HAL Westerdam vs Celebrity Reflection

[EbayCruiser]

We are interested in booking a cruise for January '16 and the two ships we are looking at are Westerdam and Reflection.

 

Having never sailed on Celebrity before what are everyone's thoughts. We mainly eat in the Lido and usually love HAL's food - will we like Celebrity as much. It's a newer ship of course. We can pick similar itinerary's but if we pick San Juan there is no stop to a private island on Celebrity. We can pick Coco Cay, Montego Bay, Georgetown and Cozumel and get the private island. Price on both cruiselines is similar.

 

I am going to post this on the HAL board also to get different reviews.

 

For those who have sailed HAL and Celebrity, what are your thoughts?

[tangerinebunny]

We're three star HAL cruisers. But when we did one Silhouette cruise last December we went on to book two more Celebrity cruises this year.

 

As is often repeated here, food decisions are personal. But I was so bored with HAL's offerings. We liked trying the variety of restaurants of Celebrity. We managed the entire trip w/o one visit to the MDR or buffet.

 

For us, HAL's staterooms are larger, Celebrity's art collections more fun, service is equally good on both lines.

 

Variety is interesting, but we'd sail either line if the price and destinations were good.

[Essiesmom]

I like the WEsterdam itinerary better, but I think you will be blown away by Reflection. I have sailed Solstice, Silhouette and Westerdam, and the Celebrity S class ships are very different from Westerdam. I love the buffet on Celebrity. Whatever you miss on this cruise, you can visit on the next one...EM

[EbayCruiser]

I like the WEsterdam itinerary better, but I think you will be blown away by Reflection. I have sailed Solstice, Silhouette and Westerdam, and the Celebrity S class ships are very different from Westerdam. I love the buffet on Celebrity. Whatever you miss on this cruise, you can visit on the next one...EM

 

We are leaning towards the 1/02 Western or the 1/09 Eastern on Reflection. What do you like best about the Western itinerary?

 

We are looking at the 1A category - which floor would you recommend 6, 7, 8 or 9?

 

Any certain staterooms to stay away from (noise, obstructions, etc.)?

 

Thanks!

[Essiesmom]

It was the Westerdam itinerary I liked, because I don't much care for the Mexico ports. We had 7272 on Silhouette, and it was very convenient to the elevators, and the Hideaway lower level with great places to curl up and read or listen to the music from the atrium. If you are a coffee drinker, there is a coffee pot there from about 8:30am until late evening. EM

[EbayCruiser]

It was the Westerdam itinerary I liked, because I don't much care for the Mexico ports. We had 7272 on Silhouette, and it was very convenient to the elevators, and the Hideaway lower level with great places to curl up and read or listen to the music from the atrium. If you are a coffee drinker, there is a coffee pot there from about 8:30am until late evening. EM

 

The cruise on the Reflection on 1/09 goes to San Juan, St. Thomas & St. Maarten.

[kenevenpar]

There is a sticky on the first page of this forum that contains a spreadsheet with individual cabin information, which may be helpful choosing which deck is good for you. Be sure you are looking at the S class spreadsheet.

 

After 27 cruises, we can say that Reflection is our favorite ship! We had an aft cabin, and the views were great.

 

Some comparisons:

 

Murano vs. Pinnacle Grill - no comparison. HAL is known for their serviced, but this is a step up, and the menu is wonderful. Murano upcharge is higher, but discounts are usually available.

 

Cabins - Reflection is newer, but the cabins are not vastly different. Reflections suites are a big step up from Westerdam.

 

Buffet - Having never eaten dinner in any cruise buffet, I can comment that we liked Reflection's lunch and breakfast buffet better. Better layout (stations) and choices.

 

Specialty Restaurants - Westerdam does not have the choices that Reflection does (Murano, Tuscan Grill, QSine and Lawn Club Grill + 2 smaller venues).

 

Pool - Not a fan of Hal's pool layout on most ships, including Westerdam. Do like the Reflection layout, but did not like the LOUD music that popped up in the afternoon.

 

Service - very comparable

 

Our preference is Celebrity as #1, consider Hal a number 1a. As a two star, you obviously have had some good experiences, and are comfortable with HAL.

 

Good luck; I don't think you can go wrong either way.

Edited June 16, 2015 by kenevenpar

[mickey89]

Very simple decision - if you smoke choose HAL otherwise Celebrity is better in every other respect.

[wallie5446]

Once you sail on a Celebrity S-Class ship you will wonder why you waited so long to do so. After 25+ yrs the Reflection is our favorite ship.

 

Our last cruise on HAL was on the original Westerdam, the first ship ever cut in half and stretched! Remember that one!

 

We have had no desire to try any of the newer HAL ships.

 

All the balcony cabins on the S-class are the same 194 sq ft in size. The 1A is a great choice we were on deck 8 last yr on the Equinox. Deck 9 in a C2 on the Reflection, but only for the extra Club points.

 

We like the East route better.

 

ps: The Oceanview Café is good to great on most items. The after 5 sushi station is outstanding.

Edited June 16, 2015 by wallie5446

[2jeffs]

This was our first cruise and we were having a hard time making this same decision, with the exception that we were actually leaning towards the Eurodam. After reading hundreds of reviews and considering we are nonsmokers we ended up choosing the Reflection. Feeling pretty good about our choice but already counting the days until February 6th. Hope you are thrilled with either choice.:)

[EbayCruiser]

We are non smokers too but we have chosen HAL. We love the size of the Vista Class ships and love the Lido and the fresh cooked to order food.

 

I'm sure we would have had a good time on the Reflection but decided after looking at several youtube videos that HAL seemed more our style.

 

Thanks for all the opinions and comments. :)

[WNcruiser]

Easy choice:) I was just on the Westerdam Alaska cruise May 30th in a Neptune suite. The Westerdam is really outdated and it was some of the worst food I have had on a ship. The suite amenities were a joke compared to Celebrity.

 

I have not been on Reflection yet (will be in November) but have been on Equinox and Eclipse, there is no comparison to HAL. The ships are so much nicer and modern. I wouldn't think twice about booking Reflection over Westerdam.

Edited June 17, 2015 by WNcruiser

[Zoey1]

Easy choice:) I was just on the Westerdam Alaska cruise May 30th in a Neptune suite. The Westerdam is really outdated and it was some of the worst food I have had on a ship. The suite amenities were a joke compared to Celebrity.

 

I have not been on Reflection yet (will be in November) but have been on Equinox and Eclipse, there is no comparison to HAL. The ships are so much nicer and modern. I wouldn't think twice about booking Reflection over Westerdam.

 

I too, am NOT a fan of the Westerdam, we have sailed many many times on several different lines but only ONCE on HAL , the Westerdam turned us off, the only positives were the suites were larger and great layout. If you did not conform to their selected buffet lunch times and wanted a later lunch you were VERY limited, ( I had a turkey sandwich three times that week)

 

On the flip side we just sailed on the Reflection for the second time this past March and liked it so much that we are booked for a third time on her in the fall. MDR we found fair on both ships but the specialty restaurants on the Refle thon are wonderful!

[ClaudiaB]

Lots of fresh, cooked-to-order food on the S class Celebrity ships. I like to go around and grab the fresh greens I like and then put some grilled salmon or chicken on it. I've never eaten in the buffet at night but I've heard there are many fresh grilled items. I've even heard of people who for some reason never eat in the dining rooms but always in the buffet.:eek: Oh my, the wonderful places to eat on Reflection and other S class ships! Absolutely MAKES the cruise.

 

I am very sensitive to smoking and if I was a non-smoker I would never choose a ship that allowed smoking in a casino or anywhere inside. Often the design of a ship has one walking through smoking areas to get from A to B. Not a problem on X since there are NO smoking areas in any indoor area. None. I will never sail on a ship that allows any indoor smoking. Also none on balconies so you don't have to worry about sitting out there and smelling it. I couldn't use my balcony if smoking was allowed. Because also, you KNOW that some people will light up IN THE ROOM first and that smell will linger. Yuk.

 

Hope you find the ship that is perfect for your vacation.

[lais]

I am on the Westerdam right now. My first and last Holland cruise. It's an old beat up ship. Can't even get close to comparing with Celebrity.

[TomTN]

We are non smokers too but we have chosen HAL. We love the size of the Vista Class ships and love the Lido and the fresh cooked to order food.

 

I'm sure we would have had a good time on the Reflection but decided after looking at several youtube videos that HAL seemed more our style.

 

Thanks for all the opinions and comments. :)

 

We have sailed on HAL 5 times. It has was a good line when we sailed with them in the 90s until 2007. If it weren't for the tobacco smoke:( we would sail with them again.

[blueboro]

Salied on Nieuw Amsterdam in 2011 when it was new and had a great cruise...nice ship. On the other hand, we sailed the Zuiderdam when it was relatively new and it appeared they had just completed a "Girls Gone Wild" weekend onboard. Broken glass in the shops, torn carpet with duct tape, crumbling floors under carpeting in the hallways. Was surprised that such a new ship looked like this. In February, we were waiting to depart from FLL on the Equinox and watched the Zuiderdam pull out. Shocked at how the hull of the ship looked...paint peeling, big sections where the primer showed, and dents. Looked more like a tanker or freighter.

[TomTN]

Salied on Nieuw Amsterdam in 2011 when it was new and had a great cruise...nice ship. On the other hand, we sailed the Zuiderdam when it was relatively new and it appeared they had just completed a "Girls Gone Wild" weekend onboard. Broken glass in the shops, torn carpet with duct tape, crumbling floors under carpeting in the hallways. Was surprised that such a new ship looked like this. In February, we were waiting to depart from FLL on the Equinox and watched the Zuiderdam pull out. Shocked at how the hull of the ship looked...paint peeling, big sections where the primer showed, and dents. Looked more like a tanker or freighter.

 

Perhaps a repair in progress?:confused:

[blueboro]

Perhaps a repair in progress?:confused:

 

We had also seen the Zuiderdam about 18 months before this and the hull looked about as bad then. So the "Curb Appeal" has been severely lacking the past couple of times I have seen it.