Princess versus Holland America

[PunkiC]

Decor: HAL wins big time. Their ships are beautifully appointed and have lovely displays throughout.

 

Food: Princess wins. Especially when it comes to Pizza. Princess Pizza Rules! HAL pizza is really bad. I am not a real fan of cruise ship food, which is really a good thing. Otherwise I would be really, really fat. I do like making big salads at the buffet without having to do any prep work myself, and Princess has better salad fixings in the buffet. :p DH really liked the egg stations on HAL.

 

Entertainment: Princess wins hands down. Much more activities all day long and better entertainment in the evening. Princess has Zumba every day and good dance classes. HAL has that ridiculous "Dancing With the Stars" for dance lessons and it is a joke. On HAL the only daytime entertainment seemed to be bridge or cooking lessons.

 

Cabins: HAL cabins are nicer, but Princess has the best storage. I also love the water pressure on Princes. The showers are tiny, but the water pressure makes it all worthwhile.

 

Mattresses: I sleep like a baby on any ship, anywhere, anytime, and have never had an issue with any mattress.

 

Demographics: The people on HAL are really old. Well, OK, so are some of the people on Princess but the Princess old people seem to be livelier.

 

Officer Interaction: HAL officers are much friendlier and more interactive than Princess offices. They actually all attend the Meet & Greets and they even supply champagne and canapes.

 

Service: Princess service has always been totally outstanding, IMHO. I don't remember any bad service on HAL, but it also doesn't stand out as really good.

 

General ambiance: HAL is more elegant and relaxing--they have Eames chairs in the library. Some of the really old people were sleeping so soundly in the library that we were worried that they were dead. Princess is more active and fun.

 

Dancing: We are dancers so this is a big deal for us. HAL has consistently better dance bands, but for some reason, and I am no sure why, we seem to enjoy dancing more on Princess. They both have lousy dance floors compared, for instance, to Cunard.

[Wehwalt]

I felt that HAL was too much service, too much waiting on you hand and foot. I won't forget my run in with the crew member who utterly refused to let me refill my own travel mug, not for any policy or anything, but just because (I think), he thought he was supposed to. There is a certain dignity about HAL that I liked, and maybe (I'm 51), I will be ready for them in twenty years. But Princess is more service when wanted, but if they see you don't want their help they usually respect that. Princess is a very laid back and tolerant line, they know it takes all sorts to fill the Royal.

 

HAL did have better enrichment choices, which is not one of Princess's strong suits.

[Tatka]

I am not sure if I can call waiting three times during the same week for room to get done after 12 pm, or waiting hours in MDR for our order and then getting wrong dishes, too much service. :)

[Pam in CA]

In my experience with both Princess and HAL, the bartenders on HAL are generally better. I've had great bar service on both but overall, I think HAL's is better. The two worst stewards I've ever encountered on any cruise on any line were on two different HAL cruises. Beyond belief awful. One time, my steward walked into my cabin at 11:15pm at night without knocking while I was undressed and on the john. He knew I was alone in the cabin. Another time, my steward took a "dump" in my toilet and didn't flush. I came back from dinner (after the nightly turndown) and gagged. I've had good cabin stewards on HAL but none who were great.

[shredie]

Another time, my steward took a "dump" in my toilet and didn't flush. I came back from dinner (after the nightly turndown) and gagged.

 

AGHHHHHH! That is beyond "Ew." I hope you reported him!

[emilygrace]

We have tried every main stream cruise line except Carnival and I would say if it was between Princess and HAL and the itinerary and prices were the same I would go with HAL. Bigger cabins, nicer ships. But we have been totally spoiled by the cabin storage on Royal Caribbean ships (don't know about Oasis and Allure, have not tried them). Not only do they have a loveseat or sofa in each cabin, but there is a big vanity with tons of storage space (even behind the side mirrors). I hate that Princess cabins (OK, we don't do suites) only have a chair that is not only uncomfortable, but you constantly have to move it out of the way to see out the window or get to the balcony.

 

Oh yes, I also feel that when you order a drink on HAL you actually get some liquor in it, unlike Princess. I don't drink all that much (maybe 4-5 drinks total on a 7 night cruise) but I would like it to taste like an adult drink, not the kid's version.

Edited November 2, 2014 by emilygrace

[Homosassa]

This same question was asked and answered in the HAL forum. Perhaps the dead horse doesn't need its bones picked over.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2119030

[Pam in CA]

AGHHHHHH! That is beyond "Ew." I hope you reported him!

Yup. They offered me a bottle of wine as an "I'm sorry." I told them what they could do with their wine. I then got a real apology.

[mr green]

I am not sure if I can call waiting three times during the same week for room to get done after 12 pm, or waiting hours in MDR for our order and then getting wrong dishes, too much service. :)

 

Regarding rooms, our last cabin attendant had 17 rooms to do, some ones room has to be the last to be done.

 

john

[mr green]

This same question was asked and answered in the HAL forum. Perhaps the dead horse doesn't need its bones picked over.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2119030

 

Maybe some of us do not go to the HAL forum, I don't for one.

 

john

[RocketMan275]

This same question was asked and answered in the HAL forum. Perhaps the dead horse doesn't need its bones picked over.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2119030

 

It's not unusual to ask the same comparison type question on both boards since the posters on the Princess board will tend to favor Princess while those on Holland boards will tend to favor Holland. You get both perspectives this way.

[Tatka]

Regarding rooms, our last cabin attendant had 17 rooms to do, some ones room has to be the last to be done.

 

 

 

john

 

 

I understand problems of understaffing, but it should not be our problem, right?

[Wehwalt]

I understand problems of understaffing, but it should not be our problem, right?

 

That is the way I look at it. I try not to make things hard on my cabin attendant, and have been known to haul my recyclables up to Lido deck, but I am paying for and expect a certain level of service. How Princess does things behind the scenes, their level of staffing, is their business until it becomes mine.

[Tatka]

That is the way I look at it. I try not to make things hard on my cabin attendant, and have been known to haul my recyclables up to Lido deck, but I am paying for and expect a certain level of service. How Princess does things behind the scenes, their level of staffing, is their business until it becomes mine.

 

 

It was on HAL. We never complained about our attendant, but did have to call service desk three times during that week to inquire why our cabin was not done. Out of about twenty five cruises this one was the worst in terms of service, which was strange as HAL was supposed to premium mass-market line.

[mr green]

As long as our room is made up by 3.00pm, I for one would not complain.

 

john

[OCruisers]

Island Princess is a wonderful ship! :D

Yes, we sometimes cruise on HAL ... but would always pick Island Princess over any HAL ship and almost any other Princess ship. She's a very long narrow ship with lots of passenger space. Lots to love about Island Princess! :)

LuLu

[JF - retired RRT]

One time, my steward walked into my cabin at 11:15pm at night without knocking while I was undressed and on the john. He knew I was alone in the cabin. Another time, my steward took a "dump" in my toilet and didn't flush. I came back from dinner (after the nightly turndown) and gagged.

 

OMG!!! I hope you complained!!

[Pam in CA]

OMG!!! I hope you complained!!

Hard to ignore my screams. Yes, I let the PSD know I was very upset.

[mamaofami]

This same question was asked and answered in the HAL forum. Perhaps the dead horse doesn't need its bones picked over.

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2119030

 

I purposely asked on both boards because I wanted Princess cruisers to respond too and they have and I am grateful to all who did so. The only thing holding me back from Princess at this point is the beds, My friends are back and we will make a decision soon. You don't have to read this if it bothers you. Your choice so just skip over it. I've gained valuable answers and opinions from both boards.

Edited November 3, 2014 by mamaofami

[rpcv77]

Mamaofami,

I'm glad you got some valuable info here. Ignore the curmudgeons.

[mr green]

I purposely asked on both boards because I wanted Princess cruisers to respond too and they have and I am grateful to all who did so. The only thing holding me back from Princess at this point is the beds, My friends are back and we will make a decision soon. You don't have to read this if it bothers you. Your choice so just skip over it. I've gained valuable answers and opinions from both boards.

 

Re beds on Princess, I have never had a bad one, just the same as on HAL. I just don't know what other people like.

 

john