Back to Non HAL After HAL

[qsuzi]

Here is my 29 year old perspective. :D Many have suggested that my fiance and are "too young" to sail HAL and that we should try MSC or Norwegian but I just can't quite get myself to book with them. The rock climbing walls, water slides, large crowds and younger demographic don't enthrall me at all. I prefer formal dining and quiet pool time. Therefore the lines on the absolute bottom of my future cruise list are RCCL and Carnival because of the above listed things.

 

I've sailed 4x with HAL on the N. Amsterdam and Rotterdam. I LOVE HAL Ships for their class, their staff, and the clientele! I never thought I would stray... but just recently I sailed on the Azamara Quest because they had an amazing sale on an itinerary my mother had wanted to go on for a long time. The clientele on Azamara skewed older but more healthy and active than HAL and the staff confirmed that the clientele really doesn't change much no matter the itinerary. Besides one or two pre-teens that were lecturer's children I was THE only person under 40 besides crew. The whole time I was on the boat I was definitely comparing it to HAL on many levels and most definitely was missing HAL in some aspects. I think I annoyed my mother with all my comparisons!

 

But there were several big "win me overs" for me with Azamara:

1. smaller ship and fewer people (our particular sailing sailed less than half capacity. Normal capacity is 702 and I heard numerous reports of our ship sailing with 250-300 people)

2. Longer times in port. We stayed late into the night at many ports and had overnight stays.

3. It is more all-inclusive (large list of alcohol, wine, beer, soft drinks and coffee is included in your fare). It was so nice to not have to use my key card for anything but getting into my room!

4. The captain and senior staff was very accessible, approachable and very personable. The captain (and his wife and children) would dine in public areas and were commonly seen about the boat mingling with passengers. The captain made lengthy appearances at most events and was very talkative over the PA.

 

That being said Azamara without sales or incentives is definitely cost prohibitive.

 

What I missed the most from HAL?

1. The food! While Azamara did more exotic and regional cuisines I did miss HAL's buffet and MDR menus. I also missed the midnight buffet.

2. The Dutch officers and the staff in general

3. The familiarity

4. The days of the week on the elevator floors :p

 

My only real gripe about HAL is their entertainment. I'm not expecting Cirque du Soleil or anything but I did feel like Azamara one up-ed them on entertainment as far as alternatives to the main show. I will admit the few main evening shows I attended on Azamara were similar to HAL's and I ended up skipping most.

 

I will be taking HAL again this October for my honeymoon and will be interested to see how I feel now that I have sailed another line. I'll admit I am a bit worried! :eek:

 

Very interesting comments and it's nice to hear that age does not define what is the best fit for everyone. Thanks for giving those of us not familiar, a glimpse of Azamara. The newer Carnival ships have so much more to offer than the Joe Farcas eras and RCI is much more than rock climbing walls. To me any cruise line is a balance of pros and cons and for now you seem to have found your fit. Wishing you a magical honeymoon in October and a blessed marriage. What HAL ship will be sailing on?

[elusive_23]

Very interesting comments and it's nice to hear that age does not define what is the best fit for everyone. Thanks for giving those of us not familiar, a glimpse of Azamara. The newer Carnival ships have so much more to offer than the Joe Farcas eras and RCI is much more than rock climbing walls. To me any cruise line is a balance of pros and cons and for now you seem to have found your fit. Wishing you a magical honeymoon in October and a blessed marriage. What HAL ship will be sailing on?

 

Thank you! I'm sure one day my fiance will be able to persuade me to try another cruise line. He would really like to try NCL because of what he has heard from friends and I would rather not from what I have heard from my parents! I just wish there was a way to spend one day on each ship just to get the gist of it before booking something longer and regretting it!

 

As to our magical honeymoon :D we will be doing the 21 day Southern Caribbean Seafarer/Wayfarer on the Oosterdam.

[1aCruise4wks]

My ranking...

 

Based on my most recent HAL cruise in February 2015, I rank them...

 

1. Princess

2. HAL

3. Norwegian

 

On Princess, the service has gotten to be top-notch. We like the night-life there - lively but not wild. The Pizza is excellent. The other food is decent and available 24/7.

 

On HAL, the food is a bit better than Princess, especially the Soups. We love the steamer chairs outside on Promenade Deck. But, the service has declined on HAL and there is very little entertainment.

 

My experience with Norwegian is ancient so I'm reluctant to share my experiences of so long ago.

[Laurino]

1. HAL

2. Celebrity

3. Princess

 

Have only been on four cruises in four years. Agree with what others have said before. It's very difficult to compare since itinerary, weather, emotions, cruise line policies etc change. My/our 'mental state'/ how I feel at the time, seems to have the biggest impact on the experience - it overrides small product differences between the cruise brands. Itinerary and/or scenery is extremely important, for us it would be a waste (flights, money, environmental impact) to consider a ship a destination. We've also found that repeating a destination (even though you have fond memories from the first time) can quickly make it less exciting the second time. We are not that old at 35 and 41, but completely uninterested in nightlife and bars. Do lots of sightseeing during the days, history-culture-nature-technology and some shopping, we're tired every night and relax in our cabin and turn in early.

 

1:st cruise, HAL Zuiderdam, Alaska, May 2011. Wonderful, but dazed by the first cruise experience. Remember mostly constantly walking the promenade deck and watching the scenery of the Inside passage and Alaska. Cold and overcast but spectacular scenery. Good service and food. Really liked the Lido, MDR too slow. Went full Formal with rented tux. Didn't have time to try everything onboard. Didn't like the decor. Great cabin and bed. Small balcony because of lifeboats. Unmemorable entertainment. Good lectures. Great itinerary with both Inside passage, Tracy arm and Glacier bay. Had built up a mental image of HAL from brochures, CC etc that perhaps wasn't quite fulfilled.

 

2:nd cruise, X Equinox, C America, Dec 2012. Wowed by ship interior design, but not exterior. Didn't like walking in full sun on the short jogging track, promenade deck a disgrace. Hot Glass show great, my partner spent hours up there. Lido good layout but boring repetetive food, not as fresh as HAL. However MDR high quality, quick service and many 2-top tables. Good lectures again, also interesting tech talks about the ship. Much better entertainment including a great aerialist show and good solos. More varied dining/speciality, Murano very good. Narrow cabin, great bathroom with glass shower stall. Took only ships excursions because afraid of language barriers, safety etc - they were all good (except Panama) but too pricey and too slow, won't do that again. Loved afternoon tea from Lido on aft outside deck, watching sail away. Service friendly but a bit 'stuck up' in the restaurants. Beautiful Christmas decorations. Great itinerary to the main land with ruins culture etc, didn't want beaches and small islands. Didn't feel that comparable to previous cruise, because of different itinerary, time of year, cruise line etc.

 

3:rd cruise, P Emerald, Caribbean, Dec 2013. Now it got different. Wanted a winter escape at a good price. Also married after booking, so turned it into a honeymoon(!). Many small factors made this a less enjoyable cruise. Repeated some stuff in Florida (Disney etc), less exciting this time. A more simple itinerary only with Caribbean islands, Aruba and Bonaire was boring, ship skipped Princess Cays because of bad weather, however Grenada-Dominica-St Thomas were great. Basically no culture, less activities, more beaches and some nature. Rained, especially on Bonaire. Also unfortunately started to compare cruise/ship to Celebrity before. Small cabin no sofa, minuscule shower, downgraded from balcony to obstructed OV - OK considering the savings. New years celebrations on board great. MDR service felt rushed and didn't like the food at all, did Lido instead. Horrible coffee. Fantastic pizza! Service overall efficient but less friendly. Strange layout in Lido but great variety with different themes every night, still not so fresh food as HAL. Unmemorable entertainment again, no lectures, focus on movies rather than live performances. Lots of outdoor pools. Nice with a wraparound promenade, but annoying with the exposed bow and the stairs. Elegant decor in the Piazza, the rest more sedate than HAL but not better either. Our biggest ship so far, lots of people. Overall not so good, but probably some circumstances that made our assessment a bit unfair to Princess.

 

4:th cruise, HAL N Amsterdam, Mediterranean July 2014. Amazing cruise. But incidentally - got a great deal, extremely long relaxing 24 night cruise, beautiful hot calm weather, very consistent service and food quality onboard. Itinerary - not so exciting for us to travel in Europe, but many first visits in Greece, Balkan and especially Turkey, second part in Italy-France-Spain were mostly familiar ports and much less interesting. By disembarkation in Barcelona, we had actually seen and done so much, and we were quite frankly tired and didn't do that city any justice at all. We noticed some downgrades from HAL - Adagio Strings shrunk to a duo, no midnight dessert buffet, no special topic lectures only bundled-up port talks, felt cabanas were in the way, Crow's nest - library combo noisy. Some upgrades - BB Kings made great entertainment, Dive-in grill fantastic, Tamarind good (no 'upgrade', just different from Zuiderdam) and Silk den a great daytime lounge for reading, great themed dinner bbq/buffets by the Seaview pool. However strong points important to us - quick service and impeccable food in MDR, great breakfast in Lido, great and friendly service everywhere, a great cabin (though obstructed OV) and great cabin stewards. Entertainment not improved except BB Kings. Really liked Culinary arts center presentations. Lido also good lunch but dinner seemed too casual all of the sudden - preferred the elegance of MDR. Pinnacle Filet Mignon to die for, but an unvaried menu compared to Murano. Ship more modern and elegant than Zuiderdam and Emerald, great artwork, though could be brighter and airier compared to Equinox. Again great with the shaded promenade deck on a warm cruise. Took a ship tour - a highlight.

 

Sorry for the long rant - should go to bed now :o

Overall HAL is slightly ahead right now. However Celebrity does give HAL a run for the money. Very interested in Koningsdam, seems to me as a great 'merger' of HALs and Celebritys strong points ;) will however lament the views from promenade deck.

[dogo88]

This is a great thread. It's interesting to read all the comments, both pro and con for each line. I added my 2 cents early on.

 

If you had asked me a year and a half ago my opinion of HAL, I would be gushing all the positives and been critical of past cruises on other lines. But we tried some of the newer ships and while they are different than HAL they are not a good or bad different.

 

We're now leaving on one of HALs oldest ships on Sunday and are looking forward to the trip. Cabin is smaller, food may not be as good as before, service may be a bit off, but regardless it's a cruise that we will enjoy a lot.

 

So basically each line offers a different experience coupled with ports to visit. All have their pros and cons but they overlap a lot.

 

Never had a bad cruise.

 

Dan

Edited March 18, 2015 by dogo88
spelling

[qsuzi]

My ranking...

 

Based on my most recent HAL cruise in February 2015, I rank them...

 

1. Princess

2. HAL

3. Norwegian

 

On Princess, the service has gotten to be top-notch. We like the night-life there - lively but not wild. The Pizza is excellent. The other food is decent and available 24/7.

 

On HAL, the food is a bit better than Princess, especially the Soups. We love the steamer chairs outside on Promenade Deck. But, the service has declined on HAL and there is very little entertainment.

 

My experience with Norwegian is ancient so I'm reluctant to share my experiences of so long ago.

 

Thanks for adding your comments.

[qsuzi]

1. HAL

2. Celebrity

3. Princess

 

Have only been on four cruises in four years. Agree with what others have said before. It's very difficult to compare since itinerary, weather, emotions, cruise line policies etc change. My/our 'mental state'/ how I feel at the time, seems to have the biggest impact on the experience - it overrides small product differences between the cruise brands. Itinerary and/or scenery is extremely important, for us it would be a waste (flights, money, environmental impact) to consider a ship a destination. We've also found that repeating a destination (even though you have fond memories from the first time) can quickly make it less exciting the second time. We are not that old at 35 and 41, but completely uninterested in nightlife and bars. Do lots of sightseeing during the days, history-culture-nature-technology and some shopping, we're tired every night and relax in our cabin and turn in early.

 

1:st cruise, HAL Zuiderdam, Alaska, May 2011. Wonderful, but dazed by the first cruise experience. Remember mostly constantly walking the promenade deck and watching the scenery of the Inside passage and Alaska. Cold and overcast but spectacular scenery. Good service and food. Really liked the Lido, MDR too slow. Went full Formal with rented tux. Didn't have time to try everything onboard. Didn't like the decor. Great cabin and bed. Small balcony because of lifeboats. Unmemorable entertainment. Good lectures. Great itinerary with both Inside passage, Tracy arm and Glacier bay. Had built up a mental image of HAL from brochures, CC etc that perhaps wasn't quite fulfilled.

 

2:nd cruise, X Equinox, C America, Dec 2012. Wowed by ship interior design, but not exterior. Didn't like walking in full sun on the short jogging track, promenade deck a disgrace. Hot Glass show great, my partner spent hours up there. Lido good layout but boring repetetive food, not as fresh as HAL. However MDR high quality, quick service and many 2-top tables. Good lectures again, also interesting tech talks about the ship. Much better entertainment including a great aerialist show and good solos. More varied dining/speciality, Murano very good. Narrow cabin, great bathroom with glass shower stall. Took only ships excursions because afraid of language barriers, safety etc - they were all good (except Panama) but too pricey and too slow, won't do that again. Loved afternoon tea from Lido on aft outside deck, watching sail away. Service friendly but a bit 'stuck up' in the restaurants. Beautiful Christmas decorations. Great itinerary to the main land with ruins culture etc, didn't want beaches and small islands. Didn't feel that comparable to previous cruise, because of different itinerary, time of year, cruise line etc.

 

3:rd cruise, P Emerald, Caribbean, Dec 2013. Now it got different. Wanted a winter escape at a good price. Also married after booking, so turned it into a honeymoon(!). Many small factors made this a less enjoyable cruise. Repeated some stuff in Florida (Disney etc), less exciting this time. A more simple itinerary only with Caribbean islands, Aruba and Bonaire was boring, ship skipped Princess Cays because of bad weather, however Grenada-Dominica-St Thomas were great. Basically no culture, less activities, more beaches and some nature. Rained, especially on Bonaire. Also unfortunately started to compare cruise/ship to Celebrity before. Small cabin no sofa, minuscule shower, downgraded from balcony to obstructed OV - OK considering the savings. New years celebrations on board great. MDR service felt rushed and didn't like the food at all, did Lido instead. Horrible coffee. Fantastic pizza! Service overall efficient but less friendly. Strange layout in Lido but great variety with different themes every night, still not so fresh food as HAL. Unmemorable entertainment again, no lectures, focus on movies rather than live performances. Lots of outdoor pools. Nice with a wraparound promenade, but annoying with the exposed bow and the stairs. Elegant decor in the Piazza, the rest more sedate than HAL but not better either. Our biggest ship so far, lots of people. Overall not so good, but probably some circumstances that made our assessment a bit unfair to Princess.

 

4:th cruise, HAL N Amsterdam, Mediterranean July 2014. Amazing cruise. But incidentally - got a great deal, extremely long relaxing 24 night cruise, beautiful hot calm weather, very consistent service and food quality onboard. Itinerary - not so exciting for us to travel in Europe, but many first visits in Greece, Balkan and especially Turkey, second part in Italy-France-Spain were mostly familiar ports and much less interesting. By disembarkation in Barcelona, we had actually seen and done so much, and we were quite frankly tired and didn't do that city any justice at all. We noticed some downgrades from HAL - Adagio Strings shrunk to a duo, no midnight dessert buffet, no special topic lectures only bundled-up port talks, felt cabanas were in the way, Crow's nest - library combo noisy. Some upgrades - BB Kings made great entertainment, Dive-in grill fantastic, Tamarind good (no 'upgrade', just different from Zuiderdam) and Silk den a great daytime lounge for reading, great themed dinner bbq/buffets by the Seaview pool. However strong points important to us - quick service and impeccable food in MDR, great breakfast in Lido, great and friendly service everywhere, a great cabin (though obstructed OV) and great cabin stewards. Entertainment not improved except BB Kings. Really liked Culinary arts center presentations. Lido also good lunch but dinner seemed too casual all of the sudden - preferred the elegance of MDR. Pinnacle Filet Mignon to die for, but an unvaried menu compared to Murano. Ship more modern and elegant than Zuiderdam and Emerald, great artwork, though could be brighter and airier compared to Equinox. Again great with the shaded promenade deck on a warm cruise. Took a ship tour - a highlight.

 

Sorry for the long rant - should go to bed now :o

Overall HAL is slightly ahead right now. However Celebrity does give HAL a run for the money. Very interested in Koningsdam, seems to me as a great 'merger' of HALs and Celebritys strong points ;) will however lament the views from promenade deck.

 

Lots of information to digest in your comments. Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts.

[qsuzi]

This is a great thread. It's interesting to read all the comments, both pro and con for each line. I added my 2 cents early on.

 

If you had asked me a year and a half ago my opinion of HAL, I would be gushing all the positives and been critical of past cruises on other lines. But we tried some of the newer ships and while they are different than HAL they are not a good or bad different.

 

We're now leaving on one of HALs oldest ships on Sunday and are looking forward to the trip. Cabin is smaller, food may not be as good as before, service may be a bit off, but regardless it's a cruise that we will enjoy a lot.

 

So basically each line offers a different experience coupled with ports to visit. All have their pros and cons but they overlap a lot.

 

Never had a bad cruise.

 

Dan

They do overlap alot and frankly it's so difficult sometimes to accurately rate because one's memory fades and our wants, values, and needs change over the years.

[qsuzi]

Thanks for starting this thread. I think it's an excellent discussion and I enjoy reading the varied opinions. I'm going to give you a different perspective. I cruise at least once a month and have cruised all the major lines numerous times. I'm not bragging - I just have part ownership of a large travel company.

 

I like that HAL is unique in the cruise industry but for me, they rank rather low. It's my opinion their biggest detriment is being part of Carnival Corp who isn't exactly known for being new and exciting. By that, I mean they don't have enough variety in the individual fleets. Carnival Cruise Line has been expanding on the same old ship design since Destiny and Conquest Class. HAL's Vista and Signature Classes are almost identical. Even Princess was stuck with the same old layout until recently. As a very frequent cruiser, I want to see different. Sameness gets boring to me. HAL needs to come into this century. I'm excited about Koningsdam, but so far HAL's inability to install new technology and their resistance to banning balcony smoking has me looking (and suggesting) elsewhere.

 

My rankings of the major lines are as follows. I've also cruised several luxury lines, but I'll leave those out.

 

1. Celebrity

2. Royal Caribbean

3. Disney

4. Princess

5. MSC

6. Holland America

7. Carnival

8. Costa

9. NCL

 

Celebrity only has 2 ship classes (excluding the Century who is by herself), but they hit a grand slam with Solstice Class. I also favor them for their very restrictive smoking policy.

 

Royal Caribbean cannot be matched when it comes to variety and entertainment. Their ships are so different from one another, it's almost like there are 4 different cruise lines within RCI. For example, a cruise on Oasis is nothing at all similar to a cruise on Radiance.

 

The wild card in this is MSC. I was blown away by my cruise on Divina and I enjoyed it much more than I thought I would.

 

Like most of the others, NCL is at the bottom. I've had too many bad experiences with Freestyle and if it's possible to get too casual, NCL has achieved it. On no other cruise line have I seen so many tank tops and baseball caps worn in the MDR and NCL's level of service matches the passengers' unwillingness to present themselves decently.

 

Thanks so much for adding a different perspective. Please clarify why you say HAL is unique in the cruise industry? Sailing so frequently and sampling each class of ship on many lines really does help give balance and a more accurate comparison between cruise lines. Is your ranking of HAL lower than what you would have given them say 5 years ago? We started out on Princess but left them for the last almost 5 years until recently and were so glad we returned.

Edited March 19, 2015 by qsuzi

[Friend100]

What are some of the things you liked about the Eurodam Friend?

 

For us it is the overall atmosphere - a sense of adhering to the tradition, the dark colouring, not following the latest trend, not glamour, subtle, laid-back, quiet, classy.

 

We also feel the quality of food (at Lido, MDR, hotdog/burgers/pizza) are better than Liberty of the Seas. However, RCI's dining room is more elegant and their service is better.

 

Here are a few pictures:

 

 

 

 

Here is Liberty of the Seas:

 

[Cruzaholic41]

Thank you for your post; I enjoyed reading your perspective since you have so much experience with so many cruise lines.

 

Just one question, you say that you like that HAL is unique in the industry - in what way are they unique compared to the other lines?

 

Thanks so much for adding a different perspective. Please clarify why you say HAL is unique in the cruise industry? Sailing so frequently and sampling each class of ship on many lines really does help give balance and a more accurate comparison between cruise lines. Is your ranking of HAL lower than what you would have given them say 5 years ago? We started out on Princess but left them for the last almost 5 years until recently and were so glad we returned.

 

I think HAL is unique in that they offer the most traditional cruise experience of all the major cruise lines. They're like Cunard, only not quite as luxurious.

 

5 years ago - actually, let me go back to when HAL's newest ships were Vista Class and Celebrity's were Millennium Class, and pre-Oasis Class, and pre Princess Royal Class. That's what, 7 years ago? I'd rank HAL a little higher then. In fact, I thought HAL and Celebrity were equals back then. However, in late 2008 I stepped aboard the brand new Celebrity Solstice and was blown away. Seeing my photos scroll across my stateroom television screen - the fact people were not allowed to smoke on balconies - the awe of walking around that beautiful ship - HAL was left in the dust. And what was HAL's answer? Adding a restaurant and taking away pool deck space with fee cabanas and calling the new ship Signature Class.

[qsuzi]

For us it is the overall atmosphere - a sense of adhering to the tradition, the dark colouring, not following the latest trend, not glamour, subtle, laid-back, quiet, classy.

 

We also feel the quality of food (at Lido, MDR, hotdog/burgers/pizza) are better than Liberty of the Seas. However, RCI's dining room is more elegant and their service is better.

Very nice pix Friend. So nice of you to share them. I struggled with describing the Veendam but said comforting and comfortable but subtle and laid back are good descriptions. It is not as beautiful, especially the atrium was disappointing, but it gives the same relaxing feeling as if you were home.

Edited March 19, 2015 by qsuzi

[qsuzi]

I think HAL is unique in that they offer the most traditional cruise experience of all the major cruise lines. They're like Cunard, only not quite as luxurious.

 

5 years ago - actually, let me go back to when HAL's newest ships were Vista Class and Celebrity's were Millennium Class, and pre-Oasis Class, and pre Princess Royal Class. That's what, 7 years ago? I'd rank HAL a little higher then. In fact, I thought HAL and Celebrity were equals back then. However, in late 2008 I stepped aboard the brand new Celebrity Solstice and was blown away. Seeing my photos scroll across my stateroom television screen - the fact people were not allowed to smoke on balconies - the awe of walking around that beautiful ship - HAL was left in the dust. And what was HAL's answer? Adding a restaurant and taking away pool deck space with fee cabanas and calling the new ship Signature Class.

Thanks for clarifying. My boss raved about the Millennium class. Do you know if the new HAL ships include more modern technology, e.g., kiosks, boards showing resturant status, interactive TV with various information available including account status?

[Aquahound]

Do you know if the new HAL ships include more modern technology, e.g., kiosks, boards showing resturant status, interactive TV with various information available including account status?

 

I cruised HAL's newest ship, Nieuw Amsterdam, in 2012 and it had none of that.

Edited March 19, 2015 by Aquahound

[qsuzi]

I cruised HAL's newest ship, Nieuw Amsterdam, in 2012 and it had none of that.

 

Why oh why not HAL? How is making those kind of updates/changes detrimental to traditional cruising. It is win win for ship staff and passengers.

[Krazy Kruizers]

For the last several years we have stayed with HAL. Mainly because of the larger cabins, friendly crew and good food.

While we were first trying HAL, we were still sailing on Princess and Norwegian. We gave up Norwegian when they started the Freestyle thing. Even though we are Elite on Princess, we gave them up because we couldn't stand their food -- JMO.

Did only 1 cruise on RCI and was not impressed with them (many, many years ago).

Cunard gave up their small ships or we would still be sailing them.

[qsuzi]

For the last several years we have stayed with HAL. Mainly because of the larger cabins, friendly crew and good food.

While we were first trying HAL, we were still sailing on Princess and Norwegian. We gave up Norwegian when they started the Freestyle thing. Even though we are Elite on Princess, we gave them up because we couldn't stand their food -- JMO.

Did only 1 cruise on RCI and was not impressed with them (many, many years ago).

Cunard gave up their small ships or we would still be sailing them.

 

Thanks for adding your comments. Nice to see kudo's for HAL. If you decide to try Princess again, hopefully you will like the food better. We were not impressed with the Grandeur, our first RCI cruise. Depending on the reasons you didn't like them, another cruise on RCI might be a better experience. I'm glad we tried them again - it's my husband's favorite at the moment.

Edited March 19, 2015 by qsuzi

[Laurino]

I cruised HAL's newest ship, Nieuw Amsterdam, in 2012 and it had none of that.

 

When we cruised N Amsterdam last summer, they had displays in the hallways with interactive sea charts and ship info. Also they had kiosks for booking shore excursions. However no kiosks or interactive cabin TV for photos, onboard account, restaurants etc. That would be appreciated.

[Hugahav]

We've only been on 3 cruises, but our favourites were:

 

#1 - Oceania ~ hands down the best food we've had on a cruise ship, and even better than many land-based restaurants we've tried. From the MDR to the Specialty restaurants, to the Lido, it was always amazing. The ship (Regatta) was beautiful; small and intimate and hubby and I loved the "country club casual" dress code. The staterooms, though small, were well laid out and the bed was more comfortable than our bed at home, LOL. Service was extremely attentive without being obtrusive. They lose points for entertainment though, evenings were often rather quiet. We also thought the bar prices were a bit steep.

 

#2 - HAL ~ Our last cruise was on the Noordam, on a B2B Caribbean Wayfarer/Seafarer in 2009. We loved our experience on HAL! The food was very good (although not as incredible as Oceania), our stateroom was very comfortable and service was excellent. Everywhere we went, we were greeted (often by name) and it just seemed the crew couldn't do enough for us. We believe one of HAL's great strengths is it's people. There was a greater variety of entertainment compared to Oceania, but nothing that knocked our socks off.

 

#3 - Celebrity ~ X comes in last for us, but not because we had a bad experience overall. It was our first ever cruise (on the Zenith) and we were so excited about it. The food on X was great and service was pretty good, but I hated our cabin. We had a tiny little OV cabin with twin beds that couldn't be configured to a queen. The mattress on that little bed was one of the most uncomfortable things I've ever tried to sleep on and as a consequence, by the end of our 10-day cruise I was seriously sleep-deprived. Hubby was ok because I honestly believe he could sleep on a rock if need be. That aside, I'd be open to trying Celebrity again. The Zenith has since been retired and I've been eyeing a possible future cruise on the Equinox.

 

We'd definitely sail with O and HAL again and I'd love to try Princess one day. :D

[Rutheth]

#1 Celebrity - we found the service to be great. Anytime dining worked well. Food was delicious. No lines really. Entertainment was pretty good. Loved the new style of the Equinox and the indoor pools. Organisation of food stations in the lido means it flows quickly.

 

#2 - HAL - Cabins seem larger but only sailed inside cabins on HAL. Good range of food for room service. DVDs to rent is good for long cruises. Food is good. enjoy that the food in the MDR is also I the buffet are in the evening. Love the happy hours for cocktails. Must say I like the Elemis products too. Promenade deck is a lovely area to sit on and walk around after dinner. Entertainment is not as good. Guests seem to be older on the whole. HAL is #1 for DH. Didn't enjoy the need to book for anytime dining if wanting to eat at a peak time without lining up. Loved HMC. Great itineraries offered.

 

#3 RCI - though this is very debatable with NCL as we have been on more cruises with them and our only RCI cruise was 2011. We enjoyed the ease of anytime dining though not as good as Celebrity as it was better to book. The bars were good. We enjoyed the inside promenade area as it was lively. Loved the entertainment including the ice skating shows. My DH enjoyed that sandwiches were available day and night! It had a fun atmosphere and the crowd was younger.

 

#4 -NCL This was strange in some ways as we have been on more cruises with NCL as of 2 weeks time than any of the others and even though it is fourth doesn't mean we don't enjoy it. NCL Getaway is in 2 weeks and this will be the largest ship we have sailed on which will be interesting. NCL is much more relaxed. I haven't always enjoyed the layout of the ships. Usually easy to dine without a line except the first night which always seems to be horrendous! We are getting around that this time by rebooked a speciality restaurant. Entertainment is usually pretty good. I'm looking forward to trying the newer ship as the Dawn and the Jade were a little dated. Love the crepes on board.

 

#5 Costa - this was a very cheap Baltic cruise for us. We didn't like the food particularly. It was particularly poor in the Lido but the pizza was delicious. The best I've tasted on a ship! We had a very cheap drinks package we don't see the point on on other lines as we wouldn't drink enough to make it worthwhile. At dinner they just top up your wine glass! The entertainment was great on board this ship. The shows were probably the best on any ship we've been on. Everything was just just ok I guess.

 

#5 - Carnival - this was our first cruise and my husband remembers enjoying it and i did too but I remember it being too loud and smokey. The food was good I think. Room was a bit like a ferry. I felt everyone was just packed on. The lining up to get in reminded me of a ferry too rather than a cruise ship. This might have been the port we travelled from though. I am not eager to try again.

[qsuzi]

We've only been on 3 cruises, but our favourites were:

 

#1 - Oceania ~ hands down the best food we've had on a cruise ship, and even better than many land-based restaurants we've tried. From the MDR to the Specialty restaurants, to the Lido, it was always amazing. The ship (Regatta) was beautiful; small and intimate and hubby and I loved the "country club casual" dress code. The staterooms, though small, were well laid out and the bed was more comfortable than our bed at home, LOL. Service was extremely attentive without being obtrusive. They lose points for entertainment though, evenings were often rather quiet. We also thought the bar prices were a bit steep.

 

#2 - HAL ~ Our last cruise was on the Noordam, on a B2B Caribbean Wayfarer/Seafarer in 2009. We loved our experience on HAL! The food was very good (although not as incredible as Oceania), our stateroom was very comfortable and service was excellent. Everywhere we went, we were greeted (often by name) and it just seemed the crew couldn't do enough for us. We believe one of HAL's great strengths is it's people. There was a greater variety of entertainment compared to Oceania, but nothing that knocked our socks off.

 

#3 - Celebrity ~ X comes in last for us, but not because we had a bad experience overall. It was our first ever cruise (on the Zenith) and we were so excited about it. The food on X was great and service was pretty good, but I hated our cabin. We had a tiny little OV cabin with twin beds that couldn't be configured to a queen. The mattress on that little bed was one of the most uncomfortable things I've ever tried to sleep on and as a consequence, by the end of our 10-day cruise I was seriously sleep-deprived. Hubby was ok because I honestly believe he could sleep on a rock if need be. That aside, I'd be open to trying Celebrity again. The Zenith has since been retired and I've been eyeing a possible future cruise on the Equinox.

 

We'd definitely sail with O and HAL again and I'd love to try Princess one day. :D

I'm sure the detail you gave will be helpful to others. Thanks.

[qsuzi]

#1 Celebrity - we found the service to be great. Anytime dining worked well. Food was delicious. No lines really. Entertainment was pretty good. Loved the new style of the Equinox and the indoor pools. Organisation of food stations in the lido means it flows quickly.

 

#2 - HAL - Cabins seem larger but only sailed inside cabins on HAL. Good range of food for room service. DVDs to rent is good for long cruises. Food is good. enjoy that the food in the MDR is also I the buffet are in the evening. Love the happy hours for cocktails. Must say I like the Elemis products too. Promenade deck is a lovely area to sit on and walk around after dinner. Entertainment is not as good. Guests seem to be older on the whole. HAL is #1 for DH. Didn't enjoy the need to book for anytime dining if wanting to eat at a peak time without lining up. Loved HMC. Great itineraries offered.

 

#3 RCI - though this is very debatable with NCL as we have been on more cruises with them and our only RCI cruise was 2011. We enjoyed the ease of anytime dining though not as good as Celebrity as it was better to book. The bars were good. We enjoyed the inside promenade area as it was lively. Loved the entertainment including the ice skating shows. My DH enjoyed that sandwiches were available day and night! It had a fun atmosphere and the crowd was younger.

 

#4 -NCL This was strange in some ways as we have been on more cruises with NCL as of 2 weeks time than any of the others and even though it is fourth doesn't mean we don't enjoy it. NCL Getaway is in 2 weeks and this will be the largest ship we have sailed on which will be interesting. NCL is much more relaxed. I haven't always enjoyed the layout of the ships. Usually easy to dine without a line except the first night which always seems to be horrendous! We are getting around that this time by rebooked a speciality restaurant. Entertainment is usually pretty good. I'm looking forward to trying the newer ship as the Dawn and the Jade were a little dated. Love the crepes on board.

 

#5 Costa - this was a very cheap Baltic cruise for us. We didn't like the food particularly. It was particularly poor in the Lido but the pizza was delicious. The best I've tasted on a ship! We had a very cheap drinks package we don't see the point on on other lines as we wouldn't drink enough to make it worthwhile. At dinner they just top up your wine glass! The entertainment was great on board this ship. The shows were probably the best on any ship we've been on. Everything was just just ok I guess.

 

#5 - Carnival - this was our first cruise and my husband remembers enjoying it and i did too but I remember it being too loud and smokey. The food was good I think. Room was a bit like a ferry. I felt everyone was just packed on. The lining up to get in reminded me of a ferry too rather than a cruise ship. This might have been the port we travelled from though. I am not eager to try again.

 

What RCI and Carnival ships were you on?

[Rutheth]

I was on RCI Navigator of the seas in the med and Carnival Ecstasy from Galveston

[Hlitner]

Interesting question raised by the OP. When we started cruising (about forty years ago) we went on RCCL and NCL. Then over the years we tried 12 other cruise lines and enjoyed every cruise. Then in 1994 we tried our first HAL cruise (Maasdam to the Baltic) and still remember the opening show comedian's first words, "Welcome aboard to all the seniors and their parents!" This joke was actually close to the truth. Accordingly we did not go back on HAL for more then 10 years until those seniors starting looking at lot younger :). It did not take long until we became 4 Star Mariners (with over 300 days). But in the last few years we have noticed many cut-backs in quality, service, and some other issues (including the annoying smoking policy). So after our last HAL cruise (38 days on the Oosterdam last spring) we cancelled our future HAL cruise and decided to stick with several other lines (we routinely have cruised on 14 lines). Among the mass market lines we now favor Celebrity and Princess and also like some of the higher end lines.

 

Will we come back to HAL? Probably at some time in the future (if we live long enough) if we hear that HAL has reversed course and made improvements (and eliminated balcony smoking) or if we see a deal/itinerary just too good to pass-up.

 

Hank

Edited March 20, 2015 by Hlitner

[qsuzi]

Interesting question raised by the OP. When we started cruising (about forty years ago) we went on RCCL and NCL. Then over the years we tried 12 other cruise lines and enjoyed every cruise. Then in 1994 we tried our first HAL cruise (Maasdam to the Baltic) and still remember the opening show comedian's first words, "Welcome aboard to all the seniors and their parents!" This joke was actually close to the truth. Accordingly we did not go back on HAL for more then 10 years until those seniors starting looking at lot younger :). It did not take long until we became 4 Star Mariners (with over 300 days). But in the last few years we have noticed many cut-backs in quality, service, and some other issues (including the annoying smoking policy). So after our last HAL cruise (38 days on the Oosterdam last spring) we cancelled our future HAL cruise and decided to stick with several other lines (we routinely have cruised on 14 lines). Among the mass market lines we now favor Celebrity and Princess and also like some of the higher end lines.

 

Will we come back to HAL? Probably at some time in the future (if we live long enough) if we hear that HAL has reversed course and made improvements (and eliminated balcony smoking) or if we see a deal/itinerary just too good to pass-up.

 

Hank

Hank I sincerely hope you sail HAL again but I do understand. My thinking is that most/all cruise lines go through these periods of "adjustments". Maybe it was absence that made our heart grow fonder but we recently found Princess improved after our 4-1/2 year absence. I realize you can't predict if you will get heavy smokers on balcony(s) next to you and it's a real issue especially for those sensitive to smoke.

Edited March 20, 2015 by qsuzi