troysers

Because I'm sailing solo, it's nice to feel like part of the party. The cabana next to me had no pool view at all. My cabana had a partial pool view. It was good enough, but there were several in the middle that would have been perfect.

 

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Thanks for the response and your review as it was well laid out and an easy read. I find music/sound around the pool to be one of those polarizing issues (less so on Holland more so on other cruise lines where they have a movie screen running the entire day). I can appreciate how people could enjoy both situations but as one person put it if there are 100 people and 99 would enjoy a quiet atmosphere and one person wants noise it is the one who wants noise who wins out.

Hi. I was curious as to why you would have rather been "closer to the center" for the Lido Cabana? Is it because of noise or foot traffic?

We have been on the Eurodam once quite a few years ago and we had a Cabana on the end and they had set up a ping pong table right beside the cabana which we did not find very relaxing.

Did you talk to guest relations/front desk about the heated pools? I was considering a january cruise on the regal and when i phone princess they assure me (over the phone) that the pools are heated. I have burned on holland a couple of times where they said the pool would be heated, but did not end up being heated.

The only cruise i have been on that delivered on the heated pools is disney.

We are a family of four with two kids in their early teens and have sailed HAL on last three cruises and agree with you that HAL suits us from the time we wake up (by the heated pool; we really enjoy not having to fight for a pool chair) to the end of supper.

Where we might have a little difference of opinion where age may make a difference is we have found that HAL's entertainment (production shows) seems to target an older crowd (the shows really do not appeal to anyone in our family) and there were not too many other options (for example, in the screening room they would play the same movie over and over for the entire day; they would not change it up or allow for a passenger vote.

The fitness centre closes at 9 (whereas it closes at 11 on some other cruise lines we have been on) and the berth in the cabin, although large, is set up so you tend to hit your head if you were to get up during the night.

That said, considering all factors, including price (HAL has some great rates for January) HAL is the line we will be sailing again this year.

We have been on DCL nine times and HAL three, and based on our experience, the thing you would most have to look forward to transitioning to the Eurodam will be tranquility.

The much older average of HAL passengers versus the number of children on DCL (we went from DCL magic with 900 kids on board one year to the next year on HAL with just 29) means you will be able to hear yourself think in the dining room and not have to fight for a pool chair.

If you like to read, HAL has a nice library which you can borrow books.

I am very sensitive to cigarette smoke, and although HAL has a more liberal smoking policy, our experience has been that the HAL passengers are very respectful of rules/policy (not just smoking, but in general) whereas DCL we have experienced situations where it can turn into a zoo with the kids (mostly as a result of missing in action parents). With the sensitivity to smoking, we book an inside cabin, and avoid the casino and aft pool, and have never had an issue.

On the Eurodam, you have the ability to rent a cabana and we have really enjoyed this on our cruises.

Depending on time of year, we have found the water temperature warmer at half moon cay versus castaway cay.

If you would like to know what you may miss moving from DCL to HAL, let me know and I will try to respond.

To summarize, we love both lines for different reasons and would go on DCL again in a heart beat, but I cannot justify the price difference. For our upcoming cruise DCL was over twice that of the HAL cruise.