Anyone cruised on both NCL and HAL?

[ute_fan]

One thing that is appealing to me about HAL is those deck chairs on the promenade deck. I noticed them when we were docked next to a HAL ship when we were in Alaska on the Pearl, and thought they looked very inviting.

 

Still mulling my options....

[GOLDENBONNY]

I can't believe I'm honestly writing this question :eek:, but here it goes. Out of all the cruise lines in America, I would have thought that HAL would have been the last one I'd consider, but I'm interested in their itineraries for Alaska, sailing from Seattle this summer. We've been to Alaska twice on NCL (Sawyer Glacier on the Sun and Glacier Bay on the Pearl), and we're looking to go again this summer. The problem is that the only line that seems to call anywhere different on a round-trip Seattle cruise is HAL. A couple of their ships include Hubbard Glacier and Sitka, and it seems like the variety might be nice.

 

The pricing isn't much different, and we're going to have 3 adults in our cabin, so their larger cabins are also appealing. However, I just don't know if I could adjust to formal night, assigned seating, and the passenger mix on HAL. Would we be the only people under 60? We'd be sailing with my 26 year-old son, but none of us are party-goers, so that wouldn't be a big issue.

 

If anyone has been on both lines, what input can you give me?

 

Its a bull about old people on HAL,specially on short cruises.One thing I can tell after HAL food and service yo uwill never go back on NCL)

[newmexicoNita]

You have already gotten plenty of great advice, but I will chime in with my opinion. I agree with everyone else the MDR food is better on HAL and the Pinnacle is great. Both lines have a good breakfast buffet, and I don't know if it has changed, but one of our favorite things about HAL was that you could order a hot full breakfast to eat on your balcony from room service. The cabins are very nice and large on HAL, both have comfortable bedding and the last time we went on HAL they had Elemis products in the cabin. The service is good on both, but the HAL ships seem to have a better passenger to crew ratio. The best of both worlds for me would be if you could be as casual and relaxed as if you were on NCL, but have the food and service of a HAL ship. Each line has their own niche and variety is fun so give it a try I don't think you will be sorry.

 

great comparison. It really does depend on what you think your life style is...Someone did mention Pinnical Grill< our experience was very different as was that of the entire 8 at our table. None of us were terrible impressed considering the extra cost..Of course I am sure this differs from sailing to sailing and ship to ship. As for the buffets, yes, I think both lines do a great job. I never thought I would find a salad bar as good an HALs until our last couple of NCL cruises.

 

Nita

[newmexicoNita]

We sailed on the HAL Volendam in 2008 in Alaska. We would probably never cruise with them again (unless it was VERY cheap!) My husband and I are in our 50s, there were many people in our age range,:D but this is not important to us anyway. Our adult children, ages 23 & 25, found there were very few around their ages, maybe 10 others. The crew were amazed that there were so MANY young people that week!:eek: We cruised for 2 weeks and on the 2nd week, there were only a couple of 20-somethings onboard. We had somewhat expected this, and my kids were prepared for the possibility. (They like to stay up late and bum with the entertainment crew anyway.)

 

Our main disappointment was with the food. The quality was fine, but they served the same food at dinner in the main restaurants as in the buffet. So, if nothing on the menu in the dining rooms looked good (and this happened a couple times, in 2 weeks) when you get to the buffet, same entrees, appetizers, & sides. We did do the anytime dining, the waiters kept asking us to switch to fixed times, and the service was sloooooooooooooooooowwwww. (I think they were trying to make it fit with the fixed time dining.) Resort casual was fine for all nights except the formal nights.

 

One thing that was nice (but maybe you could do this on NCL, too) was our cabin was on the promenade deck, an obstructed view outside. Many promote getting a balcony, but then you can only see one side of the ship. From our cabin, it was only a few steps to an outside door and you could go around the front to get to either side or up on the bow for wildlife or glacier viewing.

 

The excursions were also extremely expensive, but that may be the same everywhere.

 

Sounds like you had a cabin similar to our last HAL cruise. We were aft, and had a slightly obstructed view (an outside staircase) we could go out our cabin door, around the corner and outside where there were a few lounges etc. The cabin was larger than others (a little) as well. We loved and we enjoyed the food very much..Guess, as we always say, food is subjective.

 

Nita

[newmexicoNita]

You are obviously not cut out to sail on an elegant cruise line.

 

 

 

 

:):):):):)

 

OMG, I can't beleive you made a comment like that??

 

Ute fan, don't let comments like Down Under made stop you. We didn't find everyone on HAL to be snobs. We did find a few. I would say they were more eletist than snobs. We meant some very nice people as well.

 

Halo, we found X stuffier than HAL I will add.

Nita

[barnett22]

I can't believe I'm honestly writing this question :eek:, but here it goes. Out of all the cruise lines in America, I would have thought that HAL would have been the last one I'd consider, but I'm interested in their itineraries for Alaska, sailing from Seattle this summer. We've been to Alaska twice on NCL (Sawyer Glacier on the Sun and Glacier Bay on the Pearl), and we're looking to go again this summer. The problem is that the only line that seems to call anywhere different on a round-trip Seattle cruise is HAL. A couple of their ships include Hubbard Glacier and Sitka, and it seems like the variety might be nice.

 

The pricing isn't much different, and we're going to have 3 adults in our cabin, so their larger cabins are also appealing. However, I just don't know if I could adjust to formal night, assigned seating, and the passenger mix on HAL. Would we be the only people under 60? We'd be sailing with my 26 year-old son, but none of us are party-goers, so that wouldn't be a big issue.

 

If anyone has been on both lines, what input can you give me?

I just got back from an Mexican rivera cruise on HAL's Oosterdam,with my brother and cousins our ages ranged from 45-51 and we had my cousin's granddaughter who is 10. Let me say that I have been to Alaska on NCL.

To compare the difference HAL is a little more stuffy,string quartets and all. However, formal night is not all that formal, unfortuntely society standards have been lax. New Years Eve was a little more dressier, but that was an exception. We had open sitting for dinner..we did not have a problem being seated, we normally arrived between 6:15pm and & &7:00pm. HAL have their specialty restaurants, not bad. However, I found NCL specality restaruants much better. HAL's standard cabins are 174 or 178 sq ft. a little smaller than NCL's. The balcony's between the two about the same, maybe HAL's a little smaller. I doubt that you will be the only passengers under 60...We had some uncouth passenger who thought it was a okay to wear the bath robes that HAL gives you complimentary while on cruise to the theatre, the main atrium, and to the buffet, I did not understand the mind thought behind that. However, I did find HAL's ship extremely clean,and the little details impeccable..they greet you with wet rolled up hand towels when you come back from your shore excursions. Public bathrooms are really clean. No, this is not a party ship,which I was suprise for NEW YEARS, everyone in my party went back to their rooms 5 min's past midnite. The night club which had some younger folks, closed down I think about 1am. Personally, HAL lacked passenger particpation, they just had the standard games ie: Bingo, Triva, The Married Game..not much pool side activities, however you not going to have that on either ship if you are going to Alsaka. My suggestion, If you sailed on NCL before,why not try something different and go on HAL and experience something different. Hope this answers your questions. You can check out my member cruise review of my recent trip on the Oosterdam ,(under Barnett22). Good Luck and Bon Voyage !

[follygirl]

Have been on both and am going next week on NCL. Not crazy about free-style cruising (having started cruising many years back on Costa, Sitmar, Celebrity, Regency, and Princess)- I liked the experience of having the same table and staff in the dining room- the chatting and their knowing what we liked was a great part of the cruise experience. One caution- beware of the Singles Mingle on HAL- I went and have now been married for 5 years to the fellow I met there!!:)

[Down-Unders]

Have been on both and am going next week on NCL. Not crazy about free-style cruising (having started cruising many years back on Costa, Sitmar, Celebrity, Regency, and Princess)- I liked the experience of having the same table and staff in the dining room- the chatting and their knowing what we liked was a great part of the cruise experience. One caution- beware of the Singles Mingle on HAL- I went and have now been married for 5 years to the fellow I met there!!:)

 

 

 

:):):):):)

[Deckhandoug]

We prefer HAL over NCL

 

As has been mentioned, the food is better, they have anytime dining and the menu in the MDR is available on the lido at night, including lobster night:)

[ute_fan]

Thanks for all the responses. At the moment, it's looking like we may end up doing a land vacation to Seattle instead of a cruise, for family reasons, but I appreciate all the feedback.

 

I'm still intrigued with HAL's itinerary and will seriously consider it next time we head to Alaska.

[fallbride1030]

Our first cruise was on the Noordam and the rest on NCL... all to the Carribbean. I think the biggest difference for us was the tone of the cruise. We felt like we had fun on the Noordam and enjoyed the formal nights, sitting with and getting to know the same people at dinner each evening (we are still in touch with some).

 

NCL was more of an informal, have fun, family atmosphere. You can do what you want when you want. Both are wonderful, just depends on preference.