Carnival vs HAL

[2 cruzen]

We just returned from a fabulous 7-day Southern Caribbean cruise. After 3 years, 4 cruises on Carnival, we decided to give Holland American Lines (HAL) a try. Here are some of my observations:

 

Things I liked about HAL: you can go to your cabin right away – very nice to be able to drop things off and take a breath before lunch/discovering the ship. Safe in the cabin was locked with a 4-digit code; no credit card required. Less closet space, but this was due to our having a handicapped room, which was larger and had a nice slanted balcony. Highly recommend cabin 5051. Lido lunch – HAL Westerdam serves you the first 48 hours so decrease the chance of norovirus. However, the choices seemed limited to me. Only ate there 2x. Room service – took around 45 minutes for meals/served on nice china. Morning breakfast usually arrived right on time. Trays left in the hallways were picked up promptly. Not the case on the Carnival Glory last year. There are two “Happy Hour” times, where the 2nd drink is just $1.00. Also, you can bring as much wine on board as you like. One of our c/c members brought on 26 bottles! Less crowded/children were well behaved. Nice enrichment programs – took a computer class. And the thing I liked most about the HAL ship – the Promenade deck – where you can walk completely around the ship. They also have nice teak loungers to relax on and watch the sea go by.

 

Things I missed about Carnival: Upon arrival you are greeted by helpful people with the “ask me” button and each person is given a map (only got 1 map upon arrival on HAL). Can check you folio at any time on the TV/plus see the menus. More closet storage. The Comedy Club – love having extra options for entertainment. Also, we missed the steel drum music and deck party on Lido, although HAL did pool games. Did NOT miss the hairy chest contest! At last, but not least, missed the “ding” as you leave the ship – HAL scans your sail/sign card – again, probably a precaution against handling everyone’s card.

 

Both lines have their strengths. Look forward to cruising on both again. For now, we may go back to Carnival – until we are ready for relaxation and enrichment.

[golfb4cruzing]

Was HAL casually dressed? Or was it a more upscale dress code?

[SNJCruisers]

Instead of drunken Spring Breakers, were there drunken elderly passengers having wheelchair races down the hall at ungodly hours of the night?:rolleyes:

[kcdancerkc]

We are in our 40's and LOVED the Eurodam -- made friends only on this cruise out of 4 cruises - not friends for life, but friends to party with ..... in the mixology class, on their private oasis at HMC with butler, water slide, hot tub - heaven, and in the dance club and pub crawl - had a blast

 

-- went on the PUB CRAWL -- OMG --- 5 bars/drinks in one hour! They give you little accessories to chose from, boas, sunglasses, hats

 

The funny part was watching the elderly watch us! We had to navigate around some scooters and walkers -- hilarious looks on THIER faces

 

You are required to sing a drunken song as you bar hop - makes for the crazy good time! I can see why carnival stopped having these - they would probably get out of hand!

 

We did see people dressed more elegantly (especially MDR) by choice of course but casual dressers were equally represented everywhere -- but WE like that too - so it worked well -

 

and who can complain about Western Carribean --- Honduras was not on my original bucket list LOL

 

HAL is not normally in our budget - neither is NCL -- but we find these great deals once in a while to try something new!

[maxamuus]

Instead of drunken Spring Breakers, were there drunken elderly passengers having wheelchair races down the hall at ungodly hours of the night?:rolleyes:

 

Ok, this made me LOL :D

[mnsawyer]

Great thread since we are thinking about a different cruise line next year.

[2 cruzen]

Instead of drunken Spring Breakers, were there drunken elderly passengers having wheelchair races down the hall at ungodly hours of the night?:rolleyes:

 

 

LOL - too funny! Did notice a few motorized scooters revving it up!

[2 cruzen]

Was HAL casually dressed? Or was it a more upscale dress code?

 

Casual during day/informal nights. However, on the formal nights - way more jackets with ties, whereas on Carnival, my husband felt fine in a shirt with tie. One of our tablemates even wore a Tux.

[treasure4two]

Only 2 things I liked better on HAL was the bathtub and loaves of raisin bread.

Other than that, prefer Carnival and we tried with HAL-took 3 cruises with them. Never will go back unless they offer an unbelieveable price. Had a problem on HAL-tried to get someone/anyone to respond and give a sh--,

but could not. On Carnival, problem with cabin steward(first time ever on any cruise line, but it was him and not the cruise line)-within two hours, changed steward.

[maxamuus]

Only 2 things I liked better on HAL was the bathtub and loaves of raisin bread.

 

The standard cabins have bathtubs??

[FightOnRon]

HAL is a lot of little things you don't think about or know you missed them until you do. As mentioned,,I do miss not having a full wrap promanade deck on a CCL ship,,,nice to get out there and power walk. I miss a lot of chairs that are on the promanade for you to sit and watch the ocean go buy. Another one,,if you are so inclined,,are DVD palyers in all the cabins and a DVD rental office (free if you have a suite).

 

HAL,,at least when I went,,had a much better menu the CCL. More courses (I know you can order two appetizers etc) a little better quality. I liked that on HAL you can order MDR meals during MDR hours and have them delivered to you room.

 

I think the shows on HLA try to be a little more,,,heck I don't know the term,,,hig brow? ON our Eurpeon cruise we had an opera singer (maybe that lady that is on Dancing with the stars). For me,,that makes for a terrible show. One nihgt on a ship we had a John Dnever impersonater,,which was kinda wierd. I want singing and dancing and magicians and rowdiness,,CCL wins !

 

So why am I sailing on the Splendor in 24 hours? I need to have a little higher enregy trip and I needed to save 700 bucks which is how much more the same trip would take on HAL. The money I save will cover my S&S bill for the week.

[maxamuus]

Enjoy your cruise Ron.

[2 cruzen]

HAL is a lot of little things you don't think about or know you missed them until you do. As mentioned,,I do miss not having a full wrap promanade deck on a CCL ship,,,nice to get out there and power walk. I miss a lot of chairs that are on the promanade for you to sit and watch the ocean go buy. Another one,,if you are so inclined,,are DVD palyers in all the cabins and a DVD rental office (free if you have a suite).

 

HAL,,at least when I went,,had a much better menu the CCL. More courses (I know you can order two appetizers etc) a little better quality. I liked that on HAL you can order MDR meals during MDR hours and have them delivered to you room.

 

I think the shows on HLA try to be a little more,,,heck I don't know the term,,,hig brow? ON our Eurpeon cruise we had an opera singer (maybe that lady that is on Dancing with the stars). For me,,that makes for a terrible show. One nihgt on a ship we had a John Dnever impersonater,,which was kinda wierd. I want singing and dancing and magicians and rowdiness,,CCL wins !

 

So why am I sailing on the Splendor in 24 hours? I need to have a little higher enregy trip and I needed to save 700 bucks which is how much more the same trip would take on HAL. The money I save will cover my S&S bill for the week.

 

Yes, I forgot about the room service thing - in Aruba we had a late port call: 1-11 pm. Took an excursion, which was over by 7:30 - back to ship, but since we had set early dining, unable to eat in MDR and just missed Lido by 5 minutes by the time we freshened up. Was about to order off the regular room service menu when I remembered reading on c/c about being able to order whatever was being offered in the MDR. Made my husband very happy.

 

Regarding the DVD rental. We didn't have a suite, but there was a DVD menu in our room and I think they were all complementary. If you wanted to order snacks (pop, popcorn, chips, etc) there was a small charge for those.

 

Bathtubs in regular rooms, however they are small - we were in a handicapped room, so no tub for us.

 

Honestly, food really depended on the night. The first night, everyone but me ordered prime rib - some liked it, others thought it was over-cooked, but you will find that on every cruise and every cruiser. I will say that the fish with lobster dumplings that I ordered was simply AMAZING! :p

[FightOnRon]

Enjoy your cruise Ron.

 

I will,,I am pumped. After making 60 turns around the planet I will by trying to zip line for my first time ever. My wife bought some of those pinwheels things like that pig uses on the commercial and we are going to try and to that "wheeeeee".

 

We will be with my best friends from San Fransico so when the 4 of us get togetehr,,we are 60 going on 30ish. I know they would be bored to tears on HAL so CCL it is for us.

 

BTW,,the HAL signature desert of bread pudding is no where near as cool as chocolate melting cake !

 

And I think,,or it feels like anyhow,,the cabins seem to be roomier on CCL. Although I have never been in a CCL balcony,,the balconies seem to be larger on HAL but the cabins themselves smaller.

[FightOnRon]

Oh,,and alternative dining,,IE places that are not the buffett or the MDR. CCL wins hands down. BOth have burgers,,both have pizza. HAL has a taco bar. I beleive there are burrito bars on CCL,,plus the MOngolian thingy and the rotiserrie chicken deal. Not on HAL.

 

I think the Buffets stink on both.

[SNJCruisers]

I will be trying to zip line for my first time ever. My wife bought some of those pinwheels things like that pig uses on the commercial and we are going to try and to that "wheeeeee".

I love that commercial...enjoy your zip...weeeeeeee

[YubaSutter]

Carnival= Suntan oil

HAL= Ben gay rub

[snownyet]

We're in our 40's and found HAL can vary wildly from an elderly cruise that would appear to be gods waiting room to a party ship, we've seen both extremes and the best party cruise I think we've been on was the Zuiderdam. Things I like about HAL: fresh cut flowers everywhere, cloth hand towels in public restrooms, a very friendly attentive indonesian staff, broader selection on the MDR menu, GREAT soups, the taco bar, teak loungers and the list goes on. However, at the end of the day on any cruise we're having fun with or without those favorite things, so we like to jump around bit and sample things. We're in a san juan rut right now, we just love getting further south on a 7 day trip.

[Frank12]

Carnival= Suntan oil

HAL= Ben gay rub

That made me LOL!

[cruisenanny]

We're in our 40's and found HAL can vary wildly from an elderly cruise that would appear to be gods waiting room to a party ship, we've seen both extremes and the best party cruise I think we've been on was the Zuiderdam. Things I like about HAL: fresh cut flowers everywhere, cloth hand towels in public restrooms, a very friendly attentive indonesian staff, broader selection on the MDR menu, GREAT soups, the taco bar, teak loungers and the list goes on.

 

We like HAL for all the reasons you listed and more. As someone else said, the option to get MDR meals served in your stateroom or suite is pure luxury, also nice are the free dvd rentals, bring on board all the wine you want, full promenade deck for walking on sea days, excellent theatre/cullinary arts center sponsored by Food & Wine (also with programs for teens & kids), etc.

We don't cruise for a party atmosphere at all (not that we mind it, it's just not our vacation goal, we want quality alone time together :)) so HAL was a good fit for us the two times we cruised with them.

[gelo7]

Thanks for sharing your thoughts.