Celebrity vs Holland America

[gwilli]

Anyone want to comment on the differences between the two cruise lines, Celebrity and Holland America? We have cruised many HAL cruises, now booked with Celebrity for our next cruise. What should we expect? Cheers!

[merknerk]

Same here. Been on Holland America and also have our first Celebrity booked in March. We are super excited. Holland was wonderful and I am sure Celebrity will be the same. Have a great cruise.

[ikelmay]

We are enthusiastic cruisers with 18 trips to our name. We have sailed on most of the mass market cruise lines and have enjoyed them all.

 

That being said, our two voyages with Holland America were disappointing. I had a perception of what HAL would be like, and I found that they didn't measure up to what I had visualised.

 

I would say Celebrity has a slightly broader demographic than HAL, is a little livelier and definitely a better product. I sensed that HAL is trying to revitalise its image and appeal to a broader market but that it is trying to do so whilst taking on a lot of mandated cutbacks from the bean counters at CCL Head Office.

 

Celebrity is also (IMO) broadening its base but managing to maintain the standards that it is known for. I recently sailed on the Equinox after travelling on the smaller 'X' ships and I was very impressed with the operation. Beautiful design, well thought out public spaces and great staff. I am very surprised that 'X' still manages to avoid the interminable public address announcements that other lines are plagued with. I also find the staff better trained and warmer than HAL.

 

I also think the food standards are night and day between the two. We had indifferent service and unappetising food in the Main Dining Room on board the Veendam, whilst every meal bar one on board Equinox was good to excellent.

 

I'm sure on the HAL boards you will find as many enthusiasts with a differing opinion, but I think you will be surprised at the quality and the warmth of the staff on board Celebrity ships.

[Fblack]

Celebrity will not let passengers smoke on their balcony. Or in the casino. I gave up on HAL a few years ago when our cruise was nearly ruined by our inability to enjoy a smoke-free environment on our balcony during a long b2b HAL cruise. While I liked HAL's staff, food, ships, activities etc, it's their smoking policy that turned me off to them.

[anniegb]

We are enthusiastic cruisers with 18 trips to our name. We have sailed on most of the mass market cruise lines and have enjoyed them all.

 

That being said, our two voyages with Holland America were disappointing. I had a perception of what HAL would be like, and I found that they didn't measure up to what I had visualised.

 

I would say Celebrity has a slightly broader demographic than HAL, is a little livelier and definitely a better product. I sensed that HAL is trying to revitalise its image and appeal to a broader market but that it is trying to do so whilst taking on a lot of mandated cutbacks from the bean counters at CCL Head Office.

 

Celebrity is also (IMO) broadening its base but managing to maintain the standards that it is known for. I recently sailed on the Equinox after travelling on the smaller 'X' ships and I was very impressed with the operation. Beautiful design, well thought out public spaces and great staff. I am very surprised that 'X' still manages to avoid the interminable public address announcements that other lines are plagued with. I also find the staff better trained and warmer than HAL.

 

I also think the food standards are night and day between the two. We had indifferent service and unappetising food in the Main Dining Room on board the Veendam, whilst every meal bar one on board Equinox was good to excellent.

 

I'm sure on the HAL boards you will find as many enthusiasts with a differing opinion, but I think you will be surprised at the quality and the warmth of the staff on board Celebrity ships.

 

I have to agree - very well thought out.

 

I am repeat cruising with X whilst I will never be seen on a HAL vessel again.

 

Annie

[Hlitner]

We enjoy both lines (Elite with Celebrity and 3 star (soon to be 4) with HA) but the answer to the OPs question is not simply. Must depends on the length of the cruise, the ship, and the itinerary. When we do very long cruises on HA (over 30 days) the average passenger age can often be over 70. If you compare this to a shorter cruise (say 14 days or less) it is an entirely different experience on either line. And then there is our favorite HA ship...the old Prinsendam, for which there is no comparison with Celebrity. Our major complaint about HA is their liberal smoking policy (recently improved) which would make us lead towards Celebrity anytime all other things were near equal. HA seems to accept that many of their older cruisers will not give up their precious cigarettes and this does cause us some grief.

 

Hank

[loveandcruises]

I've been on 6 HAL and 5 Celebrity cruises -- all family cruises with kids. I actually like Holland America better. Though the food is similar (both great), I enjoy the Indonesian and Filipino crew shows on HAL, the production shows are better, there's a rollicking piano bar every night, and the verandah staterooms have more storage. I feel more pampered on HAL. There's also something warmer about HAL, in my opinion.

[debsea]

We are regular HAL cruisers and are looking forward to our second Celebrity cruise this December. Both are excellent products. We are sailing Celebrity again because we are traveling with extended family, including young people, and the broader demographic is appealing. Also, the suites on Celebrity are far superior to HAL. Celebrity's standard cabins and balcony cabins, even Concierge Class, in my opinion, are extremely small. While we have had food ranging from good to excellent on HAL cruises, I would class the food on our first Celebrity cruise as only "good." And I much prefer the selection on the Lido buffet to the equivalent (I don't remember the name of the deck) on Celebrity. The onboard charges for specialty restaurants, alcohol, purchased for cabin consumption as well as cocktails and wine in the dining room and lounges are significantly higher on Celebrity. I love Celebrity's non-smoking policy, although, except for the casino, we have never really had a problem on HAL. HAL's beds are more comfortable, but I think they're the best in the industry. I absolutely love HAL's teak wrap-around deck, and that was probably what I missed most on Celebrity. I also missed the fresh flowers throughout the ship, the wooden steamer chairs with cushions (aluminum and plastic just aren't the same), and I did miss the comprehensive navigational report from the bridge each day at noon. The Celebrity Millennium definitely felt more like a floating hotel than any HAL ship I've been on. For these reasons, I don't subscribe to the view that they are equal products, but both provide great vacation experiences, and I don't think you can go wrong with either one.

[beachgirl5]

We have cruised both lines multiple times and have enjoyed both. The major difference we have noticed is: HA has the better food, the ships are more in line with our image of the golden years of the oceanliners (think Titantic), HA is a little more refined, the ages of the passengers are older (although H is trying to change this demographic), X has been the more modern, hip of the two, entertainment has in the past been better (our recent transatlantic was the exception) the ships are more modern. I hope this helps.

[Taxguy77]

We have sailed one TA on each of the lines. In my humble opinion;

Stateroom on HAL was far superior, larger, better beds and linens and the bathroom far bigger and better.

Dining far better on =X=. On HAL we were relagated to anytime dining which did not live up to a Denney's for food quality or service. (Service was a nasty word). On =X= we had traditional and noticed 4 pairs of servers working out of a station near our table ALL functioned superbly. Food was better, but both lines had good food. (HAL's was in the buffet. The MDR was usually cold.)

More activity on =X=.

HAL Rotterdam much more beautiful with a Million$ worth of art decorating the smaller ship.

Both cruises were great, just sorry to miss Key West on =X= due to hurricane damage there.

Edited January 12, 2012 by Taxguy77
ship

[TLCOhio]

Anyone want to comment on the differences between the two cruise lines, Celebrity and Holland America? We have cruised many HAL cruises, now booked with Celebrity for our next cruise. What should we expect? Cheers!

 

Much depends on your "personal" style, likes and wishes. From our experience on the Solstice in June versus what others have told us about the HAL ships, it might depend on how much you like a more "traditional" style. As the pictures below show, the Solstice and its sister ships are little more "contemporary", but still classy and well-done. HAL with its art and design has a little "older" style. Which do you like more? Or, are seeking a little change?

 

Look at the pictures below to see if these fit your "interests". Let us know your added reactions and questions. From our June Solstice experience, we were very impressed with these ships, excellent value, etc. Previously we had done cruises with Seabourn, Crystal and Silversea. Clearly the Solstice is much larger than these three more luxury cruise lines, but it never seemed that crowded or congested.

 

These ships are innovative, yet simple—clean and crisp with an edgy vibe that is very classy . . . and modern! For more visuals and details about the Solstice, check out my live/blog that is linked below. Many more of my visuals can been seen there.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 55,750 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

 

On the top, back of the Solstice, here is a wider view of Corning Hot Glass show area, plus the green grass and the unique covering designs for this special area of the ship. Classy design touches and style!!:

 

 

 

For entertainment in the Solstice Theatre, it was called “Solstice -- The Show” featuring a European-style dance, air acts, music, etc. Very dramatic and interesting as they swing, twirl and soar over the audience and stage. Here is one example of the “air show” put on by the show performers.:

 

 

 

The Solarium was one of our favorite areas. Food and drinks were nearby and it was very relaxed and sophisticated. Quieter, too, as it is an adults-only area. Two hot tubs here. Not crowded, especially in the evenings. Nice art and design with this facility. Wonderful setting for relaxing and watching the outside water/shore views, enjoying subtle inside action, etc.:

 

 

 

This is a view of the library area on the tenth floor that overlooked the central, open core area of the ship. Not a great book selection here, but it is a nice-looking area with a quiet reading hideaway.:

 

 

 

For the handy and quick Oceanview Cafe buffet, here is one visual sample showing how large and open are these various serving areas. This area includes getting items from the pizza-pasta bar area, various hot and cold items, free tea and juice machines, etc.:

 

 

 

Many times at the pool, the “party band” is going at it with great tunes, adding to the fun and excitement around the pool area.:

 

[BKFlowerMound]

It's interesting to hear different people's perspectives. We've cruised on both, think they're both good products, but prefer X. We're in our 40's and traveling with preteen kids. X has a more contemporary feel, while HAL (to us) seemed to be aimed at people in their 60's and 70's, from food, to entertainment, to ship design. We liked the wrap around deck, the cheaper drink prices, the two bottles of wine per port, the yum yum man, and the beds. We didn't care for the smoke, the scooter ratio, the bland food, and the limited entertainment options. The smoke is keeping us from another HAL cruise. Our kids prefer X to HAL though we liked the handwritten notes about each of our kids from the HAL counselors.

 

On X we thought the food was more imaginative and better quality. We preferred the showers to HALs too small to be used bathtubs. We thought there was much more to do on X and that the enrichment programs were better. The ice cream is better too.

 

Service is pretty much a wash, though we do like that X has wine stewards and dining room bar waiters. It was difficult to get drink service in the dining room on HAL.

[ariawoman]

I'm in my 30s, i've been on 1 HAL and 1 X so far and have my 2nd X booked for this October.

 

I book basically on itinerary 1st, but i have to say, I picked this one for the "new ship" experience. I went on HALs Nieuw Amsterdam when she was 4 months old. I went on the Equinox last year and loved the ship but felt the service was lacking. I think - maybe - that because the best crew always goes to the newest ship (mostly) - that maybe my experience on HAL could have been skewed - so I decided to try a new ship on X to really compare (though I know I'm on the inaugural so I'll have to account for some issues which are natural on a 1st sailing). I'm hoping to more clearly see which brand is for me.

 

I can see myself developing loyalty to both, honestly. I'd love to become elite and 4 star :-) I've got 10 days on X so far and 12 days on HAL. :-)

 

I think if you like HAL, you'll overall like X. Oh also the smoking policy I do like better on X. If HAL ever makes it restricted on the verandahs (it'll happen eventually) then they'll be back on an even playing field in that arena for me.

 

I found the food a little better on HAL and the entertainment a little better on HAL, but found the solstice class ship to just be very impressive on the inside. Signature class on HAL is nice, dont get me wrong, but it didn't wow me to the same extent as the Solstice class. I think I just like the bigger ships, even when it's only a few hundred PAX larger.

[deserttraveler]

I've cruised four times on each of the two lines. HAL Statendam, Rotterdam, Veendam, Zaandam. BEFORE I ever crusied on HAL, I had also cruised on X Infinity (twice) and Solstice, then after HAL, cruised on Silhouette this past summer. Before Silhouette, I'd have told you it was a toss-up, with each line (and ship) offering its pluses and minuses.

 

Then, to my surprise, I did not enjoy Silhouette. I missed the heart and soul (and libraries) of HAL. Silhouette had plenty of glitz and glam, but no improvement in the entertainment product that has always been middlin' on both HAL and X (for entertainment, you go to RCI). Oddly, its overall feel was far colder than Solstice had been in its first season.

 

Another issue is that about half of the HAL ships don't have a big crop of regular balcony cabins (just deluxe suite-ish cabins with balconies), so if you'd rather have a large outside, HAL can be great, but not so if what you want/need is a balcony. (In this regard, don't overlook Princess, which offers a very good product and prices their balconies often more reasonably than HAL or X.)

 

Now I'm looking at cruise options by itinerary, and with price and itinerary being equal, I'd go with HAL. But I cruise for lots of reasons, and find myself preparing for my second RCI cruise and a Celebrity repo on a newly refurbished M-class ship that happens to be going where I want to go. Even so, I'll never stop scanning HAL's next batch of itineraries and prices.

[kelmac]

Just did a BtoB matching the Nieuw Amsterdam with Celebrity's Millennium; in addition, my wife and I have cruised HAL 9 times and Celebrity 18 times; here is our take:

 

HAL has:

--teak wood wrap around promenade decks :)

--very good MDR cuisine, safe selections, but well prepared

--very good buffet (Lido), if you can get a spot in line (crowded)

--larger cabins, but dark and basic decor

--traditional feel

--an older clientele, except during the holidays/summer (I know, HAL loyalists don't like hearing this)

--an Asian feel, with quiet/warm service

--excellent itineraries

--become less expensive, as they no longer have a competitive edge

--pretty good alternative restaurants/better on newer ships

--a poor smoking policy, but improving this month

 

Celebrity has:

--no wrap around promenade deck :( (Celebrity's one big epic failure)

--excellent MDR cuisine, innovative

--very good buffet; excellent, but crazy flow in Solstice class ships

--good size cabins; no tubs :D; and excellent showers in Solstice class ships

--bright, open and modern feel

--more diverse clientele

--international/european crew, with excellent service

--uninspiring itineraries, some improvement as of late

--become a bit more expensive, as they are killing the competition

--superior alternative restaurants

--one of the best smoking policies at sea

 

For the most part, Celebrity is winning this competition, especially since the introduction of the Solstice class of ships. Celebrity has better quality control in all areas of operation. HAL ships all have the same design and feel, as the older population does not like change, and CCL is too cheap to do any redesign.

 

We are one point short of three star status, which doesn't really have any perks on HAL. Celebrity Elites are spoiled, with free happy hour drinks in Michael's Club; free laundry services; free internet time...., HAL is an excellent alternative to Celebrity, however, "X" has always made us feel special on their ships! Three out of four of our next cruises will be with Celebrity!

 

Enjoy!

Kel:)

Edited January 12, 2012 by kelmac

[TLCOhio]

Just did a BtoB matching the Nieuw Amsterdam with Celebrity's Millennium; in addition, my wife and I have cruised HAL 9 times and Celebrity 18 times; here is our take:

Celebrity has:

--no wrap around promenade deck :( (Celebrity's one big epic failure)

--excellent MDR cuisine, innovative

--very good buffet; excellent, but crazy flow in Solstice class ships

--good size cabins; no tubs :D; and excellent showers in Solstice class ships

--bright, open and modern feel

--more diverse clientele

--international/european crew, with excellent service

--uninspiring itineraries, some improvement as of late

--become a bit more expensive, as they are killing the competition

--superior alternative restaurants

--one of the best smoking policies at sea

 

Super excellent summary by our friend from New Mexico. This "nails it" well on Celebrity for all of the various plus and minus factors. We have not done HAL, yet, but from what friends have told us, that summary covers things very well, also. Lots of great options to consider.

 

For us, it's about the ports, pricing, timing, etc. It is good to be considering your many good options, especially now, as the cruise line are hyper competitive in working hard to get your business.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 55,869 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[mightycruisequeen]

HAL has:

--teak wood wrap around promenade decks :)

--very good MDR cuisine, safe selections, but well prepared

--very good buffet (Lido), if you can get a spot in line (crowded)

--larger cabins, but dark and basic decor

--traditional feel

--an older clientele, except during the holidays/summer (I know, HAL loyalists don't like hearing this)

--an Asian feel, with quiet/warm service

--excellent itineraries

--become less expensive, as they no longer have a competitive edge

--pretty good alternative restaurants/better on newer ships

--a poor smoking policy, but improving this month

 

Celebrity has:

--no wrap around promenade deck :( (Celebrity's one big epic failure)

--excellent MDR cuisine, innovative

--very good buffet; excellent, but crazy flow in Solstice class ships

--good size cabins; no tubs :D; and excellent showers in Solstice class ships

--bright, open and modern feel

--more diverse clientele

--international/european crew, with excellent service

--uninspiring itineraries, some improvement as of late

--become a bit more expensive, as they are killing the competition

--superior alternative restaurants

--one of the best smoking policies at sea

I agree with every word! :D

[Hlitner]

The smoking policies can be a deal breaker for us. We really enjoy HA and Celebrity, but we will no longer book a balcony cabin on HA because of cigarette smoke. Why pay extra money (and on some HA ships its a lot of extra money) for a balcony where I often have to inhale a neighbors smoke. So when we want a balcony cabin we book with Celebrity or now Princess (they recently eliminated balcony smoking). When we do go on HA (and we do cruise a lot with that line) we book a non-balcony cabin. Some might ask why we would book HA at all and our answer would be great itineraries, very long cruises (hard to book a 60 day Celebrity cruise), excellent staff, and good food. DW and I like variety so prefer to use multiple cruise lines to get different menus, entertainment, etc.

 

Hank

[Casino Player]

HHHHHEEEEELLLLLLLLLLOOOOO gwilli: My wife and I have sailed with Celebrity several times. It was the second most traveled cruise line for us. We did like their product. After sailing on the Silhouette we are now looking toward other cruise lines. Celebrity Cruise Line is not the cruise line it was even three years ago.

 

By coincidence, we are going to try Holland America next. It will be the seventh cruise line we will have been on.

Edited January 12, 2012 by Casino Player

[TomTN]

Just did a BtoB matching the Nieuw Amsterdam with Celebrity's Millennium; in addition, my wife and I have cruised HAL 9 times and Celebrity 18 times; here is our take:

 

HAL has:

--teak wood wrap around promenade decks :)

--very good MDR cuisine, safe selections, but well prepared

--very good buffet (Lido), if you can get a spot in line (crowded)

--larger cabins, but dark and basic decor

--traditional feel

--an older clientele, except during the holidays/summer (I know, HAL loyalists don't like hearing this)

--an Asian feel, with quiet/warm service

--excellent itineraries

--become less expensive, as they no longer have a competitive edge

--pretty good alternative restaurants/better on newer ships

--a poor smoking policy, but improving this month

 

Celebrity has:

--no wrap around promenade deck :( (Celebrity's one big epic failure)

--excellent MDR cuisine, innovative

--very good buffet; excellent, but crazy flow in Solstice class ships

--good size cabins; no tubs :D; and excellent showers in Solstice class ships

--bright, open and modern feel

--more diverse clientele

--international/european crew, with excellent service

--uninspiring itineraries, some improvement as of late

--become a bit more expensive, as they are killing the competition

--superior alternative restaurants

--one of the best smoking policies at sea

 

For the most part, Celebrity is winning this competition, especially since the introduction of the Solstice class of ships. Celebrity has better quality control in all areas of operation. HAL ships all have the same design and feel, as the older population does not like change, and CCL is too cheap to do any redesign.

 

We are one point short of three star status, which doesn't really have any perks on HAL. Celebrity Elites are spoiled, with free happy hour drinks in Michael's Club; free laundry services; free internet time...., HAL is an excellent alternative to Celebrity, however, "X" has always made us feel special on their ships! Three out of four of our next cruises will be with Celebrity!

 

Enjoy!

Kel:)

 

 

Wow! I'm at home with a miserable cold, and just could not put my thoughts together. Your take hits the nail on the head.

 

We cruised three times on HAL before trying Celebrity(Zenith), and to be honest I thought I preferred HAL slightly after that cruise. After our 2nd cruise on Celebrity I changed my opinion. We prefer Celebrity. Elite is a great perk also, and too difficult to achieve.

 

The HAL ships are beautiful, and they do have great beds. I believe something extrodinary would have to happen to cause me not to enjoy either line.

 

Hope you enjoy your cruise.:)

[gelo7]

I love both lines.

[kelmac]

Super excellent summary by our friend from New Mexico. This "nails it" well on Celebrity for all of the various plus and minus factors. We have not done HAL, yet, but from what friends have told us, that summary covers things very well, also. Lots of great options to consider.

 

For us, it's about the ports, pricing, timing, etc. It is good to be considering your many good options, especially now, as the cruise line are hyper competitive in working hard to get your business.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 55,869 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

Thanks Terry!

 

Love the photos!!:D

[patchit]

My BIL and sister were die hard HAL fans. I am a die hard Celebrity fan. In 2009 I planned a family cruise on Solstice so they had to go...and ended up loving the line and the ship. I have to admit I was a little nervous about them cause they are cruising snobs (in my opinion), but felt so relieved when they ended up having a fantastic time and really loved Celebrity.

[TLCOhio]

Thanks Terry! Love the photos!!:D

 

Appreciate your kind and nice comments on my pictures. Glad to know you're a person of such class, great taste and wonderful judgment.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. Enjoyed great weather and a wonderful trip. Dozens of wonderful visuals with key highlights, tips, comments, etc., on these postings. We are now at 55,869 views for this live/blog re-cap on our first sailing with Celebrity and much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[kenorus]

I love both lines. Food i found a bit better on Hal but cant complain. I personally do not go on a cruise just to eat, i go to see different places. The thing i like most is the drink package that celebrity offer. It makes it alot more affordable to enjoy yourself on your cruise without coming off with a huge bill at the end. Yes if i am on holliday i love to enjoy my drinks. I have just booked the 15 day hawaii for next march and am going on the equinox this march. I would have done the longer hawaii but with 10 sea days that would have been one big bar bill.:D