thus costly affair.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[kryos]

The Art Auctions generate a lot of REVENUE. No way in the world will Hal eliminate a revenue generater.

Exactly. Art auctions, bingo, casino, bars and lounges ... those are BIG money-makers and will never go away. And, let's face it ... if the art auctions are such a big thing on ships, then SOMEBODY must be going to them ... and spending money there. So, perhaps it shouldn't go.

 

As I said ... concentrate on increasing revenue ... not cutting out the HAL staples.

 

I say offer some extra-cost themes with certain cruises. Not everyone onboard has to participate ... the cruise is a generic cruise with the theme as an add-on. If you want to participate in the classes and activities of the theme, you pay X amount of dollars extra for that "package." Some examples of themes could be a series of cooking classes built around a certain type of cuisine, floral arranging, writer's retreat (journaling, travel writing, etc.), personal finance, hands-on digital photography which could even include some shore excursions with the professional photographer, stock trading, etc. The cruise line could put a package of quality classes and events together, and then offer the "theme" for say $500 additional (or $300 or whatever, depending upon what exactly is being offered). The classes and events would be held on sea days, in rooms not normally used during the daytime ... like the theater in the mornings, etc.

 

Something like this would take relatively little work to put on ... cost little (cabins and fees for the specialty lecturers that would probably have to be brought onboard), and generate a ton of extra revenue for HAL. The important thing would be that these would be "value added" programs ... hands-on ... in-depth ... not simply lectures or other "passive" type events. If HAL got into a program such as this, they wouldn't need to worry about cutting anything currently provided to their passengers out. They'd be adding on a lot of revenue-producers instead, and fattening the bottom line.

 

Blue skies ...

 

--rita

[Odd Ball]

Am I reading this thread wrong or misunderstanding something?

I find it unreal that people would suggest cutbacks. IMO we should be looking at improvements and not suggesting cutbacks.

Many suggestions like the art auctions, the chocolate buffet, the late snack, the shows, and photography are things some people don't use or attend but not everyone. There are others that like them.

Some are money makers so I don't understand how getting rid of them increases revenue.

Rita,

The photographers might be obnoxious but yes, people do buy those photos. ;)

Mechcc,

Do you know for a fact that those papers are burned ?

I was under the impression the paper was recycled.

Brian and Gizmo,

Agree, Hal doesn't need any cutback ideas, they already have enough.

[LMac]

There was a flower arranging class on the Veendam when I sailed a couple of weeks ago. No charge for it, either. I heard it was very well attended.

 

I think one area they could cut back on would be the vast amount of paper handouts I found in my cabin each day. They all went straight to the recycling box attached to the trash can. I do not need a card each night telling me the captain and staff hopes I sleep well.

 

I also never saw any lemonade passed around the days we were at sea. I don't drink sugared beverages anyway so it was not missed.

 

And every morning I ordered room service for breakfast, I got a call about an hour later asking if I enjoyed it. I think that employee could find more productive things to do. It was bothersome. I was enjoying being away from a ringing phone.

[Gonzo70]

Here is my Top 10 for "Cut-Backs":

 

10) Get rid of the mustard drill!

9) No more disembarkation (especially if I have to work the next day).

8) No more lines!

7) Bad singers during Superstar (though not the ones that are so bad that they are funny to listen to).

6) Raisins - Nothing ruins a good muffin or bread pudding like raisins.

5) There is no #5, sorry.

4) Fare increases.

3) Spa workers pushing products during your treatment.

2) Male PAX walking through the Lido in nothing but swim trunks (especially Speedos).

1) And the #1 recommended Cut-Back for HAL: No more "soft" food.

 

P.S. LMac, can I please have your phone number so I can follow up in an hour to see if you enjoyed my post.