Princess vs HAL

[gte937k]

It seems to me that Princess is meant to be an upgrade to HAL. Otherwise why would CCL maintain both brands?

In reality, do you feel that Princess is "better"? What are the differences?

[3rdGenCunarder]

I've done only one Princess cruise (Crown Princess), so I'm far from an expert. But here goes.

I found the service on Princess, particularly front desk (think "Liar's Club) and shore excursion staff (rude!), to be terrible. Fixed dining waiter was good, but MDR open seating breakfast and afternoon tea were disorganized. A friend sailing Princess a year after I did had similar experiences. HAL's service in all departments is excellent.

The food on both is good. I give Princess the edge on desserts and Lido buffet. HAL's buffet closes down at various times. Princess keeps something available all the time.

HAL's ships are smaller, which I like. HAL's entertainment varies from one ship to another. I thought the production shows on Princess weren't good and they were horribly over-amplified. Music on the open decks on Princess blared all day, making it hard to concentrate if you wanted to read.

Princess makes repeated announcements--bingo, sales in shops, etc. HAL has bingo and sales, but they don't remind you about them several times a day.

I wouldn't say NEVER AGAIN to Princess, but I don't have any immediate interest in a Princess cruise. I've got another HAL cruise booked, though.

[agabbymama]

Nope, I think just the opposite. HAL is superior to Princess in my opinion.

Smaller ships, teak wood promenade deck with teak wood deck chairs, fresh flowers everywhere (not silk), wash clothes in the public restrooms, lots of wood and brass (like ships should have), Yum Yum man (stands at the door to the dining room with mints, ginger, sweets), chimes sound to announce dinner, a little bit bigger staterooms, and the best beds at sea. These are just some of the things I like better about HAL.

Carnival owns about 14 cruise lines, they have let them all keep their own names/branding.

[djhsolara]

nope, i think just the opposite. Hal is superior to princess in my opinion.

Smaller ships, teak wood promenade deck with teak wood deck chairs, fresh flowers everywhere (not silk), wash clothes in the public restrooms, lots of wood and brass (like ships should have), yum yum man (stands at the door to the dining room with mints, ginger, sweets), chimes sound to announce dinner, a little bit bigger staterooms, and the best beds at sea. These are just some of the things i like better about hal.

Carnival owns about 14 cruise lines, they have let them all keep their own names/branding.


agree agree agree!!!!

:) :)

[DeepWaterMariner]

I don't see Princess as an upgrade from HAL or HAL as an upgrade over Princess. They offer a different experience that appeals to different groups with many people finding them both fine. They are more the same than different. HAL offers an upscale experience at the suite level that I think tops Princess but other categories are pretty equal, just different. I would caution anyone from drawing comparisons when they have only experience one cruise on one ship of either line. Consistency is lacking on both lines across the fleet. Princess offers a small ship experience on the Pacific and Ocean which is different than the other Princess ships. Obviously both lines have attracted their followings with both having large fleets and Princess with another ship on the way.

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

I don't think Princess is an upgrade to HAL. My view is that generally they are comparable. We used to sail Princess almost exclusively but now sail HAL mostly with some sailings on other lines due to friends, itinerary, etc.
HAL wins on service and friendliness IMO and interesting itineraries. Since Princess is one line that does the West Coastal 7 day itineraries, which we really like, we sail the Sapphire about once a year.

[m steve]

Some rules are different and the cabin size is different. the balcony cabins on princess are smaller than on HAL ships so if you like the larger space you need to book a mini suite. Food is comporable but the service staff on HAL are much nicer and friendlier. I like HAL a bit more but with the smoking policy change we will not be sailing P.

[iancal]

They are different and we like them both. For us, ship, itinerary, and price are the decision points. We are not married to any cruise line-after all it is only a business.

[Love the beach]

Nope, I think just the opposite. HAL is superior to Princess in my opinion.

Smaller ships, teak wood promenade deck with teak wood deck chairs, fresh flowers everywhere (not silk), wash clothes in the public restrooms, lots of wood and brass (like ships should have), Yum Yum man (stands at the door to the dining room with mints, ginger, sweets), chimes sound to announce dinner, a little bit bigger staterooms, and the best beds at sea. These are just some of the things I like better about HAL.

Carnival owns about 14 cruise lines, they have let them all keep their own names/branding.
Have only done one cruise on Princess---while I would sail with them again if price & itinerary are right--I much prefer HAL!

[bermuda triangle]

I find them comprable in service and cleanliness. Price is different as the 3rd and 4th are not as heavily discounted on Princess. There is more nightlife on Princess (depending on itinerary). You can see a comedian and a show in one night.
On my last Princess cruise I found the staff to be happy and smiling all the time, which reminded me of HAL in the old days....
Laura

[travelnap]

I have sailed on both Princess and Hal. They are probably more similar than different. If I had to choose between the two, my preference would be with HAL over Princess. Service was much better on HAL, and the dining experience was better as well, but that is just my opinion. I would probably agree with the other posters that if anything, HAL would be a step up from Princess.

[cruisemom42]

I think CCL intends them to be more or less equivalent brands in terms of quality. They maintain some individual differences that will appeal to different groups.

Princess differences from HAL -- more evening entertainment and options, larger ships (despite a couple of small ships, Princess clearly feels the future is in her large ship model), slightly more contemporary feel to ships/layout, no smoking on balconies.

HAL differences -- smaller ships with more traditional feel, fewer group activities/entertainment options, smoking on balconies.

Based on my own experiences, I've found Princess and HAL about equal in food and in itinerary choices. I like HAL beds more but prefer Princess storage options. In my experience, Princess does a better job getting folks off and on the ship for embarkation/disembarkation and shore excursions. HAL staff in general seemed a bit more solicitous of passengers.

Wish I could combine my favorite things about both lines and discard the things I don't like, but as it is, I'd sail with either one again for the right itinerary and price. Neither really seems more "upscale" than the other....

[mr green]

While I liked both lines, a slight nod always went to Princess.
HOWEVER, unless HAL brings its smoking regulations in line with those of Princess, I doubt that I will sail with HAL again.

john

[bermuda triangle]

While I liked both lines, a slight nod always went to Princess.
HOWEVER, unless HAL brings its smoking regulations in line with those of Princess, I doubt that I will sail with HAL again.

john

http://www.princess.com/news/article.jsp?newsArticleId=na1165

You are aware Princess has changed their smoking policy? No smoking in cabins or on balconies effective 1/15/2012 "
Princess still welcomes passengers who smoke, and will continue to provide special venues around the ship to accommodate smokers. Smoking will continue to be allowed in the Churchill's cigar lounge, a section of the disco and casino, and a portion of the open decks."

PS not trying to hijack the thread, I notice that you have a cruise booked after this goes into effect.

Laura

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Now granted I have only been on one Princess ship and that was the Crown but over all I consider them a True Mass Market cruise line with the exception of their small ships that do exotic itineraries. First I look at the cabin amenities. Bedding and sheets, definitely much lower class more similiar to Carnival except Carnival has far better beds and at least gives you a top sheet:D They do not supply robes in the cabin unless you are in a Suite or Top of the Captain's Circle/Past Passenger. Soap/bath products are a no name and extremely low quality that one really needs to bring their own for a cruise. Passenger to crew ration and passenger to space ration is drastically higher compared to Holland America. Princess does do far more announcements than HAL. All of these things are what you find with a mass market cruise. Although in this past year Princess is trying to claim they are a premium cruise line, they have raised their prices and are not doing much if any of the crazy low Flash pricing that actually cheapened thier product a few years back. They were the cruise line that started Flash Sales. Oddly even though HAL is a premium line they tend to follow Princess with many things :D Pricing for Princess this past 9 months has stayed HIGH with very little reduction in prices like HAL continues to do. With their prices high you would think they were a premium cruise line and that is exactly what Princess wants people to think.

Until Princess can improve their over all food quality, improve the cabin amenities they will just be a HIGH priced Mass Market cruise line that people are flocking to because obviously the more money it cost it has to be better :rolleyes:

[Viesczy]

I think that Princess is only an "upgrade" if you're thinking of the modern cruise experience--resort on the sea.

Quality of boats, guest treatment, and food is about even for both I'd say.

Princess, HAL & NCL are the only lines we consider. Each has their strengths that we prefer. Princess and NCL are more contemporary feeling, but HAL does offer more unique itinereries.

Derek

[Wayfairers]

I rate HAL higher than Princess due to the level of service and the teak wood everywhere. I also think their food is higher quality. I like Princess too though and certainly wouldn't hesitate to cruise with them again.

[George C]

We have done several Princess cruises recently and our last cruise was HAL, HAL ships are smaller which I like. Food was very good in both. I would not take Princess again because of the entertainment. It was not that it was bad we just couldn't get seats for almost any of the shows ( on both the Crown and the Caribbean ) , saw a fight break out for holding seats on one of them, showrooms just are not big enough for the number of people on board.

[CalGal777]

Nope, I think just the opposite. HAL is superior to Princess in my opinion.

Smaller ships, teak wood promenade deck with teak wood deck chairs, fresh flowers everywhere (not silk), wash clothes in the public restrooms, lots of wood and brass (like ships should have), Yum Yum man (stands at the door to the dining room with mints, ginger, sweets), chimes sound to announce dinner, a little bit bigger staterooms, and the best beds at sea. These are just some of the things I like better about HAL.

Carnival owns about 14 cruise lines, they have let them all keep their own names/branding.My feelings exactly.

[airlink diva]

I love sailing on HAL for my longer cruises,however the pricing for the 10,11, and 14 day cruises in early 2013 are much too high for me!
I found a great rate on Princess 10 day cruise with several new ports.
The reviews overall are good and I'm willing to give them a try.
If HAL solo rates were better I would book. Princess rates are a little more reasonable for the sailings I want to take.

[3rdGenCunarder]

We have done several Princess cruises recently and our last cruise was HAL, HAL ships are smaller which I like. Food was very good in both. I would not take Princess again because of the entertainment. It was not that it was bad we just couldn't get seats for almost any of the shows ( on both the Crown and the Caribbean ) , saw a fight break out for holding seats on one of them, showrooms just are not big enough for the number of people on board.

Not just showrooms, public spaces in general. On our Princess cruise, we met long-time Princess cruisers from Australia. They did not like the newer larger ships. They said that with every new build, Princess seemed to be finding ways to put in more cabins but did not increase the public space, making the ship feel crowded. I don't know if what they said about the chaging space ratio is true, but it was their impression based on many Princess cruises.

[SmokinActuary]

They said that with every new build, Princess seemed to be finding ways to put in more cabins but did not increase the public space, making the ship feel crowded. I don't know if what they said about the chaging space ratio is true, but it was their impression based on many Princess cruises.

I could only compare the Crown with the Zuiderdam, but the Crown did feel crowded and in general I felt the ship design eliminated a lot of natural flow through. My wife and I walked the ship and it seemed like we encountered a lot of dead ends and we had to double back to get where we were going.

I thought the food in the MDR was actually better on the Crown, but they were both good.

We like the Zuiderdam cabins and ship better overall.

[woodofpine]

It seems to me that Princess is meant to be an upgrade to HAL. Otherwise why would CCL maintain both brands?

In reality, do you feel that Princess is "better"? What are the differences?

'Brands' involve a lot more than one better than the other. Why did GM have to many? A lot of it is cosmetic - look, style, 'feel'. I think Princess and HAL are very similar (RCI's X is comparable too). Others have pointed out the differences, HAL has an older smaller ship 'colonial' style (Dutch officers, 'Dutch East Indies' crew).

The big lines are all more similar than dissimilar at their core. I'd be happy cruising most lines.

[agabbymama]

We have done several Princess cruises recently and our last cruise was HAL, HAL ships are smaller which I like. Food was very good in both. I would not take Princess again because of the entertainment. It was not that it was bad we just couldn't get seats for almost any of the shows ( on both the Crown and the Caribbean ) , saw a fight break out for holding seats on one of them, showrooms just are not big enough for the number of people on board.


Good point, on the Grand Princess it wasn't only the show room. Everything we tried to do had a long line.

[mr green]

http://www.princess.com/news/article.jsp?newsArticleId=na1165

You are aware Princess has changed their smoking policy? No smoking in cabins or on balconies effective 1/15/2012 "
Princess still welcomes passengers who smoke, and will continue to provide special venues around the ship to accommodate smokers. Smoking will continue to be allowed in the Churchill's cigar lounge, a section of the disco and casino, and a portion of the open decks."

PS not trying to hijack the thread, I notice that you have a cruise booked after this goes into effect.

Laura

Yes I am well aware of Princesses new smoking policy.:)
My point was that more smokers are likely to cruise with HAL, since balcony smoking off the balcony state rooms is still permitted with that line, and my wife is now allergic to second hand smoke.

john

john

[bermuda triangle]

Yes I am well aware of Princesses new smoking policy.:)
My point was that more smokers are likely to cruise with HAL, since balcony smoking off the balcony state rooms is still permitted with that line, and my wife is now allergic to second hand smoke.

john

john

Gotcha! I dislike the second hand smoking myself..:)

[Toad]

BUT, the coffee is soooooooo bad on Princess!

[san diego sue]

On Princess we never have a problem getting into the showroom. The shows are repeated twice in the evening and once the next evening. So no reason not to get into shows. Also there is a show at the same time in one of the lounges also repeated.Lots of entertainment going on all evening. We never missed any shows.The Piazza on the ships is a great place to people watch and has entertainment throughout the day and evening. International Cafe has yummy foods and snacks (located at Piazza).
Robes are given, just need to ask the room steward.
Laundry facilities on each floor, priced at $1.50 a load, wonderful for long cruises.
Benefits for repeat cruisers are wonderful.Free internet after 5 cruises,
after 150 days, free laundry, bar setup, priority tender boarding, free wine tasting etc.
HAL'S BEDS and bedding win hands down. I would sail either cruise line
based on itinerary and price. However, Princess has much more of a nightlife.:D

[Bippie]

Most of my opinions have already been expressed by others. For a cruise in a suite, if the intineraries were similar enough and the price the same, I'd go with Princess. I prefer their suite perks (especially free Internet access and the complimentary bar setup) to HAL's suite perks. Others love the Neptune Lounge but I don't find it a compelling amenity. At sea, I don't want to spend much time where I can't see outside.

[heidik]

I've only sailed the Westerdam to compare with Princess, but let me tell you, that one 14 day trip in a deluxe suite on the Westerdam continues to call out to me.........such that although I think Princess has a wider choice of itineraries, HAL's Noordam was my choice this time. 2 other big factors for me choosing HAL over Princess: Beds. Coffee (Neptune Lounge).

But, this is such a subjective question as I could care less about entertainment and I'm not a foodie, etc. I seek peace, quiet, comfort and pampering -- to me, HAL is a better fit - and I believe has a more upscale environment.

[iriemon]

We have sailed on both multilple times and as you can see from my signature we are booked on both right now. We like both of them and what it comes down to is Itinerary, price and whether we want an active cruise or a "veg out" cruise. We have received good service on both. HAL gets a little bit of an edge as we find the staff more personable. There are good and bad in all lines and as long as you don't go away expecting perfection in everything (which does not exsist) you will have a great time.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

to me, HAL is a better fit - I believe has a more upscale environment.

Excellent choice of words http://boards.cruisecritic.com/images/icons/icon14.gif

Yes that pretty much sums it up which is why I too prefer HAL and the best part is you can still enjoy the upscale enviroment, higher quality of food and 200% nicer upscale cabin amenities without going to a suite with HAL ;) Which again is why HAL is a Premium Cruise Line and Princess is not.

[we're sailing away....]

I would not say one is better than the other

[iratherbesailing]

Nope, I think just the opposite. HAL is superior to Princess in my opinion.

Smaller ships, teak wood promenade deck with teak wood deck chairs, fresh flowers everywhere (not silk), wash clothes in the public restrooms, lots of wood and brass (like ships should have), Yum Yum man (stands at the door to the dining room with mints, ginger, sweets), chimes sound to announce dinner, a little bit bigger staterooms, and the best beds at sea. These are just some of the things I like better about HAL.

Carnival owns about 14 cruise lines, they have let them all keep their own names/branding.

couldn't have said it better. Holland America wins.

[cruisemom42]

Excellent choice of words http://boards.cruisecritic.com/images/icons/icon14.gif

Yes that pretty much sums it up which is why I too prefer HAL and the best part is you can still enjoy the upscale enviroment, higher quality of food and 200% nicer upscale cabin amenities without going to a suite with HAL ;) Which again is why HAL is a Premium Cruise Line and Princess is not.

So far as I can tell, there are a lot of discrepancies as to how lines are categorized by various publications, travel agencies, etc. I just Googled the phrase "which cruise lines are premium" and in the first 6 links that were returned, I found the following:

Link 1: Categorizes both HAL and Princess as premium lines
Link 2: Categorizes HAL as premium and Princess as "upper mainstream"
Link 3: Categorizes HAL as premium and Princess as "contemporary" (whatever that means....)
Link 4: Categorizes Princess as premium and doesn't mention HAL at all!
Link 5: Tossed out, only listed luxury lines (neither HAL nor Princess)
Link 6: Categorizes both HAL and Princess as premium lines


and so on.....

Personally, I feel there is a great deal more similarity between Princess and HAL than between Princess and other mass market lines like RCI, NCL, or Carnival. (And I say NCL because quite a few of us don't live the "suite" life....:rolleyes:)


Edited to add: Just looked up Berlitz ratings for as many of the ships as I could quickly find. 5 HAL ships and 7 Princess ships all had 4-star ratings. The only ship on either line with a higher rating (4.5 stars) is Prinsendam.

[cruisemom42]

couldn't have said it better. Holland America wins.

I wasn't aware that there had to be a "winner". :confused:

[iancal]

At the end of the day does it really matter how people rate either line? It is based on each cruisers tastes, wants, etc. People vote with their feet. These type of revolving door argument can go on for months.

We find Princess pricing a little high these days and we would not select one or two of their ships. There a few HAL ships that we would not consider.

The good thing is there is choice and a little competition with the non Carnival Corp. labels.

[Baby_Bear]

I know the ratings can be very confusing. When I became interested in doing a cruise, I bought this great book Berlitz Guide to Cruising by Douglas Ward. In it, he explains the difference between standard or mass market lines and premium lines which are separate from luxury lines. He rates HAL, Princess and Celebrity as premium lines, also others such as Azamara, Oceania, etc. He also has rated virtually every cruise ship out there. It's a really informative book and I was able to find out about all the ships I was considering.

[kjw869]

Edited to add: Just looked up Berlitz ratings for as many of the ships as I could quickly find. 5 HAL ships and 7 Princess ships all had 4-star ratings. The only ship on either line with a higher rating (4.5 stars) is Prinsendam.


While you were looking at the book, did you notice that all the Princess ships were rated "Standard" in the Berlitz descriptions, and the HAL ships "Premium"? The Premium lines listed are Azamara, Celebrity and Holland America.There of course are the Luxury Lines classification.

Not sure what year of the Berlitz book you are reading, but in the 2011 edition all HAL ships have 4 stars. The Prinsendam has 4 1/2.
So I assume that if HAL had 20 ships, 19 would be listed as 4 stars with the exception of the Prinsedam.

[kjw869]

I know the ratings can be very confusing. When I became interested in doing a cruise, I bought this great book Berlitz Guide to Cruising by Douglas Ward. In it, he explains the difference between standard or mass market lines and premium lines which are separate from luxury lines. He rates HAL, Princess and Celebrity as premium lines, also others such as Azamara, Oceania, etc. He also has rated virtually every cruise ship out there. It's a really informative book and I was able to find out about all the ships I was considering.

I'm not seeing where they rate Princess as Premium. On every Princess ship description, it's listed as "Standard". These are same designations I've seen in the last five editions.

I did read an article on how Berlitz assigned point totals a few years ago, and if the entertainment was considered weak, your point total would be lower. And on the food category, it was both the quality and availability.

So, if you don't offer food 24/7 and entertainment is not your strong point, you would get fewer points in the total rating.

[Baby_Bear]

Yup you are right, Princess is rated Standard. My bad. I must have been thinking of articles I had seen online which rated them Premium, same as HAL and Celebrity.

[mr green]

Maybe I am missing something about HAL, but I learned years ago that the ratings by Berlitz, after a very poor cruise in the then highly rated [by Berlitz], Mercury. It seems that as far as Douglas Ward was concerned, if the dinner setting for the evening meal was not up to snuff, then the ship/cruise line gets a poor rating.
HAL does have nice wooden decks, and deck chairs, and even real flowers, but to me this does nothing for my cruise, since IMO, both food, [other than coffee], and entertainment is poorer on HAL, than I found Princess.
I have never had any problems with the front desk, excursion desk, or with any staff member on either line. Maybe this is because if, and, when a problem may exist, I never raise my voice, I merely tell the problem, [which happily have been very few, on either line], in a calm tone, and any problem/or shortcoming, have always been quickly addressed.:)

john

[kjw869]

Maybe I am missing something about HAL, but I learned years ago that the ratings by Berlitz, after a very poor cruise in the then highly rated [by Berlitz], Mercury. It seems that as far as Douglas Ward was concerned, if the dinner setting for the evening meal was not up to snuff, then the ship/cruise line gets a poor rating.
HAL does have nice wooden decks, and deck chairs, and even real flowers, but to me this does nothing for my cruise, since IMO, both food, [other than coffee], and entertainment is poorer on HAL, than I found Princess.
I have never had any problems with the front desk, excursion desk, or with any staff member on either line. Maybe this is because if, and, when a problem may exist, I never raise my voice, I merely tell the problem, [which happily have been very few, on either line], in a calm tone, and any problem/or shortcoming, have always been quickly addressed.:)

john

Well maybe you just had a bad cruise, as that happens sometimes. I once stayed in a Ritz-Carlton Hotel that was rated four stars, and it was one of the poorest "lodgings" I've ever experienced. There were better two star hotels that I've stayed in that city. But, that's what the AAA Tour Book and a few travel sites had it rated. It could have just been a bad time at that hotel in their operations.

I'll use cruise books and travel site for ratings until I cruise on all 275+ cruise ships (twice). Twice, because I know I could have a "bad" cruise.

It'll be a while for that, as I don't have 7,000+ sea days yet.

[cruisemom42]

While you were looking at the book, did you notice that all the Princess ships were rated "Standard" in the Berlitz descriptions, and the HAL ships "Premium"? The Premium lines listed are Azamara, Celebrity and Holland America.There of course are the Luxury Lines classification.

Not sure what year of the Berlitz book you are reading, but in the 2011 edition all HAL ships have 4 stars. The Prinsendam has 4 1/2.
So I assume that if HAL had 20 ships, 19 would be listed as 4 stars with the exception of the Prinsedam.

Sorry if I was unclear -- I was looking for Berlitz ratings for various specific ships using the Internet. In the limited amount of time I had, I could only find 7 Princess ships and 6 HAL ships (one of which was Prinsendam, which as I noted was 4.5 stars). My point was that the ratings were very similar. There was no indication online that Princess ships were "Standard" vs "Premium" as far as the Berlitz categorization.