Tired of RCI Cutbacks? Try Holland America...

[GMoney]

Just finished a great 7-day Eastern Caribbean cruise on HAL's Eurodam. While the demographic is a little older, I really like there product, and highly recommend it for those of you who may be looking for alternatives to RCI. Here are some reasons why:

 

1. Eurodam is a beautiful ship - not too big, not too small.

 

2. Service is impeccable. Everyone was genuinely helpful.

 

3. For those that care, you still get bedtime chocolates. :)

 

4. The food was incredibly good, especially in the MDR at dinner. Probably the best I've had among the 7 lines I've sailed. Nice and varied selection. Meals arrive hot. Meat and fish cuts seemed larger and of higher quality than RCI, and the meat is actually cooked as ordered. You don't need to invest an extra $15 or go to Chops to get a decent steak.

 

5. Good loyalty program in the Mariner Society. The benefits aren't stunning, but they're good, and they are clearly communicated in writing, based equitably on days at sea. RCI's unwillingness to put their benefits in writing, especially at the higher levels, makes it too easy for them to go unhonored.

 

6. A very nice private island that provides a great beach day, pure and simple, not the amusement park Labadee seems to be evolving into.

 

No cruise line is perfect, and there are things I prefer about RCI, but HAL does a great job. Given the above, their impressive itineraries and competitive prices, I will keep sailing them.

[Name Of The Game]

What would you say was the average age, in their 60's?

[Lynnees]

That's nice to know. Our next crruise will be with HAL in January. We are looking forward to it as I've heard a lot of good things and you have just sweetened the pot.

 

I realize it's an older demographic but we are going to be joining that group shortly or perhaps we already have. :p

[GMoney]

What would you say was the average age, in their 60's?

 

I was wondering how long it would take for that comment to come up. I don't really know to be honest. Yes, the demographic skews older, but on a 7 day cruise, it's not as old as you might think. I thought there was a good variety of ages.

[temple1]

I don't understand about what you mean about RCCL's unwillingness to put the benefits in writing. If it is not in writing, it is not a benefit. I don't expect anything except what is listed on the website. What would you expect otherwise? :confused:

 

Before you come back and flame me, because of the way you wrote your post you are seem to be anticipating an on board flamefest, I was looking at some crusies on Holland, the prices seemed okay, just concerned about the formality of the cruise. I do enjoy formal nights, etc, but nto every meal.

[cruzendude]

I was wondering how long it would take for that comment to come up. I don't really know to be honest. Yes, the demographic skews older, but on a 7 day cruise, it's not as old as you might think. I thought there was a good variety of ages.

 

From experience I can tell you if the average age was 60 on a HAL cruise it would be the exception, not the rule.....its more like 67...we are late 40's and eary 50's and felt like we were very young to the demographic on board.

 

I have no Royal loyalty (I have never cruised Royal yet but I have HAL) most of th OP's comments are accurate except the food and as always it is subjective but I rate it as fair at best, a lot like Princess's food and the Pinnacle Grill (specialty restaurant) is the worst I have tried.

 

I do really like HAL's food demonstrations (the paid ones, not the free ones) as they are fun and you get lots to eat after you cook it and the 2 I went one the chef brought a case of vine and I got quit lit up during the thing and he gave me another bottle to take with me when it was over.

 

Bottom line is if you like VERY SEDATE cruises you will enjoy HAL as they make Celebrity look like animal house. :eek: I never get bored on cruises and we LOVE sea days but had it not been for the food classes I took every day at sea I would have gotten bored on HAL.

[Happy ks]

I wouldn't mind trying them, but when I price them out, it is always so much more expensive than RCI. Someday we will cruise on a HAL ship :)

 

I do not believe in limiting yourself to one line. We have cruised on RCI more than any other, mainly because Monarch was on the west coast for a few years.

[GMoney]

I don't understand about what you mean about RCCL's unwillingness to put the benefits in writing. If it is not in writing, it is not a benefit. I don't expect anything except what is listed on the website. What would you expect otherwise? :confused:

 

Before you come back and flame me, because of the way you wrote your post you are seem to be anticipating an on board flamefest, I was looking at some crusies on Holland, the prices seemed okay, just concerned about the formality of the cruise. I do enjoy formal nights, etc, but nto every meal.

 

I think you're misinterpreting my post. No need to be defensive. No flames. Some of RCI's benefits for D+ - especially as you pass 50 credits - are very vague and rarely put in writing. IMO, they tend to float these benefits, but then not consistently communicate them and rarely always deliver on them. This includes things like single supplement reductions, free cruise at 100 credits, dinner with various officers. Now some of these matter to me more than others, but it's the principle. I really like how HAL puts everything clearly in writing, so expectations are consistent from Day 1.

[Aquahound]

RCI's unwillingness to put their benefits in writing, especially at the higher levels, makes it too easy for them to go unhonored.

 

nevermind....you just answered my question.;)

[JackieJ]

I went on the Eurodam last March. The ship/service/food was all very nice. Half Moon Cay is beautiful, we rented a cabana and it was wonderful. I enjoyed the specialty restaurants . . . Tamarind was nice for something different, loved getting the big pile of cotton candy at the end of the meal in the Italian restaurant and the Pinnacle Grill was so good we went twice.

 

All that being said, it was a little too subdued for me. One night we saw a bartender get shhhshed by his manager for getting too wild shaking a drink! Also, there seemed to be a lot of "cranky" passengers, even had crew complain to us about it. Not sure if too much fun is allowed on HAL :D We're not party animals, I'm in my mid-40s and was traveling with my mother (mid-60s), even she said it was way too quiet!

[lkdry]

Thanks for the post. We have been on Royal C for the past several years. Always loved the services (Esp on AOS) however this year we could see things declining. We have a trip to Bermuda next year on HAL because they can dock in downtown Hamilton. I still booked a 5 day on Royal with my two teenagers for next July. It will be their first cruise.

 

My first cruise was on Celebrity's Zenith. I was about 32. I think the median cruisers age was 80 on that ship. I still loved it.

[JTJ]

PC had the Zandam here for about 6 months. Then they re-located the ship. Went on it once and have to admit it was nice. The bathrooms all had stacks of wash cloths for hand drying. The food and service was great. They still served rack of lamb. Seems most the crew was from the Philippines.

 

But it was not a late night ship, we didn't mind because we were in the casino anyway. The crowd was old and unfortunately at every port we were met by one or two ambulances at the dock to take people (some deceased) off.

 

I wish it would come back just for the itinerary.

[Beowulfpk]

HAL is a great Cruiseline; they've historically have good food, started to cut back a couple of years ago, but on our most recent cruise on the Westerdam the food was superb.

 

On the downside the entertainment is mediocre to poor and the sedate atmosphere can be relaxing sometimes, but boring particularly in the evening.

Also the older crowd moves a lot slower.

[Hlitner]

We agree with the OP and have put our money where our mouth is (we stopped cruising RCI 1 year ago). Although we are Diamond with RCI and had long considered them our favorite cruise line, the various RCI cut-backs over the past 3 years combined with mostly boring itineraries has increasingly drawn us to HA and Princess. Our last two cruises on HA (the most recent was a 26 day in April) have been near perfect with food and service far above what we now see on RCI. However, RCI does have better entertainment and certainly is more activity oriented for those that like activities (we don't!). I would disagree with the OP about the Mariner Loyalty Program which until recently counted as their best benefit a silly Medalion given to those who have cruised a lot of days. Yes, HA does seem to attract an older crowd (some of this is related to many of their itineraries being far longer than typcial RCI 7 days) but you don't see drunks falling (or diving) off balconies, fist fights as passengers fight for deck chairs, etc. It sounds elitest, but HA does seem to attract a classier crowd. We have not encountered guys wearing baseball caps in the dining room on HA (have seen this on our past two RCI cruises) and most HA cruisers have no problem dressing-up for formal nights. On HA passengers are content to use the morning Eggs Benedict station, eat the free ice cream (available all day and evening), drink decent coffee, enjoy free fresh squeezed orange juice, etc. You will find no Johnnie Rockets on HA, but you will find a daily buffet at one of the pools that always has a taco bar, hamburgers, hotdogs, and other stuff all cooked to order (not sitting in hot water or on a steam table) etc. The strangest thing about a comparison is that in recent years HA has actually offered cruise pricing that is often a better value than RCI pricing.

 

Hank

[usha]

I would agree with the OP that HAL is well-worth trying.

HAL cabins are roomy, and most have a tub in the bathrooms.

HAL beds are incredible!

HAL service is warm & friendly, although I felt the same way about the service on RCI.

HAL's ships have a more spacious feel; less passengers sharing the same public spaces.

HAL's food is consistently excellent; I thought RCI's food was more hit-or-miss. Of course, we all know food is very subjective.

HAL's two big weaknesses, IMO, are the so-so entertainment and their liberal smoking policy. They even let you smoke pipes & cigars in cabins & on balconies, ick...:p

I agree that a lot of the available discounts on HAL cruises make them an absolute bargain.

[dirtgirl]

HAL was consistantly cheaper this Alaska season as opposed to the Serenade for the round trips out of Vancouver.

 

I am contemplating HAL for Europe next year, but I AM a party animal. I think my roomie and I would be the only ones in the nightclub!:rolleyes:

[Mark_K]

For me it's the demographics issue. I just can't believe that sailing with a bunch of people my age would be any fun.

[rubrrick]

We have been on several HAL ships, and have always had a wonderful experience. The Neptune lounge is nice, although unfortunately they do not serve alcohol there.

 

The nicest part of HAL, other than the food, is definitely the beds! Extremely comfortable.........wheras RCI......we have to always ask for an egg crate, and that barely is comfortable enough for my DW.

 

Rick

[maggieq]

We tried HA for the first time on a 3 nighter to nowhere on the Eurodam.

 

Cons - very dark ship inside, ugliest dining room I have ever seen.

Didn't like that most of the staff (dining room, cabin attendant, bar tenders, etc were all from the same place). Just seemed very strange and perhaps it was just the crew we had but they seemed very different to the outgoing crew we are used to on RCCL. Didn't in particular like the cabana situation. I thought it would not work very well for passengers wanting to use the main pool on a caribbean cruise....

 

Pros - Absolutely the best buffet I have experienced....choices that you would never see on a RCCL ship. Entertainment - we had a terrific entertainer the first night that had me crying I was laughing so much. We just had him again on the Freedom in July. Cabins were great. It was nice to have a tub vs. shower on a regular balcony cabin.

 

We might try HA again. Would like to hear what their entertainment is like for a 7 night cruise.....we always go to the shows.

 

I personally enjoy an older crowd.......

 

Anyone that can comment on the HA entertainment, please let me know what you have experienced.

 

Thanks.

[cruisenfever]

We've been on 2 HAL ships, the Westerdam and the Vollendam and both dam ships were wonderful, especially the food and in particular the bakery what. :D I think it depends on the itinerary on the age of the pax will be. Both of our cruises went to the Caribbean and we thought the age of the crowd was mixed.

 

Patrick, I agree.........the more cruise credits one earns on RCI, the less they seem to mean anymore.:( To me RCI's Loyalty Program is dying a slow and death which is very sad.

[cruzincurt]

If food is all you are after, then perhaps HAL is for you. Our experience, mid 50's on 4 HAL is not so remarkable. After 4 trips, we only get a tin badge.

 

Their idea of anytime dining is show up at 6:00 or 8:00 and we will force you to sit at a table for 6 or 8. There are some 2's but they don't reset them. So, enough of that and we go up to the LIDO one night only to find it closed and for staff dining only. :eek: In general the LIDO hours are greatly reduced throughout the day. A lot of times, nowhere to get a snack except room service. High tea, nice with a string quartet. Last cruise they didn't even have a live band in the theater.

 

Casino...the dead zone. Some nights I was the only one shooting craps. Generally, the ship is dead after 10:00pm.

 

But if you want white gloves, the Yum-Yum man and more people dressing up, more of the traditional cruise experience, then HAL might be for you. For us, we've sailed our last HAL.

[Ocean Boy]

If food is all you are after, then perhaps HAL is for you. Our experience, mid 50's on 4 HAL is not so remarkable. After 4 trips, we only get a tin badge.

 

Their idea of anytime dining is show up at 6:00 or 8:00 and we will force you to sit at a table for 6 or 8. There are some 2's but they don't reset them. So, enough of that and we go up to the LIDO one night only to find it closed and for staff dining only. :eek: In general the LIDO hours are greatly reduced throughout the day. A lot of times, nowhere to get a snack except room service. High tea, nice with a string quartet. Last cruise they didn't even have a live band in the theater.

 

Casino...the dead zone. Some nights I was the only one shooting craps. Generally, the ship is dead after 10:00pm.

 

But if you want white gloves, the Yum-Yum man and more people dressing up, more of the traditional cruise experience, then HAL might be for you. For us, we've sailed our last HAL.

That is enough to tell me that HAL is not for me. My family and I do not like the main dining room and eat all of our meals in the buffet. That is a very important area of the ship for us.

 

Thanks for that info.

[kooljamming]

Patrick, I agree.........the more cruise credits one earns on RCI, the less they seem to mean anymore.:( To me RCI's Loyalty Program is dying a slow and death which is very sad.

 

Aren't most companies cutting out or cutting back on benefits?

Our 401K plan no longer provides a match

My insurance policy has increased premium, increase deductibles, cover less generic drugs and provides me with less doctors to choose from inside network.

McDonald's took a slice of cheese of the double cheeseburger, now call it a McDouble but for the same price.

My Sunday newspaper NO longer has a TRAVEL section

In our home the biggest cutback of all. Shamefully I forced DH to switch from Smithwicks ale (dark but not heavy, smooth tasting) to Bud light beer in his kegerator:p

I think RCCL feels as badly about the cutbacks as I do about the beer, but to survive and cruise/sail again, these things must be done.

 

Maybe the new generation of cruisers will do it for the experience of meeting new people and seeing wonderful places. With this being their main reason, they will spend more time appreciating all that cruising has to offer beyond perks. I suspect many who don't will be in bed at HAL...night night!

[ilionite65]

Every time I read about "the cut-backs" on Royal I wonder. What are people cruising for, The chocolates on the pillow, the returning guest gifts, ice cream, pizza, etc? Really people, the things that really matter are still there! Royal still has the best crew on the seas, the ships are still beautiful and ready to take you to a new adventure at each port, the food is more than adaquate and optional choices are excellent! I could go on about what Royal offers but won't. I just don't understand all the talk about cut backs. As far as sailing Hal, It is far too sedate for me, but may very well be perfect for others. The only way to know for sure is to try it.

[Cruising89143]

I tried HAL last year out of San Diego on the Oosterdam. There were a few things that I liked and of course things that I didn't.

 

Good things were:

 

Bedding. Very good Found it to be the best until I cruised on NCL this year and there bedding matched that of HAL.

 

Lido Dining - Very good. The best out of all of my cruises.

 

Suite Perks - Much nicer than RCI and matches that of NCL.

 

Thought the food in the dining was better than RCI but not by a lot. I also thought that the crew was very cold. Give me the crew of RCI anytime. While I liked the layout of the Oosterdam, the ships interior looked as though it had been decorated by Joe Farcus of Carnival. Cheap looking interiors.

 

I might try HAL again but it will be in about thirty years when I get to the average age of the HAL cruiser.