HAL vs. Celebrity vs. Princess vs. Carnival vs. RCI Pt. 1

[uncialman]

HAL vs. Celebrity vs. Princess vs. Carnival vs. RCI

*With the Princess v. HAL thread up, I thought I would contribute my updated cruise ship comparison thread. It's all my opinion of what I have experienced while escorting groups and privately cruising over the past few years.

I previously jotted down a few of my own impressions of these lines in that I have cruised all 5 lines in the past 2 years. My experiences, in order, were on:

1. Golden Princess (Eastern Car.), October ‘02
2. Rotterdam (N.E. , Can.), May ‘02
3. Mercury (Alaska), August ‘02
4. Zaandam (West. Car.), January ‘03
5. Carnival Paradise/Imagination/ Fantasy Class ships
6. Royal Caribbean Radiance of the Seas
7. Zuiderdam
8. Vision of the Seas

A little about my wife and I:

We are professionals who live hectic lifestyles and are currently in our mid-thirties. We do appreciate attention to detail and service and prefer a cruise that is less hurried and more relaxed. I also will give some insight from a Group Leader point of view as I lead large, high maintenance groups on these ships.

SHIP:

(9.5)Golden Princess: An absolutely beautiful ship. We were awestruck as we boarded and walked past the atrium. Everything about this ship from the restaurants to the hallways to the public rooms and private rooms was well designed and constructed with wood, brass and indirect lighting. A fresh peach/ citrus smell hit you all over the ship. Great for groups in that there are so many choices for entertainment. One thing to note: it was perhaps one of the cleanest ships I have ever sailed.

(8.9)Rotterdam: Sedate, classy and comforting. At first glance, I was not bowled over by the Rotterdam’s interior presence as I saw Joe Farcus in a lot of the interior design (which ends up being Frans Dingemann). I think this is one area that HAL could immediately improve with their up coming Vista Class. The dining room and Explorers lounge are beautiful with the Odyssey taking the cake for class. The atrium is only three stories but is centered around a beautiful, huge clock which fascinated me. As we continued on our 10 day cruise, however, I became more satisfied with the Rotterdam and her sedate, intimate beauty. Although, in my opinion, the Rotterdam was the most beautiful ship when viewed from the dock.

(9) Mercury: Beautiful ship. The designers had a field day with the design of the Mercury. She is truly a class ship and one in which we were never in a crowd (except in the Lido which I will address later). The cleanest of all the ships that we were on. The public rooms are outstanding and the rooms are incredibly detailed and thought out. The atrium is four stories tall and is centered around a brass/glass global compass that is reminiscent of the Rotterdam’s clock. The dining room is the grandest of all the boats listed. I can’t rate her a ten because of some of the “cutting edge” modern art that was scattered about the ship. I can stomach some of the offerings but the 40 black and white photos of children burping is a bit more than I can stomach.

(8.4) Zaandam : Basically my comments about the Rotterdam apply to this ship as well. The organ was not quite as beautiful as the clock on the Rotterdam. The dining room, however, was more impressive than the Rotterdam. I wouldn’t mind it if they lost the half eaten apple/lady face on the promenade(as you can tell, I’m not much into modern art). Needs to seriously loose the giant organ in the atrium.

(7.0) Paradise: This is probably unfair to give the Paradise such a rating as she is a beautiful ship that tends to tone down the “Vegas” type of interiors that are the hallmark of the Carnival fleet. The reason for the rating is that in quality and finish, she is just below the level of the other ships mentioned. Light pastel colors and sort of a whimsical French impressionist feeling is splashed throughout the ship in her public areas. Joe Farcus, however, is everywhere.

(9) Radiance of the Seas: Big and innovatively beautiful. Absolutely built with intense planning and finish. The details in this ship are truly an industry standard. There is an “open” feeling throughout the ship from 9+ stories worth of a glass wall that they present in the atrium to the exterior elevators. Marble, glass, brass and wood are all intertwined with precision craftsmanship and creativity. Extremely well laid out ship with every room flowing nicely into the next. Some of the highest ceilings in rooms that I can ever remember on a cruise ship. The spongy promenade deck (not wood) is a bit of a let down.

(8.0) Zuiderdam: Holland America’s entry into the mega-ship category was highly anticipated. Unfortunately, what HAL did with the enormous amount of space that the Zuiderdam has resulted in several miscues, IMHO. Unfortunately, HAL decided to ‘liven things up’ by having either electric orange or electric blue carpet installed throughout the ship (It’s almost as if the interior of the ship was shouting at you at times). HAL then decided to make the ship a rather confusing maze of low-ceilinged hallways and rooms throughout the ship. The Vista show lounge, however, is a marvelous, expansive showroom. For whatever reason, the ship appears worn and older than it actually is.

(8.0) Vision of the Seas: Don’t get me wrong, I think the Vision of the Seas is a very well designed, beautiful ship: it’s just that the crew doesn’t really concern itself with keeping her as clean and spotless as she should be. A beautiful, soaring atrium greets guests upon entry with a double-sided waterfall. Glass, wood and brass are everywhere. Problem is, there just seems to be a film of dust and grime in the elevators, around the stairways and especially in the public restrooms. Sad: she could be a beauty.

[uncialman]

STATEROOMS

(8) Golden Princess: We had an outside view cabin. Well designed cabin with a comfortable layout and design. Very well decorated in a way that will appeal to all tastes. The smallest bathroom I have ever seen. As a former amateur bodybuilder, I had an awfully hard time taking a normal, relaxing shower. I am only 5 foot 8 and the shower head was hitting me in the nose. Good selection of films that rarely repeated themselves on the T.V.

(9) Rotterdam: We had an outside view on the Lower Promenade. Great cabin with plenty of storage and well laid out. Very tastefully decorated. The bathroom was a pleasant change from Princess in that it was the largest that we had seen so far. Music channels at your head-rest behind the bed and a good area for my wife to put on make-up. Only minor down side was the T.V. being placed on the make-up counter / desk. Be warned: the outside cabins on the Lower Promenade Deck are considerably smaller than those on the Dolphin and Main.

(8.5) Mercury: We had a balcony cabin. I need to be careful here because the balcony in Alaska really made the trip for us. Nice room with plenty of storage. Bathroom was a bit smaller than the Rotterdam and had vacillating hot/cold water temperature throughout the cruise. T.V. was a good size with a VCR. All in-cabin movies are pay per view (this irritated me) or you can watch re-runs of old ER episodes. Colors in the cabin were a little garish (Bright blue, yellow and red (I hear they are not like this on the Millennium class ships)).

(9.5) Zaandam: Our favorite cabin layout so far. Great room to move around and plenty of storage. The T.V. was elevated for viewing. Bathrooms are big and easily traversed by someone with big shoulders. A decent size couch is in the room as well. I could live in this cabin for a year. Music channels at classical and 40’s romantics made the trip for us (Aahhh, romance!).

(7.5 / 9) Paradise: What should be mentioned is that I have been on this ship twice; once with my wife for ourselves and once leading a large group. On my first voyage, I had an inside cabin and for the second voyage the Penthouse Suite. The inside cabin is spacious enough, and it should be stated that the restroom was quite a bit larger than what can be found in higher class cabins on other fleets (RCI, Princess). Room was extremely dull in décor. In our Penthouse suite, we had the luxuries of marble basins and tubs with separate areas where the double basins were. The room was quite large and had enough space to have a good-sized separate living area. Décor was what you might find in a very nice Ramada.

(8) Radiance of the Seas: If it wasn’t for the finish of wood, well-thought-out decoration and moldings, this cabin would be less than average for a balcony cabin. Honestly, a smallish cabin with the smallest bathroom I have ever encountered (Let’s just say that when on the throne, one’s knees have a tendency to knock against the bottom of the sink apparatus.) Decent closet space and area for shoes.

(8.3) Zuiderdam: We had an inside cabin that was much smaller than her S-class and R-class sisters inside staterooms. Sadly, this was the case with our bathroom as well. The bathroom is approximately the same size as those aboard RCI, Princess ships but with one weird little kink: the shower has a dark orange curtain that blocks out the light in the bathroom when you are in the shower. Weird. Anyway, the room was nicely appointed and the configuration of the room was pleasant. The in-cabin TV for HAL is great.

(7) Vision of the Seas: We had an inside cabin on this ship and truly didn’t expect much. I received about as much as I had expected. The storage space was limited, the bed difficult to get into with the queen configuration, and the shower was itsy-bitsy. On the other hand, my wife appreciated the vanity area and the water pressure was always strong and the temperature consistent. The room was tiny, really tiny: the smallest cabin we have ever been in.

[uncialman]

SERVICE

(6.5) Golden Princess: Princess could really do themselves a huge favor by throwing out PC dining. The waiters and asst. waiters have a much harder time keeping up with who is coming in and out, what their preferences are etc.. We had plates sitting in front of us and out of liquids for thirty minutes. No personal interaction like we are used to. Service in the specialty restaurants is better. Front office is sufficient and courteous. Lido helpers are staring out the windows, communing together etc. Cabin steward was excellent and had fun with my wife’s travel bear. Tipping is automatic so no recourse.

(9.5) Rotterdam: Awesome , attentive, friendly service in all areas of the boat. Every need was taken care of and every problem (no working hot water in cabin) was taken care of immediately. Rolled hand towels in public rooms smiling faces who remember you. Best example: my wife cut her hand picking up a glass in the Hudson room that apparently had a chip in it. We went to the infirmary and had it disinfected and bandaged. We brought the glass to the food and bev. Manager just to let him know where we had found it so no one else ( who might freak out) would cut themselves. He sent us a $175.00 bottle of merlot that night for dinner. My wife and I truly had tears in our eyes when we departed in Montreal. Cruise service can not get any better than this.

(9) Mercury: Attentive, proper, white gloved service is excellent but not very personable (except for our waiter). A table next to us had Vlad the Impaler from Romania for a waiter(never smiled the entire length of the cruise). Ladies never have to carry their trays in the Lido. Very efficient and complete in every way and with a “can do” attitude. NOTE: Probably the best group coordination of any of the lines that I have been on. The group coordinator met me (and knew my name (?)) as soon as I took my first step on the ship. She catered to our group’s every need and complaint. I cannot commend her enough.

(10) Zaandam: I really have to give the Z this rating because the dining and lido staff was the best we have ever had. Sammy, Ketut and Miffi saw to it that we never had to get our own beverages in the Lido restaurant (I have never tipped a Lido staff before but these guys made more than $300.00 off of our group!) and never had to get up for seconds (I’m serious). Yus was as kind and personable as a waiter could be in the dining room. The rest of the staff on board seemed to want to go out of their way to be personable and helpful.

(7) Paradise: Good service throughout the ship but don’t expect anyone to remember your name at the end of the sailing. Kind, thoughtful attention in the dining room but non-existent in the Lido. No one really goes out of their way to make you feel welcome. Group management was so-so.

(4)Radiance of the Seas: Let me start out by saying that our cabin steward, Xavier, was one of the best that we have ever had, and the service by Glenn in the Windjammer (they had little carts that they would wheel around to each table to refill liquids) was fantastic. However, the rudeness and absolute incompetence of the staff of the Radiance was amazing. In the dining room, the waiter actually suggested that if people wanted more than one lobster tail that, in turn, he would expect a higher tip. Water glasses and coffee would go unfilled for a half-hour. My entire group of eighty was seated indiscriminately, not in accordance to the dining room assignments that I had sent in THREE MONTHS ahead of time. Front office staff was argumentative. I even had the Group Coordinator dismissed on the second day of sailing. I’ll write more on this on another post: simply amazing.

(8.7) Zuiderdam: We had the pleasure of having Hunky Dory as our waiter for the length of the cruise. Hunky was great, but he needed more help as the dining room was short-handed. The crew in both the lido and the main dining room complained about new employee policies and about the lack of help in both venues. Our cabin steward was fantastic – always on time, always thorough. Generally, the pursers desk was easy to deal with, but it was frustrating to set an appt. with the Guest Relations Director (this is not a problem on other lines).

(8.3) Vision of the Seas: Our main dining room waitress was one of the best that I have ever had (Leeza). Cheerful, attentive, quick and understanding. Our room steward was good, but invisible (I don’t mind that, but I like to get to know them). The service in the dining room was outstanding. Where the crew dropped the ball was not properly cleaning and maintaining the ship. The public bathrooms were ignored, public stairways always seemed to have little bits of debris around them.

[uncialman]

FOOD

(6) Golden Princess: Like a night out at Perkin’s. I’m just being honest and the folks who “just love Princess” need to be honest and tell it like it is. For some reason Princess’ food quality had dropped below their previously storied levels in the dining room. I think one reason is the PC dining option (our food rarely came out fresh or hot). On the advice of one of the waiters, we switched to traditional dining by the third night and received hot and fresh food, but still with improvement needed. My lobster bisque tasted like bubble yum. Sabbatini’s is a great improvement over the dining room and you won’t go hungry. Don’t waste your time in the Tex-mex. The Lido was what kept this rating above a 5: probably one of the best lido’s we have been on in terms of variety and accessibility (Not to mention the most beautiful lido we have seen) but not necessarily quality. Hopefully the acquisition by Carnival (Who has better food (7.) than Princess) will solve this problem. Also, people sitting outside on steps and window ledges waiting for tables was an experience we wish to not have again.

(8.5) Rotterdam: Excellent food and taste in the dining room and Odyssey. The dining food was always hot and the steaks and seafood were always quality and fresh. Appetizers and soups were excellent and the deserts were good. The meal that we enjoyed at the Odyssey was Celebrity quality. The lido was good but could have used a little more taste in the main dishes. The pasta/ omelet bar was good. The ice cream sundae bar was filled with topping choices, hot fudge and flavored liquors. Good hamburgers and pizzas. Free mochas and cappuccino made the trip for us 30ish yuppies.

(9.5) Mercury: The most outstanding cuisine that we have had at sea. Steaks were incredible, fish was flaky fresh, vegetables were perfectly cooked each time. Sauces were out of this world and the soups were incredible. Desserts were unique and well thought out. The Lido buffet was by far the best tasting and most varied buffet that we have ever been to. A couple of problems in the Lido though: the buffet was so crowded that we could never find a seat and they kept on consistently running out of coffee (I mean, this was every morning!). They didn’t have the machines that Princess, Carnival and HAL have; they would have to stop and replace filters, put in the grinds – the whole bit! We would be 60% through our breakfast and then would have to make a mad rush to the nearest coffee machine to get some java before it ran out again! There were at 2 mornings that NO coffee was available to be served at all for 15 minutes. I have heard that they have fixed this problem on the Millennium class ships. Cova Café Milano is nice but you have to pay.

(8) Zaandam: Good overall food but not as good as the Rotterdam. Food tended to be a little less fresh and a little less flavorful than on the Rotterdam. The Odyssey on the Rotterdam also was a bit better than the Marco Polo. A couple of differences in the Lido: Rotterdam had Cappuccino machines in the lido , the Zaandam did not. The Rotterdam had flavored liquors and hot fudge at the sundae bar, the Zaandam did not. The breakfast, however, was a bit fresher in the lido on the Zaandam.

(7) Paradise: Let’s be honest; if you are going on a Carnival Cruise, you don’t expect fine cuisine. In the dining room, however, you can find an excellent variety of entrees and each one will, for the most part, be prepared quite well. Everything comes out warm (not always hot) and tasty without any sort of strange taste. We did, however, have a few meals that we had to send back. The lido is quite a different story. For the fourteen days that I spent on the Paradise, I must admit that every entrée that was available in their buffet was very similar in taste ( a hint of curry and rosemary in everything from Italian dishes to Swedish meatballs). Breakfast was hurried and the drink service was next to impossible to obtain without making a second trip. The lines for the buffet would stretch out into the pool area.

(4.5) Radiance of the Seas: The Windjammer “food court” concept is now something that I am absolutely sold on. For a ship this size with this many passengers, we NEVER had to wait in line for anything that we wanted. All different courses of your meal are broken up into different islands that allowed traffic to flow nicely. Food quality, on the other hand, left a lot to be desired. The dining room experience was basically a step or two below what we had experienced on Princess. Food came out cold, meats dry and hard, fish cold and mushy. Soups were lukewarm and tasteless. Lobster tails were good but, as I already mentioned, the waiter expected to be tipped extra for the effort (what effort!?!). The specialty restaurant was basically the same quality of what you would find at a normal meal on HAL or Celebrity (Service was excellent, though).

(8.5) Zuiderdam: The Zuiderdam’s lido food court topped what I had previously thought was the best lido at sea. Four omelet stations in the morning, an array of bread items, the usual breakfast fare and in the afternoon freshly made pasta stations and variety that has been unmatched in my cruising experience thus far. The Zuiderdam’s drink stations, however, left a lot to be desired with the passengers fighting for a positioning to retrieve water and coffee (and for some reason, they have introduced ‘mini’ plastic cups on the Zuiderdam that cause folks to have to make more frequent visits). I expected the formal dining room to be sweeping, open and beautiful in the fashion that other HAL dining rooms have been; I was disappointed. The dining room is crowded and understaffed, with HAL’s faithful crew doing the best to their ability. The food was hit and miss, with some items being noteworthy and others attaining RCI levels. If you are unfortunate enough to be seated on the second level forward, there is a chance that you will be seated in a section of about 26 tables that are arranged in 4 straight lines with their sides touching, ala’ School lunch cafeteria style (and not easy for your waiter to maneuver around). The dining room is so cramped that they had to move the flambé out of the dining room and into the Explorer’s lounge where passengers waited in line with plates in hand. The specialty restaurant was fantastic in all aspects.

(4) Vision of the Seas: You can basically cut and paste my comments about the Radiance of the Seas and place them in this section except for the fact that the Vision did not have a food court style lido (And the food in the lido was basically the same every day). But one criticism that I did not have for the Radiance which I do for the Vision is the quality of their dessert items: (To quote a friend of mine that was with me on this sailing) it appears that RCI has lost their contract with Dixie Crystals or whatever company was supplying them with sugar. Desserts were bland and tasteless – not something that you looked forward to at the end of a meal. The fact that this ship has no alternative to the bad dining that is available is the reason for the lowest rating.

[uncialman]

ENTERTAINMENT:

(9) Golden Princess: Super high quality productions with imagination and variety. All sorts of activities on board including a miniature golf course (we used it several times), an excellent gym, virtual reality center, tons of different bars, shows and dance choices. Something for everyone. The comic they had on board was crude and resorted to bathroom humor ( I would have given a 9.5 if it hadn’t been for him). Music playing throughout the ship (especially noticeable in the Lido) would be great for a while (Debussy or Mozart) and then, PRESTO, change to Techno dance music (say what?!?). Schizophrenic in the canned music atmosphere to say the least.

(8) Rotterdam: Decent shows but lacking imagination and change of dynamics. Lots of “song and dance, song and dance.” I loved the string trio and enjoyed the music played throughout the ship (from Les Mis to Frank to light jazz).

(8.5) Mercury: High quality and well thought out productions with a lot of dazzle. Good vocals and imagination used in changing the pace of the shows. Great string bass, violin, piano and clarinet quartet in the dining room. Good variety of music throughout the ship and good choices in the Navigator Lounge (Celebrity’s crow’s nest-it is beautiful).

(8) Zaandam : Song and dance, song and dance production shows with good vocals but an extreme lack of variety and change of pace (I tried to suggest this in our TA Q and A but Jessica (Cruise Director) got pretty defensive). I have stage experience, a degree in music and have a job in music, so believe me - when I say that something can be done, they just need the right guys to write and compose. The Champagne Strings were our buddies by the third night. They were fantastic and, once again, made for incredibly romantic evening with my lovely wife, Sau. If you go on the Zaandam and enjoy them, don’t forget to tip.

(8.5) Paradise: Good, high-energy productions with flair, imagination and variety. Bands on the ship tended to be geared more towards the 80’s type of sound but were done well. Lot’s of activities for the kids (regardless of age) and always had something going on at the pool (not a plus in my book). Constant contemporary music playing in public areas.

(8.5) Radiance of the Seas: Big, Vegas-review type of shows and varied entertainment. More nightclubs and bars than anyone person could visit in one day. High quality band playing in the Colony Club and great classical guitarist at dinner. Big, theatre seating, movie theatre. Unfortunately, the atrium was used as a hub of entertainment and activity. I say “unfortunately” because the noise level of the interior of the ship seemed to be always at a fever pitch. Constant, loud, top 40 rap and contemporary music playing in all public areas of the ship (But, I expect this with RCI, not ‘premium’ lines).

(8.5) Zuiderdam: One item that HAL has definitely improved is their on-board entertainment. Spectacular shows, grade A lounge acts, choices for all the tastes that might be on the ship. My irritation came on the Zuiderdam with their choices of ambient music that they pumped through the hallways and pools. Note to HAL: with the advent of MP3 players, I- tunes etc, there is no reason for you to pump pop-rock loudly in the aft and mid-ship pools or in the hallways of your beautiful ships – please stop (it was incredibly irritating to try and relax at the Windstar Cafe while P-Diddy and Pink were being forced upon my senses).. This brings the quality level of the experience below what it should be. If it weren’t for the piped in rock and pop, this rating would be a nine.

(8.5) Vision of the Seas: As is common with all RCI ships, the Vision always had something going on and with talented folks to supply music and entertainment. Good lounge acts, a variety of music and talented soloists serenaded the passengers. The pool areas had calypso music playing at most times. The shows were big and splashy and the comedians sub-par while having to resort to bathroom humor.

[uncialman]

CROWDS

(7.5) *Please note that I was on a completely full sailing -The Golden Princess was certainly the most crowded (especially in the promenade where they have put the photo display area and in the atrium around dinner) with somewhere in the neighborhood of 3,000 passengers that seemed to clog every public area during dinner hours. Trying to traverse the promenade area where Sabattinni’s and the Explorer’s Lounge was impossible due to the photo gallery opened in front of them (I mean to tell you that it was completely jammed every night). Wherever they could, Princess would stick art to sell through out the ship (stairways, walkways, entrances to restrooms) and would make sure that you would either see it or trip over it. During the days, however, you could make your way around the ship fairly easily due to the amount of pools and deck space. Lido was extremely easy to navigate and seating was always easy to find.


(10)Rotterdam : How else could I say it? We felt like the Rotterdam was our own ship for the 10 days that we were on her. Never a line (except for the debarkation day) in the lido and great passenger flow through the whole ship. My wife and I could cruise on the Rotterdam for a year and be comfortable .

(8.5) The Mercury was not bad in most public areas but really suffered in the Lido deck. This is where I wish Celebrity would have cut back on the amount of passengers a tad. We literally could not find a seat on a couple mornings and had to walk around the lido three times before we could be seated.

(9) The Zaandam had excellent passenger flow and control and never had us feel as if we were crowded. Great Lido seating and ease of passage constantly. Quiet, older crowd with a few mid-thirties mixed in for good measure.

(7.5) Paradise: We could always find a table, always seemed to be able to find a quiet spot (A non-smoking ship tends to bring a non-party crowd which was the case on both of our sailings). We had major congestion on formal nights in the promenade and theatre.

(7.5) Radiance of the Seas: The ship had the public areas well spread out and placed at several areas of the ship. Had a few problems finding a place to sit during breakfast in the Windjammer. Crowd tended to be a little on the rowdy side at night. Quite a few kids that made their presence known.

(8) Zuiderdam: I think that if the designers of the interior of the Zuiderdam would have thought through what their ‘rats maze’ hallway pattern would result in, they might have expanded the size of the hallways to ease congestion, especially around dinner time. The ship just didn’t feel like an intimate HAL ship. The dining room is so crowded that the crew can’t prepare flambe’ tableside and have to direct cruisers to the Explorer’s café if they wish to enjoy flambe’. The indoor/outdoor pool was jammed with small children (screaming, jumping, etc.) that were also taking up the Jacuzzi space. With the aft pool blaring rock music, you were left with few quiet areas outdoors with peace and quiet (if that is what you are after).

(8) Vision of the Seas: Outside of embarkation, the ship really had great passenger flow. The downside was the fact that the ship’s officers obviously didn’t care whether or not there were army’s of pre-teen children setting up camp in the middle of stairwells (and thus blocking our ability to walk up and down the stairs) clogging passenger hallways, and running/screaming all hours of the night. Let me also say that this was the smokiest ship that I have ever been on. It seemed at times that there was no escape from smokers.

[uncialman]

SPA AND GYM

(10) Golden Princess: Extremely well laid out gym with an ethereal sense and feel about the entire facility. The weight-room/free-weight section was obviously thought out by someone who truly works out as much as I do (I am a former bodybuilder). The spa areas are private and center around a romanesque style adult only spa pool. Excellent combination of machines and weight benches. I had George Clooney spot me there; I ain’t jokin (now all the ladies are switching their allegiances to Princess). May I also state that the Golden was the ONLY ship listed (that had a tennis court) that kept it’s tennis facilities in good working order and replaced the tennis balls day after day (It only costs $1.73 a can per day when you buy in bulk).

(8) Rotterdam: Good facilities with nice free-weight selection up to 60lbs. Good weight-plate machines and plenty of room to get around. Didn’t really care for the locker room facilities or the two showers (clearly not enough) that they had available for us. Tennis court was in tatters and old, wet balls were left in the holder.

(7.5) Mercury: A beautiful spa with the hydrotherapy center in the middle. Free weights were indiscriminately thrown in a cardboard box and topped out at a whopping 25 lbs. Decent, new-age music being played all throughout the gym. Weight machines were un-maintained (un-oiled) and had tears and rips in their leather. NO free-weight benches to speak of. The spa facilities and ambience more than made up for the lousy gym for the ladies. They loved it; otherwise, I would have rated it a six. Tennis court was unusable.

(7) Zaandam: Same comments as above with the Rotterdam with one caveat: the spa was not well maintained and both showers were out of order for our entire voyage. Dirty towels from the morning (I usually work out twice on sea days (the extra food)) were still present in the evening. Tennis court, again, was in tatters and three wet, dark kittens( I mean sorry excuses for tennis balls) were left in the hold. When I told the cruise director, she told me that the tennis balls are refreshed every voyage. “Baloney” was my response. She said that she did it herself which was again followed by “Baloney” from me and a walk up with her to the court. I hated to stick it in her face but she shouldn’t lie about silly stuff like this.

(6.5) Paradise: Decent amount of space given to machines and free-weights. Machines, however, were the pneumatic type that really irritate me (personal pet-peeve; I don’t like lifting air). Excellent shower and locker room facilities with the best showers yet at sea. The big detraction: LOUD, PROFANE RAP blasted so loud that I couldn’t even hear my lifting partner. The music was so loud that it would bleed into the message therapy rooms. Other detraction: the staff was constantly hogging the machines and free-weights.

(9) Radiance of the Seas: Huge space devoted to machines but free weight selection was sparing. Very similar to the Golden but not quite as beautiful. Really nice spa area. Locker rooms were large and showers were powerful. The Jungle style spa room was phenomenal and creatively laid out.

(7) Zuiderdam: Great work-out space and fantastic, modern cybex machines for weight-lifters. All the cardio equipment was in great condition. The reason for the rating is that all sauna/steam facilities (outside of a tiny, linen closet sized sauna located by the pool that is free) are all fee based. HAL has been touting it’s Greenhouse spa facility since the arrival of the Zuiderdam; unfortunately, it doesn’t seem that anyone really wants to use it.

(8) Vision of the Seas: The VOS had decent sized spa and gym facilities with the spa treatment rooms on one level and the weight resistance/aerobic equipment on the top level. All machines were well maintained and up-to-date. One problems is that there just aren’t enough weight machines or aerobic machines for a ship of this size. Once again, the spa/gym restroom facilities were not properly cleaned or maintained.

I hope you enjoyed the comparisons. I have tried to be honest about all facets of the cruise experience with out being biased towards one line or the other. All are good choices with some being stronger in some areas than the others.

Enjoy!

Uncialman

[Aussie Gal]

Uncialman,

Thanks for that wonderful review of the different cruise lines. It certainly made for an excellent read and it was most interesting to learn of the differences between the most popular cruise lines.

We are HAL fans but have sailed and will sail again on Princess. I am looking forward to one day taking a cruise on Celebrity.

Jennie

[uncialman]

Thanks Aussie Gal.

I had attempted to put together a review that blended many of the questions that are consistently asked on this thread and on others at Cruise Critic. I honestly hope that others on this board with similar cruising experience will interact with the reviews and opinions that I have posted.

[bkreader]

Uncialman,

You obviously put hours into organizing this - it is a terrific objective comparison of these ships that will be useful to CC'ers for months to come. Well done! - Jane

[xpcdoojk]

Objective.... jeez... One person, one opinion. That sounds like the basis for a scientific study.:rolleyes: I thought he was going to break his arm congratulating himself for having taken a lot of cruises. Just one persons opinion.:D

jc

[Charliesmom]

Thanks for the comparisons. I have been on the Golden Princess, the Mercury and assorted other ships. We are about to leave on the Westerdam.

I agree that many factors can make or break a cruise and that the cleanliness of a ship is really dependent upon the crew of that ship.

Thanks especially for the review of the Zaandam and the Rotterdam. Feeling comfortable in your surroundings is what it is all about.

Roberta

[uncialman]

Objective.... jeez... One person, one opinion. That sounds like the basis for a scientific study.:rolleyes: I thought he was going to break his arm congratulating himself for having taken a lot of cruises. Just one persons opinion.:D

jc

xpcdoojk:

The reviews are nothing more than just my personal opinion, nothing more than that. However, the reviews are scientific (etymology of scientific: sciencia(latin) *knowledge or to gain knowledge*) in the sense that I own a group travel agency and try to advise my clients in such a way that I give them as much information to consider as possible when comparing all facets of a cruise vacation. No congratulations for cruising more than the average bear needed: it's just happens to be my business... :D

[uncialman]

Thanks for the comparisons. I have been on the Golden Princess, the Mercury and assorted other ships. We are about to leave on the Westerdam.

I agree that many factors can make or break a cruise and that the cleanliness of a ship is really dependent upon the crew of that ship.

Thanks especially for the review of the Zaandam and the Rotterdam. Feeling comfortable in your surroundings is what it is all about.

Roberta

Hey Charliesmom!

I'd love to see what you think about the Westerdam/Oosterdam/Noordam of the Vista Class. I look forward to getting a chance to inspect the sisters of the Zuiderdam in the future.

[JDee]

Appreciate the time and effort posting these experiences in the format given That was easy to follow. However, I do not believe that some comparisons are the old "apples-to-apples" comparison. Difficult, if not impossible, to say certain things about certain ships when ship passenger capacities differ from approx 1300 to almost 3,000. Plus the ages of the ships would also come into play. Some of the today's modern goodies were not available just a few years ago.

I have sailed on all the lines mentioned except Carnival, and on a few of the ships mentioned, or other ships of the same class.

What happened on any ship almost 3 years ago is history and may not be pertinent today. True, the ship is the same. Its length has not changed. The same cabins and public rooms are still there (unless went through some overhaul). The furnishings may be worn some, but the physical plant will be the same. Changing carpents & colors are rather insignificant changes. Still the same baisic ship. No mention of cruise dates on the last 4 cruises mentioned. Entertainers change rather quickly on some ships, some stay one only for a few cruises, others for months. Ship's singers and dancers come & go. Musicians come and go. Ship's staff/crew are in constant routine turn over. What was great service on a particular cruise one year, may be dismal just 6 months later. But 3 years later??? Not a very fair comparison.....

Posters on all the CC boards have learned what was true 6 months or a year ago on a partilular ship may be totally invalid today.....

Happy cruising.....

[uncialman]

Agreed, JDee: all sorts of aspects of any individual ship can change - crew, musicians, chef, and even the major alterations that can occur during a dry dock.

However, some characteristics of cruise lines tend to be fleet - wide and can be noted as what one could refer to as a 'Carnival experience' or 'HAL experience'.

A couple of notes on the dates of the last few cruises noted:

*Carnival Fantasy Class ships (Paradise, Inspiration, Imagination, Ecstacy, Fantasy, ad-nauseum): I have sailed them more times in the last 2 two years than I could possibly count. They are very popular for group/incentive cruising and are always a 'hit' with first time clients looking for a short party cruise with their associates.

*Zuiderdam: Last April on a Western Caribbean itinerary

*Vision of the Seas: three weeks ago with a very, very large group in the Mexican Riviera. I have always had great group coordination on board RCI ships in the past - not so this time.

- I'll be sailing next on the Imagination (again) in 4 weeks with a wild bunch that was almost kicked off of the Radiance a year ago. After that, Galaxy in May (Europe), Sun Princess in August (Alaska) and Veendam in November (W. Carib.).

[kelmac]

Uncialman,

Superior review! After 18 cruises on RCCL, Princess, NCL, HAL and Celebrity--I would say you are right on target. Celebrity has the best food and great service; HAL is a close second; Princess and RCCL have beautiful ships, but lack in a quality cuisine; NCL is improving in many areas, but has a ways to go.
You really need to try the Millennium class ships of Celebrity for the best all around experience at sea! We have four cruises coming up--two with HAL, and two with Celebrity!

Enjoy!
Kel

[MBeamTX]

I'll be sailing next on the Imagination (again) in 4 weeks with a wild bunch that was almost kicked off of the Radiance a year ago.
Now this is a story I'd like to read. What did they do that was so disruptive on Radiance? And how do you, as the group leader, deal with a bunch like that? Did you make them sign an oath that they'd behave themselves this time?

Susan

[mojodani]

Thanks for your input and I enjoyed your review. I am even more convinced to try a variety of lines and not be "brand loyal" until we find a "fit" for us.

Regarding the Radical Radiance Rascals: what's the skinny?

Joni

[uncialman]

Thanks for your input and I enjoyed your review. I am even more convinced to try a variety of lines and not be "brand loyal" until we find a "fit" for us.

Regarding the Radical Radiance Rascals: what's the skinny?

Joni

mojodani & mbeamTX:

Let's just say 170 insurance agents + a lot of alcohol + a "Little People's Convention" on board with us + Karaoke contest don't mix too well. :(

The on-board Group Coordinator met me the next morning with the news "If your group acts up again in the fashion that they did last night, they will be asked to leave the ship in Junuea." I think the heads of the Corporation were significantly sobered by the message and no further incidents (although they had plenty of fun) occured.

[uncialman]

Uncialman,

Superior review! After 18 cruises on RCCL, Princess, NCL, HAL and Celebrity--I would say you are right on target. Celebrity has the best food and great service; HAL is a close second; Princess and RCCL have beautiful ships, but lack in a quality cuisine; NCL is improving in many areas, but has a ways to go.
You really need to try the Millennium class ships of Celebrity for the best all around experience at sea! We have four cruises coming up--two with HAL, and two with Celebrity!

Enjoy!
Kel

I forgot to address your statement about sailing Millenium Class vessels kel: forgive me!

I have done ship inspections on the Millenium and Summit and was blown away by the beauty of both ships. As I have stated previously, I think Celeb. has done the best job of all cruise lines in the interior design and public space area with the new 85,000 to 90,000 ton vessels that seem to be popping up everywhere. While I look forwarding to actually sailing one of these vessels soon, I haven't been able to secure a group on one of the Milennium class vessels due to their itineraries.

Another note:

I viewed the other thread concerning the amount of children on board Vista Class ships. We were aboard the Zuiderdam in April of this year and were a bit suprised at the 200 + kids on board that no one seemed to be looking after. I agree with some of the posters on the other thread: if HAL is going to a family market, they need to have some designated adult only areas that are strictly enforced. Disney *does* do a great job of this without being ****s.

[mojodani]

Too funny! But, I guess it was good that the ship enforced their rules of conduct. If only they would crack the whip on the misbehaving kids...

[uncialman]

Too funny! But, I guess it was good that the ship enforced their rules of conduct. If only they would crack the whip on the misbehaving kids...

Hey Mojo!

Well, I think it's only right if they (HAL) are advertising themselves as a ***** five star cruise line that is spacious, a cut above the other lines etc. if they want to maintain some sense of their dignified reputation. I think the addition of the kiddie water wonderland up by the funnels are a move in this direction with the SOE program. I think another move is to state 'no unsupervised children in any public area' might curtail any problems that we have encountered. Only problem is, many of the parents are trying to get away from their kids during the trip and *want them* to go off on their own.

[mojodani]

Just like in society...

Why parents think that their children would be any safer unattended on a cruise ship than anywhere else in the world is beyond me. Scary.

We travel with our 12 yo DD and she is not allowed to roam a ship, alone. She will probably be the only 13 yo escorted to the kids zone by a parent. Egad!