HAL vs Celebrity

We have sailed both lines ;however ,we have sailed Celebrity a lot more than HAL(only 3 cruises) & we have done 63 past cruises .

What concerns me are major changes to the Celebrity style of cruising .We are active in our mid 70s & don't like loud music ,cuts in their activities staff (we play trivia ) & many other things we don't like in the new "Modern Luxury " Celebrity is touting, including big ships with thousands of pax

We are seriously thinking of switching to more HAL cruises :).

Would the experienced HAL cruisers here please tell me what we can expect from HAL in regards to entertainment , on board activities & general ambiance of todays HAL cruising . We do know that the Vista class is the largest of HAL's ships . We did experience the Ryndam

Thanks in advance for your replies ;)

We switched from HA to Celebrity in 2007 and also have also sailed Royal Carib since that time.

I recently decided to give HA another try. I am in my late 60s and did a girls cruise with my 2 teen granddaughters. Just got off the Westerdam this past Saturday.

The Filipino/Indonesian crew is the best. Food was very good for the most part and the chilled soups were tasty.

Ship was well maintained. I did miss the "Solstice" ambience.

Now the bad - we were bored to death. During the day there was nothing to do. I do not want to learn how to make towel animals nor do I want to listen to the lone steel drummer at the tiny pools. Comedian and illusionist were good. Production shows were so so and not well attended.

Music in some venues at some times was enjoyable. I missed the solarium and beautiful ship look of Celebrity and watching other passengers enjoy the rock climbing and flow riders on Royal.

Go if its important to have a great crew but be prepared for using your Kindle all day and night.

We switched from HA to Celebrity in 2007 and also have also sailed Royal Carib since that time.

 

I recently decided to give HA another try. I am in my late 60s and did a girls cruise with my 2 teen granddaughters. Just got off the Westerdam this past Saturday.

 

The Filipino/Indonesian crew is the best. Food was very good for the most part and the chilled soups were tasty.

Ship was well maintained. I did miss the "Solstice" ambience.

 

Now the bad - we were bored to death. During the day there was nothing to do. I do not want to learn how to make towel animals nor do I want to listen to the lone steel drummer at the tiny pools. Comedian and illusionist were good. Production shows were so so and not well attended.

 

Music in some venues at some times was enjoyable. I missed the solarium and beautiful ship look of Celebrity and watching other passengers enjoy the rock climbing and flow riders on Royal.

 

Go if its important to have a great crew but be prepared for using your Kindle all day and night.

So it hasn't really changed on HAL in that there are not many activities to watch or be involved in & that for us is a important area ,like numerous trivia games ,battle of the sexes ,ie on Celebrity ships . The food quality & service is about the same on both lines

LOL if I wanted to read from my kindle most of the day we would stay home ;). Thanks for the heads up :)

Perhaps we need to explore some RCCL sailings once again .not sure here because of the age of the pax .We are mid 70s now & I don't think we fit as well as being on a Celebrity ship . Then again we may consider doing more land trips & less cruises to see more of the USA ;):)

We have just returned from the Eurodam. Last HAL cruise was over two years ago, and our last two have been on Celebrity Equinox. We were looking forward to returning to HAL but were sadly disappointed. On boarding, the ship looked dark and drab, unlike the airy Equinox feeling. The food was only so so, unlike what we remember. Nearly all my MDR dinners were almost cold. Sending them back didn't help. Lido set up is awful resulting in long needless lines. Nothing to do except for trivia, which I do enjoy. Entertainment again only so so. (The ship singers and dancers were ok, visiting artists a let down to me ). I had decided to return to Celebrity and am disturbed by the posts about staff cuts etc.

Would RCCL be a good choice I wonder. We enjoyed the Vision a year ago.

We're also doing the HAL-X coin toss.

Your comments are appreciated. To be honest, I'm not sure that I can face more days docked at Half Moon Cay and Mahogany Bay with so few on-board activities of interest.

When we last sailed HAL last December, trivia was still going strong. But the balcony smoking and bland food are major problems for us.

Despite that, it's the most relaxing thing we do between Thanksgiving and Christmas.

coin toss time

So it hasn't really changed on HAL in that there are not many activities to watch or be involved in & that for us is a important area ,like numerous trivia games ,battle of the sexes ,ie on Celebrity ships . The food quality & service is about the same on both lines

 

LOL if I wanted to read from my kindle most of the day we would stay home ;). Thanks for the heads up :)

 

.....

 

Had to smile at your comment. DW and I take a lot of long cruises that often have many sea days (we have had over 20 on a single cruise). Our favorite day activity is sitting in a comfy deck chair and reading books on our Kindles! We used to love Trivia but in the past few years it has become a competitive thing on many cruises. We have watched teams cheat, saw one trivia player in tears after being yelled at (by her team) for being late, etc. We have also witnessed Trivia teams arguing with the Cruise Director because "its not fair" or somebody cheated, or "please make those folks at the other table be quiet" etc. And perhaps the most interesting event was on a long Grand Cruise (Prinsendam) where they had daily "Animal Toss." The folks that played that game got very competitive (to a point where two were ready to fight). And all that for the bragging rights that they won Animal Toss!

So, DW and I have pretty much retired from Trivia games, and now have to settle for looking at our beautiful Princess Mugs which we won at Trivia many years ago.

Hank

HAL was my cruise line of choice for many years. However, I have had to cancel two HAL cruises in a row and switch to another cruiseline because I found out that large groups were going to be on board. I am now thinking of switching from a 14-day HAL cruise to an 11-day Equinox cruise, for the same price. I have never tried Celebrity before as I have cruise solo and their prices are always double for a solo passenger. I feel a bit intimidated by the size of Equinox but it's time to try something else besides HAL and Princess.

We have to be much more careful selecting a ship that matches our preferences on HAL than we do on Celebrity. We have found that Celebrity ships are better maintained from soft goods in the cabin to condition of the actual ship. We actually find the Solstice class ships less crowded than small ships because of their design.

We very much prefer Celebrity's hours of operation in their Lido. But this is a personal preference. The Solstice class ships have a greater variety of dining venues and this appeals to us.

Entertainment-good and bad on both. Mostly mediocre. Depends on the specific cruise. Same with quality of food and food preparation. We prefer MDR service on Celebrity-both the wait staff and the level of service. HAL's service is very good..we just find Celebrity's a bit more personable and a little faster. But this is also ship/cruise specific. Hopefully HAL will be updating and expanding their wine list with more offerings in the mid price range.

We really like the in room information system on Celebrity-everything from checking our bill, looking at menus, etc, etc.

DW much prefers Celebrity's smoking policy. We always do verandahs. I am not bothered with the occasional whiff of smoke but DW prefers not to have it.

We save money on HAL because we will not spend any time in their casino. Who wants to exit smelling like an ashtray and having our clothes smell up the entire cabin? So we avoid it completely.

HAL ships are very different.

I would recommend that you don't look further than two Signature class ships: The Eurodam and Nieuw Amsterdam - the newest, most sophisticated and comfortable ships. They are sharp contrast with the rest of the fleet.

The Signature class ships appeal to self-sufficient people that like classy sea travel - all ages are welcome.

This product features more amenities and is a different class in comparison with Celebrity.

We found these two HAL ships more comfortable, relaxing, classy, spacious.

We usually have no time for so-called activities as we mostly focus on enjoying the ship, the sea and the sun as well as fine dining, first class Hydropool & Thermal Suite (a must!) and sports facilities - the experience that is not possible on Celebrity.

We are energetic and physically fit cruisers, so the Signature class is a better option for us. In some 20-25 years we'll try Celebrity again for our first retirement cruise.

As to dining, we found MDR quality equal, specialty dining - edge to Celebrity, buffet - HAL wins.

The ship is a floating museum of art and maritime history. So just exploring the ships expositions may take at least one full day.

This is a detailed review of the newest HAL ships. I am still working on it. The amount of time I invested in this work is only a measure of excellence of the product these ships deliver.

This video will take you on a virtual cruise on the Eurodam.

Enjoy.

I have not reached the "daily program" part of my review.

So FYI a sample program for a sea day:

I've got my first Holland cruise booked on the Volendam, and I see you say don't go on any ship other than the Eurodam and the Niew Amsterdam. Can I ask what is wrong with the others?

There is nothing wrong with the other ships, but the older and smaller ships provide only a part the Signature class experience.

Very clever people designed these ships.

They include components that can be found on other ships at sea. But the combination of "everything in one" is like nowhere else.

We sail a lot on Princess. You should check out their cruises as well. I always look at what's being offered by Princess, HAL, and Celebrity that fits our schedule and budget. DH teaches at a community college, and his breaks are limited.

The big disappointment we had on our last HAL cruise was the cutback to activities and entertainment. For instance, the production shows did not have any male dancers. On the other hand, HAL books some unusual guest entertainers that would not make it on Princess or Celebrity. We enjoyed a fantastic violin duo one night. And on the third hand, they've really cut back on the music. What used to be a string quartet is now a violin with piano duo.

The biggest attraction to me for sailing on HAL is the programs in the Culinary Arts Center. I even got DH to take a cooking class with me on the Veendam, which he enjoyed.

That is a bit harsh. HAL ships are quiet during the day, but they offer sufficient entertainment at night. We have never had to resort to reading or watching TV in the evening.

igraf

...be prepared for using your Kindle all day and night.

Most of the experienced HAL cruisers consider the Vista-class ships to be superior overall to the Signature-class ships, and many others prefer the older and smaller ships. Most of us have caught on the fact that newer larger ships are designed to generate more profit rather than to provide a superior cruising experience. The usual ploy is to pack on a couple hundred more passengers and then add another pay-extra restaurant and charge for other things (like private deck chairs) that used to be complimentary for all.

The Vista-class ships added many substantial no-fee features like the Queen's Lounge, the Northern Lights disco and the external glass elevators. If one lists the new items on the Signature-class ships that do not cost extra or take away from existing free space, one ends up with a very short list.

We enjoyed a fine Alaskan cruise out of Vancouver on the Volendam. It left on a Wednesday so the ports were not crowded. A large ship will typically be scheduled to follow the heaviest traffic.

igraf

I've got my first Holland cruise booked on the Volendam' date=' and I see you say don't go on any ship other than the Eurodam and the Niew Amsterdam. Can I ask what is wrong with the others?[/quote']

Everyone has their own just right cruise line/ship so fact vs. opinion needs to be sorted. I have been sailing HAL since my early 40s and now in my last moments of my 50s, I have never felt bored but that's just me. What others see as dark and drab, I see as tasteful and elegant. I love the traditional ship feel.

I sail for the sea and the ports and the overall experience of cruising. I'm not a fan of party crowds or crowds at all. The Crown Princess cruise that others loved left me cold and missing my beautiful HAL ships. So, OP. if X no longer feels like home to you, give HAL a try. If HAL disappoints, perhaps I will give X a try. So far that has not happened.

I disagree with many of the opinions posted and many will disagree with me. All the reviews in the world won't help you as much as your own personal experience. I love HAL. I say try it and let us hear your opinion when you return. It won't change mine but I find it interesting to hear other perspectives. Best wishes on your journey!

Altho we prefer X and Princess, we have chosen the Ryndam to do a port intensive cruise around Spain. We will be off the ship all but two days. So I think we will be happy as this ship will be our transportation, more than source of entertainment.

We have cruised enough that we make that decision first....are we looking for an interesting itinerary that keeps us going every day or a resort experience? On a slow R&R Caribbean cruise, we are using the ship as the resort as we have visited the islands many times.

I have been on most of the classes of ships -- I definitely prefer the smaller ones with the longer cruises.. I have found that the shorter trips, while the ships are beautiful, the atmosphere is different. I love the old style cruises. It is just a different feel.

Most of the experienced HAL cruisers consider the Vista-class ships to be superior overall to the Signature-class ships, and many others prefer the older and smaller ships. Most of us have caught on the fact that newer larger ships are designed to generate more profit rather than to provide a superior cruising experience. The usual ploy is to pack on a couple hundred more passengers and then add another pay-extra restaurant and charge for other things (like private deck chairs) that used to be complimentary for all.

 

The Vista-class ships added many substantial no-fee features like the Queen's Lounge, the Northern Lights disco and the external glass elevators. If one lists the new items on the Signature-class ships that do not cost extra or take away from existing free space, one ends up with a very short list.

 

We enjoyed a fine Alaskan cruise out of Vancouver on the Volendam. It left on a Wednesday so the ports were not crowded. A large ship will typically be scheduled to follow the heaviest traffic.

 

igraf

Thank you. I read so many positive things about the Volendam (especially size, and departure day) that's why I booked it. I think everyone has a different perspective, it must all depend on what you are looking for in a cruise. So unless there is something very specific, I don't understand a blanket statement about one ship being better than another - or even all the others.

There is nothing wrong with the other ships, but the older and smaller ships provide only a part the Signature class experience.

Very clever people designed these ships.

They include components that can be found on other ships at sea. But the combination of "everything in one" is like nowhere else.

I must be having a senior moment(:o) because I don't understand what point you are making. What components? And what does the comment about "everything in one" mean? I have read about "The Mix" on some of the Holland ships - that seems to encompass a lot of entertainment areas.

There is nothing wrong with the other ships, but the older and smaller ships provide only a part the Signature class experience.

Very clever people designed these ships.

They include components that can be found on other ships at sea. But the combination of "everything in one" is like nowhere else.

OMG! Where to start. We have been on over 65 different ships of many cruise lines and are 4 Star Mariners on HAL. Our favorite HAL ship (by far) is the Prinsendam......which is the oldest and smallest ship in the HAL fleet. The last I heard, the Prinsendam has the highest percentage of "repeaters" of any ship owned by HAL. As to "Signature Class experience" I do not know what label one would put on the "experience" we have had on the Prinsendam, but we would simply call it wonderful. No other HAL ship upon which we have cruised has even come close!

Hank

I must be having a senior moment(:o) because I don't understand what point you are making. What components? And what does the comment about "everything in one" mean? I have read about "The Mix" on some of the Holland ships - that seems to encompass a lot of entertainment areas.

"Everything in one" does sound like The Mix' date=' to me. The Nieuw Amsterdam and Eurodam do not have The Mix. So I have no idea what cruisetrail means either. I'm sorry that he's confusing you...he's confusing me, too...and I'm not a "newbie".[/size']

I must be having a senior moment(:o) because I don't understand what point you are making. What components? And what does the comment about "everything in one" mean? I have read about "The Mix" on some of the Holland ships - that seems to encompass a lot of entertainment areas.

What components? Amenities.

All in one?

Mariner of the Seas has front observation deck but does not have aft pool area.

Carnival Splendor has aft pool area but does not have observation lounge.

Celebrity Solstice has observation lounge but does not have promenade deck.

NCL Pearl has promenade deck but does not have hydropool & thermal suite.

NCL Breakaway has hydropool & thermal suite but does not have wrap-around aft balconies.

Queen Victoria has wrap-around aft balconies but does not have a sports court.

Royal Princess has a sports court but does not have scenic elevators.

Celebrity Infinity has scenic elevators but does not have open observation deck.

Costa Favolosa has open observation deck but does not offer proper afternoon tea.

Dwarfy "luxury ships" offer proper afternoon tea but have no proper theater.

Noordam has proper theater but does not have Tamarind & Silk Den Lounge & vast serene sun deck....

What ships have all mentioned above? :)

What components? Amenities.

 

All in one?

 

Mariner of the Seas has front observation deck but does not have aft pool area.

Carnival Splendor has aft pool area but does not have observation lounge.

Celebrity Solstice has observation lounge but does not have promenade deck.

NCL Pearl has promenade deck but does not have hydropool & thermal suite.

NCL Breakaway has hydropool & thermal suite but does not have wrap-around aft balconies.

Queen Victoria has wrap-around aft balconies but does not have a sports court.

Royal Princess has a sports court but does not have scenic elevators.

Celebrity Infinity has scenic elevators but does not have open observation deck.

Costa Favolosa has open observation deck but does not offer proper afternoon tea.

Dwarfy "luxury ships" offer proper afternoon tea but have no proper theater.

Noordam has proper theater but does not have Tamarind & Silk Den Lounge & vast serene sun deck....

 

What ships have all mentioned above? :)

Your premise seems to be that all of these things are necessary for an enjoyable, superior cruise. I don't think that's true.

What components? Amenities.

 

All in one?

 

Mariner of the Seas has front observation deck but does not have aft pool area.

Carnival Splendor has aft pool area but does not have observation lounge.

Celebrity Solstice has observation lounge but does not have promenade deck.

NCL Pearl has promenade deck but does not have hydropool & thermal suite.

NCL Breakaway has hydropool & thermal suite but does not have wrap-around aft balconies.

Queen Victoria has wrap-around aft balconies but does not have a sports court.

Royal Princess has a sports court but does not have scenic elevators.

Celebrity Infinity has scenic elevators but does not have open observation deck.

Costa Favolosa has open observation deck but does not offer proper afternoon tea.

Dwarfy "luxury ships" offer proper afternoon tea but have no proper theater.

Noordam has proper theater but does not have Tamarind & Silk Den Lounge & vast serene sun deck....

 

What ships have all mentioned above? :)

To your question - I have no idea, being a relatively new cruiser, but I have been on the Mariner of the Seas and absolutely loved it. Especially the Royal Promenade, and the 24-hour cafe, which is like a Bistro. It didn't matter one iota to me that there was no aft pool area. There was so much else to enjoy!:) It's quite possible that all the ships you listed have something more than your two favourite ships - it depends on what you are looking for in a vacation, or in a ship.

Perhaps we need to explore some RCCL sailings once again .not sure here because of the age of the pax .We are mid 70s now & I don't think we fit as well as being on a Celebrity ship . Then again we may consider doing more land trips & less cruises to see more of the USA ;):)

I don't really understand what's going on with Celebrity with the music. They should be going after a mellow younger crowd (in my opinion), so that that their customer base, old and new, mesh well together. Not everyone young travels to party. If they want a new style of fun ship, they should just launch a new cruise line. Carnival seems to be do fine juggling 3+ demographics.

As far as being in your mid 70's, you'll be fine on RCL. The only "loud" music was at the bow of the ship near the flowrider, just turned up for the activities but not earsplitting like what we're hearing on Celebrity. I saw many seniors holding hands strolling down the promenade having a great time. We're in our mid 30's, made friends with a couple sisters in their 80's that we're planning to go visit next year. I don't think age matters so much on the ship.

We're also non-loyalists, so are pretty much going to be jumping around cruise lines depending on bang per buck and itinerary. I don't think HAL is quite us for the ship alone, but they've got some great land tours and ports, where being a little bored is ok as long as we get to see some unique places.