Celebrity vs. HAL

[MonicaL]

Hi everone, I'm looking for information regarding the differences between Celebrity and HAL. We are considering a HAL itinerary on the Eurodam next year. We have only cruised Celebrity and are afraid of losing some of the perks we really enjoy. I'm hoping there are people who have cruised both lines that are willing to help me out. We always cruise concierge on celebrity because we enjoy the small details. We will be booking a superior veranda suite on the Eurodam. Does HAL:
-deliver fresh fruit daily
-24 hour room service
-balcony dining
-free ice cream
-free pastries and such at the coffee shop
-same waiter and asst waiter at dinner
-make you feel really pampered?

[European_CruiseGirl]

Hi,

I'll try to answer to a couple...

Does HAL:
-deliver fresh fruit daily - YES (can someone verify as I don't eat fruit so much...)
-24 hour room service - YES, see menu below
-balcony dining - YES, for free, you can order what ever you want from the main dining room menu or room service menu
-free ice cream - YES
-free pastries and such at the coffee shop
-same waiter and asst waiter at dinner - YES, if you choose traditional dining
-make you feel really pampered? - YES

And here's the room service menu:

AVAILABLE 24 HOURS:

- Smoked Atlantic Salmon (pickled red onion, capers & cream cheese)
- Mesclun Garden Greens (tomato, cucumber, alfalfa sprouts & blue cheese crumbles)
- Triple Decker Club Sandwich (sliced turkey, ham, bacon, tomato & lettuce served on toasted bread of your choice)
- All American Hamburger (broiled 1/4 pound beef patty on a sesame bun with dill pickle & coleslaw (add cheddar or Swiss cheese)
- Open faced Omelet (ham & cheese or vegetables)
- Selection of assorted cheese with crackers
- Apple tart with whipped cream
- Chocolate cake with raspberry sauce
- A plate of chocolate chip cookies with a glass of milk
- Fruit salad - selected fruits in season

AVAILABLE FROM 12 NOON UNTIL 10 PM:

Appetizers & Soups:
- Bay shrimp cocktail with cocktail sauce
- Smoked Atlantic Salmon
- French onion soup baked with Gruyere cheese
- Soup of the day

Salads:
- Mesclun Garden Greens
- Chef salad (mixed greens, ham, salami, swiss cheese, turkey, hard boiled egg - choice of Italian or blue cheese dressing)
- Caesar salad (tossed with Caesar dressing, croutons & parmesan - add bay shrimp or grilled chicken breast)

Sandwiches & Burgers: All are served with a choice of potato salad or potato chips
- Triple decker club sandwich
- Broiled California chicken breast sandwich on multigrain bread with avocado & honey mustard sauce
- Grilled tuna melt (tuna salad & Swiss cheese on rye bread with pickle spears)
- Thai Vegetarian wrap (eggplant, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts & cilantro rolled with rice & green curry sauce in a tomato tortilla)
- Steak sandwich (sirloin steak on sourdough bread sauteed with onion & bell pepper)
- All American Hamburger

Entrees:
- Seared salmon steak (dill-lime fusion, broccoli florets, carrot batonnet & country mashed potatoes)
- Penne Primavera tossed in marinara sauce with Italian roasted vegetables - add grilled chicken breast

Desserts:
- Apple tart
- Chocolate cake
- Creme caramel surrounded in berry compote
- Fruit jello
- Fruit salad
- Vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce
- Selection of assorted cheese with crackers

Rooms service breakfast includes hot and cold dishes, for example:

- croissants
- toast
- omelets
- ham, bacon & eggs
- yoghurt
- cereals
- hot and cold beverages (different kind of juices, coffee, tea, milk, hot chocolate)
- and many many more

And these are for free for all cabin classes...

[maxout]

If you really want all the perks such as access to the Neptune Lounge, free laundry service, priority boarding/tendering etc., you would need to step up to the Deluxe Veranda Suite/Penthouse catagories. (SA,SB,SC or PS).

To read about the "Suite Life" and differences based on catagory, check this link...

http://www.hollandamerica.com/onboard/suiteaccommodations

[MonicaL]

That was very helpful. Thank you for taking the time!

[Jade13]

Hi everone, I'm looking for information regarding the differences between Celebrity and HAL. We are considering a HAL itinerary on the Eurodam next year. We have only cruised Celebrity and are afraid of losing some of the perks we really enjoy. I'm hoping there are people who have cruised both lines that are willing to help me out. We always cruise concierge on celebrity because we enjoy the small details. We will be booking a superior veranda suite on the Eurodam. Does HAL:
-deliver fresh fruit daily
-24 hour room service
-balcony dining
-free ice cream
-free pastries and such at the coffee shop
-same waiter and asst waiter at dinner
-make you feel really pampered?

You get all of that even if you are in an inside cabin. I don't know anything about coffee as I am a tea drinker.

[caviargal]

Monica, I have done both and do not find the extras on X to be worth it to us.

HAL provides Elemis amenities in every cabin, regardless of category. A full menu is also available to all categories during meal times, not just Suites and CC class. Bedding is better on HAL. Bathrooms are larger and better appointed. Room service uses heated trays to keep food warm. The attention to detail on HAL exceeds X, IMO and IMRE.

Balcony furniture is better quality on HAL.

We find the fresh flowers on HAL to be nicer (more interesting arrangements with fresher flowers).

I pay for good coffee at the Cova and do not eat sweets so can't speak about the pastries and ice cream. DH loves the homemade truffles on HAL as well as the hot appetizers in the lounges before dinner.

I always feel pampered on a HAL cruise but my last two on Celebrity have been disappointing.

[mafig]

I can speak for the ice cream!:D

Similar set up on Hal as Celebrity, but I thought Hal's ice cream was better and Hal also has various liquors that you can have on top of the ice cream. Don't remember that on Celebrity.

[agabbymama]

I like the teak promenade deck ALL THE WAY AROUND THE SHIP on HAL, chimes ringing to announce dinner in the main dining room where you can have traditional dining with the same wait staff every night. Fresh orchids on every table everywhere, even on the open deck by the pool. And the Waterford Crystal Seahorse in the atrium on Zuiderdam was absolutely stunning.

I cruised Celebrity Constellation to New England/Canada in 6143 CC. It was a nice location tucked in amongst all the suites on deck 6. I did like the massage shower head with plusher towels and matching rug, and the robes were plusher on Celebrity than on HAL, but HAL provides robes to each cabin. But that's it. Other than those few things HAL outclasses Celebrity, IMHO.

We had a standard VF balcony on HAL and had the same amount of room as the CC on Celebrity. Our cabin attendant was just as attentive on HAL as on Celebrity suite deck. Food is just as good with the Lido Buffet being excellent on HAL. And the beds were so plush and high, that a shorter person might have a problem. Just kidding, ha ha ha. They really were plush.

I don't think you will be one bit disappointed in HAL.

[barbels]

I am a long time celebrity cruiser who is also very fond of Holland America ships- at least the Noordam. I thought she was a close second to the Summit and the Connie. Now I chose between the 2 lines based on itinerary and price.