Holland America : A step "up" from Princess?

[NJRonbo]

I have been an avid cruiser for the past 5 years. I started with Royal Caribbean, migrated

over to Princess (which I enjoy more) and am now considering my first cruise aboard

Holland America.

 

Now from what I undertand (and perhaps I am mistaken) Holland America is a step

up from Princess in the way Celebrity is to Royal Caribbean. Everything aboard the

ship is "supposed" to be a little fancier.

 

I am single this year (age 43) and sailing alone which is costing me a bit more $$$, but

I don't mind. I had to choose an INSIDE MM cabkin because of cost, but see that these

cabins are actually larger and nice than Princess.

 

Anyone who has sailed Princess and Holland America like to comment? Please be

specific in the things you thought were better/worse or the same.

 

BTW, I am considering the Noordam.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Druke I]

3 times on HAL, some 18 or so on Princess.

 

We think HAL a very good product, and would rate HAL's food and its presentation above Princess.

 

Princess has a much wider variety of itineraries that appeal to us (their exotics).

 

I do think Princess has better production shows, and Princess' showlounges generally better laid out than HAL, which tend to have flat floors as opposed to theater seating, resulting in lesser sightlines.

 

Big plus on many HAL ships - dedicated cinemas with fresh hot popcorn. Princess has not included dedicated movies theaters in their newbuilds for some time.

 

HAL nightlife quieter than Princess.

 

Bottom line, both good products for the markets they are trying to draw.

[sail7seas]

One of the major things that IMO makes HAL superior to Princess are the crews of HAL. I find their eagerness to please, their anticipation of our needs and desires, their courtesy and way of doing things to be noticeably superior on HAL ships.

 

The last time we sailed Princess was probably the last time we shall cruise Princess and a large part of the reason was crew attitutude, lack of service, poorly trained dining stewards, disappointing lack of any crew desire to please/assist passengers. On Princess, I always felt to be a paying passenger who passed through their ship for a given length of time. On HAL I always feel I am a welcome guest.

 

This is my personal experience and can only speak of what I and my DH encountered. If you had the best crews in the world on Princess, I am happy for you. We did not.

 

[Schplinky]

I am also interested in this thread because as an RCL cruiser, I was disappointed in Celebrity. It was not a step up in most ways and was a step down in some. Oddly, the things that were meant to make it a step up (food and service) were the real weak points on our sailing. It led me to wonder if a nuber of staff were missing/sick because the folks working seemed hard-pressed to keep up and remain cheerful. Time and perspective on that mediocre cruise have led me to feel that our sailing on Constellation may have been an abberation (most of the online reviews for our week are poor but the weeks surrounding it are all quite highly rated) but my real point would be to try and avoid thinking in terms of step up or step down. Different lines have different strengths (RCL seems hard to beat for entertainment and activities while another line might easily beat RCL in food) so what might be more important to do is figure out what is most important to you and find a line that does that thing well. Even within lines, the service and amenities can be different. My first HAL cruise will be in January on a Vista class ship in the Caribbean for a week. While there are some similarities, I'm sure that's a different experience than a longer cruise some of the older, smaller HAL ships.

[Copper10-8]

HAL and Princess both supply a nice product. Princess ships are more "glitzier" than HAL's and their atrium's are spectacular with lots more glass. I agree with Druke that the production shows on Princess are better than on HAL. They have a huge stage to work with (half a pirate ship and Chinese acrobats on their pirate show). Also agree that the night life on Princess is more lively and last longer. Where HAL stands out is in their service staff which, IMO, is superior to Princess'. I think it has to do with the background and training of the staff. HAL's Indonesian and Filipino staff are more quitely reserved and give (are trained to give) more personal service. Princess' staff is multi-national, comes from a different background (lots of Europeans:rolleyes: ), are more open and engaging, but are not not as service orientated. I don't necessarily think of it as a "step up, step down", just different in certain ways. It all depends on what you are looking for;) Have a great cruise!

[GMoney]

Debates about one cruise line being better than another are tough, as they all have positives and negatives, and it really depends on what you value in your cruise experience.

 

I can tell you that I sailed the Noordam last March, and that she is a beautiful ship. I had a wonderful cruise and the service was very good. The Explorations Cafe and thermal suite / hyrdo pools are among the best of their kind at sea. It was a great introduction to HAL for me, and while I will not be rushing back to HAL anytime soon, I would sail the Noordam again without hesitation.

[CJcruzer]

you also have to watch when comparing as to size/class of ship one line against another.

 

I made a good friend on the Westerdam Caribbean sailing this winter - and she just came back from a 12 day Golden Princess Med cruise - she chose Princess because her Sun Princess (smaller ship) cruise to alaska had been fantastic!!! She loved Westerdam and HAL - but booked with princess again.

 

She really really disliked her Med. cruise - same cruise line- totally different service, food, etc....She said the bread was stale, desserts lousy, had to pay for ice cream (apparently she didn't on her Sun Princess cruise?) rooms were small (this I have heard a lot - HAL has larger rooms) and was very disappointed in the level of service - so much so, she's writing a letter to the CEO or whomever....

 

Now everyone's cruise experience and expectations are different - The Golden princess has 2600 pax (a nightmare embarking and disembarking she said) - probably her Sun princess was quite a bit smaller... I know my HAL experience on the Veendam with approx 1260 pax was different than the Vista class Westerdam with approx 1900 or so pax - but they wer both wonderful in their own way - pros and cons to each....

 

Like they say, the worst day cruising still beats being at work!!!

 

CJcruzer

[jhannah]

We have enjoyed several Princess cruises. But in answer to your question, my opinion is yes ... Holland America is a step up from Princess. Would I sail Princess again? Sure I would, if the itinerary and price were what I was looking for. But I've become so accustomed to the look, service and feel of HAL ships that there's much more of that "coming home" feeling when I board. Give it a try. I don't think you'll be disappointed.

[DickM]

HAL and Princess both supply a nice product....

 

I think Copper10-8 said it well. Both HAL and Princess do some things differently but they both do them well.

 

For service, the advantage goes to Holland.

 

For dining room food, the advantage goes to Princess. We've found that HAL was not consistant. We had some very good meals and some very bad ones in the dining room. HAL also has a lot of long rectangular tables in the dining room -- not conducive to conversation. We like Princess's round tables better.

 

Hal uses food stations rather than a buffet line in their version of Horizon Court --- very nice to get the personal attention and the food there is good.

 

Also, HAL uses real towels, not paper, in the public rest rooms --- nice touch.

 

HAL also lets you stay in your cabin until you disembark unlike Princess who wants you to vacate.

 

We will continue to sail both HAL and Princess.

[rkacruiser]

Last winter, I sailed on Star Princess for a 7 day cruise and then, after a two day break, a 4 day sailing on the Zuiderdam, my 2nd cruise on Zuiderdam. I did this purposely in order to make an almost "instant" comparison of the two products.

 

I did enjoy my Star Princess cruise. I was fortunate to have an excellent dining team (2nd sitting; did not use their personal choice option) and was very pleased with my cabin steward. Lounge service was not as consistently attentive or personable as on HAL.

 

Boarding the Zuiderdam, though, produced the same feeling that jhannah described: "I was coming home." The ships of HAL are simply more elegant(lovely floral displays) and that "feeling" permeates everything about the cruising experience. HAL's Lido Restaurant operation is the best afloat that I have experienced and most certainly--although diehard Princess cruisers will disagree--far superior to the Horizon Court operation on Princess ships.

 

I hope my opinion also will help you.

[jjones]

I echo Druke and Copper's posts. I have always had good, friendly service on both HAL and Princess. I prefer smaller ships, but generally choose by itinerary. One thing I like about Princess especially is I can find and/or phone my room steward, which I found difficult on HAL.

[Candy]

...snip...The last time we sailed Princess was probably the last time we shall cruise Princess and a large part of the reason was crew attitutude, lack of service, poorly trained dining stewards, disappointing lack of any crew desire to please/assist passengers. On Princess, I always felt to be a paying passenger who passed through their ship for a given length of time. On HAL I always feel I am a welcome guest...

We totally agree, s7s... we sailed the Caribbean Princess last month, and although she is a beautiful ship, her crew's lack of attention to our needs (let alone wants) has left us terribly disappointed. The last straw was when (during anytime dining) Jim and I were seated at a table for 8 by ourselves. Awkward? Very.

 

Candy the ZuiderPrincess

[Italy52]

We have sailed Sitmar, Premier, NCL, RCCL, Renaissance, HAL, and Princess; a total of 19 cruises in all. Each cruise was enjoyable, but different. During the last few years we have primarily sailed Princess. However, we did sail HAL (Zuiderdam) a couple of years ago and enjoyed it very much. Our experience with regard to service is a little different from other posters. We found the service on Princess to be equal to that of HAL. We gave the edge to Princess for variety in their dinner menus and quality of food. However, we felt that the Lido on the Zuiderdam was outstanding and the Horizon Court on Princess ships needed work. Princess gets the edge with Personal Choice Dining; HAL does not offer that. If we could be guaranteed a table for two at dinner, I would switch to HAL in a heartbeat. Casinos are friendlier on HAL than on Princess. Our embarkation and disembarkation was smoother on Princess than on HAL. Although I believe things have improved since we last sailed HAL. When all is said and done, I truly believe both offer a quality product. Would we sail HAL or Princess again, you betcha.

[newmexicoNita]

All the mass marketed lines offer almost the same things, with each having a special nitch. It would be very hard to say which is a step up from another. Most veteran cruisers would give a slight edge to Celebrity and HAL, but not everyone is looking for the same thing. Go with the itinerary and ship size as well as price and resarch the activities so you can judge what is best for you. NMNita

[Ineke]

We've done 3 HAL cruises(Ryndam X 2, Amsterdam), 1 Princess (Island Princess) and 1 NCL (Pride of Aloha). I definitely consider HAL a step up from Princess but know both have their very loyal followers. What I liked about Island Princess was its amazing stability in some very rough water, and that it was very quiet. This was most likely due to its larger size. For the rest, the cabin was smaller, the ship not as well maintained, the crew was not as friendly and lacked that personal touch, and the food was not anywhere near comparable. However, the price was right and so was the itinerary, but when comparing apples to apples, HAL wins hands down for me.

[TampaMike]

I agree with both HAL & Princess have very good products. Relative to the cost, I think they both are great values for what is offered.

 

Although I personally favor HAL, it is more due to the decided style differences, which may or may not appeal to you as one being 'better' than the other.

 

HAL is decidedly a traditional flavor product. The ships, though new / modern, have an old world decor and ocean liner feel. The crew are unobtrusive, graceful and exceptional at learning your name and preferences. To some they are shy and 'not on the ball'. I disagree with that asessment. HAL also tends to be quiet onboard, fewer activities and glitz. Again, I believe this is the decided product. I like to relax, at my pace and often do as little as possible (a book, deckchair, view and a deck steward will wear me out). Some prefer more activity, hype and excitement...they will be disappointed with HAL. Likely this is the primary reason HAL's typical clientel are more senior.

 

Now Princess, I believe is very much on par with HAL in product value and similar quality. But the decided product is more contemporary, more activity and a bit more diverse. The ships are decidedly more modern decor, light, bright and more contemporary hotel like. There is more activity / entertainment as well, and a broader range of ages aboard. The service staff are more international and has a more worldly style. There is a bit of the P&O British flavor in Princess' roots and some of Sitmar's Italian (along with the Italian dining rooms). Some find this sophisticated, some find it disjointed. You decide. Last, Princess is more optioned on dining choices with a more open seating options (although HAL is experimenting with some concepts).

 

Interestingly, since both lines are now owned by Carnival Corp. Being they compete in the same basic segment of the market, particularly price-wise, it is important they diversify the product enough, yet allow for crossover traffic between brands. It will be interesting to watch how these product models evolve. I personally, have found single rates more favorable with HAL in both rates and availability. But I think it really boils down to the style of each product and how it appeals to you personally.

[SandyMc]

We have cruised RCL, HAL, Princess, Celebrity and NCL. We actually found things to love about all cruises but feel that HAL is definitely a step up.

 

Princess seems to be a little glitzier, looking for a little younger crowd. HAL is understated elegance with the best crews we have ever encountered! We are not big foodies but I do think you will also find HAL a step above in that area as well.

 

I am sorry to hear you think Celebrity is a step above RCL - our one Celebrity cruise was a disaster! Crew was surly and unhelpful, buffet was the worst I have found on any ship, entertainment was lame at best.......the only thing that stood out at all was the wonderful wait staff in the dining room. Never having had a bad moment on RCL, we have booked them for our next cruise.

 

Still - our favorite so far is definitely HAL - you will love it if you try it! :D

[Wilcoam]

I think 9 times out of 10, most knowledgeable cruisers, price/itin aside, will pick HAL or X over Princess, just like 9 out of 10 will do so with Princess over RCI/NCL/CARN.

 

However, by nature of having larger ships, Princess stands a less chance of being bumped by charters, especially in the Carribean 2007, where it seems every 2nd HAL cruise on it's Vista ships is a charter.

 

That being said, with X only having 1-2 ships in the carribean

period, Princess is looking like a marvy marvy choice, that is amongst the 3 mainstream premuim lines, especially if you are the type that does not have the flexibilty to change timeframes after you've booked.

 

I see HAL losing alot of it's traditional carribean cruising base if it does not start limiting the number of charters in any given season, and my guess is Princess will be the benificiarary

 

jc

bumped Zuidy Jan 27th 07, now on Princess Star

[twinkletoes4445]

I see HAL losing alot of it's traditional carribean cruising base if it does not start limiting the number of charters in any given season, and my guess is Princess will be the benificiarary

 

jc

bumped Zuidy Jan 27th 07, now on Princess Star

 

I agree. We, so far (and who knows they may still charter our ship out), just lucked out with our 2/3 Zuiderdam cruise. As excited as I am about our cruise, had I known what I know now, I'd have probably not booked with HAL. It does seem like a lot of their Jan/Feb cruises are charters, and it does seem that HAL takes its sweet time letting those that have already booked, in on the changes (when they've known for a long time).

 

And Princess is exactly where we would have gone had I known about this. After reading all the negative posts on the Celebrity board, I'm afraid to even venture that direction.

 

I am going to keep my fingers crossed, and hope we get to enjoy our week on the Zuiderdam. If not, we're off to the Cayman Islands. We're going there in January with our kids, so we'll just scoot back down there for another week in February. As much as I love the Cayman Islands, we really want to cruise HAL. It seems a perfect fit for us. :)

[Schplinky]

I think 9 times out of 10, most knowledgeable cruisers, price/itin aside, will pick HAL or X over Princess, just like 9 out of 10 will do so with Princess over RCI/NCL/CARN.

 

However, by nature of having larger ships, Princess stands a less chance of being bumped by charters, especially in the Carribean 2007, where it seems every 2nd HAL cruise on it's Vista ships is a charter.

 

That being said, with X only having 1-2 ships in the carribean

period, Princess is looking like a marvy marvy choice, that is amongst the 3 mainstream premuim lines, especially if you are the type that does not have the flexibilty to change timeframes after you've booked.

 

I see HAL losing alot of it's traditional carribean cruising base if it does not start limiting the number of charters in any given season, and my guess is Princess will be the benificiarary

 

jc

bumped Zuidy Jan 27th 07, now on Princess Star

 

This is the first time I have ever heard Princess referred to as a premium line. Ususally, it is lumped in with RCL and NCL, with CCL occupuying a rung below.

 

Sorry you got bumped, though.