Mediterranean Cruise

[Logoladytcs]

Hi everyone

We're looking at doing a Med. cruise next April - our TA recommended the new Princess Emerald, the Royal Princess or the Veendam.

I am really partial to HAL myself, as we had an awesome experience on the Volendam thru the Panama Canal last April.

I am also not too enthusiastic about the size of the Emerald Princess - 3100 pax sounds like an awful lot to me.

Was wondering what your recommendations would be -

Thanx
Barbara

[RuthC]

I recommed the Veendam. This is the HAL board---what else could you expect me to say! :D But I also recommend the Veendam due to her size.
I happen to love the small S-class ships the most. I also love the atmosphere, service, food, decor on a HAL ship.

[thomasale]

I booked the Emerald Princess due to the itinerary. 12 days and 6 in Europe, then 6 in greek Isles. I have never been on Princess and have read quite a few good things about the Grand class ships.

For the record I am a Celebrity cruiser who has decided to spread their wings a little

[Copper10-8]

Barbara:

Royal Princess 44,348 tons 1,260 pax Built in 1984

Emerald Princess 116,000 tons 3,110 pax Built in 2007

Veendam 55,451 tons 1,266 pax Built in 1996

I've been on the Grand Princess (the Emerald will be even bigger and will have more pax). I'm not saying being on the Grand was a bad experience but if you liked Volendam, the Emerald will be different. Never been on Royal Princess but she will be 23 years old next year. I would personally go with Veendam. Veendam, an "S" class ship, will remind you a lot of Volendam, an "R" clas ship. Not sure if you're looking at the 10-day Adriatic and Aegean Odyssey or the 10-day Italian Enchantment but both are great itinerary's! You can't go wrong with either!

[Islander34]

My wife and I sail on the Royal Princess on a Western European/Mediterranean Cruise (London to Rome) in 2004. It's a very nice ship although we still prefer HAL. However, the Royal Princess was sold to P&O Cruise Lines and has been rechristened the "Artemis."

[hammybee]

I too am partial to HAL but almost always choose intinerary first and then see where it goes on the price thing. Regardless, the Med is so port intensive and April is a fine month to be there that I could probably sail in a bath tub and not notice. In other words, you are going to be EXHAUSTED and what you are sailing on becomes less of a factor than the " Oh, the places you'll go!"

[MercedMike]

My wife and I sail on the Royal Princess on a Western European/Mediterranean Cruise (London to Rome) in 2004. It's a very nice ship although we still prefer HAL. However, the Royal Princess was sold to P&O Cruise Lines and has been rechristened the "Artemis."

The "new" Royal Princess that will be in the Med next year is currently sailing with Swan Hellenic, under the name Minerva, I believe.

The old Royal Princess was a beautiful ship. We are booked on the new one and hope she will be equally elegant.

[Copper10-8]

Islander34 and MercedMike; you're both 100% right, thanks for setting me straight! I should have done better research and taken my data from up to date info. Sorry Barbara!:o

The "old" Royal Princess from 1984 is now sailing as Artemis for P&O.

The "new" Royal Princess, built in 2001 at 30,277 tons and 698 pax is one of the original "R" ships from the now defunct Renaissance Cruises (R-8), is currently the Minerva II sailing for Swan hellenic and after an internal transfer in April 07, will go to Princess.

That makes it a more tougher choice between Royal Princess and Veendam.

[LTC1]

We were on the Noordam Med. cruise Rome to Rome this July. We loved it so much that we signed up for the 10 day Greek Isles trip July'07 on the Westerdam...also Rome to Rome. I've never been on the Westerdam. I hope the experience is comparable. Everyone says the Greek Isles are amazing. Anyone else on CC signed up?

[Logoladytcs]

Thank you alll so much for all your input - you guys are great!

Barbara

[Sea King]

IMO, no contest

Veendam is the choice

beautiful, elegant, and just the right size

the new Royal might be tempting BUT

I've sailed with other lines .. everytime I do, I ask, "why?"

the crews just don't match up in service or warmth

just slightly biased;)

[unclerich]

We were on the Noordam Med. cruise Rome to Rome this July. We loved it so much that we signed up for the 10 day Greek Isles trip July'07 on the Westerdam...also Rome to Rome. I've never been on the Westerdam. I hope the experience is comparable. Everyone says the Greek Isles are amazing. Anyone else on CC signed up?

LTC1,

We were on the Westerdam Dec '05 (West Carib). Liked it so much we went on the Noordam May '06 (Western Med). As you know they're sister ships and have a nearly identical 'feel'.

Scheduled for the Rotterdam May '07 - Baltic/Northern Europe.

Gonna be hot in July, but if you did the Med this July, you already know that!!

Have fun,

Richard

[cruznon]

I saw the Minerva II in San Diego one day last year.....beautiful. Perhaps you could check out the Swan Hellenic site for photos and more info
Sounds like you have LOTS of nice choices. I think I'd go for the itinerary to make the final choice.
Have a great cruise...let us know which ship you choose.

[Aussie Gal]

The new "Royal Princess" is almost identical to the Pacific Princess and Tahitian Princess. If you have ever sailed on one of those you will enjoy the experience of a smaller ship with only 700 passengers which makes it easier if you have to tender into a port and you do get to know people easier.

I have been on HAL's Maasdam which is a sister ship to the Veendam and will be on the Veendam in a couple of weeks time for 34 days. I have also been on the Tahitian Princess and are returning to this ship next year as well as taking on cruise on her sister, the Pacific Princess. I think you will find that the Royal and Veendam are the best choices. The Emerald Princess is just far too big a ship.

We spent 21 days in January on the Regal Princess and the Princess cruise experience is a good one. I love HAL because of a few little extras but if I were to choose out of the Veendam and the Royal, I would choose the itinerary that appealed to me most of all. On either ship you will have a wonderful cruise.

Jennie

[cool change]

We also usually cruise with HAL. Question: Would the size of the ship matter for the amount of time it would take to get on and off the ship. If I were on a cruise that was as port intensive as the med., would it be to my advantage to go with a smaller ship?

[Aussie Gal]

cool change,

We usually cruise with HAL but we have also cruised on the Tahitian Princess and Regal Princess and have found the experiences very similar to HAL.

I do know that if you are on a larger ship like the Emerald Princess, it is very frustrating going ashore because of the huge numbers. It can take quite a time to go ashore and you are wasting valuable time.

We cruised on the lovely Prinsendam a couple years ago in the Mediterranean and it did make life very pleasant when we disembarked at each port and also when we tendered in, as there were fewer passengers and less time wasted.

The Veendam is not a large ship and therefore if you prefer to go on HAL, go for it. As I mentioned in my previous post, we will be on her for 34 days in about 2 weeks time so we will know everything about her when we return home. We are happy with the size of the S class ships of HAL and that is as big as we are prepared to sail on.

Jennie

[Giorgi-one]

Pricewise, the Westerdam is the best deal going in the Med for 2007 - almost $1000 less than other ships for roughtly same cruise. And I have no doubt that HAL will blow RCL out of the water when it comes to cabin size and food.