We cheated on HAL but are crawling back...

[riz]

I confess....I cheated. I went over to the other side. Having been avid HAL cruisers we loved the service and suite amenities. We cruised the ZUI 3 times in one year and decided to go over to NCL because of what they offered to suite passengers there. A butler/bar setup/hot tubs on a lot of their suite balconies etc etc. We tried them twice over the course of a few months. Well......we are back.

Although NCL was great and we really enjoyed the freestyle concept....it just wasn't the same. Service does not come close...and the feeling the people actually cared was what I missed the most. The "type" of cruiser was different too...can't put my finger on it but there is just something about being on a HAL ship as you all are aware.

Booked the Westerdam for the fall...really looking forward to coming back.

[Krazy Kruizers]

The flowers???

The friendly crew??

Not being crowded??

[doone]

Riz, welcome back. Sometimes we have to try another line to really appreciate what we have with HAL.

Enjoy the Westerdam.

[riz]

Very true.

To add insult to injury as well....we actually paid more for the other cruises.

[GarySuzy]

I confess....I cheated. I went over to the other side. Having been avid HAL cruisers we loved the service and suite amenities. We cruised the ZUI 3 times in one year and decided to go over to NCL because of what they offered to suite passengers there. A butler/bar setup/hot tubs on a lot of their suite balconies etc etc. We tried them twice over the course of a few months. Well......we are back.

Riz,

Don't feel like you cheated you just experimented with the Dark side. We have only been on HAL once, (two more times planned). We thought we would check out other lines but would not leave RCCL, how wrong we were. First we tried X,:rolleyes: in a suite and really felt like the staff thought it was a burden to deal with use. Then we tried the Maasdam and now we are hooked on HAL. However, we also tried Carnival :eek: after HAL (group sailing together0 and we will never do that again. What this all says is our experimenting is over and we will stick with HAL.:)

[grandsix]

Hopefully, HAL is reading this post and continues their excellent service.

[tprime76]

I'll be anxious to see how HAL compares to our previous cruises. The service on X (Millennium in particular) was outstanding. In fact we have another booked on that ship. RCCL's Jewel of the Seas (and from what I understand all 4 of the Vantage class ships) had great service. Because of that, we booked another on that ship for January. My TA knows that Emily and me value cruise service over all else and has suggested that we stay away from the NCL and Fun Ship worlds. Recently, he has said that he has gotten some complaints about Princess's service, so we will wait to try them. HAL, on the other hand, came VERY highly recommended by him in terms of everything we like. I looking forward to experiencing what, to us, is the DARK SIDE... :-)

[Cruise Fanatic]

I concur with the other posters on this thread. I have sailed on the other lines, NCL, Princess, RCCL, Carnival, and a couple that are no longer in business, and None of them can match the SERVICE offered on HAL. I am always amazed at the staff, and how they remember your name, and if they don't know your name, they always have a smile and a friendly hello. I have sailed with HAL 6 times, and am booked on the Sept 28, transatlantic sailing.
Can hardly wait to be "Pampered" for 2 weeks.

[hammybee]

Welcome home.

[kakalina]

Yes indeed Riz, welcome home. Feel good to be back doesn't it?

[kryos]

How are you supposed to know how good you have it on HAL if you don't compare it to other lines? :)

I've sailed a couple of other lines myself (Celebrity and Princess) and while those cruises were enjoyable and I can't say the service was bad in any way, for some reason it always feels really good to come back to HAL after those cruises. Just something about HAL that I didn't get on those cruises.

I guess I will continue to try other lines on occasion ... and yes, I even plan to try NCL one day (they go right out of the Port of Philadelphia to Bermuda ... and you can get some good deals), but I have a feeling I'll always keep running right back to HAL.

Blue skies ...

--rita

[luv2cruise450]

Welcome back...I agree with Kyros...we also have tried some other lines and none of the cruises were 'bad' or anything...any cruise is better than no cruise and we just go with the flow and enjoy the cruise at hand...but anytime that we board an HAL ship...we always feel like we've 'come home'. Some of the times when we booked a non-HAL cruise...it's partly because of timing/itinerary. For instance...we are booked on a Disney cruise for the first time and we've heard great things about the ship and staff and am looking forward to it...but if HAL had a ship in the Caribbean before October...we would most likely have booked one with them. But DH realized that he had a week's vacation that if he did not use before October...he would lose that time (no carrying over the time). We thought about doing a late Alaska cruise again...but decided that financially...with air and all...it was a little pricier than our budget would allow at this time. And we had already booked last year a Tahitian cruise for this October for our 34th anniversary...I had checked with HAL and all that HAL for that region of cruising was a 30 day cruise that included Hawaii etc...but since we both are working...and as much as I would love it...a 30 day cruise is out of the question. We are excited to cruise Tahiti and we are sure that the Paul Gauguin will not disappoint!
Anyway...variety and choices in cruising is fun too...Happy sailing!

[skywalkervadar]

We've sailed twice now with Riz and God ;o) 1st time on HAL, second on NCL and now they've talked us into joining them on the Westerdam in October. It'll be our 4th cruise in 3 years (not bad for a couple of 30 year olds)

We started on the Celebrity Constellation in steerage (inside cabin on lowest deck), then an outside cabin on HAL Zuiderdam, a balcony thanks to Liz and God's generosity on NCL Spirit and now an aft balcony on Deck 8 (2 rooms over from their suite).

We can't wait. Liz and God are the best.

-------------------------

Celebrity Constellation - Feb 2004
HAL Zuiderdam - "Take me to your Lido" Cruise I - Dec 2004
NCL Spirit - "Take me to your Lido" Cruise II - Dec 2005
HAL Westerdam - "Take me to your Lido" Cruise III - October 2006