Why would I consider Hal?

[gizmo]

cruiseorburst,

 

What ship are you looking at? There are differences.

[dougnewmanatsea]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by nealberk:

Are you referring to the Rosario Strings? If so, I agree with you, they are fantastic.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

They may be fantastic, but you can't count on them being there.

 

I don't know if there just aren't enough Rosario Strings to go around or if this is another ramification of ramptant industry-wide cost-cutting, but on ZUIDERDAM last year, while there was a string trio in the Explorers Lounge, it was not the Rosario Strings and it was not very good either.

 

More precisely, they played one song, and played it well - "My way". Never mind that it's not classical, it's a perfectly pleasant melody, but by the end of the cruise when I got home I nearly wanted to smash in my television every time I heard one of those AXA commercials featuring the song.

 

Doug Newman

Cruise Critic Message Boards Host

e-mail: shiploverny AT yahoo DOT com

[cruiseorbust]

Gizmo,

 

We are looking at either the Zaandam with Hal or Century with X. I appreciate everyone's comments. I have our friends also reading them to see if they want to try X.

 

Big Red Boat

Royal Majesty

Royal Majesty

Sensation

Sensation

Big Red Boat

Majesty

Ecstasy

Ecstasy

Century

Celebration

Horizon

Destiny

Mercury

Century

Voyager

Zenith

Mercury

Horizon

Galaxy

Summit

Horizon

Galaxy

Century

Mariner

[Cauvet]

I love HAL. I think their food is quite good, especially the breakfast and lunch buffets. The specialty restaurant is also quite good. Good variety of meats and fish and a Dutch night and a Ristaffel buffet for lunch. The crowd is much older though and on our trip to Hawaii, we had to turn back once and hurry up a couple of times to let sick passengers off. Next Sunday we will be going on the Oosterdam for a promotional presentation and lunch. She was in port yesterday and is quite impressive.

I have only been on X once (Infinity) and unfortunately it was the worst cruise I took up to that time--but it was 9/21/01 and a very somber time. We are booked on the Merc for New Years and am confident that it will be great!

[nealberk]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Host Doug:

 

I don't know if there just aren't enough Rosario Strings to go around or if this is another ramification of ramptant industry-wide cost-cutting, but on ZUIDERDAM last year, while there was a string trio in the Explorers Lounge, it was not the Rosario Strings and it was not very good either.

<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

The Rosario strings are reproducing as fast as they can (they are in their third generation of musicians) but you are right, there are not enough of them to go around. Sorry that your performers were not very good. We actually stopped several times while walking around the ship because one of their songs caught our attention and we just had to listen to it.

[CaribbeanBound]

I always thought the reasons to select HAL included:

 

- being able to spend time with passengers averaging 82 years of age

 

- a place where people who are over the average age of 82 go to die

[BobBobs]

Dearest gentle Cruisorbust:

 

Enjoy your time with your friends on a HAL ship. My family and I had a wonderful time on the Z-dam (Zuiderdam) in June 2003 and the price was right. We booked two verandah staterooms and the verandah alone was over 9 feet wide by 8 feet in depth per stateroom. The aft pool was heted which made for a refreshing swim and the musicians made dinner so delightful.

 

My mother and I are headed for the PanCan on the Galaxy in November (another great price break), and this will be our first cruise with X. I am so-o-o excited for you (and me and Momsy, too).

 

TTFN (ta-ta-for-now)!

 

BobBobs

[BobBobs]

Dearest fellow cruisers,

 

Please forgive my spelling errors: "Cruisorbust" = Cruiseorbust, "heted" = heated.

 

Thanx ;>,

 

BobBobs

[iamirish]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by CaribbeanBound:

I always thought the reasons to select HAL included:

 

- being able to spend time with passengers averaging 82 years of age

 

- a place where people who are over the average age of 82 go to die<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

AMEN!!!! as someone in his mid-50's, I was one of the younger passengers on my last 7-day cruise on the Ryndam (Dec. 2003 to Mexico).

 

Tom