Torn between Princess and HAL

[DebJ14]

We originally booked Alaska out of Seattle on the Golden Princess in an aft facing Vista Suite. The airfare has been purchased.

I got a private sale notice from HAL and we can sail the same day on the Oosterdam from Seattle in an SB aft facing Deluxe Suite for $1181.00 cheaper. The main reason is the cost of the 3rd person is 700 lower. Even if I upgrade to an SA Suite it will still be cheaper than Princess by $900.

Any thoughts?

I have been reading reviews of both ships and lines and the Oosterdam has had some

pretty bad reviews saying it is run down, furniture is worn tired and the food and service has declined.

We are past passengers on both lines and loved our cruises on the Ryndam and Statendam,but that was before all the cutbacks. Our Last HAL was 2004. We weren't so thrilled with our previous Princess cruise on the Golden (food was awful) in 2003 well before the Golden had her refit in 2009.

Can anyone who has recently been on either ship or both comment?

Pictures of the Oosterdam suite don't make it look like anything special except for the wrap around balcony. It actually looks very much like a Carnival suite, except for the color scheme. The Princess cabin looks nicer, but the balcony has a beam that partially obstructs the view.

Cabin C751 on the Golden is booked and deposited and 8140 on the Oosterdam has to be deposited by Monday. Any help would be gratefully appreciated!

I will also post this on the HAL Board.

[RickEk]

We originally booked Alaska out of Seattle on the Golden Princess in an aft facing Vista Suite. The airfare has been purchased.

I got a private sale notice from HAL and we can sail the same day on the Oosterdam from Seattle in an SB aft facing Deluxe Suite for $1181.00 cheaper. The main reason is the cost of the 3rd person is 700 lower. Even if I upgrade to an SA Suite it will still be cheaper than Princess by $900.

Any thoughts?

I have been reading reviews of both ships and lines and the Oosterdam has had some

pretty bad reviews saying it is run down, furniture is worn tired and the food and service has declined.

We are past passengers on both lines and loved our cruises on the Ryndam and Statendam,but that was before all the cutbacks. Our Last HAL was 2004. We weren't so thrilled with our previous Princess cruise on the Golden (food was awful) in 2003 well before the Golden had her refit in 2009.

Can anyone who has recently been on either ship or both comment?

Pictures of the Oosterdam suite don't make it look like anything special except for the wrap around balcony. It actually looks very much like a Carnival suite, except for the color scheme. The Princess cabin looks nicer, but the balcony has a beam that partially obstructs the view.

Cabin C751 on the Golden is booked and deposited and 8140 on the Oosterdam has to be deposited by Monday. Any help would be gratefully appreciated!

I will also post this on the HAL Board.

 

Having never been on HAL, I can't comment about that, but we were on the Golden Princess this last summer to Alaska and had a great time. The food was very good and the itinerary was very nice. Since we went in early June, we didn't get all the way to the Sawyer Glaciers, but it was awe-inspiring nonetheless. The ship was in great condition...

[SoBaycruiser]

We originally booked Alaska out of Seattle on the Golden Princess in an aft facing Vista Suite. The airfare has been purchased.

I got a private sale notice from HAL and we can sail the same day on the Oosterdam from Seattle in an SB aft facing Deluxe Suite for $1181.00 cheaper. The main reason is the cost of the 3rd person is 700 lower. Even if I upgrade to an SA Suite it will still be cheaper than Princess by $900.

Any thoughts?

I have been reading reviews of both ships and lines and the Oosterdam has had some

pretty bad reviews saying it is run down, furniture is worn tired and the food and service has declined.

We are past passengers on both lines and loved our cruises on the Ryndam and Statendam,but that was before all the cutbacks. Our Last HAL was 2004. We weren't so thrilled with our previous Princess cruise on the Golden (food was awful) in 2003 well before the Golden had her refit in 2009.

Can anyone who has recently been on either ship or both comment?

Pictures of the Oosterdam suite don't make it look like anything special except for the wrap around balcony. It actually looks very much like a Carnival suite, except for the color scheme. The Princess cabin looks nicer, but the balcony has a beam that partially obstructs the view.

Cabin C751 on the Golden is booked and deposited and 8140 on the Oosterdam has to be deposited by Monday. Any help would be gratefully appreciated!

I will also post this on the HAL Board.

 

Since you've been on the Golden you know the configuration and amenities. We were on the Golden in April/May of this year and it went into dry dock right after that for refurbishment. Hope that helps. Personally, I don't care for the configuration of Princess' Grand class ships.

[Griller]

I have to agree with you that Princess is now way overpriced in today's cruise marketplace, but it has a lot of loyal cruisers who just pay the price and consequently Princess are able to keep the prices up above other cruise lines who may be a bit different in what they offer but are generally better value.

 

We are Elite on Princess but last cruise abandoned Princess for Carnival on a Transatlantic which was excellent and cost us half, even allowing for the loss of perks etc.

 

We have also been looking at HollandAmerica and will doubtless book on them sooner rather than later.

 

Princess is just offering too little for the higher cost as far as we are concerned.

Cunard - another line we have cruised on extensively - is even worse in this respect, they also have loyal cruisers who just pay up.

 

 

Its all Carnival anyway at the end of the day so at least we get our stockholder OBC.

[sunsetbeachgal]

interesting comment, Griller. Traditionally, I always found Princess pricing to be very competitive, but have found over the past year or two that the "deals" are fewer and fewer. I seem to see more "sales" but for cruises/cabin class I am interested in I don't see much on sale, and often these require a non-refundable deposit, even when the cruise is a year away. Previously only the Flash Sales which were 30-60 days or so out from depature had non-refundable deposits.

 

Supply and demand, I guess! :confused:

[Casey12]

Princess and HAL are very similar. I would go with itinerary first and then price.

[Pam in CA]

Princess and HAL are very similar. I would go with itinerary first and then price.

I'm Elite on Princess and a 3-star Mariner on HAL. If it were me, I'd choose the HAL cruise based on pricing as long as the # of days and itinerary is similar. Both offer a terrific experience in Alaska. I was on the Oosterdam last year and had a great cruise. My friend and I had aft cabins that we loved. Yes, there's wear and tear which anyone with an eagle eye will find on any cruise ship. Personally, I never notice nor do I care unless it's major and really bad. A scratch here or there isn't going to ruin my cruise.

[DebJ14]

Princess and HAL are very similar. I would go with itinerary first and then price.

 

If that's the case I will have to go HAL since they are the same except that HAL also goes to Sitka.

[DL10]

We sailed to Alaska out of Seattle on the Holland America Westerdam about 4 years ago, then on Princess the following year. I don't remember the Princess ship name.

We thought the Holland America cruise was much, much better.

Glacier Bay and Sitka were 2 of the highlights of the Holland America cruise and Princess went to neither.

We were supposed to cruise Tracy Arm on Princess but the Captain said the passage wasn't clear enough.

 

Food and entertainment were both better on Holland America.

[Pam in CA]

Glacier Bay and Sitka were 2 of the highlights of the Holland America cruise and Princess went to neither.

FYI, most Princess Alaskan itineraries include Glacier Bay. You must have selected one of the few that didn't. :(

 

Food and entertainment are subjective. Overall, I've found Princess food and service better than on HAL, and the Princess production shows better as well. HAL does their version of Anytime dining much better (it's better managed) and they have a full breakfast, lunch and dinner room service menu. You can even ask for the dining room's menu delivered to your cabin and order from that. The HAL buffet closes very early for breakfast, then early for lunch and dinner. It's not open all day with a full selection the way it is on Princess. HAL bathrooms are larger than on Princess and many have tub/showers. However, storage is stingy compared to Princess.

[Amster12345]

We usually sail on Princess, but we did do one on HAL, the Zaandam, about four years ago. The last Princess ship we were on was the Golden, two years ago. Here are my impressions.

In general, I prefer Princess. But the cabin was nicer on HAL. A little bigger. A couch for the 3rd person in the room, instead of a fold-down bunk. And we really liked their DVD rental service.

The ship seemed quieter than the Princess ships. Always a place to relax, always a deck chair available. The average age of the passengers seemed older.

We liked the food on the Zaandam, but hated the buffet setup. There was no self serve, the chefs handed you a portion on a plate. And there were no trays. With the lines, it was taking me 30 minutes to get breakfast for myself and my son. It's the first cruise ever that we started eating breakfast in the dining room.

The Golden had some nice food options. The international cafe is really good, with great snacks and open until midnight. My son liked the pizzeria. And it was definitely better quality than some of the pizza you get on ships.

Bingo is better on Princess, even though we won on HAL. And for some odd reason, even though HAL did some sport tournaments, they didn't give prizes, not even a keychain. The crew person told us they were saving money. I actually won the ping pong tournament, which is very unusual for me, but I have no proof. I still get teased about that.

[caribill]

The international cafe is really good, with great snacks and open until midnight.

 

IC is now open 24 hours since the buffet no longer is open all night.

[Ship's Wake]

I would choose HAL for Alaska based on the pricing difference you laid out.

 

Plus, 750 less passengers on the Oosterdam vs the Golden. This will make a difference when you choose to go up on deck during the scenic portions of your cruise. You also have the Crow's Nest, which in my mind makes a Holland America ship a great choice for Alaska.

[Coral]

I would choose HAL for Alaska based on the pricing difference you laid out.

 

Plus, 750 less passengers on the Oosterdam vs the Golden. This will make a difference when you choose to go up on deck during the scenic portions of your cruise. You also have the Crow's Nest, which in my mind makes a Holland America ship a great choice for Alaska.

 

Ironically - this is not a big issue as many people stay on their balconies for scenic portions. I have never found a deck that crowded on Princess. I often go to Deck 7 as I think it is superior viewing (being lower) then on Deck 14 on Princess and it is virtually empty.

 

After saying that, I think both lines are fine. I have been on both Oosterdam and Golden. Neither seemed crowded. I would definitely go on the ship that goes to Glacier Bay.

[caribill]

I often go to Deck 7 as I think it is superior viewing (being lower) then on Deck 14 on Princess and it is virtually empty.

 

Although the view is spetacular either way, you can sometimes see more by being up higher on the ship.

 

For example, here is a picture of the Grand Pacific Glacier taken from balcony on deck 10.

 

 

 

Same glacier in a picture taken from deck 15. Can see much more of it than just the face.

 

[DrivesLikeMario]

We have had suites on both ships with our 2 sons. With that major of a cost difference, I would go with HAL. The HAL suites are nice and the balconies on the aft-facing cabins are MASSIVE. The sofa bed is a little wider and more comfortable too. The Neptune Lounge is pretty nice. HAL's suites themselves are not quite as luxurious as Princess', but the kids probably won't notice and the huge balconies make up for it. ;)

[Coral]

Although the view is spetacular either way, you can sometimes see more by being up higher on the ship.

 

For example, here is a picture of the Grand Pacific Glacier taken from balcony on deck 10.

 

 

 

Same glacier in a picture taken from deck 15. Can see much more of it than just the face.

 

 

There have been times when Deck 14/15 can have better pictures. Personally, I prefer most of my pics from a lower deck.

 

Those are nice pics :)

[Queenk2]

I am elite on princess with many hal cruises as well. Summer 2010 we went to Alaska with Oceania. I love the small ships! I understand that food is subjective, however I find that hal has more choices since Princess has cut back. W are going with Princess this coming July to japan because of the itinerary. I loved Sitka and urge you not to miss it.

[Arwen]

We originally booked Alaska out of Seattle on the Golden Princess in an aft facing Vista Suite. The airfare has been purchased.

I got a private sale notice from HAL and we can sail the same day on the Oosterdam from Seattle in an SB aft facing Deluxe Suite for $1181.00 cheaper. The main reason is the cost of the 3rd person is 700 lower. Even if I upgrade to an SA Suite it will still be cheaper than Princess by $900.

Any thoughts?

I have been reading reviews of both ships and lines and the Oosterdam has had some

pretty bad reviews saying it is run down, furniture is worn tired and the food and service has declined.

We are past passengers on both lines and loved our cruises on the Ryndam and Statendam,but that was before all the cutbacks. Our Last HAL was 2004. We weren't so thrilled with our previous Princess cruise on the Golden (food was awful) in 2003 well before the Golden had her refit in 2009.

Can anyone who has recently been on either ship or both comment?

Pictures of the Oosterdam suite don't make it look like anything special except for the wrap around balcony. It actually looks very much like a Carnival suite, except for the color scheme. The Princess cabin looks nicer, but the balcony has a beam that partially obstructs the view.

Cabin C751 on the Golden is booked and deposited and 8140 on the Oosterdam has to be deposited by Monday. Any help would be gratefully appreciated!

I will also post this on the HAL Board.

 

We have done 13 cruises....the majority with HAL. Just two years ago we tried out Celebrity and more recently two cruises with Princess.

 

My opinion (or my 2 cents) is that you consider two things 1. the itinerary 2. the reviews and condition of the ship. Cost is important, but you generally get what you pay for.

 

I have found that there are "good" ships and "so-so ships". Hubby and I now prefer the good ships. I also will check out when the ship was dry docked. We found it is a good idea to wait until two sails have occurred before getting on a refurbished ship.

 

We have sailed on the Sapphire Princess (recent dry dock) for a one weeker in Mexico and it was AWESOME. We sailed the Diamond Princess for a 16 day Asia cruise and the ship is a so-so ship.

 

So you must decide if the money saved is worth it or if you want to pay a bit more for a Good or great cruise ship.

[Coral]

We have sailed on the Sapphire Princess (recent dry dock) for a one weeker in Mexico and it was AWESOME. We sailed the Diamond Princess for a 16 day Asia cruise and the ship is a so-so ship.

.

 

And the ships are sisters, at one point identical. When the Diamond gets it's dry dock, it will be as good as the Sapphire.

[Pam in CA]

And the ships are sisters, at one point identical. When the Diamond gets it's dry dock, it will be as good as the Sapphire.

The Diamond's dry dock next Fall has been canceled. Not sure when it's been rescheduled.

[Coral]

The Diamond's dry dock next Fall has been canceled. Not sure when it's been rescheduled.

 

Did not realize that. Though, IMO - I would still easily enjoy the Diamond with out the DryDock. I had booked 3 cruises on the Sapphire for this past year not realizing it was scheduled for a dry dock. I have always liked this class of ships. I think Mitsubishi makes great ships!

[Doglovertoo]

We were on the Oosterdam in September from Seattle to Alaska and had a fantastic trip. I haven't posted a review yet, but can tell you the food was excellent. The furniture in our verandah suite was in good shape. I did see some worn cushions on the deck furniture, but not horrible. We were delayed getting into Victoria, but the Oostedam is supposed to go into dry dock this winter to correct that problem (whatever it is) Alot of people went ahead and got off the ship, but we stayed on since it was already dark. We did the vow renewal ceremony which was wonderful and we bought th couple's pass to the thermal spa which was definitely worth it. We had excellent service and wouldn't hesitate to go on the Oosterdam again. Hope this helps.

 

 

[Putterdude]

We were on the Oosterdam 11 months ago over Christmas and our experience was sufficiently bad that I doubt that we will sail on it or anther HAL ship anytime soon. The ship was filthy, the food while good was served cool at best, cabin walls were gouged, cabin and balcony chairs were stained as were table linens and towels, the entertainment was lackluster. Princess is not perfect by any means but we have never had the experience that we had on the Oosterdam.

[Pam in CA]

Did not realize that. Though, IMO - I would still easily enjoy the Diamond with out the DryDock. I had booked 3 cruises on the Sapphire for this past year not realizing it was scheduled for a dry dock. I have always liked this class of ships. I think Mitsubishi makes great ships!

Same for me. I'm on the Diamond in May for a B2B. A ship's amenities are nice but don't influence whether I book a specific ship or not.