Family of 5, HAL Oosterdam, X Infinity or others for summer Alaska cruise?

[CarolinaMamma]

So, the last time my husband and I cruised, we were in our 20s, didn't have kids yet, and wanted to go, go, go all the time. Now we are in our 40s and looking for something that will keep the whole family happy. Our kids will be 12, 8 and 6 at the time of the cruise. Probably too young to be in a non adjoining room. we are considering Alaska this July or August on Celebrity Infinity or HAL Oosterdam, and would welcome other suggestions as well.

 

I have already read a lot about X and HAL and am pretty sure we could be happy on either one, itineraries are nearly identical. It will most likely come down to price and comfort of accomodations. I'm also curious about the new smoking restrictions on HAL. We really don't like breathing in smoke!

 

It is so hard to find pricing and info for families our size, so I am hoping some who have been on these ships can help.

 

1. Any recommendations on cabin selection? Cost of a suite that would hold 5 vs. adjoining inside, outside or balcony staterooms? (Difficult to find 3rd, and 4th passenger rates online, nearly impossible to find 5th passenger rates or even which suites can hold 5 people. Can we even get a suite 6 months in advance on popular summer cruises, or do they sell out before that? Do adjoining rooms sell out fast, too?

 

2. Recommendations on using a TA vs. direct with the cruise line? Looks like booking online will be nearly impossible because of our family size. I do not mind doing the leg work. Will we get a better deal with the cruise line or with a TA?

 

3. The type of family accommodations we would need are likely very much in demand. Do they ever go on sale, or are we going to be paying close to brochure price? Does HAL usually discount prices at a particular time during the "wave" season?

 

4. How is the kids club on the HAL ships? It looks small. We don't need this thing to be totally kid-centric, but we want to make sure it is not too lame...also a little concerned that HAL has 8-12 year olds grouped together. My 12 year old is not going to go for that. Some other lines have a 12-14 group.

 

5. How does the food in the main dining room compare on X vs. HAL? We like getting to know one regular waiter in the MDR, plus up charges for a family of five can add up, so we will probably eat in the MDR most nights.

 

6. Has anyone used in cabin babysitting on either of these ships, and, if so, how was it? Seems like this would be a better option than having them stay up late in the kids club.

 

7. Anything else we should take into consideration when comparing? Other things to think about when bringing kids?

 

8. Any other lines we should look at for Alaska summer cruises? A little about us:

We are in our early 40s

Kids are 12, 8 and 6.

We like good atmosphere, good food, good music, friendly service, educational talks, libraries and good coffee.

We would value some quiet places to read.

We drink a little bit not enough to need an all inclusive package.

We do not care at all about the casino, the spa or late night entertainment.

Crappy phone service and expensive Internet would be a PLUS because it would get my husband away from his work!

 

Thanks for any and all advice!

 

-Emily

[CruiserBruce]

Thats a ton of questions and info. I would suggest some reading of the boards for you.

 

However, the biggest question facing you is a cabin for 5. Holland America doesn't have them. Other cruise lines do.

[CarolinaMamma]

Thanks. Do any of their suites hold 5? They won't let you put 5 passengers in when booking on their website so it's really hard to tell.

 

Have been reading the boards and found a lot of good information so far, but cabins will be the most important deciding factor.

[IRL_Joanie]

Thanks. Do any of their suites hold 5? They won't let you put 5 passengers in when booking on their website so it's really hard to tell.

 

Have been reading the boards and found a lot of good information so far, but cabins will be the most important deciding factor.

Which HAL ship and from what departure port?

 

Also, you can get adjoining staterooms and have 2-3 in one stateroom and 2 in another, as long as when you book the cruise you book 1 adult in each stateroom (THOUGH you do not have to sleep that way.)

 

The Penthouse is the only stateroom, that I know of that would hold 5 people, but I am not sure if they'd book 5 people into it.....

 

Let us know what ship and I and others can help you with cabin/stateroom selections and categories that might fit your needs.

 

Joanie

[Friend100]

For "other cruiseline", I know you can book direct with the cruiseline online for up to 5 on Disney and up to 8 on Norwegian, although they don't have as many choices for Alaska cruise as HAL's.

[RuthC]

As Cruiser Bruce posted, HAL does not put five in a cabin (with a possible exception of babies in cribs). You need two cabins. I suggest connecting cabins are very convenient, as you can open the interior doors, and have the plus of two bathrooms.

Inside cabins have showers; outsides have tubs, with a few exceptions. Take that into consideration for the kids.

You could have an outside cabin, and an inside cabin across the passageway. That way you have the choice of tub or shower.

[CarolinaMamma]

Joanie, we are looking at Oosterdam out of Seattle.

 

If we know 2 adjoining rooms are our only option, that actually makes pricing simpler. So they won't mind if once on board we put all the kids in one room? Good to know.

 

Seems like adjoining triple-double is a special enough request that we still have to call them to book though.

[RuthC]

Seems like adjoining triple-double is a special enough request that we still have to call them to book though.

"Adjoining" cabins are merely next to each other. "Connecting" cabins have interior doors so you can go back and forth without going out in the public passageway.

Keep the difference in mind when booking, or you could end up with the wrong thing.

[IRL_Joanie]

Joanie, we are looking at Oosterdam out of Seattle.

 

If we know 2 adjoining rooms are our only option, that actually makes pricing simpler. So they won't mind if once on board we put all the kids in one room? Good to know.

 

Seems like adjoining triple-double is a special enough request that we still have to call them to book though.

 

Some of the connecting staterroms are:

 

Deck 4 Staterooms:

 

VF 4032 and VF 4034, VF 4031 and VF 4033, VF 4035 and VF 4037 and VF 4036 and VF 4038 these are all are wheelchair accessible, roll-in shower only staterooms.

 

There are many more. If you look at the deck plans laid out on my site side by side you can see which ones are connecting rooms they have an opening between the staterooms themselves.

 

Start on Deck 1, then Deck 4 (there are more than I've listed above), then decks 5 - 8.)

 

My staterrooms pages list the types of staterooms and what they have, i.e., showers and/or tubs or both, circles means they sleep 3 and squares mean they sleep 4, the diamonds mean they are steel railings instead of see through plexiglass verandahs.

 

In both triples and Quads they have 2 twin beds that can be made into either a Queen or King sized bed, depending on the category, they would also have either a sofa that makes ito a double bed or a single. If the sofa only makes a single and the stateroom is listed as a quad then you would have a pull down bunk from either the wall or more than likely the ceining. THE WARNING for the bunk is that it pulls down over the bed and the bed should be made up so the head is at the foot of the bed to avoid a face being stepped on from someone in the bunk above. Also keep in mind that not only woud connecting staterooms be better for the direct access to each stateroom through a doorway in each, but the verandah door can be locked in the open position so your verandahs woud also be connected and open to go between your staterooms.

 

You can see the staterooms (many of them on the Oosterdam here: http://joanjett2000.topcities.com/HAL/Oosterdam/index.html

 

You can book directly with HAL by calling their toll free number.

 

Any other questions pease feel free to ask us all and we will bend over backwards to get help you find what you want:)

 

Joanie

[Himself]

I would highly recommed the OOSTERDAM out of Seatte. If you do this and get to Sitka, I would take the children to the Raptur Center in Sitka. It is a vbery good tour and a very educational one at that.

[vbmom87]

Many book one adult for each cabin and then sleep the way they want to. I have never read of any problems with doing this.

 

Many of the online agencies have phone numbers which would allow you to book the way you want and still get a discount over the cruiseline. We saved about $800 for two people on our recent Alaska cruise by going with an online agency...and we were in an obstructed view cabin.

 

One thing about HAL that attracts families, is they often run some great sales for the third and fourth passengers. So, even if you book with them and they don't offer the deal at the time of booking, keep checking prices/sales so you can possibly take advantage of this deal. Of course if you book a non-refundable cruise, you could not make changes. Make sure when booking to find out if there will be charges if you cancel, or change cabins. Sometimes when the cruiselines offer sales, the new pricing is just for "new bookings." If it is before final payment you might have to cancel your reservation and rebook. This could mean losing the cabins you had originally booked. Sometimes you can get them right back, but not always. Some travel agents will "refare" your reservation so you can keep your cabins. Just depends on the travel agent.

 

Although I have no personal experience with the kids' club on HAL I have read many, many positive posts. It seems that the children and parents like the smaller numbers on HAL because the children get more personal attention. I do know this past August I was on the 14 day HAL Amsterdam and one night there was a young boy about 9 years old at our dinner table. He was served his kids meal before the rest of us were served because he was so anxious to get back up to the kids club. I would say that speaks well of the club. There was also a teen on our roll call who just loved the teen program and made good friends.

 

I do strongly suggest going to the library and getting some kids' books on Alaska and spend time with your children preparing them for their upcoming adventure. If you can study the ports and glaciers, you may all learn what itinerary would suit you the best. Without looking anything up I am going to assume that X goes to ISP and HAL goes to Sitka. I would study both ports very carefully to see what appeals to you more. Also, I am going to guess that HAL is going to go to Tracy Arm and X to Hubbard. Hubbard is a HUGE glacier and quite impressive. Tracy arm is beautiful, beautiful, fjord, but the glaciers at the end are not all that impressive and often you don't get to see them because of ice flows blocking the transit. Either can be a magnificent experience. You just need to figure out your priorities. For me I would probably take Tracy Arm over Hubbard, but many others would disagree with me. I would also choose Sitka over ISP, but again there are others who would disagree. That is why you need to learn as much as you can about each port so you will pick the best cruise for your family.

 

Good luck with your plans. I know it is overwhelming when there are so many things to consider.

[scdreamer]

If smoking is an issue for you, HAL might not be the best choice if you plan to have a balcony cabin. By the time you cruise this summer, the policy on HAL will be to allow smoking on the verandah, but not in the cabin. That means that if you have a cabin anywhere near smokers, it is possible that their smoking will impact your enjoyment of your balcony.

 

Celebrity does not allow smoking in cabins or on balconies. There are only a very few highly restricted areas for smoking on X, while HAL allows it in the casino, and it's pretty smoky in there, and noticeable even outside the casino.

 

We sailed on X to Alaska (Millennium) last summer, and really enjoyed the cruise. Also just returned from HAL to the Caribbean, and had a great time, although we did have issues with smokers on balconies near ours.

[RMLincoln]

We took 3 grandkids (10, 13, 15) to Alaska on HAL, Volendam out of Vancouver. We preferred the itinerary with 2 glacier viewing opportunities in case one day was poor weather, which it was and we didn't get into Tracy Arm but had a pristine day in Glacier Bay.

 

We had 2 cabins, adjacent becasue connecting cabins were not available, but it worked very well. I had the girls in with me, grandpa had the one boy with him; we paid for 4 full price plus got the 3rd in my room for no extra charge (just taxes and tips). We would never have considered not having an adult with the children overnight unless we were in truely connecting cabins with an open door between us. We had porthole rooms; one girl slept in the pullman bunk which worked very well, leaving the couch available for us to use (although the room steward would have preferred that she slept on the couch). We had a ladder for the bunk so no issue of stepping on each other. Joanie has a photo of our set up on her site - see the sticky notes at top of HAL board, Volendam, Dolphin DEck.

 

We had open dining but ate early (5:15 or 5:30) and had the same lovely window table and waiter for 5 of 7 nights. The children's menu was the same every night and not too exciting for the youngest so she decided to order off the regular menu after the second night.

 

They enjoyed the library, doing puzzles with us, the younger two loved Club HAL but split their time between that and spending time with us. We went to several shows together and the children really enjoyed them, also a couple of enrichment lectures. Their favorite activity was going swimming in the covered pool. HAL doesn't have the greatest children's facilities but for a 7 day cruise it was fine, and with few children aboard, HAL staff can focus on them well.

 

Children 12 or younger (or maybe under 12?) will receive a wristband at life boat drill with their muster station on it.

 

Have only been on Celebrity Constellation and not with children but found X and HAL to be very similar in general, but my granddaughters really enjoyed having tea with me on HAL and we wouldn not have paid $25pp for that on X.

 

I'll check back and see if I may answer any other questions. m--

[IslandThyme]

We sailed on X Infinity through the Panama Canal, and it's a very nice ship. They had a kid's club, although we didn't have kids with us so we have no more information than that. They also have family staterooms in the aft that are large, I'm sure they book up early though. I'd say the MDR food was comparable, although I preferred the Lido food on Infinity to that on Ryndam.

[CarolinaMamma]

Wow, thank you, thank you, thank you for all the helpful replies, for setting me straight on the adjoining vs. connecting trminology, and for the "real" pictures!

 

-Emily

[DAllenTCY]

One more thing to consider is the itinerary. We took the Celebrity Infinity last May and never got close to a glacier. That's right. On the HAL ships that we've sailed on previously they either went to Glacier Bay, Hubbard Glacier, or College Fjord....and some time watching and listening to the calving. It was quite a disappointment last spring.

David

[vbmom87]

Thought of you when I read this post on another thread:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showpost.php?p=31791648&postcount=7

[CarolinaMamma]

Thanks to everyone who provided advice. Though we like the "feel" of HAL slightly more than Celebrity, the Infinity Family verandah cabins that hold 5 and have HUGE aft corner balconies with 270 degree view were just too perfect for our family, so we booked one of those. Maybe when the kids are older and we feel comfortable having them in a separate room we can give HAL a try. If the friendliness and helpfulness of the people on this board is representative of HAL fellow passengers, I am sure we would just love cruising with you all!

[lvz2cruz]

Thanks to everyone who provided advice. Though we like the "feel" of HAL slightly more than Celebrity, the Infinity Family verandah cabins that hold 5 and have HUGE aft corner balconies with 270 degree view were just too perfect for our family, so we booked one of those. Maybe when the kids are older and we feel comfortable having them in a separate room we can give HAL a try. If the friendliness and helpfulness of the people on this board is representative of HAL fellow passengers, I am sure we would just love cruising with you all!

 

I was going to suggest the FOV on Celebrity. We have been in them and they (expecially the corner ones) are wonderful.

We have 3 kids and have spent alot of time on Celebrity because of the accomodations allowing 5. I like being in the same cabin because after the kids spent so much time in the kids' club, we would lay in bed at night and talk about our day.

I think you made an excellent choice and hope you enjoy Alaska.

[startwin]

All I will say is HAL "owns" Alaska - seriously, the very best itineraries and cruises via the Inside Passage. We have been a number of times, and my favourite HAL ship is the Volendam, which also has a midweek departure which makes for a nicer experience in ports, with less passengers from other ships.