Two VERY different products.......

[the2ofus]

I mentioned earlier on the HAL board that I would be sailing on RCCL's Adventure of the Seas. Had thought to do a comparison but have changed my mind.

 

I don't think I can compare my one AOS cruise with my several HAL cruises and say which is better because they are different products and I went with different expectations. However, I will offer a few observations. I don't intend to post this on the RCCL board.

 

I should start by saying that I would sail again on AOS or one of her sister ships if the price and itinerary appealed to me. Doubt I'd try anything larger.

 

We had a balcony cabin just a bit aft of the 'hump'. It was adequate for two people but smaller than comparable cabins on HAL's S class and Vista class ships I have sailed in. The beds did not measure up to HAL. No surprise there. The cabin decor was pleasing with light pastel colors. The furnishings and upholstery were in good repair. RCCL makes good use of nooks and crannies to provide storage space. The desk area included 7 drawers of varying depth. Mirrors are arranged so that you can get a full length view of yourself, front and back without twisting and craning your neck. Wish HAL would figure out something similar.

 

The closet was large with a long bar, two lower bars which could be folded down to form a second tier to take pants or shirts on hangers. There were five metal grid shelves tucked back in the corner of the closet for folded clothing. Plenty of hangers were available. More than adequate for two women who packed enough for two weeks instead of one.

 

The bathroom was small with limited storage space for two women's 'stuff'. There was no tub and the shower was roomy enough with curved fiberglass door panels, so no stranglehold from a shower curtain. If either my sister or I had been 'fluffy' it might have been a tight fit. I hit my elbow on the shower doors a couple of times while doing my hair in front of the mirror over the sink, though.

 

Both the bathroom and cabin were well lighted and cheery. I think HAL cabin lighting tends to be more subdued and their bathroom lighting is poor IMHO.

 

Food is very subjective, so I can only speak about what I tasted and observed. For the most part, the beef or pork I chose either in the dining room or the casual dining seemed to be of lower quality than I am used to on HAL. It was prepared properly but more often than not had gristle or was tough Just not well trimmed, I thought. Bacon had an off taste. Oh, yes, Bami Goreng was on the menu one evening. I chose another entree but the waiter also gladly brought me a small plate of Bami Goreng, which was tasty. The escargot was good and the lobster tail was good size and nicely cooked. Bread at dinner was offered from a large basket by the assistant waiter. You had best make your choices for the whole meal the first time, as she only came to offer seconds about half the time. Second cups of coffee after the meal were slow in coming also.

 

The casual buffet is two different, adjacent areas. The Windjammer did not appeal to me, but I usually found salads and meat entrees for lunch in the Island Grill. There was a great Greek salad every day, various potato salads, a great salade nicoise one day. Pasta with a choice of sauces and pizza were served along with some asian dishes.

 

There usually was not a problem getting a table at lunch. Table clean-up and service for beverages was a bit uneven, depending on which waiters had the tables.

 

I have read several times that RCCL's buffet stations are more convenient than HAL's system. On AOS, I didn't see any difference or benefit. The various stations along the tray line were labeled so you could proceed directly to the items you wanted. However, people still tended to go along like a cafeteria line and glared at you, muttering comments about line-jumpers and rude people if you skipped the stuff you didn't want and stepped in ahead of the guy who was deciding how much pasta and which sauce he wanted.

 

Desserts at lunch and dinner were pretty bland and blah. I was really hungry for a good rich chocolate dessert, which finally showed up the final night as one of a small trio in a sampler plate. Cookies at lunch were good as was the rice pudding. I didn't attend the dessert extravaganza. Ben & Jerry's ice cream was available for a price. Soft-serve was free at certain hours in the Windjammer. I didn't partake, especially after I saw two unsupervised kids playing with the machine and sticking their fingers where the ice cream came out. Yuk!!

 

By the way, there were around 200 kids on the sailing and I rarely saw any of them. The facilities and programs for the kids looked great. I'm thinking my two youngest grandkids would have a great time there.

 

I didn't see any hand sanitizers available anywhere on the ship.

 

Will post this now and add more later.

[the2ofus]

Now that I have described the areas where I found similarities, I'll try to describe why I feel the two experiences were very different.

 

My overall impression of RCCL is an energetic, go-go-go atmosphere. There is a kind of constant noise and hubbub which makes an RCCL cruise seem anything but laid-back and restful. I don't think it is necessarily a draw-back if you are looking for an active cruise. It is just different from the slower, quieter pace on HAL.

 

There are so many venues and so many activities day and evening that you would have to be constantly on the go all day and into the late night in order to sample them all. On a seven day cruise we didn't get to see and do more than half of what we would have liked to try.

 

The royal promenade which runs half the length of the ship is abuzz with activity and the sound echoes. Music from the bars on the three public decks floats up the stairways from one level to the others, mingling with conversations and laughter from the bars. All this sound echoes and bounces in the multi-level open space above. The shops along the sides compete with the sale tables of 'special offers' down the middle. Amid it all, the Rosario strings are playing outside one of the bars and people are standing on stairways watching dancers who have nowhere to dance except in the walkways.

 

The Rosario strings also played in the Terrace Grill amid the conversation and clatter of dishes in the evening and sometimes in the dining room. They deserved a better space to perform.

 

The ice show is spectacular on a space only 40 by 60 feet. The music there and at the shows in the Lyric theater is LOUD. (Someone should tip them off that loud and audible are not synonymous. Maybe they already did. The new sound guy told us on the backstage tour that he's working now on bringing down the volume. I applauded that statement.)

 

There were a fair number of announcements in English, Spanish and sometimes French, of various events. These would not have been annoying if they had been audible, but the sound had an echo quality which left you wondering what was said. RCCL might do better to install more speakers around the ship and turn down the volume. I was reminded of Wal-Mart and all the announcements that constantly bombard you in their stores.

 

It was a pleasure to escape to our balcony and listen to the sound of the water and the wind while enjoying our champagne cocktails and reading late in the evening.

 

Another pleasant evening pastime was a stroll on the various open decks. Very few people were out and about. The deck that compares with the HAL lower promenade is a broad carpeted space equipped with comfortable high-back plastic strap chairs, but with no footrests. If the weather is good, it is possible to do a complete circuit outdoors with a little extra effort, because the forward area one flight up where the helipad is located is open for walking. The walking/jogging track on the top deck is heavily used in the morning but almost deserted at night.

 

Although there were a lot of happy, partying people on the ship, I never saw anyone behaving in an obnoxious, drunken manner. There were many multi-generation families, many 20-something groups of girls or guys. There were a fair number of older people in their 50s and up.

 

There were a few canes, walkers and wheelchairs used by people of various ages. I thought the mix was more representative of the general population than on HAL ships.

 

I'll add a few random thoughts tomorrow.

[jhannah]

Thanks for taking the time to post. This is very informative. It certainly confirms my feeling that RCCL is not the product for me. I don't want the go-go-go hub-bub echoing noise cruise experience.

[sail7seas]

Thanks for your postings, 'the2of us'. Great to read. Happy you enjoyed yourself with your family.

 

[johnlcruise]

I too agree with everythin "The2ofus" said.

I took a RCCL cruise this past month and they DO keep you busy if you want.

I had a good time..Met lots of new friends.

Would I do another RCCL cruise again? Sure if the price is right.

Just dont go if you are into the food thing.

HAl does it better when it comes to food.

I said this before and I'll say it again. "A cruise is what YOU make it to be"

[debshomespun]

the2ofus: Very nice review of the AOS. We have been on the Explorer and Navigator. We have booked the Westerdam for the 10/29/06 sailing. Looking forward to the food they will have. Do you know what types of activities are offered during the day on the Westerdam? Usually on sea days, we will just sun ourselves on a lounge near the rail, usually 1 deck up from the pool. If there are any type of pool games, we will watch, but not a necessity. We do like the go go go atmosphere of the RC sailings, as we like to keep busy. Not sure what to expect from Holland America. My DH will be 50 this year, and I will be 47 next week.

 

On the sea days, as I said above, it is great to just soak up the sun. If the weather is bad, what types of indoor activities do they have available?

 

Thanks so much for your help.

[the2ofus]

Vegas Jim, you can get away from the noise and commotion if you want to. We never found a venue similar to the Explorer's Lounge for quiet conversation, but there are some quiet nooks and crannies around the ship.

 

We did meet several very nice folks and hope to keep in touch. With double the pax as on the Vista ships, you can avoid people easily but don't often run into folks you'd like to see again unless you plan to meet or share a favorite watering hole. Maybe on longer cruises with more sea days it might be different. I'd honestly like to try a 10 day on the AOS just to compare since most of my HAL cruises have been 10 days.

 

John, the quality and presentation of food is important to me and would be a deciding factor if other aspects of a prospective cruise - price and itinerary - were equal. I absolutely hate that RCCL and Princess give you a giant platter and expect you to pile all your food together. I prefer HAL's trays and separate dishes of various sizes. I also prefer that most of my food in casual dining is served to me ala HAL, not picked over by other pax in the line before I get there.

 

Debbie, it's been over a year since I was on the Westerdam so others may have more current knowledge about daytime activities. There are a couple of nice places for sunning forward on the sports (?) deck and on the sky deck. I know you would enjoy a Westerdam cruise.

 

A couple of other observations....

Muster drill was held on deck at the lifeboat stations prior to sailing. It was taken very seriously with all pax quiet and lined up in neat rows as they arrived, women in front, cabin numbers checked off, missing numbers called. Instructions were in English, Spanish and French. The young women conducting our drill appeared to be some of the entertainment staff. We thought we recognized one of them as one of the skaters.

 

I thought RCCL's cocktails were way more expensive than HAL, but there were exceptions. The drink of the day was usually $5.95 (with souvenir glass.) Some of the souvenir glasses were very pretty, but you had to know to ask for them. The Champagne Bar had a special drink card, which we discovered late in the cruise. (Duh! Read the signs :rolleyes: ) 10 champagne cocktails for $43. Bring on the Bellinis, please! Bar staff there learned our names and were very pleasant, offered nice hot hors d'oeuvres.

 

Spa prices were also higher. I had an hour and a half pampering massage and a manicure. Both were well done. Could have saved $40 by having the massage on the port day in St. Thomas but then would have missed some great snorkeling.

 

The Meet & Mingle for the Roll Call folks was held at 11:00 a.m. on the first sea day in the Blue Moon Lounge, which is the equivalent of the Crow's Nest. They offered us iced tea, lemonade and water to drink. I can't remember if there was coffee also. There were cold canapes with shrimp, smoked salmon, caviar, brie with fresh grapes and some other toppings. All very fresh, all very tasty and very plentiful. The Hotel Manager spent at least half an hour with us and made sure to speak with each person attending.

 

In the dining room there was no baked alaska parade. Instead there was a parade of nations with all the wait staff carrying the flags of their countries and then massing on the staircase on the final night. Then they sang the RCCL version of Hey Look Me Over, which I thought was rather strange. Many people in the far corners on the three-level dining room could not see what was happening at all.

 

On one other night there was a conga line led by the waiters which snaked through the dining room and all the pax were invited to join in. It was kind of fun at the time, yet rather embarrassing. Guess you had to be there to get the full impact.

 

I prefer HAL's more dignified evening dining experience!

 

I really, really missed the HAL disembarkation lecture and the Love In Any Language farewell.

 

Ah, well, in just four and a half months I'll be back home on a HAL ship!

 

Got to go mow my acre and a half that turned into pasture in my absence...

 

I'll be glad to try to answer any questions.

[MumsTheWord*]

the2ofus;

 

I thoroughly enjoyed reading your review...

I appreciated your many details and the ease in which you wrote. I also appreciated your honesty while not "putting down" the other product. My mother and sister-in-law and I will be trying out the Mariner of the Seas in September (my first RCCL cruise) and it will be interesting to see how it compares to our past Noordam Voyage.

 

Like you said, I expect that it will be hard to compare...like comparing pineapples to papayas.:) Good thing is that I LOVE both fruits and enjoy them for different reasons. We have sailed on Disney, Celebrity, and HAL, and are anxious to see how RCCL fairs in the mix...We have enjoyed each of our cruises for different reasons...

 

More importantly, we're just grateful to be on any cruise.

 

 

Again, Thank you!

[obriendan]

the2ous,

 

Thanks for the thorough and thoughtful review. Size and the hub-bub you describe would discourage me from taking an RCCL cruise.

 

Only 143 days until the Voyage of the Spammed!!!:D :D :D

[babyher]

The2ofus,

 

Thank you for a very well written and fair comparison/review.

 

Sounds like you went into this cruise with a very open mind and were able to find many things you were able to enjoy.

 

Thats one of the first steps to having a good time, not just on a cruise, but pretty much anywhere. True RCCL is not the experience you enjoy on HAL. But you were able to find good points and enjoy the cruise for its own merits.

[karen2cruz]

Thank you for the review. Having sailed on the Mariner of the Seas, AOS sister ship, everything you have said is correct. This class ship is great for teenagers and young adults, looking to be kept busy and entertained. We sail on the Westerdam, first time HAL cruisers, in August and I am looking forward to the more relaxed atmosphere.

 

I hear from a friend, who sails on RCCL Radiance class ships, that they would be a more equal comparison to the HAL ships.

 

Thanks again for the review.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thanks for taking the time and writing a wonderful comparison between the 2 cruise lines.

[the2ofus]

I just remembered....at the introductory show on the first evening of the cruise the CD made very specific and pointed remarks about the responsibility of parents to keep track of their children and monitor their behavior. There was also a curfew of 1:00 a.m. for all children 17 and under. Children out after that hour or children seen to be misbehaving would be taken to the Guest Relations office and their parents would be contacted. The possibility of children and parents being disembarked for repeated misbehavior was also in the documents we received.

 

An announcement re: parents being responsible for their children's behavior was made before each show in the Lyric theater and the Ice Rink. Also, unaccompanied children were not to be seated in the first three rows at events in these locations.

 

I thought how sad it was that parents had to be reminded of their duty and that past child misbehavior apparently had made such announcements necessary.

[tortugas]

We just sailed HAL for the first time recently and this really sums up the 2 lines nicely! I think this is great info, because i suspect a lot of RCI pax are like me, they love the line, but are also interested in branching out.

 

You are so right... the food on HAL was better. But we liked the Windjammer style dining on RCI much better than HALs lido. Not the quality, just the way it was served. That was actual my biggest annoyance on Westerdam. I always like the self-serve atmosphere of the lido dining, so i can try a little of this and that, but it's tough to do that on HAL because they are actually serving you off the line, and you've got to be VERY vocal not to mention QUICK because they are very eager to shove that silver covered plate at you and move on to the next guest. Just my PERCEPTION... that's all.

 

I also agree that the pace on HAL was slower. This was fine for an Alaska cruise, but had we been in the Caribbean, we would have been looking for a little more action and nightlife... of course, I can only guess that HALs Caribbean itineraries 1.draw a crowd with a different mindset and 2.maybe offer more activities? If anyone knows about that, do tell!

 

Anyway, we had a great cruise and loved both lines. For now RCI is our favorite, but HAL is, as many posters have said re: RCI, a great option if the price is right!!