Holland America vs Celebrity

[Sky Sweet]

Has anyone sailed both Holland America and Celebrity? We have never been on Holland America but love Celebrity. My husband and I are planning to take a Baltic Cruise and we like the itinerary currently offered on the Westerdam and Roterdam. How do these ships compare to Celebrity?

[HeatherInFlorida]

Sky, I have cruised on both. On HAL I've cruised on the Maasdam and the Oosterdam and on Celebrity I've cruised on the Horizon and the Millennium. This fall we're cruising on the Summit.

We love both lines for different reasons. I've met wonderful friends on HAL. I prefer the food on Celebrity. But my personal view is (and others may disagree) that if a person likes Celebrity, they will like HAL. They're very similar in style.

[nanheath]

I second the comment about the food; I also thought the entertainment was better on Celebrity. We were on Oosterdam last summer and found it to be a very pretty ship; it also had wonderful bedding!

[HeatherInFlorida]

I second the comment about the food; I also thought the entertainment was better on Celebrity. We were on Oosterdam last summer and found it to be a very pretty ship; it also had wonderful bedding!

Yes, I agree. Good point and I forgot to mention that I like the entertainment better on Celebrity, but the new beds and bedding on HAL is to die for:)

[Cauvet]

I have been on the Infinity and the Ryndam, Statendam and O. I find that celebrity nickels and dimes you more. Lots of things are extra, but HAL is starting to do it a little with the java cafe now charging as well as the Thallasotherapy spa on the O. I love the Martini Bar on the Infinity but I also like the smaller ships of HAL. Celebrity seems to be less expensive overall--we are booked in a CS suite on the Infinity to Hawaii for far less than we paid a couple of years ago on the Statendam for a standard veranda cabin. We'll see how the two cruises compare. One final thing--HAL usually has the best itineraries.

[JDee]

While I have cruised both lines, have never taken a Baltic Cruise. Since those cruises are expected to have many more non-USA & Canadian Citizens as would be on Caribbean/Alaska type cruises, the Baltic cruise may have a completely different menu and entertainment group to cater to those pax. Would that be good, bad, no difference?? Don't Know.....

Of the ships mentioned, I would prefer the Rotterdam, but certainly would not rule out the Westerdam. Food is so subjective. Each line has certain foods that are better than the other, but I don't think Celebrity's Lido can match HAL's for quality or variety. If you like tables for 2, definately HAL, as they are more plentiful....You won't go hungry, that's for sure....

Now that I'm through promoting HAL, will be on the Splendour next week...I'm an equal opportunity sailor.....
Happy cruising....

[vgottlieb]

I have sailed both lines many times. Pick the best ports you like. I just got off the Summit in December and will be on the Oosterdam for second time in April. I love the aft cabins with the large verandahs. Celebrity and Hal are my favorite cruise lines. I have been on Princess, Royal Carribean, and Carnival. The Radisson cruise line is excellent but is pricey!

[Keith Rita]

Based on our last cruise on the Zaandam, we would now rate Celebrity as a cut above. In our opinion, HAL is becoming to much like their parent. Maybe they will end up changing their name to HALIVAL! Don't get me wrong, we love to cruise and like all cruise lines we've been on, including Carnival. We are just answering your question as honestly as we can. We did write a review if you care to read it. We will post the link, assuming CruiseCritic allows offsite links. If not, send us an email and we will send the link to you. We would not dare post a review in the HAL forum--unless, of course it was 100% positive!
Zaandam New Year 2005 cruise (http://www.*************.com/reviews/hal/zaandam/review=1.php)

[Sky Sweet]

I would like to express my appreciation to everyone who responded to my question. Your opinions have been very helpful :)

[aaannnthony]

Celebrity is easily the "class" of the mass-market lines! In fact, I feel they measure very well versus Radisson in the food/entertainment areas, however, not in cabin size, which costs you a huge premium on Radisson.

[Tatka]

Sailed on X Century and HAL Zuiderdam

Lido : HAL > X
Dining room : X > HAL (but I loved alot of HAL's dishes)
Room attendant : X > HAL ( same quality but it's very slow on HAL)
Wait team : X >> HAL (much more professional and prompt)
State rooms
(at least standard) : HAL >> X

Shows..didn't see on X ,but liked both production shows on Zuiderdam.

It's not fair to compare ships built in 1995 and in 2002(3?) ,but I actually liked both decors for different reasons..Century had a lot of wood and was very classy. Zuiderdam had tons of interesting arts.:)

X is still in my heart #1 ,but it was also my very first cruise as adult! I loved both cruises.

[drk]

Sailed on the Mercury, Infinity and the Zuiderdam. Would agree that the dining room meals were better on X but the Lido variety and availibility superior on HAL. Very subjective of course. Otherwise very similar products IMHO.

[zdude]

Crap. Should I pull out and book Celebrity instead this April?:)

[dakrewser]

Based on our last cruise on the Zaandam, we would now rate Celebrity as a cut above. In our opinion, HAL is becoming to much like their parent. Maybe they will end up changing their name to HALIVAL!

What's really fascinating is that if you read recent postings to the Celebrity board, folks are complaining that the line is starting to become too much like THEIR parent - Royal Caribbean!

Maybe we just all want thinks to stay just the way we've come to like them - on both lines.

[Ine]

It is very difficult to make decisions between the two. Both are great. I think it really depend on which ship and also its crew, but mainly on...it guests.
I have the impression we had more (deck) space on Celebrity, but shows were better on HAL. Food just a little better on X, but contact with crew (ok, maybe we because we are dutch) with HAL.

Our choices are now based on sailing-schedule and of course the price.

[jacank]

We sailed Maasdam in March 2004 and Horizon in Oct 2004. We loved both (I think I liked HAL a tad better, and hubby liked Celebrity .. and I do mean a tad.) Maasdam was elegant (we're sailing on her again in a week), staff were fabulous, food was great (though hubby thought Celebrity better), lots of activities and entertainment (hubby thought Celebrity better ). Celebrity tended to have more parties in the evening, which were great fun. Maasdam was a bit more sedate, but had just about any type of evening entertainment you wanted. We had no negatives at all about HAL.. and one big one about Celebrity. Disembarkment was the PITS. I'm sure that's not the norm, but we were herded like cattle from one level to another and employees were far from pleasant. Please let me repeat.. I'm quite sure this was not the norm. I'd go on Horizon again in a flash. :) Oh, one other thing. HAL's rooms are much much larger. We were in a concierge room (no verandas) on Celebrity and it was beautifully done, with fabulous service, but quite tiny compared to HAL.