Holland America Line offers a shore excursion cancellation policy, which allows customers to cancel pre-paid tours up to three days before cruise embarkation and receive a refund to the credit card used for the purchase. If cancellations occur within three days of embarkation, all changes or cancellations must be made onboard the ship.
Cancellations for pre-paid tours can be made online as long as they are made three days before the sailing date. However, if cancellations occur within the last three days, a $100 cancellation fee will apply due to transportation and services fees.
Holland America Line’s cancellation policy varies by length and type of cruise. For cruises of six nights or less, guests start to incur cancellation penalties at 75 days prior to booking. To cancel an excursion or dining reservation, log in to your itinerary and click “Itinerary” (in the top-most left corner) under the excursion name.
The timing of shore excursions is also important to consider. Customers should provide 24 hours’ notice when canceling an appointment, or their onboard account may be charged 50 percent of their treatment cost. Holland America Line offers a Cancellation Protection Plan, which allows customers to cancel vacation plans for any reason and receive a money back refund.
To view shore excursions for a specific ship, customers can select their ship or call 1-866-578-7508 or 1-954-449-6309 between 9-5 Eastern time for expert advice. The standard plan allows customers to cancel up to 24 hours before departure for any reason, with no claims to submit or fine print to review.
📹 Holland America Cruise SECRETS & Tips All Cruisers Need to Know..
Are you planning a Holland America cruise & wondering what to expect? There are so many things about Holland America cruise …
What is the cancellation policy for Holland?
In accordance with the cancellation policy of the Holland America Line, a deposit of 50% of the gross fare is required for cancellations made between 90 and 64 days prior to departure.
What are the disadvantages of shore excursion?
Cruise line excursions offer advantages such as traveling with a group of passengers and comparing notes with fellow shipmates. They are also reputable and licensed, unlike independent tours. However, downsides include potential long lines, crowded buses, and long stops at souvenir shops. Port tours can range from free on cruise lines like Viking, Crystal, and Uniworld to over $100 per person for higher-priced options like golf, helicopter rides, seaplane rides, and visits to ancient ruins.
Some lines even offer overnight excursions to swanky hotels or private limo tours. Traditional shore excursions are worth it for exploring sites far from the cruise dock, accessing historic monuments, forts, or castles, and learning more about a region.
Can you cancel Celebrity Shore excursions?
The company does not offer refunds for non-refundable products. However, tours can be cancelled or modified up to 48 hours before departure for a full refund. Cancellations for flights, trains, special events, overnight stays, hotel stays, and private journeys must be made 30 days before sailing to avoid penalties. Tours purchased before the cruise departure date will be charged in the same currency as the reservation, while onboard tours will be charged in U. S. dollars. Casino free play and tournaments are refundable up to 48 hours before sailing through My Celebrity Cruise.
Can you cancel trips?
Rescheduling or cancelling a flight can be done, but the cost depends on the airline and ticket fare class. Many airlines have reduced or waived change fees since COVID-19. Economy fares and higher have waived change fees, while basic economy fares still require change fees ranging from $25 to $500. Cancellation fees have also been reduced or eliminated by many airlines. To determine the cost of canceling your flight, check with your airline directly.
What happens when you cancel an excursion on Carnival?
A cancellation policy is in place for the cruise, with a fee of $25 applied once the guest has boarded the vessel and a further fee of $100 applied within 24 hours of arrival. Refunds are applied to the guest’s Sail and Sign account, with the resulting balance paid to the guest via a Carnival check at the conclusion of the voyage. It is possible to cancel shore excursions up to two days prior to the scheduled departure date.
Can you leave cruise ship without excursion?
Passengers are at liberty to explore the ports of call at their own discretion and are not obliged to reserve shore excursions. Passengers will be informed of the time at which they are required to proceed to their cabins, which is typically 30 minutes prior to departure. It is recommended that this time be verified on board and posted in a prominent location near the ship’s gangway. The vessel will not delay its departure from the port of call in anticipation of the arrival of all passengers.
How do I cancel my Holland America booking?
To cancel a cruise booking in the United States and other countries, send a written cancellation request to Holland America Line or Hal_Reservations@HollandAmerica. com. Cancellation fees apply to the entire cruise booking, including cruise fare, air add-ons, ground transfers, pre-cruise and post-cruise hotel and tour packages. Guests canceling within specific dates for medical or family reasons will face per-person cancellation fees. Specially priced promotions are non-refundable and cannot be refunded or compensated.
Can I get a refund if I cancel my trip?
The 24-hour refund policy applies to all ticket types, but only in instances where the purchaser has formally requested cancellation. It should be noted that reservations made by groups do not qualify for a refund. Refunds will be issued in the full amount, minus any non-refundable taxes and service charges that may apply when booking through Reservations.
How many days before a cruise can I cancel?
The cruise full rate will be charged as cancellation fees from 30 to 22 days prior to arrival, 50 from 21 to 15 days, and 100 from 14 days until the day of check-in. No show on the day of check-in will result in a 100 cancellation fee. Bookings made outside of 6 months of departure require a 25 of the total charter price, 50 deposits for promotionally priced bookings, and a 50 deposit for reservations inside 6 months. The balance of the charter amount is due 90 days prior to departure, with a 100 deposit for reservations made inside 90 days.
Cancellations within 24 hours of reservation making have no penalty. Cancellations up to 90 days of departure will incur a $300 cancellation fee per cabin, and cancellations within 60 days will forfeit 50 of the charter price and the entire charter amount.
How do I cancel my shore excursion in NCL?
Shore excursion tours can be canceled before the start of the sailing by contacting a Shore Excursion Agent at 1. 866. 625. 1167. The website provides information on tour descriptions, durations, and departure times to help users select the most suitable excursions. However, occasional changes may occur, and some tours may operate in different orders to alleviate crowding at local venues. Individual tour descriptions include approximate durations and are subject to change.
Participation in activities and excursions may involve physical exertion and be potentially hazardous or dangerous. It is the responsibility of each individual to determine their ability to engage in any activity or excursion at their own risk. Photographs are for illustration purposes only and may not accurately depict the excursion, location, or activity indicated.
Can I cancel Holland America shore excursions?
It should be noted that pre-paid tours may be cancelled up to three days prior to the scheduled embarkation of the cruise vessel, with the refund being applied to the credit card that was used to make the purchase. In the event of a cancellation within the requisite three-day period, the individual responsible for the cancellation must make the cancellation on board the ship.
📹 3 Issues Driving Holland America Cruisers Crazy This Year
I recently embarked on Holland America Eurodam to host one of my group cruises with some trepidation, because I’d had past …
My wife and I are in our 60’s, no kids, and HAL has been our favorite line for over 20 years. We have 3 HAL cruises booked over the next year and will continue to sail with HAL whenever possible. Gary is spot-on about the kid situation which is why we avoid cruising around/on major holidays and we avoid short (less than 10 day) cruises now. Well behaved kids are not an issue but, unfortunately, we are now living in the age of the out-of-control brat and the parents are 100% to blame for that.
My husband and I met on the Prinsendam and got married on her a few years later. We have over 700 days on board HAL and used to love it. Then they started with the changes. The dance hosts disappeared, the excellent dance bands in the Ocean Bar and the Crows Nest were discontinued. The theatre became a ghost town. The on deck barbecues were long gone, and the piano bar where you could hang out and sing along was replaced by the dueling pianos. The new music walk played music so loud that a friend’s hearing aid alerted him that he was damaging his ears. The serving staff seemed to be far fewer than they used to be so tables in the Lido were constantly dirty and there was nowhere to sit. Club Orange promises a lot but you still have to wait, sometimes up to half an hour, to be seated. They got rid of the wonderful cold soups in the dining room that everyone loved, among many other favorites. No more unlimited lobster on gala nights. It seems to be that everything used to be great and then they ruined it. It makes me sad. 15 years ago I said one day I would live full time on their ships when I retired. Now, nope. Such a shame.
I’m a 56 year old solo who went on my first HAL cruise in December and fell in love with this cruise line. One of the biggest draws for me was the Rolling Stone Lounge, BB King blues and Billboard Onboard. If there is no Rolling Stone, I would pick a different ship. I was completely comfortable with the demographics, there were all ages and some kids, but not a lot of kids. This was a 7 day Caribbean in December. I’ve learned to avoid cruising during spring break, especially a 7-day. Met many solos, some have become friends, and I’ve booked the same cruise for this December and planning to book a longer Christmas cruise for 2025. I wish HAL would come back to Tampa, that is my only complaint. ☺
Glad you raised these issues, Gary. I suppose that we had been happy enough with HAL until we booked our sixth cruise with them from San Diego to Hawaii just over a year ago. We previously made trips on their ships in the Caribbean, Europe and Australia-New Zealand, but the Konigsdam was seriously overcrowded and guest services seemed completely indifferent, or perhaps just overwhelmed. Port stays were cancelled or shortened in several cases making the seventeen day voyage seem even longer. Oh, and they took that time to announce cancellation of their Lincoln Center program. We haven’t put HAL into any more of our plans.
It used to be that based on our mood we could pick the line. Sometimes we wanted to do a “walker’ laid back cruise we would do HAL. If we wanted better dining and quiet bars we would do Celebrity. And if we wanted good lounge entertainment we would do Princess (love Crooners). Now it seems like all the main cruise lines are trying to get full of kids. loud music. slower service and worse food.
You have presented a very fair analysis of HAL. We gave over 850 days on HAL and love them for the wonderful itineraries. However we have shifted our recent cruising experience to Princess and have thoroughly enjoyed two ships. We have two future bookings on both Hal and Princess and are onboard the Majestic Princess finishing a repositioning cruise from Australia to Seattle. The Eurodam joined us in Victoria last night along with the Bliss.
I stopped cruising with HAL when, about 15 years ago, our cabin lost air conditioning the second afternoon of a 7 day cruise in hot and humid Mexico. Allegedly there were no open cabins to move us to, and for our “inconvenience” we received a plate of snacks and a floor fan. Only after writing HAL post cruise, all they would do is give us a very limited 10% off a future non holiday cruise. Totally unacceptable so adios HAL!
Hi 485 days HALcruiser here. I have to agree with your comments. A few things I don’t like but broadly still a massive fan. Just did a 31 night South America cruise and saw maybe 4 kids. That is pretty much my experience on all our cruises… BUT we rarely cruise during school vacations. Love your articles by the way.
I have sailed twice with Holland America, a 14 day Norway (low key but great itinerary and good food/service) and a 7 day Alaska last year on the Koningsdam. I found my last sailing boring with a serious lack of entertainment. Even our 70+ year old parents found it lacking in entertainment, boring and not lively enough. We spoke to people who were getting off the ship on embarkation day and they said they were bored but we hoped they were just hard to please but nope, sadly they were correct. We also found the cafe and counter serve food areas just were not open long enough. We had the drinks package and I struggled to find a place to get an early morning or late night cup of good coffee or snack. I wish the Dutch Cafe was open 24 hrs or a similar venue was available somewhere on the ship. The dining room service was also really chaotic but slow at the same time. Afternoon tea which we enjoyed previously was an absolute disaster. I am thinking they may have had lots of new staff but it seemed very disorganized. The cruise itself was just a huge disappointment. On top of that I came home with Covid. The one saving grace was our cabin attendants who were very kind and attentive. I injured my shoulder prior to cruise and requested ice for an ice pack one day and they always insured I had ice available after that and asked how I was and if I needed anything when they saw me.
As a longtime HAL cruiser, I am no longer using Holland. I miss the Lincoln center, Nature articles accompanied by the orchestra, and production shows. Now there is no live orchestra, no production shows, and only a dance troupe and assorted comedians and single acts. The Hard Rock and Billboard Music Lounge doesn’t really appeal to most older cruisers, which are HALs bread and butter. Even with my status in HAL, I am now going Princess, which still has a ship’s orchestra and production shows.
I enjoyed Lincoln Center Stage alot, and it’s a shame there is now a void in both entertainment programming and on most ships entertainment space. Whatever transition HAL is going through it’s taking too long to execute. As for Grand Dutch Cafe, on many ships there’s space for at least a mini version of it if HAL wanted to offer it. For instance, on the Westerdam there is a cafe counter not used on Deck 3 which could be converted into a Mini Dutch Cafe with cold treats and even beer offerings. At the least 1900 passengers don’t all have to go to the Crow’s Nest for premium coffee.
I have been on Holland America twice. My first trip was to the Panama Canal in 2018. In February 2023 I went to Singapore and Indonesia. The Indonesia cruise was just great because of the outings to Indonesia and Bali. At the time the evening entertainment was not good. But I did enjoy the classical music events. I am glad to hear the entertainment is better.
Just back from Westerdam round Japan. less than a dozen kids on board, mainly seniors like us. Great cruise – crew looked after us very well. I too am missing Lincoln Center – it was a big point of differentiation. Rolling Stone lounge was great – went every evening it was open. Dualling pianos in Billboard now down to one and I thought was very mediocre. Two of the Japan enrichment talks were left to the last day at sea which seemed the wrong way round. We’ll likely be back on HAL but I guess they are trying to recoup some of the costs of Covid and are cutting at the margins. I think they’d be better taking a longer view but as long as they are filling the ships….
Just returned from H.A. Zaandam to Alaska & back. Wonderful food, entertainment and service. A mix of ages and a few families onboard but younger toddler screeching in dining room not pleasant. Guys, if ‘dressy’ night in d.r. can you not at least wear a button shirt instead of t-shirt? My first oceanliner experience one to remember.
Good article, Gary. I do want to comment about the “kids” aspect. I feel that HAL’s movement to be more kid-friendly is not “new” and think HAL has been working towards this for a while (Kids sail free promo is not new; we took advantage of that over a decade ago). I think the multi-generational market is a sweet spot that HAL should exploit. In full disclosure, our first cruise was in 2010 on the Nieuw Amsterdam with our then 13-year old son (who picked the cruise because he thought the kids club looked cool:-). We had a blast and became fans of cruising and HAL. You gave great advice for folks who want to avoid the crowds of kids (longer cruises, not on school holidays, go on lines without a kids club). Glad you had a great group cruise on the Eurodam!
Thanks for the article. I really like the HAL ships. I agree about timing trips to be far from traditional holiday times if you want fewer kids on board. And your regional point is accurate too. We were on Princess last year at Easter from Long Beach and it seemed like the whole ship was large groups of extended multigenerational families from all over the western USA. Good trip but I don’t think I’ll be booking one at a holiday time like that again.
We enjoyed our cruise to Alaska with HAL a few years back, but the changes you mention are not positive ones from our perspective. We really enjoyed the smaller Oceania ships and those sound like a better fit. We really enjoyed the HAL Club Orange benefits and would highly recommend that if you are going on HAL.
When we started cruising, Holland America was priced a little higher than some of the other cruise lines going to the same places, which tends to have families go to other cruise lines, also there is not as many activities for the younger set to do, some sports areas and club HAL though I have yet to see kids in that space. I like HAL’s atmosphere, most of the time I am looking at what destination the cruise ship is going to and what can I see when in port and love the down time when on the ship. The more low key atmosphere is great when you just want to relax.
I went on an Alaskan cruise on the Eurodam in 2018 and had a wonderful time as a 53 year old. I loved how they have afternoon tea at 3 pm. It was a welcome change from other cruise companies I had used. I had a wonderful time with my sister and brother in law. It was special. Please don’t turn it into Carnival.
Loved my recent HAL 22 day repositioning cruise! April so only saw maybe 10 children, all very well behaved. Enjoyed the entertainment; liked Dutch cafe; LOVED the observation deck with barista made coffee (enjoyed daily); LOVED the many Hawaiian ambassadors that educated and entertained daily. Have 4 more HAL cruises booked; all on Koningsdam as I live in the Pacific Northwest and especially appreciate the Vancouver BC embarkation location or San Diego (easy flight for me).
Helpful article as ever, Gary. My heart sank when I watched it. We booked our third Holland America cruise on board our previous voyage, almost a year ago. Now, three months before departure, HAL has cancelled one of the more interesting and unusual ports on the itinerary, which they they can do of course without compensation as they pointed out emphatically. But it transpires that the underlying reason which led to the dropped port has been apparent for many years; yet they waited till final payments had been made to announce it. Sadly, this just makes it feel like a deception given this isn’t an itinerary change arising from a late or unexpected operational or weather event.
Thanks for the always informative article. We don’t mind well mannered children and expect our 10 year old grandson to behave in the MDR next summer when we take him on his first cruise to New England and the Maritimes. What we do mind is the loss of Lincoln Center, and now the Billboard Onboard lounge only has one piano. Pretty frail offering we heard on the transatlantic voyage early April on Nieuw Statendam. But enough complaining, most of the entertainment is first rate, the food and service are always excellent, the wine choices varied, and we order doubles to avoid any gripes about the strength of the drinks. Oh, did i mention the beds and pillows are comfy, the bath products are luxury quality, and we are already booked for three more cruises this year. We are trying our first long (53 night) cruise from Seattle to Japan and back, passing through Alaska and Hawaii. I predict we are going to have a wonderful time. I’m not sure any cruise line could do more for us, nor be more for such a variety of cruisers as we’ve seen onboard lately. Keep the good articles coming.
The three newest ships’ worst change, in my opinion, is what they did with outside promenade deck. The tenders were dropped onto the promenade deck, which obliterates the view and too narrow for deck chairs. We loved going on Eurodam our last cruise and having a much better and more passenger-friendly promenade deck.
We just disembarked the Westerdam transpacific today and was so disappointed. We are frequent cruisers and before this cruise HAL was our favorite cruise line. Now I don’t think we will ever sail with them again even though we are near the 4 star level. Everything we had liked about HAL is now gone. Our main interest – live entertainment was cut back dramatically compared to the past and compared to Princess which we just sailed before this cruise. No Lincoln Center Stage, no 7 piece live band or singers) which Princess still has) on production shows or to back up guest headliners (only recorded soundtrack), no dueling piano (reduced to single player 2 months ago). Rolling stone band was good but was very repetitive, especially for a longer cruise. Instead of real shows the Step Dance company performed modern dance to a recorded soundtrack (often to a mostly empty audience). They no longer have a separate Port Guide position with presentations and desk hours to assist non excursion guests, no America’s test kitchen daily cooking demos, no orchids on tables in lido, etc, etc, etc. Also the food quality in the main dining room has greatly declined and the lido food choices were the same every day for 16 days. We were very sad to see the toll of budget cuts on a cruise line we use to love. I just hope the executives realize their errors before it is too late.
On the Westerdam right now in Alaska. Disappointed about loss of classical music. The fine jazz trio in the Ocean Bar is receiving little promotion — which is sad. Jazz with a pianist who could also play classical works would be an effective compromise. The nature talks — very Alaska — are quite good.
Excellent review and I agree with most of your points. Last year I tried Holland for the first time specifically because I was interested in Lincoln Center and I expected a smaller ship premium experience over my normal RC experience. After I got onboard I found out they had eliminated Lincoln Center. I like the destinations Holland America goes to, and like the idea of smaller ships, but I would not prioritize Holland over others in the future. They had a lot of generic music and dance shows on our cruise and after a few days it was monotonous. BB King was good but after 2 days it also was boring. RC ships give a better premium experience, have more varied entertainment and dazzling ships. Club Orange and the Neptune lounge are not very premium, and they have fewer specialty restaurants- and now no Lincoln Center. Holland did have a better library than RC but that was the only area that was better. I should be the market for Holland but they are going for another demographic. I might as well stick with Viking or RC.
I have a kid who has been cruising Holland America with me for 5 years. He is very well behaved and is aware of the people around him. I don’t even like to see a lot of kids while cruising and that’s why I love HAL. But I also love that I can bring my extremely well mannered, door-holding young man on a more sophisticated cruise and he often tends to collect new “grammies” on the trips we go on. Perhaps there should be a limit to kids but to ban them completely does everyone a disservice I believe as older folks help kids grow and younger kids help older folks stay young. Someone looked at my son and told him on the Zaandam last Christmas that he “wasn’t supposed to be on the ship.” What a sad way for older people to forget that they were once young as well. I think the majority of the kids I’ve encountered on HAL cruises have been raised more mature in general.
The most shocking fact about Holland America I found in a 2 weeks cruise on New Statendam: My Time Dinning has the worst service, quality we found on any other Dinning Rooms in other lines. In the first week of the cruise we ate 4 times with My Time Dinning: it took around 40 mins to have our food orders taken, 30 min to have some drinks at the table, the food was not so great in quality, etc. When we switched to Fixed Time Dinning the quality, speed of service and everything else improved a lot. It was a very different experience!
I just came from the HAL Rotterdam and things are getting on my nerves. Most cocktails used to be included in the Signature Beverage Package. Now popular choices are a surcharge. Not by much but you can reckon between 1 and 2 dollar. Moreover, the Fresh orange juice during breakfast in the Main Dining room is OUTSIDE your package. Any! I have Elite at the moment and was charged for it two times. “This was changed last month” or some BS like that. Your “have it all” is more like HIA* (additional charges required).
My wife and I were also disappointed by HAL (and we are 4-star mariners and we have always sailed in HAL’s Neptune suites). The nickle-and-diming is one reason. Another is cutbacks. The worst was waiting hours on end for room service to pick up our dirty dishes, despite several calls from us and even from the Neptune Lounge concierge.That’s hardly a luxury experience. The loss of Lincoln Center was especially grievous. That seemed a slap in the face of a signifcant segment of their previous customers. As I noted in a review of our recent cruise on the Koningsdam, I found it ironic that a ship that names decks after “Beethoven,” “Brahms,” “Schubert,” and “Gershwin” will not play music by any of these composers. Bottom line: we just booked a cruise on Viking Ocean.
Last year, my wife and I cruised on HAL for an Alaska cruise. We chose HAL because of the itinerary which met our needs. Compared to other cruise lines, we found the level of service pretty poor and will not cruise with them again. Now looking forward to Cunard cruise on the Queen Anne later this year.
As a late 20s millennial, I was really disappointed to see Lincoln Center stage end – don’t have to be old to enjoy it. HAL’s production shows are uninspired/dull. BB Kings is obnoxiously loud. The main thing that’s keeping me coming back is the food and service. If they cut the food at all, I’m done.
I recently sailed on the Nieuw Statendam after more than 15 years of sailing on the older ships and did not like the ship. It feels crowded because HAL stretched the ship to add more passengers compared to the older classes but did not substantially enlarge the dining or entertainment venues. Every place on the ship from the Lido buffet to the World Stage feels overcrowded and it is slow to move around the ship with the parade of wheelchairs and walkers.
We did the Alaska cruise last year 2023 on HAL and had a great time. We had a suite which was just below the access to the Neptune lounge and didn’t give us Orange Club access. So we just paid the extra for Orange Club access plus the few extra perks and thought it was worth it. I always like when they say you get a room upgrade, but what it really means you get a category upgrade within your room type from Verandah Stateroom type C to Type B, I guess if you were type A then you would get a room type upgrade???? And there was a great mix of demographics and maybe 10% children since it was out of school holidays and it was the Alaska cruise. Club Orange for men have to wear long pants, I had tailored shorts on the first cruise night and was informed long pants were necessary from the 2ns day. Anyway what men wore were their old daggy paints, old t-shirts and old jumpers. It was like an old persons home with people wearing their tired old clothes. Food in the Orange Club was excellent with the menu changing 30% daily.
thank you. Taking our first cruise ever on HA next week to Alaska. I have been hearing about the changes to the music offerings and I hope we are not too disappointed. We love blues and classical music – sad HA let that contract go. Also glad to be an empty nester and honestly, I hope there are few little ones. There are plenty of cruise options for families with kids. I have to wonder, before we depart, if it will be our first and last.
Just left the Koningsdam this morning. Fantastic trip to Alaska and back to Vancouver. There were kids, but not many. BB King, Piano bar and Billboard was fantastic, we were there every evening. Not into classical music,so a lack of it doesn’t bother us. We were there with a group of 20 people celebrating our wedding anniversary, ages ranging from 10 to 92. We all had a wonderful time. Especially the aurora borealis on the final night. My only complaints: 1) the Navigator app was terrible and 2) they are not good with managing the tables in the main dinning room, we had booked an area for a dinner and were told that they could do it, but when we showed up, they had us all over the place with empty tables in the middle that we couldn’t sit at, but weren’t used. One evening, my husband and I were actually placed at a table of 8, but they didn’t sit anyone with us and there were empty tables for 2 all around. Another time, the server took the drink orders for the men and ignored the women.
Just come off the HAL Eurodam repositioning cruise from FL to Seattle. First time customer to HAL & loved it. However a couple of points I have made to them via feedback: 1.\tIf you are going to call it “Have it all” then it really needs to be have it all. Paying extra for drinks over a certain price, having to pay extra for better internet isn’t have it all in my view. 2.\tOur second to last stop was Vancouver. 1000 PAX got off, 1000 PAX got on for a one night cruises to Seattle which turned it into a booze cruise. Vibe & dynamic changed horrendously. I absolutely don’t blame the 1 night cruisers, I blame HAL for selling one night. I imagine the $$$ in will be outweighed by the complaints. All in all tho I enjoyed HAL a lot & will defo cruise with them again.
Excellent article, Gary! I have seen exactly the same issues on HAL over the last few years. I was very disappointed on the Eurodam when Lincoln Center Stage was removed and felt that the dance company shows were boring. I was very glad to hear the announcement of the new shows being rolled out with singers and dancers again. Most recently, we enjoyed Pinnacle Class, Rotterdam where I think the dedicated Music Walk venues have a better layout than Signature Class. I am also curious how guests are going to feel about the redesign of BB Kings into Rolling Stone Lounge. I saw that change on a tour of the Nieuw Amsterdam.
IMO, I think Hal is trying to appeal to GenXers like my husband and myself. We’re okay with all of these changes. We try to cruise when the kids are in school because it’s also easier for us to get off of work to vacation. I’m excited about the Rolling Stone lounge. We haven’t seen it yet but we will this year!
I love your articles because you remain unemotional and on subject. It is unfortunate that in a few areas Holland America has lost its focus. Seems sometimes they are trying to be everything to everyone, which, of course is impossible. On our last two cruises, which were back to back we wondered what had happened to Lincoln Center stage. Now, through your article we realize that it has been canceled by the line which is a shame. Back to you, you do an excellent job and thank you so very much.
We’re reluctantly trying HAL one more time, mainly to use up some credits left over from a disastrous Covid-studded voyage last year on Koningsdam. Lincoln Center concerts were initially the main draw to HAL for us. However, but classical music was conspicuous only by its complete absence on that trip. If there isn’t at least some vestige of its return on out Rotterdam Transatlantic crossing this fall, we’re history.
While normally not a classical music fan, I surprisingly did enjoy it back in 2022 when they played familiar contemporary music and some classics like Queen and the Beach Boys. Very relaxing to sit and have a drink from the nearby bar. Now LCS was the art auction on the Eurodam last year. I did like BB Kings, now the Rolling Stones Rock Room. Their music and performers were very good but way too loud and not enough seats. Many people were congregating in the hall to listen since the music was deafening and not enjoyable to sit in the lounge . Even my 30ish son thought it too loud. HAL should remember who has the time and funds to travel and cater to that age group outside summer and holiday breaks. I also miss the cooking shows and nicer production shows.
I was just on nieuw amsterdam to alaska. The total lack of any piano bar was very disappointing. My taste in music swings wildly from punk to reggae but i enjoy a relaxing piano bar & also classical. It was very sad & the lack of music was noticeable. Everything seemed an upsell. On a major side note, the air conditioning was so poorly maintained for the inside & ocean view passenger sections, that i went home with black lung. I’m in recovery & really pissed off. Many aspects of the trip were great, like the food, but for the most part it felt like cattle being herded.
Hubby and I are looking forward to our Boston to Montreal cruise on board the MS Volendam in June. I welcome the news of this East Coast music. I hope we get it, too. While mom was growing up in Montreal, William Langstroth, of Singalong Jubilee, where Anne Murray got her start and eventually married him, during his teen years was constantly showing up at mom’s house in hopes of a date. In the 50s, when my dad was posted to Halifax with the RCN, “Uncle Willie” was often a big part of some infamous kitchen parties. Since we’re brand new to Holland America, we don’t plan on coming with preconceived notions, just ready to enjoy ourselves.
I am single and always had to pay 1.5 or 2 times the fare to cruise. However, I feel that my high fare subsidizes the married couple, bringing their 3 or so children on the cruises “free” When I went on Carnival, it had a wild “party vibe” for the young drinkers. I can understand the future belongs to next generation of children, and I will be “gone”. So I stopped going on Carnival. Then the last few RCL cruises I went on were jam packed with children sailing for free. Hundreds of kids running and screaming all over the ship. The market for RCL is families and children, and I felt my fare was subsidizing those with all the children. So I stopped RCL cruising. Then I did a few Holland America cruises, and the cruises were filled with children sailing free. So I stopped going on Holland America. I have sailed on Princess several times, and it was packed with kids. Also, I went of a few single rate NCL cruises, but they too gear now towards a kids sail free policy. I had a Cunard cruise planed and paid for, and then Covid hit. The cruise was cancelled to the Canary Islands. It took 4 months to get a refund, and they were quite unpleasant to me. I am not wealthy, so the luxury lines with less cruisers are not available to me. I do want to go on a Virgin cruise, solo cabin. I would like to book and get credit for Brandon the Weekend cruiser, but I feel if I call Virgin, the agent I talk to will get the commission. All in all, I have stopped cruising because of all the children jamming the cruise lines.
We made the mistake and cruised over Thanksgiving. Most of the children were well behaved but because they could cruise free the ship was beyond full. There isn’t a real place for all those kids so they had filled the crows nest playing games etc. You couldn’t find a place to sit. They actually scheduled that area at night for the teens. If they do this then they need to find areas for activities that are for kids and not in the Crows Nest/Explorers Cafe.
The thing that is good about the smaller ships, is that it allows passage into places the large ships can’t go. I’m going on the Zaandam to Alaska next month, and am looking forward to Glacier Bay. My friends and I will also be getting off at Tracy Arm to take a smaller vessel excursion up the Tracy Arm fjord. I will be curious to see how many kids will be on board as we are going while the younger ones should still be in school.
Gary, you’re 100% correct about HAL trying to appeal more to families, but like you, we only really see them during school holidays. To avoid the kiddos, we cruise outside of that period (in fact I think we met you one year at the KDam Neptune Lounge or Club Orange a few weeks before Christmas) – we routinely cruise the week BEFORE the Christmas holiday. – They do need to step up their entertainment game, but they’ve been doing that. Lincoln Stage was always a pretty small venue, but I enjoyed hearing the classical music on the way to dinner – but their stage shows are so lackluster I think I’ve gone to 5 of them on about 100 days sailed. Re: ship size, I agree with you that their “larger” ships are still quite a bit smaller than their competitors – and we love this.
That’s great that HAL is trying to change their average hair color away from gray! We are actually considering HAL for our next cruise for one specific reason, their new ships have a 5 person cabin that is perfect for families with 3 kids. Going to Alaska in Sept with our fam and had to book 2 rooms…. On HAL we can go with 1. Looking at Panama cruise there. There is certainly a market for family friendly premium cruise line that is NOT Disney. lol. If someone does not want certain people on their cruise, the solution is simple… charter your own cruise or your own ship. Same for people flying….
We tried the Nieuw Statendam and felt the ship was too big and they took away seating areas at the elevators and around the outside promenade. It was harder for me to walk from the main dining room in the back to the theater in the front. I had to sit on the steps at the elevator banks because there was no bench seat. OK, at the back of the Lido deck, I sat on the electric guitar display. With no deck chairs along the promenade, my wife had no place to sit when she was walking laps and then doing her reading and crossword puzzles. And they moved the New York Pizza station to mid-ships, instead of the stern where it used to be. This meant no convenient food at the stern. We like the somewhat smaller Nieuw Amsterdam because of the size, the seating at the elevators and promenade, and the pizza at the stern. We have scheduled the Eurodam for our next cruise. BTW, we have also been on the old Statendam, Massdam, Norddam, Osterdam, Zuiderdam, and Westerdam, and enjoyed them immensely.
Being in the CCL stable probably just a matter to time before they scrap the small ships and go to the mega ship and adopt more of the Carnival attributes. After all it’s about the bottom line and passenger volume is the name of the game. Until then, I do agree that one should look to the longer cruises and off school vacation peaks to avoid an over abundance of kids (if that’s your thing).
I was on the Eurodam in the beginning December 2023 for an 11 day cruise, non school holiday. There was only a handful of kids. My issue was the unsupervised 13-15 yr olds. There was one boy who came to all the trivia and other events even when they were in the casino or bars. The event host would say these are adult themed but he would stay and he was loud and interrupted. Teens were in the buffet by themselves, loud and causing issues for staff. Idk if the teens were guests or their parents worked for HAL.
We took our first HAL cruise last December. When we booked they still had the Lincoln Center partnership, but it ended before we cruised. That was a big disappointment. Overall we were very disappointed with the program and entertainment. It was repetitive and the stage shows with Step One were amateurish compared to other lines. The only bright spot was the Island Magic Steel band. Thanks but we’ll stick with Royal and Celebrity, and pass on returning to HAL.
I recently recently sailed on Holland, Americas Westerdam for a two week circumnavigation of Japan. There were two kids on board, that was it. If you want the traditional, cruising experience, I suggest you go on longer cruise, the one week cruises in the Caribbean will definitely attract families and a younger demographic, especially when school is on vacation .
So glad to hear they are changing up the world stage again. I went on a 7day in February and 4 of those days were dance shows. I don’t mind one or two, but four out of seven? Way too much dance. Personally I love the addition of the Rolling Stone Lounge, it was amazing. The cruises I’ve been on have never had many kids and the ones I’ve seen were pretty good for their ages. Looking forward to maybe booking a 4-day next year with my Kiddo.
We have been on 3 HAL cruises and love them. We went to Alaska on the last cruise of the season (3rd week of September) and not one kid. And, being the last cruise of the season, a lot of deals to be had. On the cruise back, everything in the ship stores was 75% off! At Tracey’s Crab Shack, everyone got double the crab legs and endless bisque. The jewellers could sell at more than 50% off because it was cheaper for them than to pay the insurance to ship back to the States or wherever they were from. We had a bit of rain one day. It was a wonderful trip.
We’ve been cruising on HAL since 2009. Yes, it’s changed but so have the clientele. Like all cruise lines, HAL is constantly adapting. I miss the Lincoln Center and suspect it probably didn’t monetize well – perhaps not a drinking crowd? We also travelled with our children and parents and found that HAL worked well for inter-generational travel. (Our kids made it to 3-star mariner) However, like most cruise lines, the decorum is very relaxed, maybe too casual now. There was something perhaps extra special for my children getting dressed for dinner. Maybe when the men and boys wore suits to dinner and the ladies and girls dressed up, the evening was more memorable and food more delicious.
My wife and I were very disappointed on a Caribbean cruise with the loss of Lincoln Center Stage. Having a separate, quiet venue for classical music had set Holland America apart from other cruise lines. However, one good feature they have retained and hopefully always will is their excellent service to passengers with mobility issues.
No, No, No. Please don’t try to get kids on board. HAL is one of the few cruise ships for adults. I love my grandkids, but not on my HAL cruises. I love the sedate, upscale ambiance of HAL When I travel with my grandkids, I go on one of the other lines, that are under the same umbrella co. PLEASE…… Don’t ruin a good thing.
I find it interesting some of the things people are missing really haven’t been with the line that long. I’m in the younger age bracket for HAL, and the music I grew up with is Nirvana and No Doubt…though I also attended the Syracuse Symphony and The Black Watch Pipes and Drums. I love the idea of more regional entertainment, because it means I can go on a different cruise, and not see the same shows. I’ve been on two cruises, both west coast of North America, though in two different directions, on two different class ships, and will admit to missing the Dutch Cafe on the smaller ship, that was it. The library and art studio were my loves, along with trivia. Both my cruises were off season, as a solo traveller, those are more cost effective, and my job means I am more busy, less likely to be able to take time off at the holiday time, I’m in port (air and marine) security.
I have sailed with Holland more than any other line so far. I think the food is good, the service is excellent, the ships are nice and well maintained, and sometimes they are actually one of the better priced options. I don’t have a problem with kids onboard but their ships are not really designed to keep kids entertained so I am not sure how popular they will be for that. I would stay away from school holidays if you want to avoid a lot of kids.
Gary, I don’t think you’ve done Ambassador yet but I would suggest them as an alternative to HAL. Small adult only ships, no ship-within-a-ship, and while I can’t comment on the music and musical entertainment (it’s not something that interests me) they do have the theatre-at-sea programme and I’ve seen some excellent plays and vignettes on board. Prices are excellent too.
I was on Oosterdam in December from Buenos Aires to Santiago Chile by way of Antarctica. It was three weeks of hell. Uncontrolled kids everywhere. In the Rolling Stone Lounge at all hours. At the Orange party. At the New Years Eve party. At the art classes. During the Step One dance company shows, parents encouraged their kids to “get up and dance”. I was yelled at by a parent because I asked his baaaaaby to move off the step so I could get out of the hot tub. Observed kids grabbing handfuls of cake off the chocolate bar and shoving it in their mouths before going back for more, again encouraged by parents. Finally, there was the mother who sent her daughter up to play piano with the jazz trio in the Ocean bar. Of course, you can’t blame the kids since their parents wandered around the Lido buffet in their pajamas and bathrobes, carrying their plates and shoving food in their mouths. Same parents complained the music from the fabulous rock band at the NYE party, Orange party and in the R&R Lounge, hurting their children’s ears. Never again, HAL! I’m way outside the age demographic, but I’m headed for Virgin my next cruise. I like my tick and roll loud enough to make my ears bleed!
We have cruised with HAL many times and really enjoy their reasonably sized ships. We did a Thanksgiving cruise with them last year, but never felt we had been invaded by children even though there were quite a few on board. The rest of the time we travel outside school vacations so it is unusual to see any children on board. My husband is disappointed that the Lincoln Center music has been discontinued, but we love the Rock Room and BB King’s. My pet peeve is the reintroduction of smoking in the casino (supposedly by popular demand, I believe) as the smell permeates the deck below, usually where the music walk is. Why can’t they put doors at the entrances to the casino to stop that happening??
We went on two HAL cruises in the past year. We’re not going back. The primary reason was the noise level in the main dining room. The level of reverberation was intolerable. It made it difficult to carry on a conversation with people seated at your table. You could barely hear anyone who wasn’t right next to you. You don’t have this problem on Princess ships since their main dining rooms are designed to absorb noise and not reflect it. On the plus side, the Royal Dutch Cafes on the bigger HAL ships have some awesome deserts.
HAL was our first cruise line. We did 16 cruises with HAL and experienced continual decline in services and features. We were done with cruising because of this until we sailed with Celebrity when friends got married on the ship. We are now Elite level with Celebrity and are booked on two additional cruises with Celebrity.
We’ve stopped cruising on HAL bec the classical music is no more. We’ve had two HAL cruises and there was no communications that would manage our expectations. When we filed an official complaint we received a boiler plate message that wasn’t even an apology. Overall we had a sense that we were being nicked and dimed.
Good article great Advice I do like to be on the cruise ship with more season cruisers. I think there needs to be something on Holland America for first time cruisers and for people that need to use their navigation if they would have something for them to watch as a article before coming on the ship because I found a lot of people at guest services getting help with their phone, which takes up a lot of time
The problem with HAL is upselling!! It’s very annoying. The woman is the spa tried to sell me everything except the table I was laying on, and she would have sold me that for the right offer. Also, the drink package doesn’t include the water in your room. So if you’re thirsty during the night you have to pay for water.
We are dedicated HAL cruisers. There have been post Covid changes that diminish the cruise quality. The food isn’t as perfect, there are fewer stewards on the ships and the stage shows have fewer varieties. However compared to the other lines’ cutbacks as told by you and other YouTubers HAL is still the best for us. We have been asked to try Viking by friends who want to switch. However, for us, no children on board seems so biased and no casino really puts us off. Things change and if HAL can’t attract a younger market it can’t survive.
Our only experience on Holland America was over the U.S. Thanksgiving holiday a few years ago. There was absolutely nothing to do after 5 PM and the piano player verbally abused my wife to drive us out of “his” lounge (one of the few venues that was supposed to have entertainment) so he wouldn’t be bothered. There certainly weren’t many kids or families around. We haven’t been in a hurry to go back and mostly sail with Princess. Any changes from that would be a step up and might get be interested in trying again.
There are continuing changes to the cruise industry as a whole since the global health crisis. Older travelers will be inclined to travel on other lines that cater to children and grandchildren needs and the cruise lines are still competing and vying for those cruisers as well. Scrutinize your cruise choices appropriately. There are several websites – like Tips For Travelers – that offer keen insight on what to expect from the cruise YOU select to travel on.
We booked 2 balcony cabins on Holland America Greek cruise for May 14. My husband’s Greek sisters in their 80s were denied boarding because they had official Greek travel cards. I had an email from their corporate office that they would accept them but at the ship they refused them because the back of the card was written in Greek and not English. The cruise went to 4 stops in Greece and 1 stop in Turkey. Turkey accepts these Greek travel cards. We had to find a way to fly them back home to Thessaloniki from Athens. It was all a nightmare. Now neither our travel agency nor the cruise company answers are request for a refund. A very poor experience. If they had told us we could have corrected that in a week prior but they never said the back of their cards must be in English.
My wife and I are 67 and have cruised since ’89. Although we have not sailed with HAL, we have been on Celebrity and Princess. I keep hearing this “premium line” used and for the life of me I cannot understand why they are called that. We only sail RCL anymore because we feel our money is better spent there with the service and entertainment they have. Food, as we have seen it, is very close to the same.
Just returned from an Alaska cruise on the Westerdam. IMO the passenger mix was 40% retirees, 40% folks in their 30s and 40s and maybe 10% or less young families with children. My wife and I questioned why any families would choose HA for a cruise because there were literally ZERO activities for children on board. The ONLY thing they had was the pool area. And THAT was the issue. Unless you went into the pool or jacuzzi when they first opened up in the morning you were going to be swarmed by kids. Other than that we really enjoyed the cruise.
Our first HAL few years ago at Thanksgiving .. .. they sold us a drink package at 1 pm by the pool .. came to us at dinner in front of our guests at 7 pm and bev manager said they made a mistake and took it back … .. literally !! We r frequent celebrity cruisers ….we were shocked ! Then We had smokers on both sides of balcony … complained since the book in our room said no smoking allowed …. Customer service didn’t believe us .. they had to come to our room and see the book we were talking about ..they said the ” new books” with the new smoking policy weren’t supposed to be in the rooms till after January !! …..How’s that for starting as a first time HAL cruiser… Been back ? .. never !
I just got off the Zaandam from an Alaska inside passage cruise and it was my first time on HAL. I went on HAL because I wanted an elevated experience with the dinning in particular. I don’t care about the entertainment at all. I have never been to a show on a cruise yet. I was sorely disappointed in the food and service in the Lido buffet. On a small ship it being that chaotic and poor has soured me to HAL entirely. I can’t imagine what it would be like on a larger vessel. The ship was fine, I liked it being smaller, the crew were as they are on most vessels, always smiling and attentive, too much for my liking, if I want something I’LL FIND YOU ! not the typical cruise passengers’ almost narcissistic attitude. The buffet service was as if the entire crew graduated from special catering college run by Mr. Bean. It was frustrating to say the least and the quality did nothing to compensate for that. I was very disappointed and I am not surprised to hear you say that they have chosen the volume of the lowest common denominator. Believe me, I am no snob myself and when not sea cruising I can be found sleeping the back of my Jeep Wrangler in Newfoundland or in a Walmart carpark in my C class on the way to the desert of Arizona. Even under those conditions I EAT GOOD
Wow – I’m so surprised to hear kids travelling on HAL. As a very recent HAL cruiser (have only done my time last year with them), I didn’t find many children at all on there – I’d be surprised if there’s enough on there for them… That said, I did note a big (but closed) kids club on Rotterdam, so I did wonder if this was a new route for them!
I’m kind happy that lines like Princess and Royal Caribbean have shifted to 80s music in places like the pool deck. When I first started cruising, they played music that was for old people. I thought Holland America also appealed to old people (70s or so), but if one of those venues is playing 80s pop, I’d be happy they were appealing to me. I’ve only been on Holland America once, but it i still a line I will travel on, if the itinerary is right. I did, in fact, book a trip with them last year, a sailing from Athens to Egypt and the Holy Land. I canceled it a week or so after things went to hell there, figuring they would not be going to the Israeli ports in August 2024 (when my trip was scheduled). Fortunately, I got a full refund and, sure enough, they dropped those ports. This was disappointing, because it had the best mixture of ports and cruise length, but also because I had wanted to see what Holland America is like now that 13 years have passed since I was on them. I concede that of all the lines I’m willing to travel on, Holland America is my least preferred, but I might have changed my mind.
Hi, Gary, quick question. At 7:30 in this article is a clip of the band on the Oosterdam on a South American cruise. Can you tell me when that particular clip was shot? There’s a small chance that the group of orange shirts on the far side of the dance floor is the group I was travelling with around that time. Thanks, and keep up the good work!
Hi Gary- my wife and I just finished our 4th HAL cruise, this one being a repositioning from FTL to Rotterdam (on the Rotterdam). Unfortunately, we were under the weather a bit so we didn’t take advantage of much of the entertainment. Not many kids, and the only real problem we ran into was because of our gluten free diet. WHile breakfast and lunch was manageable, dinner was difficult. Nothing on the menu in the dining room, and we’d have to go station to station in the buffet to put together a plate. Meats here, veggies there. Desserts were missing much of the time. By the time we sat down to eat, food was cold and not appetizing. They need to set up one station for Gluten free passengers.
I wonder what was behind discontinuing Lincoln Center Stage. As others have posted, the venue was always jam packed so popularity was not the issue. I booked HAL ( I am a 4 star) specifically because of the availability of classical music – you know, something civilized for thinking people. There are plenty of other venues that cater to different musical tastes. Gary – perhaps you could get an explanation out of HAL. Did the fact that the Steinway pianos need constant tuning and a humid environment is not favorable to the instrument have anything to do with it? Was the change precipitated by the Covid pandemic?
Hey Gary, another great article. I’ve taken Holland America twice both on Vista Class ships, the Eurodam and Zuirdam. The cruise line since I started cruising in 1993 has changed drastically, especially after Covid. In the case of Holland America, I won’t go on them again, barring drastic changes. I found that their ships had foul odors, and the entertainment was…… Pretty pathetic. I also experienced what I would call an offensive experience with a transsexual man playing the piano on the dueling piano. I don’t make any judgments about sexuality, but I thought it was completely inappropriate aboard a cruise ship with older passengers.. i’ve note also both vista class ships did not have separate crew elevators. Upon embarkation and disembarkation passenger elevators were tied up with staff, bringing up luggage, completely bad. What would it take to get me on board of the holiday in America cruise ship? My wife and I are both 63, and we like conventional cruising. Cruise ships were designed, in my opinion to go from Port A to Port B to Port C in a comfortable expeditious clean fashion. The entertainment must get far better, and they need to get rid of the offensive odors on board. Those two factors were the main reasons I did not want to cruise with them again. I don’t enjoy and do not prefer the ship within a ship experience! I don’t wanna go on vacation with 4,000 thousand, 5000, or 6000 other guests, yuck! Hall America has the ship size correct, however, their level of entertainment needs to increase, and I think he can do a better job with a more upscale look.
Loved our Steward on HAL for our suite, loved the housekeeping staff, the restaurants and Guest Services! The Captain of our Boat was outstanding! The manner he manuevered the boat for glacier viewing was an A+! NOW what we did NOT love! – 1. I’m sorry but entertainment was void. Nothing I would call a show. 2. An employee asked me at the elevator if I wanted a picture with a person dressed up as a Huskie dog by the elevator. I said yes! I was charged for the picture the same day it was ordered! Then, the photo manager said I had purchased my pictures. They would not budge basically insinuating I was a thief! I went down to the picture wall, pulled my two pics off the wall and showed them to them! The pics were marked the same day as taken on the back. They then said it was their mistake did I want to buy my photo? I told them nicely that they had made a good memory in to a bad memory! I really felt this was a bait and switch scheme! 4. Don’t get me started on the excursion we scheduled via HAL in Juneau! It was a disaster and extremely disorganized. No one knew where to go and different Reps told people different places. After standing in line for over 45 minutes in 38 degrees with it raining, we got on a bus to be told the bus had no heat and the driver kept having to wipe the condensation off the window. There is no excuse for this! I would be upset if it had been free!!
I’m pretty new to cruising and it seems as though I chose a bad time to get into it. I look for a more traditional experience and quieter adult sort of crowd – not necessarily all seniors but I’d much rather be surrounded by them than extended families with no manners letting their children run amok. I have no desire to sail on bigger and bigger mega ships with amusement parks. The way things seem to be going post-covid is discouraging and as a rookie who fell in love with cruising, I’m seriously wondering if I’ll be able to keep at it. HA has been on my list for a long time but I really don’t know now. I’m researching the history of American department stores and I’m seeing some disturbing parallels in the cruise industry, basically independent and historic lines like HA and Cunard selling out to the big groups and losing their identity.
If you are going to get a Carnival or Virgin experience why pay for Holland America? Over 60s are savvy cruisers. They dont drink as much because of health issues. They choose not to eat in specialty restaurants. They cant eat that much. They know to book local excursions to save money. They dont need to go to the spa or buy cosmetics. Ergo HAL want more higher profit margin passengers.. The same is happening on Princess. The Carnival board is to blame. But they have large debts! HAL is a nusiness NOT a social service.
We only discovered that Lincoln Center had been cancelled on HAL after we boarded a 31 day cruise around South America. We were appalled that they did not tell us in advance about this change. When we booked, it was still being advertised. Between this and other dodgy behavior by the line, we will never cruise HAL again. They’re simply not honest with their customers.
We used to be loyal to HAL but they have shed all the offerings we loved: America’s Test Kitchen was amazing. The rock and roll clubs are hugely disappointing. It seems like they throw groups together. BB Kings groups were outstanding and cohesive. We dearly miss Lincoln Center. We now sail Royal, Celebrity and Holland.
Going on a HAL cruise this summer with my teenage daughter and adult son. First HAL cruise was with my in-laws when my daughter was 2. Keep in mind that many of us had children when we were older after establishing our careers. So my husband and I fit the HAL “demographic” but with kids. Granted we’re a low-key quiet family. Second, it’s a smart move to welcome families because just as we are mimicking my in-laws cruise choice, if our kids have favorable impressions, they may be HAL cruisers as adults. In fact, my musician son has friends that played for HAL in their live jazz bands. My son considered it too (he just graduated with a degree in sax performance), but there are fewer positions now for musicians, which is definitely a major loss. I think this is a universal issue, not just HAL.