HAL vs Oceania

[LHT28]

Whilst we like midsized ships I do not like the renaissance class of Azamara and Oceania as we have been on Swan Hellenic on Minerva 2.

 

We had a terrible embarkation at Istanbul. We had Oceania air passage and were surprised on booking to learn that this does not include transportation from airport to ship and the cost of this is astronomic.

 

Sorry to hear your cruise was not great

Just a couple of points the Minerva 2 is less than half the size of the R-ships of Azamara, Oceania & Princess, no comparison

 

Never take the ship's transfers with Oceania if you have other options :D

 

The onshore staff are not employees of the cruise line it depends on the embarkation port but you can get some bad shoreside staff from any cruise line

 

We enjoy Oceania for many reasons

we did enjoy our HAL cruise last yr it is not the same service we got back in 1990 though :(

 

There is no perfect cruise line just ones that suit your needs/wants better

 

Enjoy

Lyn

[Tarpeian Rock]

Someone just posted this on another thread:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/cruiserschoice_index.cfm?Category=Overall&sort=large

 

I couldn't agree with this more. It certainly doesn't speak to Oceania, but it definitely speaks volumes about HAL. 😎

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

 

 

This link goes to the 2015 CC Awards. Was there something specific in there you wanted to point to?

[LHT28]

Someone just posted this on another thread:

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/cruiserschoice_index.cfm?Category=Overall&sort=large

 

I couldn't agree with this more. It certainly doesn't speak to Oceania, but it definitely speaks volumes about HAL.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

These types of polls are useless really

It just depends on who decided to vote in such polls.... does not really give the true picture

 

YMMV

Edited February 23, 2015 by LHT28

[kangforpres]

HAL calls itself and is called by others as a "premium" cruise line. It's direct competitors in the market are Princess, X and Cunard.

 

Oceania is a "luxury" cruise line it's direct competitors are Crystal, Regent and Seaborn.

 

The OP complains that on 3 recent cruises on HAL the experience did live up to their expectations, well that's life and it happens to everyone from time to time.

 

I'm also a Starwood member, when I stay in a Sheraton I do not compare it Staying in a Luxury Collection hotel, it would not be a fair comparison because they offer different levels of service based on the amount I'm willing to pay.

 

The service, food, wine, liquor, and accommodations on Oceania should all be better than what one would experience on HAL, you are paying more for them and you should expect more from any product that calls itself "luxury".

 

Just like auto enthusiasts would not compare a Ford to a BMW, cruise enthusiast should not compare HAL to Oceania. They are different products priced and targeted to different consumers.

 

-Paul

 

8 time satisfied HAL customer, 1 time satisfied Ford customer, numerous times satisfied Starwood customer.

Edited February 24, 2015 by kangforpres

[sammiedawg]

HAL calls itself and is called by others as a "premium" cruise line. It's direct competitors in the market are Princess, X and Cunard.

 

Oceania is a "luxury" cruise line it's direct competitors are Crystal, Regent and Seaborn.

 

The OP complains that on 3 recent cruises on HAL the experience did live up to their expectations, well that's life and it happens to everyone from time to time.

 

I'm also a Starwood member, when I stay in a Sheraton I do not compare it Staying in a Luxury Collection hotel, it would not be a fair comparison because they offer different levels of service based on the amount I'm willing to pay.

 

The service, food, wine, liquor, and accommodations on Oceania should all be better than what one would experience on HAL, you are paying more for them and you should expect more from any product that calls itself "luxury".

 

Just like auto enthusiasts would not compare a Ford to a BMW, cruise enthusiast should not compare HAL to Oceania. They are different products priced and targeted to different consumers.

 

-Paul

 

8 time satisfied HAL customer, 1 time satisfied Ford customer, numerous times satisfied Starwood customer.

 

HAL is considered mass market. My travel agent friend says HAL is hemorrhaging customers for a variety of reasons. Many former HAL customers now sail O and are willing or able to pay more for a better product. Others may feel the extra cost is not worth it if Holland America meets their needs. HAL can be a good value depending on the ship and itinerary. I have nothing booked with them but we will certainly give the new ship a whirl and we are always looking for interesting itineraries.

Oceania is not luxury it is premium, it competes with Azamara.

Comparisons of HAL to Oceania are apples and oranges discussions but the OP on this thread is considering O and specifically asked for comparisons.

The only valid comparison between the two lines is to discuss the Prinsendam, which costs roughly twice the price of other HAL ships. We tried it once, we did not see the value added component. Food and service were standard for the fleet and the ship is old and not in the best condition. I expected more and the Prinsendam did not deliver.

Oceania continue to wow us and I encouraged the OP to try it.

[LHT28]

I agree

Oceania is not a luxury line it is Premium or luxury lite

[baldercash]

These types of polls are useless really

It just depends on who decided to vote in such polls.... does not really give the true picture

 

YMMV

 

The people who vote are the people on Cruise Critic that bother to write a cruise review.

CC gleans the results from the reviews posted so if only disappointed people post it likely holds percentage wise for all the cruise lines. It is actually a very useful tool to evaluate ships and cruise lines.

 

Cruise Critic Cruisers' Choice Awards 2015

 

Rankings are based on ratings given by our members in published member reviews; awards are based on 2014 cruise reviews submitted by February 1, 2015.

Ships must have a minimum number of member reviews and ratings in a particular category in order to be included in that category's top 10 list.

Ship size is designated as follows:

Large ships: 2,000+ passengers (double occupancy)

Mid-size ships: 1,200 - 1999 passengers (double occupancy)

Small ships: 1,199 or fewer passengers (double occupancy)

Ratings shown have been rounded to the first decimal place, although they are calculated to the 8th decimal place and ordered as such; in the unlikely event of an exact tie, tied ships will instead order by the highest number of records entered, then alphabetically.

 

 

The new ships for Princess and NCL are hammered in the reviews and are scoring lower then the lines older ships.

They changed around Oasis on her recent dry dock and she has dropped from last year in overall ratings.

I was booked on the new Quantum and dropped the bookings after reading the reviews.

 

Many CC members complain that people write reviews who have never posted before well there are as many good 1st time posters as bad but I guess when people have been cruising for awhile and experience a really bad cruise they make an effort to let it be known.

Read the reviews on some poorly rated ships and you will find loyalist giving a 4 or 5 star review but describing a poor cruise experience.

Newbies call it as they experience it they have no loyalty to a brand so they don't look for excuses.

So ships that get dumped on in reviews are deserving of it

 

You also have to look at all the different criteria and size of the ships. Seems Azamara scores higher then Oceania in the small class.

 

I find reading a string of ship reviews usually more informative then the threads.

Edited February 24, 2015 by baldercash

[LHT28]

The people who vote are the people on Cruise Critic that bother to write a cruise review.

CC gleans the results from the reviews posted so if only disappointed people post it likely holds percentage wise for all the cruise lines. It is actually a very useful tool to evaluate ships and cruise lines.

 

 

Like I said useless :D

 

We can agree to disagree

[galensgrl]

HAL calls itself and is called by others as a "premium" cruise line. It's direct competitors in the market are Princess, X and Cunard.

 

Oceania is a "luxury" cruise line it's direct competitors are Crystal, Regent and Seaborn.

 

The OP complains that on 3 recent cruises on HAL the experience did live up to their expectations, well that's life and it happens to everyone from time to time.

 

I'm also a Starwood member, when I stay in a Sheraton I do not compare it Staying in a Luxury Collection hotel, it would not be a fair comparison because they offer different levels of service based on the amount I'm willing to pay.

 

The service, food, wine, liquor, and accommodations on Oceania should all be better than what one would experience on HAL, you are paying more for them and you should expect more from any product that calls itself "luxury".

 

Just like auto enthusiasts would not compare a Ford to a BMW, cruise enthusiast should not compare HAL to Oceania. They are different products priced and targeted to different consumers.

 

-Paul

 

8 time satisfied HAL customer, 1 time satisfied Ford customer, numerous times satisfied Starwood customer.

 

This is true. Before we booked our cruise with HAL in May, we were shopping for something different than the cruise line that's famous for giving it's guests the freedom to do "whatever." After three really good and one so-so cruise, we felt we were ready for something more for our dollars. We looked at Oceania and we were thinking it would be worth the extra money, and were ready to book. The snafu came with the exorbitant price they wanted to upgrade the airfare to first class. Economy flight was free, a first class upgrade cost for two was almost as much as the cruise fare, practically doubling the cost. It was almost as much as the cost for the cruise in a concierge verandah cabin! My husband has mobility issues so he has to have first class seating. I could have gone economy and he first class, but he didn't want to do that either. I know first class airfare is expensive, but add first class round-trip airfare for two to a luxury cruise, and get ready to break into the piggy bank, because it is very, very pricey. I am not bad mouthing Oceania, we were very naiive about the cost of first class airfare in conjunction with a cruise. If you don't take the free economy flight, there is no discount on upgrading airfare to first class. Should've known that I guess. So after looking at Cruise Critic and hearing good things about HAL from past guests who we know, we decided to give it a try. One good thing about driving to the port we are leaving from makes hauling formal wear a lot easier I'm sure, we don't have to worry so much about the weight of our bags. Our HAL cruise to Bermuda is just about two months away now but we can hardly wait. The "HAL" people who post seem like a lively bunch, I think we will have a nice time. After all, we will be on a cruise!!! :D Happy cruising!

 

Lorie

Edited February 24, 2015 by galensgrl

[baldercash]

Like I said useless :D

 

We can agree to disagree

So you are saying your own opinion is of no value so why bother to state it?

[LHT28]

The snafu came with the exorbitant price they wanted to upgrade the airfare to first class.

Lorie

 

You do know that you can book CRUISE ONLY fare

they will take off the air credit

 

Airfare is included but not free.... you are paying for bulk tickets

sometimes it works sometimes you are better to book your own air flights

[mancunian]

Sorry to hear your cruise was not great

Just a couple of points the Minerva 2 is less than half the size of the R-ships of Azamara, Oceania & Princess, no comparison

 

Sorry but you are incorrect on this point. Minerva 2 was exactly the same renaissance ship as Azamara and Oceania. In fact it was then passed on to Princess. The current Minerva is as you say a much smaller ship which they had originally before getting the Minerva 2 and a few years later bought back.

[mancunian]

Hi Ruth

Yes, I think deep down we both really prefer HAL. To be honest I think I feel the ambience to be the most important thing about the cruise.

 

Yes I loved the milkshakes too in fact I loved Waves food generally. I also very much liked their non alcoholic pina colada which was free like the other non alcoholic drinks. Sadly on our cruise they ran out so many more must like them too. No - I didn't drink them all. Sadly because of various medications I cannot now drink alcohol - just a half glass of wine occasionally on a good day. Why is it that the most enjoyable things are usually the most fattening!!

 

I guess I am not really the luxury hotel type - a few days is a novelty then I get bored.

 

Angela

[sammiedawg]

You do know that you can book CRUISE ONLY fare

they will take off the air credit

 

Airfare is included but not free.... you are paying for bulk tickets

sometimes it works sometimes you are better to book your own air flights

 

This is absolutely true, we've taken an air credit every time but our original booking includes the air. Book the cruise, monitor the air prices, consider using flyer mileage or credit card points just as you would for any other trip. Book your own air, hotels, transfers, pre and post hotels, it is very easy to do. Or have a TA book.

It is very important to work with a travel agent who understands the pros and cons of Oceania air and knows the deadline to cancel the air.

We are being heavily courted by Regent and they offer good deals on business class.

[Hlitner]

You do know that you can book CRUISE ONLY fare

they will take off the air credit

 

Airfare is included but not free.... you are paying for bulk tickets

sometimes it works sometimes you are better to book your own air flights

 

This is an issue that keeps us away from Oceania (despite many phone calls from one of their reps). DW and I have no interest in their airfare since we usually spend significant time (both pre and post cruise) on land. But when you ask Oceania for a cruise only price they give you a very small adjustment for cruise-only...making their pricing too high for our taste. I actually complained to an Oceania rep that it seems like Oceania does not really care to sell cruise-only (which he denied).

 

Hank

[sammiedawg]

This is an issue that keeps us away from Oceania (despite many phone calls from one of their reps). DW and I have no interest in their airfare since we usually spend significant time (both pre and post cruise) on land. But when you ask Oceania for a cruise only price they give you a very small adjustment for cruise-only...making their pricing too high for our taste. I actually complained to an Oceania rep that it seems like Oceania does not really care to sell cruise-only (which he denied).

 

Hank

 

Oceania costs more, no matter what pricing method you use. HAL can be a good value but their food and service have deteriorated so much, their aging fleet has so many issues with AC and plumbing, you get what you pay for.

[Hlitner]

Oceania costs more, no matter what pricing method you use. HAL can be a good value but their food and service have deteriorated so much, their aging fleet has so many issues with AC and plumbing, you get what you pay for.

 

Agree! Especially with your HAL deterioration issues. But there are plenty of other options besides both HAL and Oceania (we have been on 14 different cruise lines) and we always keep an open mind. While Oceania might have a better product, we do question the pricing on their two old R-ships which have normal size cabins that are often priced a bit high. There are other luxury lines that often offer a better value, although some of these cruises can cost even more then Oceania (on a cost per passenger day).

 

As to HAL, we think they have gone from a once Premium Cruise line to near the bottom of the mass-market category. But, forty+ years of cruising has taught us that its a very dynamic industry and each line makes necessary adjustments or soon ceases to exist (Regency and Renaissance come to mind). We have faith that HAL will eventually see the error of their cut-back ways and bring the line back to its previous excellent standards. Meanwhile, we have sworn-off HAL in favor of other lines. When it comes to cruises folks have lots of choices and we prefer to vote with our dollars.

 

Hank

[LHT28]

Sorry to hear your cruise was not great

Just a couple of points the Minerva 2 is less than half the size of the R-ships of Azamara, Oceania & Princess, no comparison

 

Sorry but you are incorrect on this point. Minerva 2 was exactly the same renaissance ship as Azamara and Oceania. In fact it was then passed on to Princess. The current Minerva is as you say a much smaller ship which they had originally before getting the Minerva 2 and a few years later bought back.

 

Sorry my mistake

Confused the 2 ships

The old R 8 was indeed Minerva II now Adonia

[LHT28]

This is absolutely true, we've taken an air credit every time but our original booking includes the air. Book the cruise, monitor the air prices, consider using flyer mileage or credit card points just as you would for any other trip. Book your own air, hotels, transfers, pre and post hotels, it is very easy to do. Or have a TA book.

It is very important to work with a travel agent who understands the pros and cons of Oceania air and knows the deadline to cancel the air.

We are being heavily courted by Regent and they offer good deals on business class.

 

I agree on a good TA that knows the Oceania ins & outs is very important

 

Regent is too overpriced for us as we do rarely drink or take ships excursions that you pay for whether you use the service or not at least with the O air you can opt-out

 

People should choose a cruiseline that works best for their needs/wants

Edited February 24, 2015 by LHT28

[LHT28]

While Oceania might have a better product, we do question the pricing on their two old R-ships which have normal size cabins that are often priced a bit high. There are other luxury lines that often offer a better value, although some of these cruises can cost even more then Oceania (on a cost per passenger day).

 

Hank

 

It is important to choose a cruise that works best for you not because of the price

 

BTW Oceania has 3 small R ships soon to be 4 ;)

 

Enjoy what ever cruise you choose

[DeeniEncinitas]

Heard great things on O! We are deciding HAL, VIKING OCEAN, or O! Still doing our research!

[LHT28]

Heard great things on O! We are deciding HAL, VIKING OCEAN, or O! Still doing our research!

 

I am also waiting for reviews on Viking Oceans

the only thing I did not like was they want full payment up front even a yr in advance

Other than that it looks good

 

Lyn

[DeeniEncinitas]

I am also waiting for reviews on Viking Oceans

the only thing I did not like was they want full payment up front even a yr in advance

Other than that it looks good

 

Lyn

 

Lyn,

I know!!!!!! I was surprised! We have friends doing the the first cruise in May, so waiting to hear? I do know that you need to book a jr. Suite or better to get all the perks. The Verandahs are nice, but limits on a lot of things. So we will see. Looking doing the Med cruise like we did on the Nieuw last year. Want to compare.

[SilvertoGold]

Mancunian, you have summed up many of my observations about Oceania very well. I should have skipped posting, and just waited for you to come along!

But those burgers, fries, and milk shakes at Waves were to die for!

 

Milkshakes! MILKSHAKES!!

 

Chocolate??

 

Oh oh!!

 

Don't tell my husband! His one consistent complaint with HAL: no milkshakes. He would even pay for them (!!!!).

[sammiedawg]

I am also waiting for reviews on Viking Oceans

the only thing I did not like was they want full payment up front even a yr in advance

Other than that it looks good

 

Lyn

 

Viking ocean needs to vastly improve their food based on our River cruise last summer. I would need to read multiple reviews before I booked. On a scale to ten I would give it a five for food.

I was very put off by their pay in advance rules, we did not. We got a last minute inclusive deal from one of the Internet agencies selling cruises and vacations online, including air and transfers. The price was so good I didn't worry about air deviation issues or upgrades. They flew us on Delta coach.