scamper Posted February 15, 2014 #1 Share Posted February 15, 2014 I was reading another thread where much of the discussion was about HAL having the "bad" reputation of appealing only to those "of a certain age." I like that term! Well, I can tell you that (now in my mid 50s), I have been a HAL customer since my early 40s and I happen to like having middle and advanced-aged people as my shipmates! They're by and large civilized, gracious, courteous, friendly; many are spritely, energetic, obviously like having a good time, and God Bless them. I have faith to know when I have booked my next HAL cruise that most all of my shipmates will be good and decent people of all ages who are doing exactly what I am doing, making it the kind of vacation that I will remember for the rest of my life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canadianbear Posted February 15, 2014 #2 Share Posted February 15, 2014 We only started cruising in the last few years and have only cruised on HAL so I can't compare to any other lines. We have been very happy on HAL even with the noticeable cutbacks. My husband I are are in our late 50's. Our son is in his late 20's and also enjoys HAL. We have had the pleasure of meeting many wonderful people of all ages-each with their own very interesting story. We just seem to be comfortable on HAL but might venture out one day to try another cruise line if the opportunity presents itself. So far, we are content with HAL though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krazy Kruizers Posted February 15, 2014 #3 Share Posted February 15, 2014 Thank you for liking we "over the hill" people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Down-Unders Posted February 15, 2014 #4 Share Posted February 15, 2014 I was reading another thread where much of the discussion was about HAL having the "bad" reputation of appealing only to those "of a certain age." I like that term! Well, I can tell you that (now in my mid 50s), I have been a HAL customer since my early 40s and I happen to like having middle and advanced-aged people as my shipmates! They're by and large civilized, gracious, courteous, friendly; many are spritely, energetic, obviously like having a good time, and God Bless them. I have faith to know when I have booked my next HAL cruise that most all of my shipmates will be good and decent people of all ages who are doing exactly what I am doing, making it the kind of vacation that I will remember for the rest of my life. Well said. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cporses Posted February 15, 2014 #5 Share Posted February 15, 2014 Sound like we have picked the best cruise line for our first cruise. Everybody cruises for their own reasons. Some like the wine and food, some like the casino, some like the entertainment.You can eat, drink and gamble at home, and much cheaper! We like the destinations. That is how we ended up with HAL's Venetian Adventure in September. Not too much sea days, (I did 22 years in the navy), and lots of interesting ports of call. Also, coming from Australia, we wanted to get as many designations as possible without having to unpack. Perfect for us, me mid sixties, DW mid fifties. HAL ticks all our boxes. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare rafinmd Posted February 15, 2014 #6 Share Posted February 15, 2014 Every cruise line that stays in business is right for somebody. HAL is not my favorite cruise line but it is well up in the top three, and an excellent value with superb itineraries. There's a lot to HAL to like. Roy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare kazu Posted February 15, 2014 #7 Share Posted February 15, 2014 Sound like we have picked the best cruise line for our first cruise. Everybody cruises for their own reasons. Some like the wine and food, some like the casino, some like the entertainment.You can eat, drink and gamble at home, and much cheaper! We like the destinations. That is how we ended up with HAL's Venetian Adventure in September. Not too much sea days, (I did 22 years in the navy), and lots of interesting ports of call. Also, coming from Australia, we wanted to get as many designations as possible without having to unpack. Perfect for us, me mid sixties, DW mid fifties. HAL ticks all our boxes. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk I think you chose a nice itinerary for your first cruise indeed:D Like the OP, we are HAL fans. We haven't cruised luxury yet - so our experiences are limited to the mass market and/or 'premium' cruise lines (whatever word suits). HAL is still the favourite so far :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cporses Posted February 16, 2014 #8 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Thanks Kazu. We think we have done well. Three days in Rome, then relax while HAL sails us between ports. I won 't have to stand watches either! Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Gail & Marty sailing away Posted February 16, 2014 #9 Share Posted February 16, 2014 (edited) I like Holland as well 59/60 and think they are a luxury cruise line for my liking .. Edited February 16, 2014 by we're sailing away.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Linda&Vern Posted February 16, 2014 #10 Share Posted February 16, 2014 I was reading another thread where much of the discussion was about HAL having the "bad" reputation of appealing only to those "of a certain age." I like that term! Well, I can tell you that (now in my mid 50s), I have been a HAL customer since my early 40s and I happen to like having middle and advanced-aged people as my shipmates! They're by and large civilized, gracious, courteous, friendly; many are spritely, energetic, obviously like having a good time, and God Bless them. I have faith to know when I have booked my next HAL cruise that most all of my shipmates will be good and decent people of all ages who are doing exactly what I am doing, making it the kind of vacation that I will remember for the rest of my life. Thanks for the great post! It ruffles my feathers when someone says the average age on a HAL cruise is 70 or 80. TA's should be fined for doing that. I mean, come on folks ... you may have passengers in their 70's and 80's ... but not an average of all ages. Think about the math to get that number. I'll also never understand when someone takes a 21-day or longer cruise and comes back to complain about the "old people" on the cruise. Except for those independently wealthy, how many "young people" can take those longer cruises? I know my adult children could never get that much time off work at once (exception being school employees off in the summer of course). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oo7 Bond! Posted February 16, 2014 #11 Share Posted February 16, 2014 I too like HAL.... And RCI & Princess & Disney & NCL to name a few of my favorites. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare puppycanducruise Posted February 16, 2014 #12 Share Posted February 16, 2014 I agree with the OP. DH and I sailed with HAL when we were in our 40s, and now, in our 50s still love sailing with them. I get annoyed when I see posts on CC with disparaging remarks about how everyone on HAL is old, needs a walker etc. But the people that post those things have obviously never sailed HAL. We're looking forward to joining the "people of a certain age" for our next cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sapper1 Posted February 16, 2014 #13 Share Posted February 16, 2014 We have only sailed on HAL and are quite comfortable with them. Of course there are things we don't like but if we switched lines there would be things we wouldn't like there as well, so why bother? We would then be at the bottom of the heap re perks as well. Changing lines would also mean changing boards and I don't know anybody over there. "Posting with strangers", as Innlady so aptly expressed it once. I just happen to like you guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gigianne Posted February 16, 2014 #14 Share Posted February 16, 2014 And - I wouldn't have met you (Sapper1) and all my other CC HAL friends!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HamOp Posted February 16, 2014 #15 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Thank you for liking we "over the hill" people. Better to be "Over The Hill" than "UNDER The Hill":D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Okie1946 Posted February 16, 2014 #16 Share Posted February 16, 2014 (edited) When DH and I started cruising after retirement, we looked at all of the cruise lines that were out there. When we chose HAL for the first time, it was because of the itinerary THEN most importantly - the size of the ship. That is what won us over to HAL. We like the smallness of the ships and the family like feeling it helps create, the fact that the crew really does like what they are doing and enjoy talking to you as much as you like talking to them AND we have found that if we look hard enough we can find an itinerary going where ever we want to go. DH has decided that one thing on his bucket list - he wants to cruise on each one of the "DAM" ships. So we have our work cut out for us. :eek: Can't complain about that job.:D Okie Previous Cruises: Westerdam - Alaska - September 2009 - 7 days Rotterdam - Alaska - September 2010 - 7 days Oosterdam - Mexican Riviera - April 2011 - 7 days Amsterdam - Alaska - September 2012 - 14 days Planning Stages: Panama Canal - March 2015 over 15 days (if offered) Black Sea & Holy Land Explorer - October 2015 - 30 days (if offered) Edited February 16, 2014 by Okie1946 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
startwin Posted February 16, 2014 #17 Share Posted February 16, 2014 I do sail with another line, but I have to say that I am very "comfortable" with HAL - it's like coming home. However, increasingly I find myself comparing and while there are things I miss from the other cruiseline when I am onboard, the lower promenade deck has so far put HAL in first place - but it is slipping. There are things I wish could be combined. I am now at a point where all things are pretty equal but my next cruise will tell. Another long cruise with mechanical issues will send me to the other. And I haven't posted on that board since around 2011.:o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sapper1 Posted February 16, 2014 #18 Share Posted February 16, 2014 And - I wouldn't have met you (Sapper1) and all my other CC HAL friends!! And that is the best part of CC. I have been around long enough now that there is at least one couple we know on each cruise we book----not to leave out the great singles too. :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjrpar Posted February 16, 2014 #19 Share Posted February 16, 2014 I was reading another thread where much of the discussion was about HAL having the "bad" reputation of appealing only to those "of a certain age." I like that term! Well, I can tell you that (now in my mid 50s), I have been a HAL customer since my early 40s and I happen to like having middle and advanced-aged people as my shipmates! They're by and large civilized, gracious, courteous, friendly; many are spritely, energetic, obviously like having a good time, and God Bless them. I have faith to know when I have booked my next HAL cruise that most all of my shipmates will be good and decent people of all ages who are doing exactly what I am doing, making it the kind of vacation that I will remember for the rest of my life. Very nice post. We have never cruised HAL but are looking to do Alaska in 2015. Are considering HAL since we like to see the Yukon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scamper Posted February 18, 2014 Author #20 Share Posted February 18, 2014 We have been very happy on HAL even with the noticeable cutbacks. The cutbacks are really the only complaint I have ever had with Holland America. Wish they could figure out a way to stop and reverse many of them. I would be happy to pay a bit more if that's what it takes, but that's just me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare donswife Posted February 18, 2014 #21 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Better to be "Over The Hill" than "UNDER The Hill":D When you get over the hill you start picking up speed!;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kassandra Posted February 18, 2014 #22 Share Posted February 18, 2014 Our very first cruise was with HAL, on the Noordam in 2006. Both DH and I were in our 40s. We will be taking our 4th HAL cruise this summer, and we just have no desire to try another cruiseline. We have never felt we were 'too young' and always enjoyed the mix of passengers on our cruises. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
George C Posted February 18, 2014 #23 Share Posted February 18, 2014 I started cruising Hal in the 1970's when I was in my 20's then stopped for 30 years , really just love cruising, will sail on RCCL soon ( cruise #57) , did not like the way Hal handled the BYOB wine, but will sail with them again depending on price , ship etc etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lovely other Posted February 18, 2014 #24 Share Posted February 18, 2014 my husband and i love HAL. He's 37 and i'm 40. Those that say its full of scooters and everyone is in bed by 10.30 pm have obviously not been on HAL. We met some amazing new friends on both our cruises so far and were lucky to make it to bed before 1am most nights. I love the teak loungers (not that tacky plastic), I love walking around and around the deck, I love how clean it is and most of all I love the mix of people. We did the bar crawl which was great fun and got very crazy, our ages ranged from 24 to 82 and it was the 82 year old gentleman that had the most energy when we all hit the dance floor. A cruise, like life is what you make it and we made it fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scamper Posted February 18, 2014 Author #25 Share Posted February 18, 2014 A cruise, like life is what you make it and we made it fun. Hear! Hear! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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