Looking for General Answers about HAL

[FreesiaE]

Hello,

 

My husband and 2 kids are scheduled to take an RCL cruise to New England this June, but the a work conflict has made itself known, and we need to switch dates. There are no other RCL cruises the days that work, and some other options are astronomical in cost for us.

 

So, getting down to it, I'm about 99% ready to book with HAL on Eurodam on an Alaskan cruise. My kids are 9 and 5 and always take family vacations with us, but have never cruised. I am aware that HAL is not considered to be a super "kid friendly" line in terms of carousels, arcades, etc. but I think that we should find enough to do with the food, ports, Uno, etc.

 

So here are some questions I am searching for:

1) Could someone link me to a page with drink package prices and does everyone in the cabin need to get a package if one person gets a package?

2) In general, are the evening entertainment shows "family friendly"? Obviously, we're not going to see an adult comedian, but are there any general singing/dancing shows?

3) Do kids pay full price at specialty restaurants?

4) I've been reading how "stressful" the buffet is, due the the line. I'm fine with everyone not touching the food. Is the line more than say 5 minutes to get going in it?

5) Is it possible for four people to sit by themselves in the MDR? It's tough for me to make small talk during dinner with people I don't know while trying to keep my youngest happy, cut up food, etc.

 

Thanks!

[Lady Arwen]

Hello,

 

My husband and 2 kids are scheduled to take an RCL cruise to New England this June, but the a work conflict has made itself known, and we need to switch dates. There are no other RCL cruises the days that work, and some other options are astronomical in cost for us.

 

So, getting down to it, I'm about 99% ready to book with HAL on Eurodam on an Alaskan cruise. My kids are 9 and 5 and always take family vacations with us, but have never cruised. I am aware that HAL is not considered to be a super "kid friendly" line in terms of carousels, arcades, etc. but I think that we should find enough to do with the food, ports, Uno, etc.

 

So here are some questions I am searching for:

1) Could someone link me to a page with drink package prices and does everyone in the cabin need to get a package if one person gets a package?

2) In general, are the evening entertainment shows "family friendly"? Obviously, we're not going to see an adult comedian, but are there any general singing/dancing shows?

3) Do kids pay full price at specialty restaurants?

4) I've been reading how "stressful" the buffet is, due the the line. I'm fine with everyone not touching the food. Is the line more than say 5 minutes to get going in it?

5) Is it possible for four people to sit by themselves in the MDR? It's tough for me to make small talk during dinner with people I don't know while trying to keep my youngest happy, cut up food, etc.

 

Thanks!

Sorry, can't help with the drink package prices, as we've never purchased one. I'll try to answer your other questions as best as I can. We've sailed Eurodam a number of times and you will love it. HAL does provide a childrens program, but the Alaska itinerary will keep the kids engaged and interested for most of the time. The evening production shows are family friendly. However, HAL entertainment is not on the same level as Royal Caribbean, who really provide numerous and well produced shows for everyone. Most people find HAL entertainment quite lackluster.

 

I'm not sure, but I believe there is a kids menu in the specialty restaurants. Someone else please chime in if you have any information on this. That being said, not many children are seen in these restaurants, at least in my experience. Again, someone else may have more knowledge than I.

 

If you have chosen flexible dining, just ask to be seated at a 4 top. You will be accomodated with no problem. If you like that table you can reserve it for 3 evenings and then repeat this after those 3 dinners. If you have traditional seating, you can pre-request table size when you book your cruise or wait until you board. Usually, this will also not be a problem.

 

 

We did not experience any problems on Kdam in the Lido buffet. Did not really take any longer than it usually would and lines moved quite quickly. I doubt if this would seem much different that what you're used to o RCI, except that most food is not self serve. Never experienced a line-up to enter the buffet.

 

I hope this helped you out a bit. Sorry if I could not be of more help answering some of your questions.

[luvteaching]

Good morning FreesiaE,

 

As someone who has done a lot of Alaska cruises the ones on HAL are very family friendly and the kids have a great time! Club HAL is available and the pools are covered. There are a lot of family-friendly things to do in ports as well.

 

I'll try and answer some of your questions.

 

1. Drink Package - if you get the daily all-inclusive package then I believe that all adults in the cabin have to do it. If you just get a soda package then that is individual. Another way to do beverages is to pre-purchase a beverage card and what you don't use is refunded back to your credit card at the end of the cruise.

 

2. The evening shows are family friendly and there are usually 2 production shows. If there is an adult show it is very clearly labeled and usually later in the evening.

 

3. I believe kids pay full price at the Specialty restaurants but I'm not positive. This will be our first trip on the Eurodam so it is a learning experience for us as well!

 

4. The buffet can be busy at times but there are two sides and you can usually get in line right away. Another option is the Dive-In which is out by the pool. It has wonderful burgers and fries as well as there is a great taco bar there. I feed my husband at the Dive-In then I go get my salad in the Lido and it all works well. The Lido is also a lot of different stations so you can pick and choose what you want.

 

5. Yes, it is possible for 4 people to sit at a table for four in the dining room. The waiters love kids and they will cater to them! The kids can order off the kids menu or the main dining room menu.

 

When are you contemplating going? We're on the July 21st sailing.

 

Karen

[dee2673]

As I recall, the drinks package is around $50.00 per day..so 350.00 for 7 days. It must be purchased by all adults in the room. So it would be about 700.00. It’s not good for mini bar purchases nor bottles of wine. We like to drink but we do not purchase the package. You can’t drink enough on port days to justify the cost and We don’t really want to try, lol. We enjoy a bottle or wine with dinner so we’d be paying for that anyway. It is good for bottles of water and fancy coffees, if that appeals. I’d take that 700.00 and spend on a once in a lifetime Alaskan experience for my family.

 

We will be in the Eurodam next month so I’ll be able to tell you about the Lido. It’s been busy on other ships but not chaotic or off putting . Never waited in line more than a minute or two.

 

No help on the other questions. Your kids will love Alaska!

 

 

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[Spunky946]

We have done 4 cruises on holland with our kids and loved them. The kids clubs are great and if you are doing glacier bay they bring on two nature specialists, one for the adults and one for the kids.

 

Not sure about the specialty restaurants as we have never done them with the kids.

 

We have open seating and have usually sat just us. Just make sure you tell them that you want to sit by yourselves.

[dfish]

Crew News has some sample kids activities from a previous Alaskan cruise. It won't be exactly what would be offered to your kids, but you can get an good idea of the program.

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/specialty-2/holland-america-lines-kids-activities-examples/

 

 

I've never found the buffet to be too stressful. You'll develop a routine that works for you. As for dinner in the MDR, make your request when booking. There shouldn't be a problem.

[Crew News]

Here is a link to the HAL kid's menu available in the MDR:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/here/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/HAL-Kids-Menu.pdf

[FreesiaE]

Good morning FreesiaE,

 

 

When are you contemplating going? We're on the July 21st sailing.

 

Karen

 

 

Hi Karen--We are looking at June 23 :)

[FreesiaE]

As I recall, the drinks package is around $50.00 per day..so 350.00 for 7 days. It must be purchased by all adults in the room. So it would be about 700.00. It’s not good for mini bar purchases nor bottles of wine. We like to drink but we do not purchase the package. You can’t drink enough on port days to justify the cost and We don’t really want to try, lol. We enjoy a bottle or wine with dinner so we’d be paying for that anyway. It is good for bottles of water and fancy coffees, if that appeals. I’d take that 700.00 and spend on a once in a lifetime Alaskan experience for my family.

 

 

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Thanks! We are not really drinkers, so I think that we will pass on this. I might want one fancy coffee a day, but no where near the dollar amount that it seems that it would take.

[JimnKaren]

Eurodam is a good ship. It is a great size for Alaska. Your children will have a great time.

 

I do have a suggestion for the kids - most of the time you will be in US ports and thus have US mail. Buy post cards in each port and have the kids send them to friends.

 

Jim

[FourSunDevils]

Is the Kids Club included? Or is there an extra charge? Thanks for any info!

 

 

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[KroozNut]

If you're interested in a floating shopping mall or Las Vegas style entertainment, then HAL is not for you.

[RMLincoln]

Is the Kids Club included? Or is there an extra charge? Thanks for any info!

 

 

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It's included except for late hours "baby sitting" time which has an hourly charge.

 

Note that the kids menu is the same every night.... after two nights of kids menu in MDR our 9 yr old granddaughter decided to order off the main menu... loved the chilled fruit soups.

 

We were 2 adults and 3 kids, open dining. We went early every night and they seated us 6 out of 7 nights at the same table, by ourselves. The waiters took excellent care of us. But if eating later it might be more crowded and they might not have as much time.

 

The Lido works quite well, IMHO. There are specialized stations, so have an adult make a full walk-around to see all the choices, the two sides are not identical.

 

Only one pool is for families/kids but it is the midship pool and has a retractable cover. Swimming was an everyday must for our grandkids.

 

I don't remember ever having an adults-only entertainment act on HAL. The grandkids enjoyed the shows. Many of the movies could be R rated so check the lisitngs. m--

[kazu]

Is the Kids Club included? Or is there an extra charge? Thanks for any info!

 

 

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The Kids Club (Club HAL) is included. It is a very good programme. One of the best kept secrets on HAL.

 

I don't believe that the staff are in the HSC pool though, so you may wish to consider giving them a cash tip at the end of the cruise if you and your children are happy.

 

I do know several that have their children in the programme that have been on various cruise lines and HAL is their favourite - believe it or not ;)

[FourSunDevils]

It's included except for late hours "baby sitting" time which has an hourly charge.

 

Note that the kids menu is the same every night.... after two nights of kids menu in MDR our 9 yr old granddaughter decided to order off the main menu... loved the chilled fruit soups.

 

We were 2 adults and 3 kids, open dining. We went early every night and they seated us 6 out of 7 nights at the same table, by ourselves. The waiters took excellent care of us. But if eating later it might be more crowded and they might not have as much time.

 

The Lido works quite well, IMHO. There are specialized stations, so have an adult make a full walk-around to see all the choices, the two sides are not identical.

 

Only one pool is for families/kids but it is the midship pool and has a retractable cover. Swimming was an everyday must for our grandkids.

 

I don't remember ever having an adults-only entertainment act on HAL. The grandkids enjoyed the shows. Many of the movies could be R rated so check the lisitngs. m--

 

Thank you so much!

[ithaca gal]

Children pay the same price as adults in the Specialty Restaurants.

 

I second the Dive In on the Lido Deck. The burgers, hot dogs and fries are great!! Sometimes there is a short wait, but they give you a pager so you don't have to stand and wait.

 

You can easily request a four top for fixed dining in the MDR.

 

HAL does not tend to have adult comedy shows, one of our "complaints". We've cruised other lines where the 10 p.m. show is reserved for those over 18 --- not so on HAL. Often the comedian will look through the audience to see if kids are present and then adjust him material. Sometimes it is obvious that the comedian is abandoning some of his material due to kiddies being present.

[Hlitner]

Maybe I am having a senior moment, but I do not recall ever seeing an adult comedy show on any HAL cruise. While late night adult comedy is common on many other cruise lines, on HAL there is seldom much going on after 10....except for the piano bar (on the ships that still have them) and BB King (on ships that still have that). HAL is also about the only line we have cruised that have "dark nights" where they might show an old movie in the main theater. And now HAL is moving towards their so-called EXP cruises where they will not even have production shows on the cruise. This would not normally happen on a shorter Alaskan cruise, but they do seem to run out of entertainment on longer cruises.

 

Hank

[kazu]

Maybe I am having a senior moment, but I do not recall ever seeing an adult comedy show on any HAL cruise. While late night adult comedy is common on many other cruise lines, on HAL there is seldom much going on after 10....except for the piano bar (on the ships that still have them) and BB King (on ships that still have that). HAL is also about the only line we have cruised that have "dark nights" where they might show an old movie in the main theater. And now HAL is moving towards their so-called EXP cruises where they will not even have production shows on the cruise. This would not normally happen on a shorter Alaskan cruise, but they do seem to run out of entertainment on longer cruises.

 

Hank

 

I guess you are either having a senior moment or you and I have been on different cruises and different ships.

 

We have always had a show at 10 pm in the showroom and usually at least one is a comedian.

 

Usually, when there is a an old movie, it is to correspond with the port and some may be fun - but the show is still on.

 

Of course we only cruised last March - May, 2017 so we may be out of date. But trust me, I will report in May, 2018 when we board your favourite HAL ship and mine ;)

[RMLincoln]

Our experience is that, on the first and last nights of our recent cruises, there only one show and it's at 9:30. On late port-departure nights, when many guests may stay ashore for the evening, there have been movies in the show lounge, usually two showings. When HAL brings aboard local talent for a folkloric type show, there is only one show in the show lounge.

Otherwise, there are two shows each night in the show lounge; one for early diners and one for late diners. Shows may be the singers and dancers productions shows, musicians, comedians, illusionists, ventriloquists, etc.

HAL does not have a nightly lounge show with comedians such as other lines have, with the early comedy show being family friendly and the late comedy show more adult oriented. Not so on HAL, when they have a comedian it will be family oriented, two shows per night in the show lounge. m--

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Maybe I am having a senior moment, but I do not recall ever seeing an adult comedy show on any HAL cruise. While late night adult comedy is common on many other cruise lines, on HAL there is seldom much going on after 10....

 

Hank

 

Sorry this is a late response, but I recall several HAL cruises with comedienne Julie Barr. She did a routine suitable for general audiences, and then a late night routine for adults. She was a lot of fun, both on stage and in person. Is she still around on HAL?

[kazu]

Sorry this is a late response, but I recall several HAL cruises with comedienne Julie Barr. She did a routine suitable for general audiences, and then a late night routine for adults. She was a lot of fun, both on stage and in person. Is she still around on HAL?

 

I have seen lots of comedians too on HAL ships. There's usually a comedian on most sailings we have been on.

 

Wish I could help with Julie, but haven't seen her on my sailing.

[TheCruisingAccountant]

We have had a late night, adult themed comedy show at 11PM on two of our three Alaska trips over the past five years.

 

I would not say it is a standard HAL event, nor would I say it is rare; in our experience, it just sort of seems to depend on which ship and which comedian(s) are on board.

[Epicureangirl]

Just to confirm, children do pay the adult price for specialty restaurants (we just sailed 2 weeks ago). My daughter would have not enjoyed a 2 hour meal at Pinnacle, but we took her to Canaletto 3 nights. She is 12 though, so I'm not sure if your kids will like the food at Canaletto (other then perhaps the spaghetti bolognese). It is also a longer meal, and your fellow-guests there will expect nothing less than exemplary behavior from your kids during dinner. Lots of pressure, sorry!

 

As for the Main Dining Room, just because there IS a kids menu, doesn't mean they have to order from it. You can also 'deconstruct' a meal, such as asking them only to bring the pasta that was supposed to be the side dish (instead of the pasta and chicken breast for instance). We also had FABULOUS chicken-strips at lunch (they were an appetizer), so I asked if they could make this as dinner-entree for our daughter that same evening. It was no trouble at all, we just needed to make our dinner reservation to tie the request to (we were on open seating so didn't have a table number assigned). I had not asked for that in the past, but read that this was something completely do-able for them, so I'm glad it was true.

[lastlook]

I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned the "Quench" beverage package which includes a variety of non-alcoholic drinks such as smoothies, mocktails, etc. and is roughly $20 pp perday.

[Hlitner]

I guess you are either having a senior moment or you and I have been on different cruises and different ships.

 

We have always had a show at 10 pm in the showroom and usually at least one is a comedian.

 

Usually, when there is a an old movie, it is to correspond with the port and some may be fun - but the show is still on.

 

Of course we only cruised last March - May, 2017 so we may be out of date. But trust me, I will report in May, 2018 when we board your favourite HAL ship and mine ;)

 

The 10 PM show is generally when they have shows at 8 and 10...and is just a repeat of the 8pm show. On lines that have "adult" comedy shows they are generally scheduled quite late (usually 11 or 11:30) to ensure that most children are asleep. But on HAL that would ensure that just about everyone is asleep ::).

 

Hank