HAL or princess?? We are Celebrity loyalist wanting to try something new!

[Taclin01]

I  am a loyal celebrity cruiser.  My best friend and I are doing a girls trip and we are thinking about trying either princess or Holland America due to the better itineraries. We always get a drink package and always eat only at specialty dining. We’re not concerned about nightlife just great food and drinks. We prefer wine and like multiple by the glass options.  Which cruise line out of the two would you pick and why? Thank you!

[Kay S]

What entertainment do you prefer?  HAL has the music walk with several different musical genres to choose from, classical to R&B, etc.  Princess has glitzier production shows.  HAL has the Crow's Nest, a a top deck lounge with windows and views all around (and a bar).  Princess has the Piazza with limited ocean views but lots of people-watching opportunities (and a bar.)

[Taclin01]

If anything we just like to listen to music. We are not show of theater production people. 

[ghstudio]

We are elite + on celebrity, but just back from a princess cruise on the Sky. Princess has, in our opinion moved closer to carnival and is no longer comparable to Celebrity in food, wine or liquor quality and selection.  Nothing like the martini bar feel, no bar where you can just drink and watch the sea….we really didn’t like the Sky and we’re disappointed in the food, although the crown grill was good…sabatinis was pretty good….dining room food (and we were in club class) was just adequate.   We liked holland America, but we were on a small ship (1100 passengers), so can’t really comment.  No cruise is a bad cruise…..but I don’t think you’ll get the celebrity vibe on princess.  We are not booking celebrity now because we don’t like French balconies…and their itineraries never change.  Planning some Oceania cruises…and Holland American for different cruises.  We aren’t rushing back to princess

[deliver42]

We haven't sailed HAL, but have Princess and Celebrity. Except for itineraries, Princess can't touch Celebrity in any part of a cruise.

[Wishing on a star]

How much would the HAL music venues mean to you?  Assuming you are checking them out.

That might be a big difference between Princess and HAL.

Neither are known for 'nightlife' for sure!

 

Princess has the ships band, the ships orchestra, the Piazza with maybe one music entertainment event one night (other than the ships party band), and Club 6 small nightclub type venue with DJ.   Lighter music entertainment duos or solos or jazz at some times at places like the Piazza and the bar at the steakhouse (Crown Grill).

 

I am not familiar, but have always heard that for the dining and additional specialty dining, Celebrity is the better cruise line.

[TBfrPH]

You'll need to prioritize your preferences because none of the 3 will be good in all areas.  If food and wine are your top priority, stay with Celebrity and don't bother with the other 2.  You will be disappointed in the food (can't comment on alcohol).  My impression from your OP is that you are tempted by a different itinerary.  You should decide if it is really different and better, and enough to offset what IMHO will be a very noticeable concession in the food area.

 

Regarding entertainment, if you set aside the production shows in the theater, the live music that I've experienced in the lounges on Princess is a grade above HAL and Celebrity.   My issue with HAL's "Music Walk" is that there is not enough of it to entertain throughout the day.   Also, you're typically limited to BB King, classical orchestra, and the piano person (There is a new rock n roll venue on some of the new ships that I have not experienced).  Princess can have up to 5 different bands playing, starting around noon on sea days.  If dancing to live music is a big draw for you, then hands-down you should go with Princess.

 

From what you've said so far, the choice is really between Celebrity and Princess.  

[Ken the cruiser]

2 hours ago, Taclin01 said:

I  am a loyal celebrity cruiser.  My best friend and I are doing a girls trip and we are thinking about trying either princess or Holland America due to the better itineraries. We always get a drink package and always eat only at specialty dining. We’re not concerned about nightlife just great food and drinks. We prefer wine and like multiple by the glass options.  Which cruise line out of the two would you pick and why? Thank you!

May I suggest a different cruise line - Oceania. Great food, small ships with specialty restaurants included, and with only one evening show, usually at 9:30 pm.

[Kay S]

27 minutes ago, TBfrPH said:

 

 

My issue with HAL's "Music Walk" is that there is not enough of it to entertain throughout the day.   Also, you're typically limited to BB King, classical orchestra, and the piano person (There is a new rock n roll venue on some of the new ships that I have not experienced).  

 

 

The new rock and roll venue on HAL is really fun.  Very good bands and a decent selection of music.  The "piano person" is actually the piano people because it's two musicians playing at the same time, a piano duet, with both singing.  That seems to be the most popular on the ship (from my experience) but the BB King venue is always packed, too.  

[EDDY0827]

41 minutes ago, Kay S said:

The "piano person" is actually the piano people because it's two musicians playing at the same time, a piano duet, with both singing.

Usually referred to as "dueling pianos". I've seen a dueling piano act in Reno and it was hilarious and quite entertaining.

[donswife]

The experience on either HAL or Princess is quite dependent on the size of the ship.  Do you have a couple of itineraries/ships that you are trying to compare?

[Taclin01]

The only reason we are not going celebrity is because the two cruises the only week we can go are not that great. We wanted to stay below a certain price point because this is just a bonus trip. We are looking at Regal Princess vs Nieuw Statendam. Ports are similar. We just want to go with the line that has better food and drinks. 

[Ken the cruiser]

1 hour ago, Taclin01 said:

The only reason we are not going celebrity is because the two cruises the only week we can go are not that great. We wanted to stay below a certain price point because this is just a bonus trip. We are looking at Regal Princess vs Nieuw Statendam. Ports are similar. We just want to go with the line that has better food and drinks. 

If you like to laugh, Princess would then be my suggestion as they have a CD and at least 4 assistants that work very hard to help you do that in the evening and on sea days. HAL on the other hand has one combined Cruise and Excursion Director with usually only one assistant.

[Lady Arwen]

Elite+ On Celebrity, Platinum on Princess and 3* on HAL, so very familiar with all three.  Honestly, Celebrity outclasses both Princess and HAL.  However, Nieuw Statendam is a great ship, compared to Regal Princess.  Keep in mind that HAL does attract an older crowd, with Princess not far behind.  Depends on your preference.  As to food, you will not get the same quality specialty restaurants on HAL or Princess.  Celebrity wins hands down, especially in Blu for Aqua Class and Luminae for suites.  HAL would be my second choice behind Celebrity.  Pinnacle Grill and Tamarind are outstanding.  If itinerary is important to you, then choose whichever appeals to you most.  You really can’t go wrong with either.

Edited October 6, 2022 by Lady Arwen

[san diego spartan]

I love Celebrity and I agree with the comments that neither HAL or Princess will  have better or even comparable food and drink.  I am just off the Discovery Princess - 1st time cruising Princess - and I thought the MDR food was decent to good and there were a lot of choices, which I found HAL on my last cruise last year had reduced the amount of choices on the dinner menu.  I like HAL specialty dining better than Princess, but neither compare to Celebrity.  I found the wine choices on Princess terrible.  HAL has a comparable drink choices to Celebrity (I drink mainly wine).  If you drink mostly mixed drinks then they all seem to have comparable alcohol.  

 

I love the Music Walk on HAL - I have been on 3 ships with it (all have included the Rock Room) and it was something I truly missed on Princess.  I just did not find the live music on Princess to be comparable and the main production shows - only 1 was good - though this is all subjective of course. 

 

I have another cruise in December booked on HAL (Koningsdam - will be 3rd time on this ship) and then in February a cruise on Celebrity (Solstice - will be 1st time on that ship).  So will have some updated comparisons soon.  

 

I do agree with the suggestion for Oceania - if you can afford it - I have only sailed once on Oceania but it was head and tails above these other cruise line. 

 

also agree HAL tends to have an older crowd, but I've noticed with the newer ships the medium age has become younger. 

Edited October 6, 2022 by san diego spartan
typo

[cruisequeen4ever]

We love Princess’s food and consider it far superior to Celebrity’s (unless you sail in Aqua or above and get special options- we don’t have experience with those).
 

I haven’t been on Holland America in many years, but I have read many accounts of people saying the food is good. 

 

It seems like the atmosphere on Princess would be more fun for a girls’ trip. 

[Tedferg]

37 minutes ago, cruisequeen4ever said:

We love Princess’s food and consider it far superior to Celebrity’s

We have only sailed once on Celebrity and the MDR food was not memorable. Nothing wrong, it just did not stand out. We like the feel of the central Piazza on Princess, and Crooners for entertainment/bar. Celebrity felt chopped up, the bars were not appealing.

[KKB]

Have not sailed HAL.

8 Princess cruises in 18 years, 3 in the last 3 months & another in 2 weeks w/ BFF.

7 Celebrity cruises in the last 10 years, 3 since last summer.

Also have sailed RCCL, NCL & DCL.

I rank Celebrity on top & Princess a close 2nd.

Both have excellent food & service; both feel a bit more refined than other lines.

Caribbean--we never had issues finding night life on either cruise. 

AK--Discovery Princess. much more sedate evenings

We find all lines to be more alike than different & have found things we love & don't care for on every ship.

Give Princess a try!