HA vs Princess

[Mimg Pao]

We are Elite on Princess with over 300 cruise days and are now considering a cruise on the Zaandam. There are two cruises that we are thinking about: Dec. 9 /11- Sydney to Singapore and Dec. 23/11 - Sydney to Hong Kong. Although we would prefer to cruise on Princess, the only holiday itinerary that we like is on the Ocean Princess Dec. 2/11 - Sydney to Tahiti. However, the two HA itineraries are far more interesting to us.

 

So....HA cheerleaders, tell us more about HA as we have never sailed on this line. How does the entertainment, food, lectures, etc., etc., compare. Are there laundry facilities on board (as we will lose our free laundry) and how are the cabins. We generally book an outside cabin and sometimes a balcony (depending on the price). How do the specialty restaurants compare - we like the Crown Grill and Sterling Steak House.

 

Lynne

[bobalink]

I am a Princess fan and we sailed on HAL Noordam in August.

 

There are three things that we rated HAL higher than Princess - food, beds and the library. The food really is good in all of their venues.

 

Other than that, everything is very similar. I prefer the beautiful, spacious atrium on The Piazza on Princess ships. We love the International Cafe and Vines, too. Princess ships feel more open.

 

We had always heard about the wonderful service on HAL, but for us, we did not think it was anything special. We have always had exceptional service, room stewards, etc. on Princess.

 

I don't know if the HAL ship you are considering has a self-serve laundry like Princess ships. The Noordam did not.

 

I think you will find that there are more similarities than differences.

 

I am glad we tried HAL and would sail on HAL again if the itinerary and price are right.

 

Whatever you choose, enjoy your cruise!

[iancal]

Agree on the beds, the library. Food in the Lido is definately better but we have found the MDR to be the same. Service was of the same quality, no difference to us except poolside bar service was essentially non existant on HAL.

[Love the beach]

The Zaandam does have a laundry room. We recently returned from our first Princess cruise and while we enjoyed it and would sail with them again--HAL remains our favorite. We thought the food was better, the beds are certainly better, we loved the fresh flowers around the ship and the "little things" i.e. the individual cloth hand towels in the public rest rooms, the delicious fresh squeezed orange juice (free) in the morning, the free expresso & capuccino in the dining rooms, the hard ice cream readily available in the Lido and the wonderful crew that just make you feel so good--always greeting you with a smile and greeting wherever you go (did not get this on Princess). Hope you have a great cruise!

Marge

[SwissMyst]

We followed the Coral Princess around Alaska on the HAL Zuiderdam last summer and one thing is the Dam ships are a heck of a lot prettier from the outside, if you like ships that still look like ships and not like over-bloated, floating box cars. :p Sorry, superficial I know, but one reason we love our dam ships. And HAL is trying its darndest to ruin with some of their renovations, this so no insult intended for Princess ships.

 

But like you, what we have also found is HAL intineraries always seem just a little bit better; more ports or more interesting and unique stops.

 

Recommend you go for the balcony room, and you can hang out your hand laundry on the backs of the deck chairs. Call me a slob, but I never understand the need for laundry on less than two week cruises. We just did 42 days and washed everything up ourselves in the cabin, which seemed a lot easier than waiting around the ship launderettes or sending things out for several days.

[califgary]

We are die-hard Princess fans and did our first HAL on the Oosterdam in April of this year - and we are sold on HAL - either line is very good you cant go wrong with either!

[tcook052]

Recommend you go for the balcony room, and you can hang out your hand laundry on the backs of the deck chairs. Call me a slob, but I never understand the need for laundry on less than two week cruises. We just did 42 days and washed everything up ourselves in the cabin, which seemed a lot easier than waiting around the ship launderettes or sending things out for several days.

 

Amen! As a light traveller I wash in my room/cabin when travelling and hang clothes in the bathroom to dry.

 

One of the biggest differences is in the balcony vs. verandah cabins and the PCL balconies in BA, BB, BC, etc are essentially ocean view cabins with a smaller balcony whereas HAL's verandah cabins in VA, VB, VC, etc are roughly 25% larger and bigger than the ocean view cabins.

[califgary]

agree on the balcony size - we were very impressed with the amt of room we had on HAL as opposed to what we are used to on PRINCESS. Plus HAL deck is not that crazy blue plastic stuff that Princess uses!

[Mary Ellen]

The ships that HAL has on the Australia and Asia itineraries do have laundry rooms for passenger use.

 

Leaving items to dry on balconies is a BIG no-no. :eek: Leaving anything flammable on balconies isn't allowed. Remember the Princess ship that caught fire in the Caribbean a few years back? Besides that increases the risk of something going overboard. That is just wrong on SO many levels. :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

[SwissMyst]

The ships that HAL has on the Australia and Asia itineraries do have laundry rooms for passenger use.

 

Leaving items to dry on balconies is a BIG no-no. :eek: Leaving anything flammable on balconies isn't allowed. Remember the Princess ship that caught fire in the Caribbean a few years back? Besides that increases the risk of something going overboard. That is just wrong on SO many levels. :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

 

Discreetly hanging items secured on the backs of balcony chairs does not seem like a no-no for me, nor a fire hazard. But if this offends and/or I need to be educated about ship policy on this, then by all means stick to the clothes lines installed in the bathrooms.

 

Key to this discussion is really is the ability to do one's own limited laundry in the room for short cruises and packing accordingly to cover this short time, even with luggage restrictions. Where it gets hung to dry is another.

[califgary]

Swiss: I think your point about discretion and being careful is well taken - and in some form or another we all do that (swimsuits at a minimum!) anyway dont let some wayward hothead discourage you.

[Mimg Pao]

Thanks all for your very helpful information BUT CAN SOMEONE TELL US ABOUT THE ENTERTAINMENT AND LECTURES:confused::confused: and how they compare to Princess. We are not interested in shopping lectures but love history, culture, etc. of the ports we are visiting. Both of the cruises we are interested in are approximately 30 days each (we usually do b2b's making for a long cruise) so lectures are very important.

 

Also, what kind of entertainment will we find - does HAL have the glitzy type of show that Princess does and if not, what can we expect.

 

Lynne

[califgary]

dont know about lectures (yawn) BUT the entertainment is almost identical to Princess in the main showrrom (one more tribute to Broadway and I will slit my throat) - it did seem like HAL had more piano, solo musicians in the outlying bars than Princess does (just my opinion)

[SwissMyst]

Can't compare to Princess, but we have thought many of the enrichment lectures about the areas visiting, their history, context, natural history etc (not the port shopping talks) have been tops.

 

Plus the onboard HAL library is really outstanding in both the location and amount of space devoted to it as well as the range of its selections. They really stand out on the smaller, older ships as well as the Noordam - great seating and views for reading and relaxing along with the Explorations Cafe specialty coffee bar and snacks.

 

(Though I am unhappy that some of them got relocated to share with the top deck Crows Nest, but they remain still an excellent part of the ship's public space)

 

We just did a 42 day voyage on the MV Discovery which is primarily known for its onboard lecture series, using the BBC as a source of many of their guest speakers -- really outstanding so we felt many of the HAL enrichment lectures were of similar caliber. The lectures tend to are more academic than purely entertaining, but we never found them dull at all. They are a great offering on HAL.

[spacetraveler]

We are Princess elite members and cruised 7-8 times with HAL.

 

-All HAL ships that we've been to have DVD player in cabin.

-HAL seem to have less younger children that I cheer for. The mean HAL passenger age might be a few years older due to the fact that less younger children on board.

-Many HAL cabins have bathtub instead of shower stall that sometimes could be handy (don't know about the inside cabins).

-The toiletry seems better (personal opinion).

-At Lido Restaurant, the servers place whatever food you like on your dish. This is the most hygienic way at buffet restaurants. The food in steam table are always neat, presentable and less cross contamination.

-If you are single lady showing up at dancing places on a longer cruise with many sea days, you may be invited to dance by gentlemen with HAL name tags.

 

I don't think Zuiderdam has self-serve laundry either.

[Typhoon1]

We sailed Princess once, and that was enough. Cruise HAL and you won't want to go back to Princess.

[krewzin]

Enjoy both HAL and Princess....but give edge to HAL. Entertainment is about even on both ships, but we found on Princess much more crowded in theaters, and if you don't get there early, you might not get a seat.

 

Love the MUTS (movie under the stars) on Princess though....

[Hawaiidan]

The sheer number of passengers on Princess and their city at sea is in some cases 50% more than a many Holland ships.... to are your ready 100% more. 1200 rather than 3200 :eek:

Too many rats in the box.

I agree that Priincess ships more and more resemble container ships The worst being NCL ( then Epic takes the cake for ugly:p) and RCCL while Holland and others retain a air of design and beauty.... they look like the grand and romantic vessels that we dream on

 

Also the passengers on Holland America tend to be the more entertain yourself crowd that is low key then the more entertainment now. and 24/7 folks.

[Maverick430]

We have been on both. I really don't think you can make a bad decision. Unfortunately, I cannot comment on the lectures per say but I know both lines offered them throughout the cruise many times with various different topics. There are more people of princess but the service was very good. It has been a long time since my last HAL cruise but to be honest, I have yet to find a cruise that matches HAL for an overall great cruise experience. Princess is up there and after my last experience with Celebrity I find myself not looking at anything else other than HAL or Princess for a longer cruise. You really cant go wrong.

[iancal]

One more thing...the coffee on HAL if much better than that horrible dishwater Princess tries to pass of as coffee.

[califgary]

One more thing...the coffee on HAL if much better than that horrible dishwater Princess tries to pass of as coffee.

 

Unfortunately (I guess) I have to agree I dont know what PRINCESS has done with their coffee but calling it "swill" is a complement - we had some really nice mocha's on HAL last trip!

[vicd1969]

I sailed on the Zaandam just recently in September on its Alaska cruise. While it was my first cruise ever, I hope I can answer some questions you have about the Zaandam:

 

- Yes, there are like 3 or 4 laundry rooms. Cost about $2 for 1 load of wash and dry. They have laundry baskets you can use so you don't have to find some large plastic bag to carry your clothes

 

- Crew are very friendly. They're almost all from Indonesia and Philippines and were all willing to please. If you've ever been to Indonesia or the Philippines, then you know what I mean.

 

- The main theater on the Zaandam is small for a cruise ship. The stage is smaller than my high school stage. I would imagine you won't enjoy the shows as much as the ones you are used to with Princess, though the performers do make a nice effort with what they're given.

 

- I really enjoyed the food. MDR dining was overall tasty. You may want to ask if Indonesian or Filipino specialities are available for lunch and breakfast. I asked for and got good chicken congee and Filipino garlic fried rice for breakfast, which were not always apparent in the buffet.

 

- The ship is smaller than the Princess ships and getting around is a breeze with 3 flights of stairs. It's fine for 7 days but if your cruise is like for a month, then you may want a bigger ship to avoid cabin fever. Smaller ship also may mean you feel the effects of rough seas a bit more.

 

- Enrichment lectures were interesting, especially when they had US Park rangers come aboard and give presentations in Glacier Bay. You don't have to worry about learning opportunities with Holland.

 

- I agree with some of the earlier posters that Holland has a bit more low-key vibe, more relaxing and quiet since there are less people and less kids.

 

- The Zaandam is a bit old (2000), so it's not very glitzy. However, it's been pretty well-kept unless you're really picky about cleanliness. The decor won't wow you, but it's like that comfortable and nice Hyatt or Westin you've stayed in, to use a hotel analogy. It's by no means something like the Mandarin or Ritz Carlton, but you do get your money's worth.

[Whoo]

Thanks to everyone for their input! We have never tried Holland America, but if we ever "stray" from Princess, it will be to HAL...I see some tempting itineraries at times!

[Mimg Pao]

I sailed on the Zaandam just recently in September on its Alaska cruise. While it was my first cruise ever, I hope I can answer some questions you have about the Zaandam:

 

- Yes, there are like 3 or 4 laundry rooms. Cost about $2 for 1 load of wash and dry. They have laundry baskets you can use so you don't have to find some large plastic bag to carry your clothes

 

- Crew are very friendly. They're almost all from Indonesia and Philippines and were all willing to please. If you've ever been to Indonesia or the Philippines, then you know what I mean.

 

- The main theater on the Zaandam is small for a cruise ship. The stage is smaller than my high school stage. I would imagine you won't enjoy the shows as much as the ones you are used to with Princess, though the performers do make a nice effort with what they're given.

 

- I really enjoyed the food. MDR dining was overall tasty. You may want to ask if Indonesian or Filipino specialities are available for lunch and breakfast. I asked for and got good chicken congee and Filipino garlic fried rice for breakfast, which were not always apparent in the buffet.

 

- The ship is smaller than the Princess ships and getting around is a breeze with 3 flights of stairs. It's fine for 7 days but if your cruise is like for a month, then you may want a bigger ship to avoid cabin fever. Smaller ship also may mean you feel the effects of rough seas a bit more.

 

- Enrichment lectures were interesting, especially when they had US Park rangers come aboard and give presentations in Glacier Bay. You don't have to worry about learning opportunities with Holland.

 

- I agree with some of the earlier posters that Holland has a bit more low-key vibe, more relaxing and quiet since there are less people and less kids.

 

- The Zaandam is a bit old (2000), so it's not very glitzy. However, it's been pretty well-kept unless you're really picky about cleanliness. The decor won't wow you, but it's like that comfortable and nice Hyatt or Westin you've stayed in, to use a hotel analogy. It's by no means something like the Mandarin or Ritz Carlton, but you do get your money's worth.

 

Thanks so much for your very well thought out reply. We do love smaller ships and have sailed on both the Ocean and Pacific Princess. Both ships with a capacity of 670 pax. Our favorite Princess ship was the old Royal, a bit smaller than the Zaandam. The smaller ships have more interesting itinearies and are able to visit ports that the larger ships cannot.

 

Thanks also for the heads up on both Filipino and Indonesian food. We have travelled extensively in Asia and have visited the Philipines as well as many Indonesian islands. DH was born in Burma and both of us love spicy food.

 

I have already spoken to our travel agent about booking the Zaandam. We are leaving in six weeks for a 36 day cruise on the Star Princess (a big ship). She advised to wait for a cruise sale and will notify us even while we are away. However, we are still not sure if we want the Dec. 9 or 23 sailing.

 

Lynne

[we2cruze]

The ships that HAL has on the Australia and Asia itineraries do have laundry rooms for passenger use.

 

Leaving items to dry on balconies is a BIG no-no. :eek: Leaving anything flammable on balconies isn't allowed. Remember the Princess ship that caught fire in the Caribbean a few years back? Besides that increases the risk of something going overboard. That is just wrong on SO many levels. :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

 

Discreetly hanging items secured on the backs of balcony chairs does not seem like a no-no for me, nor a fire hazard. But if this offends and/or I need to be

educated about ship policy on this, then by all means stick to the clothes lines installed in the bathrooms.

 

Key to this discussion is really is the ability to do one's own limited laundry in the room for short cruises and packing accordingly to cover this short time, even with luggage restrictions. Where it gets hung to dry is another.

 

Swiss: I think your point about discretion and being careful is well taken - and in some form or another we all do that (swimsuits at a minimum!) anyway dont let some wayward hothead discourage you.

 

Hi, Not to change the subject of the discussion, but just to clarify on a safety issue. The following link is the finding of the Maritime Safety Committee after the fire aboard the Star Princess which was believed to have ignited on and spread via the balconies. I don't know if other lines have openly adopted the no flamables on the balcony policy, but Princess has notifications in their staterooms. Once again, I'm not trying to begin an argument, but thought you might like to know that it is considered a fire hazard to leave "personal belongings" on the balcony. This is found in the last paragraph in the link.

http://www.imo.org/safety/mainframe.asp?topic_id=1366