Comparing non-essentials on HAL and Princess

[Been There, Planning That]

I’ve appreciated the many comparisons of various cruise lines by others, so here’s my contribution comparing non-essentials which we value. These are based upon similar cabins/levels, usually just a window.

 

In ’14 we did both a New England b2b (Maasdam) and a Partial Panama (Zuiderdam) with HAL having done a few other HAL cruises. We just disembarked from a Grand Princess, 15 day round trip to Hawaii from LA. Our previous on Princess was a couple of year ago, a Baltic and TA combined.

 

Internet: we know that ocean cruising offers only expensive and slow service, but we’ve found Princess far slower than that offered by HAL even on similar cruise destinations. I attribute this, in part, to Princess’ generous ‘free’ time offered to their loyal clients. We must compete with these many passengers as we waste our expensively purchased minutes trying to connect.

 

Laundry, since we don’t qualify for free laundry on either line, I prefer HAL’s blue bag service which includes pressing. Yes, Princess’ do it yourself laundry facilities are cheaper, their bag service does not include pressing.

 

News: we’re news junkies and valued HAL’s daily news sheets from several countries. (On our fall cruise we noticed they were no longer delivered consistently to our cabin when requested and so picked them up each morning at the desk.) We enjoy BBC on Princess which I don’t recall getting on HAL.

 

Shampoo and lotions: I prefer HAL’s shampoo and separate hair conditioner over Princess’ combined one. Both lines will provide a soap bar for the shower when requested. And HAL provides a light hand/body lotion.

 

Bedding: I prefer Princess’ real duvets. HAL only offers a dead blanket well concealed in sheets. Again this is true for the level of cabin in which we usually travel. I seem to recall that our HAL suite on the Zuiderdam had a real duvet. We used to prefer HAL beds but found the recent one on the Grand Princess quite comfortable.

 

Room size: only one chair was offered in our Princess window cabin; whereas a similar cabin on HAL offered a small couch and desk chair. The cabin seemed larger. We remember more generous cupboards on HAL, but managed with a bit of organization quite well on the Grand.

 

Libraries: Princess now operates their libraries on an honour system, saving a staff position I guess, but on the first morning of our cruise the shelves were almost devoid of books. I can only assume that more experienced cruisers picked up several books each immediately upon boarding. HAL’s partial honour system seems to leave more books available after the first day. I suppose with so many E-readers being used, libraries will soon be a thing of the past.

 

We find few if any differences in levels and excellence of service, and may prefer meals on either line for any one cruise. Princess seemed to offer more activities on our most recent cruise, but it was a cruise with 10 sea days.

 

On this most recent Princess cruise we felt an edge of desperation the first couple of days as crew members tried to sell coffee cards, wine/alcohol cards etc. I can only assume that their success brings financial reward. And they were eager to sell ‘the drink of the day’ with each meal. We don’t even bring on the wine allowance and only purchase a glass of wine with dinner every second night or so. I felt this just added another pressure to an already overworked staff.

 

For us, destination and pricing determine our choices, never these non-essentials, but we do take note of them and the summary might prepare those new to either line.

 

Ruth

[xlxo]

For me...

• HAL offers a photo package... I go poor paying for each picture on Princess
  
• I think HAL allows me to wait in my room on the final day before they asked me to leave... Princess had me waiting in the casino.
  
• I think HAL had a CRT TV... Princess had an HD screen
  

Based on the Zuiderdaam and Island Princess from a few years ago.

Edited March 6, 2015 by xlxo

[cruz chic]

For me...

• HAL offers a photo package... I go poor paying for each picture on Princess
  
• I think HAL allows me to wait in my room on the final day before they asked me to leave... Princess had me waiting in the casino.
  
• I think HAL had a CRT TV... Princess had an HD screen
  

Based on the Zuiderdaam and Island Princess from a few years ago.

 

Yes, you have to vacate your room on princess, but you don't have to go to the casino:D

[PathfinderEss]

Thanks Been There, Planning That for your Hal versa Princess comparison. These threads are always interesting.

[puppycanducruise]

Thanks for posting your comparisons.

 

[regnig]

HAL's bath towels are larger and of better quality.

 

On HAL you can get room service on disembarkation day.

 

Depending on class of ship HAL's regular veranda stateroom = Princess Mini-suites.

 

HAL's TV come with DVRs and free DVDs are available at the purser's desk.

[0bnxshs]

Thanks for the interesting comparison. I have found many commonalities between the lines and am comfortable on both. I've always found body lotion in the quite small Princess bathrooms though, even the insides. And for me, HAL beds are far more comfortable than Princess beds especially with the variety of pillows. On Caribbean Princess in December, we only had a duvet which was way too much cover for the temperature; there was no top sheet, so it was all or nothing. :eek:

 

BTW, larsen, I think you mean HAL has DVD players in all cabins, not DVRs, as there is no recording capability provided. ;)

[regnig]

Thanks for the interesting comparison. I have found many commonalities between the lines and am comfortable on both. I've always found body lotion in the quite small Princess bathrooms though, even the insides. And for me, HAL beds are far more comfortable than Princess beds especially with the variety of pillows. On Caribbean Princess in December, we only had a duvet which was way too much cover for the temperature; there was no top sheet, so it was all or nothing. :eek:

 

BTW, larsen, I think you mean HAL has DVD players in all cabins, not DVRs, as there is no recording capability provided. ;)

 

Yep, you are correct, I should have typed DVD not DVR.

 

Next time you sail Princess just ask your room steward for a top sheet and you will get it as we always did.

[Mary Ellen]

Since we're talking nonessentials here - I vastly prefer the way Princess makes the beds. On HAL the bottom and top sheets are tucked under the mattresses together. When I pull out the top sheet to get in bed, out comes the bottom sheet too. I have to tuck the bottom sheet back in. I feel like I'm making the bed again. On Princess I can just get in bed.

 

I know this is a small thing, but our HAL cruises are usually several weeks long. This begins to grate on me. Ok, vent over. :)

[Susie51]

Thank you for your well-balanced comparison. Your opinion about the beds is encouraging.

 

I use to think only HAL had good beds, but in the last three years I have had extremely comfortable beds on RCCL and NCL. Perhaps the beds are better on these cruise lines, because I've been in suites.

Edited March 6, 2015 by Susie51

[Been There, Planning That]

Since we're talking nonessentials here - I vastly prefer the way Princess makes the beds. On HAL the bottom and top sheets are tucked under the mattresses together. When I pull out the top sheet to get in bed, out comes the bottom sheet too. I have to tuck the bottom sheet back in. I feel like I'm making the bed again. On Princess I can just get in bed.

 

I know this is a small thing, but our HAL cruises are usually several weeks long. This begins to grate on me. Ok, vent over. :)

 

I agree, the duvet was actually tucked in on our bed. Now a real duvet is supposed to 'fluff' on top but the Princess ones while lacking the usual fluff are over sized. Fluff could never be maintained in a small cabin with limited seating and the assumption that suitcases help flatten them out.

 

Ruth

[take us away]

Thanks so much for the comparisons - as the saying goes - it is the little stuff that can really matter!

[cruz chic]

HAL's bath towels are larger and of better quality.

 

On HAL you can get room service on disembarkation day.

 

Depending on class of ship HAL's regular veranda stateroom = Princess Mini-suites.

 

HAL's TV come with DVRs and free DVDs are available at the purser's desk.

 

The DVDs are older than I am:D. I would love it if the remote on hal actually work.

[holacanada]

HAL cruise ships have a real walking/jog track all around their armature/belly.

The others… no !

 

Holacanada

Edited March 7, 2015 by holacanada

[ANSalberg]

I'm glad to see THESE comparrisons because the ones that "matter" are the ones that matter TO YOU!

For YEARS the thing that mattered most was $$$$$$$$ -and we made our choices accordingly. after we both retired we made a master-plan of actually doing WORLD travel and outlined what each of us really wanted to see [ irony; 'The truth' -vs the News/TV] and for us that meant WORLD destinations [ yes, I know- we are exceptionally LUCKY]

We are now 15 years into our travels and I would NEVER trade so much as one day -the days and even weeks were SO spectacular AND so enlightening!

I NEVER criticize what other choices are that other people make -there are TOO many variables [a good thing, actually] but I do find myself shaking my head at some of the trivialities and some of the self-centerness.

GO into these travels with an open mind and an open HEART and you can LEARN so much. LIFE has its lessons and cruising ads SUCH a dimention to your travels -IF you USE it! LEARN all you can and you will look back and say "THIS was SOOOOOO worth it!"

We are there!!!!!

1. HAL is our favorite line[ MOSTLY the itineraries AND the crew from Indonesia; THAT/they made a difference]

2. Asia and Europe are our MOST favorite desinations -and length of cruise; about 70 +/- our favorite [ we are at the point where flights are a problem -NEVER cruising]

3. Looking back I wouldn't change or complain about a thing! IF it happened - so be it!

[sail7seas]

The DVDs are older than I am:D. I would love it if the remote on hal actually work.

 

I'd forgotten about the awful remote controls. So many times, I change batteries and cannot get it to work. Annoying.