Some cruise lines charging for room service, others considering it
#46
Join Date: Jul 2000
Location: Manhattan NV
Programs: Hilton LTD, Hyatt Glob, Marriott LTTE, AA LTP, Avis PC, National EE, Seabourn DE
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#47
Join Date: Jul 2010
Programs: AAdvantage, Continental
Posts: 8
HAL - a ghost of its former self.
Not a charge for service but I read on Cruise Critic where the relatively sedate Holland America is doing away with onboard libraries. Whether accurate or not when one cruise director was asked about the cut the answer was that doing away with the libraries fleet wide would save the company $2M a year. Sounds high but his explanation was they could eliminate a couple of positions per ship, the cost of buying new materials, replacing material appropriated by passengers, etc. Personally that doesn’t impact us but again it’s another one of those minor cuts around the fringe that’s probably not a big deal by itself but gets added to the “death by a thousands cuts”.
While I don't miss the wasteful midnight buffets, the quality of virtually every service has declined precipitously. And I miss the fun component, which was never big on that cruise line, but it is gone.
#48
Suspended
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Ontario, Canada
Programs: Aeroplan, IHG, Enterprise, Avios, Nexus
Posts: 8,355
We have taken many long cruises on Holland America. Our most recent was at the end of November on the Westerdam. Newbies and veterans alike, including us, swore "never again." The cost-cutting measures were staggering. Activities mainly consisted of "Get together for Mah Jongg" (or Bridge, or any other games) that required no staff. Not that I cared, but there were no art auctions, where you could at least get a free glass of "champagne," and they didn't even push the spa packages. The Captain's reception, which used to include hors d'oeuvres, was reduced to a five minute waste of time. Evening entertainment was woeful, and the few audience participation shows were held when late diners could not attend. There was a fair amount of Trivia scheduled. But the prize for winning was the same identical Holland America pin Every. Single. Day. I know, because my team won almost every single day.
While I don't miss the wasteful midnight buffets, the quality of virtually every service has declined precipitously. And I miss the fun component, which was never big on that cruise line, but it is gone.
While I don't miss the wasteful midnight buffets, the quality of virtually every service has declined precipitously. And I miss the fun component, which was never big on that cruise line, but it is gone.
Where we once had to dine with strangers at a set time and too often endure the endless droning of some opinionated wind bag we can select a private table and eat when we want. Playing quoits, the fusty library, the (ugh) audience participation shows, formal nights and other on-board hilarity might have made some sense in the era when cruises were extended voyages with few or no stops. Today they are anachronisms in a world where there is an internet and cruises stop in a different port almost everyday.
Last edited by Badenoch; Jan 30, 2019 at 7:06 am
#49
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: ATL
Posts: 802
We have taken many long cruises on Holland America. Our most recent was at the end of November on the Westerdam. Newbies and veterans alike, including us, swore "never again." The cost-cutting measures were staggering. Activities mainly consisted of "Get together for Mah Jongg" (or Bridge, or any other games) that required no staff. Not that I cared, but there were no art auctions, where you could at least get a free glass of "champagne," and they didn't even push the spa packages. The Captain's reception, which used to include hors d'oeuvres, was reduced to a five minute waste of time. Evening entertainment was woeful, and the few audience participation shows were held when late diners could not attend. There was a fair amount of Trivia scheduled. But the prize for winning was the same identical Holland America pin Every. Single. Day. I know, because my team won almost every single day.
While I don't miss the wasteful midnight buffets, the quality of virtually every service has declined precipitously. And I miss the fun component, which was never big on that cruise line, but it is gone.
While I don't miss the wasteful midnight buffets, the quality of virtually every service has declined precipitously. And I miss the fun component, which was never big on that cruise line, but it is gone.
Without missing a beat, she said "Fresh squeezed orange juice"
#50
Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: ORD
Programs: US Air, UA BA LH AI DELTA MARRIOTT CHOICE SGP
Posts: 9,882
#51
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 96
Or risk shareholder revolts.
#52
Join Date: Jul 2004
Posts: 96
Not really. The reality is that the previous poster is comparing a mid-grade mainstream cruise line today to the (financially inadequate) premium line that existed in the 1980s. Over the last thirty years, the line has smoothly transitioned into what it needed to be to justify its existence. Even so, it still makes one wonder if we really need Holland America when Princess serves that part of the market so well.