Have you cruised on Holland America?

[Sea and Me]

We are Platinum on Princess and are considering a Holland America cruise. Have any of you cruised on Holland America and did your Princess perks follow you??

 

Thank you for your help.

[Colo Cruiser]

We are Platinum on Princess and are considering a Holland America cruise. Have any of you cruised on Holland America and did your Princess perks follow you??

 

Thank you for your help.

 

 

No perks from Princess onboard HA.

[fishywood]

The HAL Mariner Society and Princess' Captain's Circle loyalty programs are completely different in both types of perks and how levels are attained. There is no reciprocity between the programs beyond HAL placing you at their opening level ('Star Mariner') on your very first cruise with them as long as you have history with any other Carnival Corp owned line. You will be eligible for 'past passenger only' deals and be invited to the Mariner Society Brunch on board. But that is all.

 

(The only reciprocity between Princess and any of its corporate siblings is that any cruises on P&O Europe [and Sitmar] will count toward your Circle level on Princess as long as there is cruising history predating Carnival's purchase of Princess from P&O)

 

But to answer the title question: I sailed once on one of HAL's smaller ships (Maasdam) and enjoyed it immensely, even though I found the food (especially desserts and baked goods) a tick below Princess. Those who consider Celebrity the closest line in similarity to Princess obviously never sailed HAL which is leagues better than X and a much more comfortable fit to those used to Princess.

Edited March 1, 2017 by fishywood

[jpihota]

We are Elite on Princess and 3-Star on Holland America. We love Holland America with its smaller sized ships, great food and more personal feeling. They have always been really good to us and it feels like coming home to go on HAL ships.

 

As stated, there is no reciprocity between the two loyalty programs, however, you get shareholder shipboard credit for submitting proof of owning 100 or more shares of Carnival stock on both line, since they are both owned by Carnival.

[GRAYTech]

As others have said the perks don't transfer and the perks you get vary between the two lines.

 

We have cruised both Princess and HAL and they have both similarities and differences. Food in general was very similar IMHO. Princess wins on accommodations both cabin and general areas. HAL wins on service and attention to detail.

 

Our Princess Vista Suite was much nicer than a comparable suite on HAL. Same money got us a better cabin for sure on Princess.

 

HAL dinner service was top notch in the MDR. It appeared the waiter and helper had two tables to attend to. They were there to straighten your silverware, sweep crumbs, replenish water, butter you name it. They were on standby but not intrusive. Princess waiters seem like they have 5 or 6 tables. Doable but often times they have gone missing when you need something. Not bad but HAL wins the service category.

[umuva]

We are also elite on Princess and 3 star HAL. On HAL that basically means nothing since there are no real perks. The clientele is generally older and the ship sorta shuts down earlier. On our last cruise with Eurodam, there were hardly any activities and only 1 asst CD.

 

 

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[iceleven]

I love Holland America and would cruise with them more often if they were on the west coast other than just Alaska.

 

Their up-charge restaurant, The Pinnacle Grill, is far better than anything Princess offers, same price as well.

 

I totally disagree with those who say HAL has an older clientele. Perhaps, if comparing the longer itineraries they have with the standard Princess itineraries, you might find a more mature crowd but if you compare similar itineraries between the two, they are the same age-wise.

 

I cannot complain about service on Princess because they all work so very hard to please everyone but, as someone mentioned earlier, HAL's great service tends to be less stressed.

 

We'll definitely cruise HAL in he future.

[Daisyloo]

We are platinum on Princess and 3 star on HAL. We like them both, and will look at cost, itinerary etc and decide which gives us the best bang for the buck. If we had to say which we prefer, we would say HAL by a small margin.

Why not give HAL a try. If you enjoy it, it gives you new options for future cruises.

[umuva]

If you make Elite free laundry, mini bar setup, wine tasting and of course the internet which you get as Platinum. None of that with HAL or the military OBC.

 

 

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[lolane1]

But to answer the title question: I sailed once on one of HAL's smaller ships (Maasdam) and enjoyed it immensely, even though I found the food (especially desserts and baked goods) a tick below Princess. Those who consider Celebrity the closest line in similarity to Princess obviously never sailed HAL which is leagues better than X and a much more comfortable fit to those used to Princess.

 

 

I also sailed the Maasdam and loved it. However, the food was just not up to Princess. The buffet was small, lacked the variety of Princess and dinners in the dining room kept coming out lukewarm. However, lunches in the dining room were superb! They had a wonderful international menu. Delicious. And it you are vegetarian or vegan, this is the line for you. They will deliver a special menu to your cabin the night before. Tons of variety.

[cruzrbachoua]

We sailed on HAL once...it was nice. The thing we loved the best was the one "special' buffet they had. Other than that we felt much more welcomed by staff and guests on Princess. The decor is more subdued on Princess as well. What made us feel unwelcome is we were going out to sit on the deck one night and just watch us sailing along and gaze. So we had on a lounge outfit since we were to be sitting on the loungers that sit outside get dirty and suntan lotions all over them I wasn't about to wear our nice dinner outfits. We got some of the dirtiest of looks from people...even when we were sitting outside! We then got up and did our laps around the promenade and people still seemed to look us up and down. I wanted so bad to ask what should I have my heals and dinner dress on while getting in some exercise. I mean I had on black capri pants, a Tshirt and DH had on shorts and a Tshirt as we walked around the promenade...not a strolling walk either but a good walk to work off the dinner...just felt odd to me never had that happen to us on Princess.

[jagsfan]

HAL has the Yum stump man!!!

 

 

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[DrivesLikeMario]

We've tried HAL during peek family vacation breaks and saw tons of multi-generational families. Although I really like their suites and regular balcony cabins, I didn't like the overall ship design with the small, claustrophobic-feeling atrium.

 

The dining room food was bland, lukewarm and uninspired (and I'm not a foodie). The midnight buffet was incredible though. My biggest beef with them was having to be served in the buffet. You'd ask for bacon and you'd get 1 slice on your plate. You'd ask for more. You'd get 1 more slice. It just about drove DH crazy. You couldn't pick out the parts you liked best of a particular dish like the crispy bacon at the bottom or the sides of the mashed potatoes that were thicker. We certainly have never starved on HAL but it just didn't feel like home for us and that's what it's really about - where YOU feel most comfortable.

[Southern adventurers]

We are 3 star mariner on HAL and loved our cruises immensely.

Shortly we are embarking on our first Princess cruise and are very excited.

One thing I have noticed, and I'm not sure if it is universal, is with HAL on board spending on things like shore excursions give you a day credit for every amount of $300 or $400 dollars spent towards increasing your mariner status.

I don't think this applies to Princess, which I find a little disappointing.

[Thrak]

We've never sailed on HAL but the fact you can smoke on the balcony would turn us off.

[lolane1]

We've never sailed on HAL but the fact you can smoke on the balcony would turn us off.

 

I believe Holland America has banned smoking on balconies starting January 2017,

[ponstad]

We've enjoyed cruising on both lines - the buffet on the Regal Princess was the best I have ever seen. The hamburgers on HAL were outrageous - the best I've had at sea. Much better than the ones on Princess.

[prescottbob]

I think you'll have fun. It is always fun to try something different. I would personally suggest the 'smaller' pax capacity HAL ships. i.e. the Prinsendam, and the S class ships before they entirely disappear.

 

Be well & safe travels.

Bob:)

[umuva]

We are 3 star mariner on HAL and loved our cruises immensely.

Shortly we are embarking on our first Princess cruise and are very excited.

One thing I have noticed, and I'm not sure if it is universal, is with HAL on board spending on things like shore excursions give you a day credit for every amount of $300 or $400 dollars spent towards increasing your mariner status.

I don't think this applies to Princess, which I find a little disappointing.

 

 

And what do you get with the added status. Nothing.

 

 

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[frugaltravel]

Princess wins on accommodations both cabin and general areas. HAL wins on service and attention to detail.

 

 

I have been in obstructed oceanview on HAL and you get a tub and a much larger bathroom than comparable oceanview on Princess, which gives you a much smaller bathroom and a shower that you can't fall down in because it is so small :D. HAL oceanviews come with a love seat as well. So I personally would give a nod to HAL for cabins higher than an inside.

[sunsetbeachgal]

One of the things I love about HAL is the Crows Nest, a top of ship lounge with almost 360 degree views. Wish newer Princess ships had a venue such as this!

 

 

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[pincak]

We are platinum on Princess and have sailed on RCI, Norwegian, and once on HAL. We were in an aft facing balcony on the Oosterdam and it was the best room we have ever had. We tend to book mid range cabins, never been in a suite. As one previous poster commented we didn't like the way they had to serve instead of self serve in buffet. Most of all, we were put off by the decor. Stairs were dark and it was difficult to gauge steps (big deal for me as I have trouble seeing in dim light). Decided we probably wouldn't do that ship again. Might give the line another chance though if price and itinerary was a match.

 

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[jagsfan]

HAL has the Yum stump man!!!

 

 

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Good Grief. Posting while lying in bed is not good. I meant Yum Yum man!

One of the few traditions still alive from the glory days of cruising.

 

 

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[pmd98052]

Love HAL as well as Princess. We're in our mid 40's with two kids... Platinum on Princess and 3 star on HAL and would sail either - whichever has the better deal. HAL's option to pay a relatively modest sum for unlimited cabin laundry is wonderful especially on their longer cruises but even on the 7 days with 2 kids its great! The piano bar on HAL is better. Food very similar though I like the late night section of the buffet that changes each night (if they still do that its been two years since we last sailed with them).

 

Oh and option to have formal night (or any night) dinners brought to the cabin is wonderful with kids too if you don't want to do the whole formal night thing in the main dinning room.

[Daisyloo]

And what do you get with the added status. Nothing.

 

 

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I disagree. With the 3 star Mariner level, you get 25% off the cost of any dining in the specialty restaurants, Explorations cafe for the specialty coffee, and wine packages. When you get to 4 star it's 50% off the same things and free laundry. I know others will disagree, but for us these benefits are better than what we get as Platinum on Princess. We really aren't into staying connected, so the free internet time as a Platinum perk isn't that important to us.