HAL Nieuw Amsterdam vs. Sky Princess

[20165]

Hi, we are trying to decide between HAL Nieuw Amsterdam vs. Sky princess for a Dec 16 cruise this year.  Both have similar itineraries and the ships seem comparable.  We cruised both lines quite a bit, but more than 20 years ago so we are trying to determine which will be most relaxing for our family.  We are a family of 4, 52, 50, 20 and 17 yo.  We are looking at 2 balcony cabins and pricing also seems comparable. 

We just got MSC a couple weeks ago and are looking for the opposite of that... Laid back, less young children, not overly crowded.  Has anyone done these two ships or similar and have any opinions?  

We usually cruise RCL and NCL but our kids have outgrown those two lines and prefer less people and we dont need all the kids stuff anymore.  Water slides, arcades, etc.  We did Celebrity edge last year and they really enjoyed that, but there isnt a celebrity cruise that meet our date requirements in December.

thanks

[ron57nie]

Been on both ships in the last year, similar in size and the ships are quite new, but the crowd will usually be younger on HAL.

The entertainment on HAL suits our needs better, the main stage is disappointing but the music walk has Rock and roll, a bit loud but 60's through 80's. BB King which to me is more Motown than blues and a piano bar with 2 player who complement rather than duel. The music in these venues has been really top notch and I think they are putting money here instead of the stage. 

Princess had more traditional stage shows and that's where we spent our time on the Sky. The venue musicians were hit and miss and were usually just a guy or gal on a guitar or piano. We did have a steel drum team on one of the Sky cruises that was quite good and played music that we know. 

 

So the crowd on HAL will be older than even your oldest, think 68 avg age and there is probably little to keep a 4 yrs old happy, but to us the venues are great.

 

On Princess more likely to be similar in age to the older passengers but  still skewing a bit older. 

 

We're 65 and like older music so HAL is our first choice but we go on both as well as Celebrity.

 

[OlsSalt]

Princess Sky Princess is quite a bit larger, than the Nieuw Amsterdam. We personally choose the smaller ships when given a choice. NA is a very nice ship, but as big as we would ever choose now among the HAL fleet.  We like them even smaller.

 

Might want to also look at who will be in port with you on the same days if the itineraries are similar - do you share that port with other cruise ship, or more on your own.

 

Also with larger ships, sometimes  you might not get  preferred docking location. Those are the drill down details to consider when making a choice between what may appear to be superficial similarities. 

 

Where are you going and how long is the cruise? If you like both products, it just may not matter that much particularly if it is a shorter cruise.

 

 I am reminded of the former Carnival Cruise Line  CEO describing the various cruise line personalities within the CCL family.  CEO Arnold Donald commented Princess was more a California vibe, and HAL was "midwestern". That was the official public statement from the CEO about the differences between these two cruise lines.

 

Whatever that ultimately means, but I think I agree. HAL - quieter and more low key; Princess trendier and more social. 

 

 

 

Edited July 2, 2023 by OlsSalt

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I will throw my 2 cents in here.

First I do not think the ships are at all similiar

Sky Princess was built in 2019  has 141000 tons and at double occupancy per stateroom is 3664 passengers can be a lot more with triple and quad staterooms

 

The HAL Nieuw Amsterdam was built in 2010 with 86700 tons and base on double occupancy carries 2106 passengers which to me is a huge difference in size.

 

I cruise both lines have sailed Nieuw Amsterdam several time but have not sailed Sky but have been on her sister ships Royal which is a bit older and Discovery which is the Sky's closest younger sister ship.

There are similarites on the two lines but far more differences. If you are looking at balcony staterooms HAL will give you a much larger balcony stateroom with an actual sofa near the balcony, Princess balcony staterooms do not, just a desk and a chair unless you book a Deluxe Balcony or Mini Suite, Those Deluxe Balconies are going to be far more than HAL balcony and probably a December cruise they will be sold out already. I will say that I prefer the closets on Princess giving more space for hanging up clothes.But far prefer the staterooms on HAL for more space.  Princess to me offers far more entertainment. There is always something happening for entertainment day and night. The Piazza is lots of fun with entertainment and great for people watching. With Princess you have the Medallion and Medallion app which in itself has pros and cons. I give the edge to HAL or a bit better food. HAL Niew Amsterdam has better Specialty restaurants. Princess will feel very crowded and getting around the ship seems to take a lot longer especially since there is always await for the elevators.

If you like going to the Spa, the Thermal Suite on HAL is much nicer than Princess that tends to feel dark and dungeon style opposed to the open windows and views of the ocean on HAL.

Both are good but over all you will get more bang for you buck with HAL. 

[yerdua]

We were on the Sky for its inaugural TA back in 2019. Though not as large as some ships out there (approx 3500 to 3600 pax) it is considerably larger than the NA. Also, it's VERY noisy. We walked out of one of.their restaurants that opened onto their atrium a couple of the decks below because we couldn't hear each other or order. My other issue was there was next to nowhere to quietly sit and watch the ocean go by. Never again going on a ship larger than HALs pinnacle class (and preferably smaller). One other consideration.. if you want a loveseat in your cabin don't book anything below a deluxe veranda. You'll only get a single desk chair.

[1ANGELCAT]

FWIW, Nieuw Amsterdam will just be coming out of dry dock as of December 16th

[*Miss G*]

Great responses from the previous posters because their observations generally mirror my own.  I have linked my Sky Princess comparisons below.  In them, I compare Sky Princess to HAL Pinnacle-class ships due to the age and size, but my observations also apply to the Nieuw Amsterdam with a little tweaking in parts.  

 

Major observation with a 4-year old in tow:  you are not going to get much use out of the Lido pool or movies on the Sky during inclement weather because there is no roof to ward off the elements.  HAL also has a KIDS CLUB if the parents are wanting a bit of free time.

 

Bottom line:  if I had to choose between the two it would be Nieuw Amsterdam, hands down.

 

 

 

[LAFFNVEGAS]

BTW every one is mentioning a 4 yr old, I do not think that is what the OP wrote

We are a family of 4, 52, 50, 20 and 17 yo. 

 

I think they are say there are four of them and the ages are listed. I do not believe there is a toddler.

[ron57nie]

sorry i was thinking Statendam not Amsterdam. agree with others about size.

 

[crystalspin]

2 hours ago, LAFFNVEGAS said:

...If you are looking at balcony staterooms HAL will give you a much larger balcony stateroom with an actual sofa near the balcony, Princess balcony staterooms do not, just a desk and a chair unless you book a Deluxe Balcony or Mini Suite, Those Deluxe Balconies are going to be far more than HAL balcony...

This^^^. I have not sailed on Princess (although I have bookings that had to be cancelled, including one each 2020 and 2021), and this is often the reason why. The need to book so much higher just to be comfortable in the cabin.

 

ETA, I remember pre-pandemic that Princess had even removed the second "barrel" chair from standard balconies. Leaving just one desk chair or the bed for places to sit!

Edited July 2, 2023 by crystalspin

[Guest ldtr]

3 hours ago, OlsSalt said:

Princess Sky Princess is quite a bit larger, than the Nieuw  SkyAmsterdam. We personally choose the smaller ships when given a choice. NA is a very nice ship, but as big as we would ever choose now among the HAL fleet.  We like them even smaller.

 

Might want to also look at who will be in port with you on the same days if the itineraries are similar - do you share that port with other cruise ship, or more on your own.

 

Also with larger ships, sometimes  you might not get  preferred docking location. Those are the drill down details to consider when making a choice between what may appear to be superficial similarities. 

 

Where are you going and how long is the cruise? If you like both products, it just may not matter that much particularly if it is a shorter cruise.

 

 I am reminded of the former Carnival Cruise Line  CEO describing the various cruise line personalities within the CCL family.  CEO Arnold Donald commented Princess was more a California vibe, and HAL was "midwestern". That was the official public statement from the CEO about the differences between these two cruise lines.

 

Whatever that ultimately means, but I think I agree. HAL - quieter and more low key; Princess trendier and more social. 

 

 

 

Sky Princess is larger with max capacity over 4000. Two berth capacity around 3700. The Hal ship is less than 3000.

 

The big difference is in entertainment. 

 HAL focuses on music walk. Princess is more varied.

 

 

[Haljo1935]

Having sailed both Princess and HAL, I would go w/HAL.

With that said, I've been on Nieuw Amsterdam but not Sky Princess and I don't travel w/20yo & 17yo, so my perspective is a bit screwed. 

Really enjoyed Princess when we were sailing her almost exclusively, but they were not the larger ships, which we now realize we don't care for. The young adults going on this cruise may well enjoy the opportunities of the larger Princess ship and the somewhat younger crowd. If they're "plugged in" they would likely enjoy the medallions and interactive maps on Princess  - none of that on HAL; the interactive maps at the elevators are pretty cool. Parents may also appreciate the tracking feature of the medallion.

If they enjoy nature, they may appreciate the larger balconies on HAL. HAL ships are easy to navigate once you get your bearings and I'm sure they could easily zip around quickly vs Princess. Service on HAL will likely be better, but that may just be me being partial. Oh and who can forget the candied bacon available on HAL!!

Plase kindly update us as to your final decision and why as well as how the cruise went - very interested. 

Safe travels - enjoy your cruise!

Edited July 3, 2023 by Haljo1935
Typo

[Guest ldtr]

41 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

Having sailed both Princess and HAL, I would go w/HAL.

With that said, I've been on Nieuw Amsterdam but not Sky Princess and I don't travel w/20yo & 17yo, so my perspective is a bit screwed. 

Really enjoyed Princess when we were sailing her almost exclusively, but they were not the larger ships, which we now realize we don't care for. The young adults going on this cruise may well enjoy the opportunities of the larger Princess ship and the somewhat younger crowd. If they're "plugged in" they would likely enjoy the medallions and interactive maps on Princess  - none of that on HAL; the interactive maps at the elevators are pretty cool. Parents may also appreciate the tracking feature of the medallion.

If they enjoy nature, they may appreciate the larger balconies on HAL. HAL ships are easy to navigate once you get your bearings and I'm sure they could easily zip around quickly vs Princess. Service on HAL will likely be better, but that may just be me being partial. Oh and who can forget the candied bacon available on HAL!!

Plase kindly update us as to your final decision and why as well as how the cruise went - very interested. 

Safe travels - enjoy your cruise!

I would not necessarily say younger crowd from what I have seen on my more recent cruises on both lines.

 

It really comes down to interests and itinerary.

 

The itinerary will have an impact upon age.  Also if it is port intensive or a lot of sea days.  If there are tender ports or not.  

 

In this case you are talking about the Caribbean so the ages on both lines will be younger.  The weather will be warm so the covered pool are on the HAL ship is not a real advantage.

 

To be honest in that area I would go on whichever ship is 1. has the best itinerary as far as the exact ports and the length of time in port  2. Probably most important the best price.

[cruisingrob21]

Choose the NA - the Sky lacks any sort of high level, climate controlled observation area other than the buffet.  The Sky also lacks a outdoor wrap around promenade.  If you have tender ports, pack some patience.

[TAW1963]

My DW and I are booked on the Sky Princess for a 15-day Transatlantic cruise this fall.  We are also booked on the Nieuw Amsterdam for a 22-day Panama Canal repositioning cruise next spring.  We are not all that experienced at cruising, but we have been on both lines.  We have found that we enjoy both HAL and Princess and plan on cruising both lines in the future.

[electro]

If entertainment past 11pm is important to you, don't choose the NA.

[Haljo1935]

2 hours ago, TAW1963 said:

My DW and I are booked on the Sky Princess for a 15-day Transatlantic cruise this fall.  We are also booked on the Nieuw Amsterdam for a 22-day Panama Canal repositioning cruise next spring.  We are not all that experienced at cruising, but we have been on both lines.  We have found that we enjoy both HAL and Princess and plan on cruising both lines in the future.

Would be interested in reading your comparison of them afterwards. 

I'm doing my first TA this fall (Thanksgiving Rome->FLL) and first TP (Yokohama->Seattle) next spring; both HAL. Excitedly anxious and curious.

We considered a TA on Princess instead of a flight for another Rome cruise, but canceled the booking, so will be interested in your feedback to see if we may want to do it in the future. 

[TAW1963]

3 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

Would be interested in reading your comparison of them afterwards. 

I'm doing my first TA this fall (Thanksgiving Rome->FLL) and first TP (Yokohama->Seattle) next spring; both HAL. Excitedly anxious and curious.

We considered a TA on Princess instead of a flight for another Rome cruise, but canceled the booking, so will be interested in your feedback to see if we may want to do it in the future. 

I am more than happy to share my comparison afterwards.  This fall, on the Sky Princess, will be our first TA too.  We had originally booked a TA on the Nieuw Statendam out of Rome, but it was late November which concerned us a bit.  From our experience, Princess has a few more daily activities than HAL, which also made us lean towards the TA on the Sky Princess.  We don't need to be entertained all the time, but even having a piano player, or guitar player in the Piazza during the daytime is enjoyable to us.  

[Haljo1935]

Just now, TAW1963 said:

I am more than happy to share my comparison afterwards.  This fall, on the Sky Princess, will be our first TA too.  We had originally booked a TA on the Nieuw Statendam out of Rome, but it was late November which concerned us a bit.  From our experience, Princess has a few more daily activities than HAL, which also made us lean towards the TA on the Sky Princess.  We don't need to be entertained all the time, but even having a piano player, or guitar player in the Piazza during the daytime is enjoyable to us.  

By chance, is the HAL you passed on Nov 26-Dec 10 Rome->FLL? That's the one we're doing.

I do miss the seemingly endless entertainment in the Piazza on Princess; we'd pick up a light snack and coffee in the International Cafe and enjoy the music. Don't get that on HAL.

[20165]

Thanks for the replies everyone, great info and i think we may be leaning a little more toward HAL, given after our last MSC cruise, we need some piece and quiet and less people would also be nice.  And sorry, i meant we are a party of 4 people and our youngest child is 17. I have 2 add on questions, although both of our kids are fine with a laid back cruise, they do both like to work out so hows the gyms on both ships?  Also, 1angelcat posted that Nieuw Amsterdam will just be coming out of dry dock and im assuming that we will be the first cruise after that give it leaves Dec 16th.  anyone have experience with that and should it be a concern?  We have been on previous cruises that just made the turn from Europe to Caribbean and the service was not great because i guess they were making a crew change.  I dont know if this would fall into that category.

Thanks again for all the great info, lots to think about.

[TAW1963]

10 minutes ago, Haljo1935 said:

By chance, is the HAL you passed on Nov 26-Dec 10 Rome->FLL? That's the one we're doing.

I do miss the seemingly endless entertainment in the Piazza on Princess; we'd pick up a light snack and coffee in the International Cafe and enjoy the music. Don't get that on HAL.

Yes, it sure is.  I should've have figured that out from your past post.  I am sure we would have had a great time on that HAL TA.  I had booked an aft-facing veranda cabin, by first booking the obstructed view VH cabin and then adding Club Orange.  It was a tough decision to make for I am sure we would have had a great time on either of them.  I do have an aft-facing premium deluxe balcony cabin on the Sky, which will be nice as well.  I will, however, miss not having the separate dining room like we would have had with CO on HAL.  I hope you have a great cruise and I look forward to hearing your experiences.

 

Edited July 3, 2023 by TAW1963

[Haljo1935]

4 minutes ago, TAW1963 said:

Yes, it sure is.  I should've have figured that out from your past post.  I am sure we would have had a great time on that HAL TA.  I had booked an aft-facing veranda cabin, by first booking the obstructed view VH cabin and then adding Club Orange.  It was a tough decision to make for I am sure we would have had a great time on either of them.  I do have an aft-facing premium deluxe balcony cabin on the Sky, which will be nice as well.  I will, however, miss not having the separate dining room like we would have had with CO on HAL.  I hope you have a great cruise and I look forward to hearing your experiences.

 

I think I'm going on your booking, lol! We did CO to get an aft-facing verandah and when we first tried to add CO it was sold out, called back and was able to add it due to a cancelation. 

Now, if we can only get HIA added, I think we'll have the perfect package.

Safe travels  - enjoy your cruise!

[TAW1963]

Just now, Haljo1935 said:

I think I'm going on your booking, lol! We did CO to get an aft-facing verandah and when we first tried to add CO it was sold out, called back and was able to add it due to a cancelation. 

Now, if we can only get HIA added, I think we'll have the perfect package.

Safe travels  - enjoy your cruise!

Great minds think alike! 😀  You could very well of received the CO position we gave up. 

[Haljo1935]

19 minutes ago, 20165 said:

...And sorry, i meant we are a party of 4 people and our youngest child is 17. I have 2 add on questions, although both of our kids are fine with a laid back cruise, they do both like to work out so hows the gyms on both ships?

Can't comment on the exact equipment available,  but will say your "young adults" should have to issues using it as over 16 are allowed to use w/o parents. They'll have a great view. 

Edited July 3, 2023 by Haljo1935
Typo

[jljcruise]

4 hours ago, 20165 said:

Thanks for the replies everyone, great info and i think we may be leaning a little more toward HAL, given after our last MSC cruise, we need some piece and quiet and less people would also be nice.  And sorry, i meant we are a party of 4 people and our youngest child is 17. I have 2 add on questions, although both of our kids are fine with a laid back cruise, they do both like to work out so hows the gyms on both ships?  Also, 1angelcat posted that Nieuw Amsterdam will just be coming out of dry dock and im assuming that we will be the first cruise after that give it leaves Dec 16th.  anyone have experience with that and should it be a concern?  We have been on previous cruises that just made the turn from Europe to Caribbean and the service was not great because i guess they were making a crew change.  I dont know if this would fall into that category.

Thanks again for all the great info, lots to think about.

The HAL NA gym is great. Very good  equipment selection (and great views forward over the bow while you work out!).  Also, if they're into pickleball all HAL ships have courts available. I haven't used the Princess gym, so no comment on that.