Why should l cruise HAL

[Shogun]

Hi All

 

Have done quite few cruises these past few years all on board Princess,

 

but product offered is not what it used to be, so was thinking about HAL,

 

So what a the big differences that I will notice,

 

Ship is Eurodam, understand she is to be dry docked soon so should be looking

 

good for next year,

 

What will passenger mix be like, the speciality restaurants whats your view on them,

 

What things should a newbie sign up for on a HAL cruise,

 

any tips on what not to do,

 

yours Shogun

[Fouremco]

You might want to read this very recent thread:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2275249&highlight=convince

[3rdGenCunarder]

What are the most important things for you in a cruise? What is it about Princess that you feel has gone downhill? Details like that can help posters focus their responses.

 

I did not like Princess and I do like HAL, but my reasons may not matter to you.

 

I find the service much better on HAL. The front desk and excursion people on our Princess cruise were rude. The front desk people would make up anything just to make you go away. We've always found HAL's front desk to be helpful and excursion staff very nice. Cabin stewards on HAL are more attentive.

 

One big difference for us is that HAL is quiet. They do not make constant announcements about Bingo and other activities. They do offer daytime activities, but they trust you to be a grownup and read the daily program.

 

The pool areas on HAL are quiet. On Princess the only outside place we could find to sit where it was quiet was our teeny-tiny balcony. Princess had loud piped-in music everywhere on the top deck, unless you spent the extra money to go to the little enclave with the special loungers and fruit smoothies.

 

HAL doesn't feel crowded. I think the ratio of passengers to space is better on HAL than on Princess.

 

Very little "hard sell" on HAL. First day on Princess, the beverage card sellers were a nuisance. HAL has beverage cards, but they don't chase after you to sell them.

 

Hope this helps.

[Shogun]

Hi There

 

Thanks for link, kind of worrying, thought I was back on the Princess board,

 

cruise is Med with lots of ports and late departures,

 

what l am looking for,

 

is a relaxing cruise, on a well maintained clean ship, like a good tv system

 

so l can watch movie late at night, being a night owl looking for a bar that

 

stays open late, do not need shows, and performance acts.

 

I like trying new food experiences, Chefs Table and such like,

 

like to eat late traditional seating, making fiends is important,

 

have stayed friends with folks that I have met on cruises for years

 

visiting them in their own countries,

 

main dinning room food just needs to be OK, I do not expect high

 

standards from MDR, but menu needs have something one it I want,

 

expect good levels of service, so whats gone wrong with Princess you may ask,

 

well to many changes to things we like, full prom deck gone, the wheel house bar

 

getting a gastro pub fitted into it, the Italian restaurant going, then small

 

things golf simulator now a photo studio, the new ships having no nice inside

 

viewing places, the times in port just to short, to many sea days etc

 

yours Shogun

[cruz chic]

I do princess quite often. I am elite so not just one cruise under my belt. I find the service in the MDR to be better on most princess cruises. Love the tamarind on the eurodam. I love the fact that Hal has so many items on their breakfast menu. Princess menu is tiny. You can stay in your room until debarkation on Hal. Hal ships feel generally less crowded. Love the retreat cabana area on Hal. You can get a hit breakfast delivered from Hal room service. Nightlife is lacking somewhat on Hal. The BB King group on Hal is great.

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

In my opinion, the Pinnacle Grill on HAL is better than the Crown Grill on Princess. I find cabin service comparable between the two and dining service better on HAL.

[cruisemom42]

Hi Shogun, i remember you well from the Princess boards; I don't spend much time there anymore.

 

Most of the things you list I believe you will be happy about on HAL. Late night entertainment is a bit scarce. But if you like movies, on HAL there is a selection of DVDs that you can borrow and play on your TV in your cabin.

 

Service in the MDR I find a bit slow on HAL (and I like leisurely dining), and I like Princess' MDR food slightly more.

 

You'll definitely get more of the feel of being onboard a ship on HAL, and of course the promenade deck (still doesn't do much for me, but so many people rave about it :confused:).

[avian777]

Why should you choose HAL over Princess? There are many similarities between Princess and HAL but IMHO only one significant difference between them - only HAL has a Roman Catholic priest (who celebrates daily Mass) on board every one of its cruises. So if spiritual renewal is an important component of your vacation experience, HAL would be the hands-down choice.

[sammiedawg]

Shogun, I've read your intelligent postings for years and always enjoyed them.

We have sailed a lot of Princess and all I can say if you think Princess is not what it used to be HAL has slipped even more. Ship maintenance and smoking are two problem areas on HAL. Service levels on HAL have really been cut back, especially in dining venues.

We loved Eurodam when it was new, I've read more negative things recently.

Between Princess and HAL I vote for Princess, I like their vibe, ships and food better.

You need to move up to premium level, we've sailing a lot of Oceania the last few years and love it.

[Shogun]

Hi sammiedawg,

 

What is the issue with smoking, could be a deal breaker for DW. Hates the smell.

 

yours Shogun

[cruz chic]

Hi sammiedawg,

 

What is the issue with smoking, could be a deal breaker for DW. Hates the smell.

 

yours Shogun

 

It's allowed on balconies.

[sammiedawg]

Hi sammiedawg,

 

What is the issue with smoking, could be a deal breaker for DW. Hates the smell.

 

yours Shogun

 

HAl is not for you if smoking bothers you but if I say too much my post will be deleted. We are not allowed to discuss it other than the smoking thread. The thread is one hundred thirty some pages and is very contentious.

Basically HAL allows balcony smoking and large numbers of cruisers have moved to it so they can smoke. There are more smokers on board stinking up casinos and open decks.

There are countless stories of people being smoked off balconies, it happened to us.

[sail7seas]

There is only one good reason I can think of to, if given an option, sail HAL.........

 

Because you want to.

 

If you have to be talked into it, there's a good chance you will go with a pre-conceived notion to not be satisfied.

 

IMO

[Hlitner]

We were cruising quite a few days on HAL (over 350) but then asked ourselves the same question, "why should we cruise on HAL?" Couldn't think of a good answer anymore so we cancelled our booked Voyage of the Vikings cruise and have not booked anything else. Funny thing is that up until that time we never heard from a PCC, but now we routinely get e-mails and some phone calls from our PCC (we have never booked any cruise directly with HAL). Since that time we routinely cruise with both Princess and Celebrity and are quite content. The only thing that will bring us back to HAL might be the great itineraries.

 

Hank

Edited November 8, 2015 by Hlitner

[Rosethorn40]

OP I consider myself a Princess refugee. I have really enjoyed my Princess' cruises, but there is something about HAL that just sits well with us. We were on the Eurodam in June and I LOVED, LOVED. LOVED that ship.

 

Staff was welcoming and friendly. They could remember your name by the second day. The ship is beautiful in a low key, understated way. Not too big, so easy to get around. I hate smoking, but didn't notice it as a problem. Food was much better IMO. Nightlife is more sedate

 

For our Baltic cruise we originally were booked on the Regal Princess, but for the same price as an interior on Princess for an 11 day cruise I got a signature suite and a 12 day cruise on the Eurodam. Many of the ports were the same, but the Eurodam included an overnight in Stockholm.

 

I am actually thinking of chucking most of my planned trips in 2016 and switching them out with a cruise on the Eurodam.

[qsuzi]

Shogun !!!!! :) Nice to see you on the HAL board. We took our first HAL cruise in March (Veendam) and our second in September (Westerdam) after sailing mostly Princess for a long time. Like any cruise line I know you will research the ships and itinerary; we liked the Westerdam more than the Veendam.

 

The positive things that we noticed about HAL are (but are not limited to): 1) food overall is better with more choices at breakfast and a much better room service menu. 2) Lido/buffet service much better on Princess and MDR service comparable. 3) The public spades are roomier with more comfy/better furniture. 4) Much better library 5) More nautical ship feel with statues, art, etc better 6) More colors at various locations. 6) Fewer announcements, 7) wider cabins and larger balconies.

 

There is a list of things we like better on Princess or we feel are close to equal between the lines. For the next two years we have only HAL and Princess cruises booked; more on Princess. We took a 3 year break from Princess and found Princess improved when we returned at the beginning of the year. For us absence made the heart grow fonder.

 

I encourage you to try HAL because there is lots to like. You are a great addition to this board and hope to see you here more often! Maybe we were lucky but no issue with neighbors smoking on the balcony.

Edited November 8, 2015 by qsuzi

[regnig]

Shogun great seeing you here on the HAL board. Like others we are Elite on Princess but once we tried HAL we have found no reason to return to them. HAL ships remind us of the old Princess Star & Crown. Elegant is the word that comes to mind, but not "stuffy" at all, just no glitz & disco-ball kind of decorations. The beds are to die for, no need to order an egg crate topper to get a good nights sleep. The room service menu is more extensive and you can even order off the dining room's dinner menu. Debarkation day is far more civil on HAL. You can order room service and remain in your stateroom until your color/number is called. AND, IMHO the HAL staff exceeds anything offered on Princess.

 

Oh and on HAL you can get a regular veranda stateroom that has room for a love seat and a bathroom with a tub/shower combination. On Princess those require you book a mini-suite.

[cruz chic]

We were cruising quite a few days on HAL (over 350) but then asked ourselves the same question, "why should we cruise on HAL?" Couldn't think of a good answer anymore so we cancelled our booked Voyage of the Vikings cruise and have not booked anything else. Funny thing is that up until that time we never heard from a PCC, but now we routinely get e-mails and some phone calls from our PCC (we have never booked any cruise directly with HAL). Since that time we routinely cruise with both Princess and Celebrity and are quite content. The only thing that will bring us back to HAL might be the great itineraries.

 

Hank

 

That is quite common practice with cruise lines. If you don't have anything booked you will be contacted to try to entice you to book something. Right now I'm being bombarded by Cunard and princess.

[albingirl]

That is quite common practice with cruise lines. If you don't have anything booked you will be contacted to try to entice you to book something. Right now I'm being bombarded by Cunard and princess.

 

Me too, but it's Viking after us. Can't think of any reason to book HAl if you get a better deal elsewhere. No cheerleader here.

[Hlitner]

That is quite common practice with cruise lines. If you don't have anything booked you will be contacted to try to entice you to book something. Right now I'm being bombarded by Cunard and princess.

 

The last time we actually talked to our PCC we explained that it was unlikely we would again cruise on HAL unless they changed their balcony smoking policy. She admitted that its a story they hear every day. But they keep trying to entice. We no longer accept the calls. There are 2 long HAL itineraries (that total over 90 days) that interest us for 2016. But at this point we will likely pass on those cruises and either cruise with other lines or do another extended land trip.

 

Hank

Edited November 9, 2015 by Hlitner

[OCruisers]

Princess is actually the best fit for us for a variety of reasons ... BUT we also love to cruise on HAL from time to time.

 

HAL has some great itineraries and works out quite well for us on PORT INTENSIVE cruises. :)

 

LuLu

[Flatbush Flyer]

Hi sammiedawg,

 

 

 

What is the issue with smoking, could be a deal breaker for DW. Hates the smell.

 

 

 

yours Shogun

 

 

Want the most restrictive smoking policy and best food at sea? Try Oceania.

[RetiredMustang]

As sail7seas said, you are the one to decide you want to go. I have not sailed on Princess, so I can't compare the lines directly, like cruise chic is able to do.

 

But, I will point out some things we like, and some things you may want to consider.

 

We like the generally bigger rooms on HAL, and the generally nautical classy decor. We like the Explorer's loung for quiet conversation, or to listen to classical music in the evening. We like the bars and the talented lubrication engineers therein. We like the walk-around deck, and loungers in quiet corners (or next to the Lido pool if you want). But most of all, we love the fabulous, pampering service from the wonderful crew. They are spread thinner than before, but still put their all into making your cruise great.

 

Some things to consider. Others have mentioned smoking, so I won't beat it to death, but will note that it is also in the casinos, which sometimes bleeds over to nearby bar/lounge areas. There are some activities most of the time, but not all-day chock-a-block schedules. That appeals to us, but may not to you. The entertainment is not something we do much, so I can't adress the quality, although I have read recent threads that indicate the shows are getting better.

 

Food in the MDR is pretty good, although choice seems a bit less. The Italian specialty restaurant (small cost) varies in quality a good deal from ship to ship, and is not authentic but OK, to pretty good now and then. The Pinnacle ($29 pp for dinner last time we went) is very good, although again with reduced choices -- still a nice change now and then.

 

How many sea days varies by the itinerary; we have had Caribbean cruises with many sea days, and on the other hand recently did a 14-day b2b Boston-Montreal-Boston that had only 2.

 

We have about two dozen cruises on HAL, so obviously we like the experience, but your tastes are no doubt different.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Dave

Edited November 9, 2015 by RetiredMustang

[Seafoam Green]

Hello Shogun!

 

Nice to see you here. DH and I have booked our first HAL cruise in March. We like a 10 day itinerary in the Caribbean for a winter break and prefer a smaller traditional style ship with a nice aft area like the Terrace on Princess. The Royal and Regal really don't appeal to us.

 

We're looking forward to the Oosterdam. We want to try ordering room service from the MDR for dinner and the Crows Nest looks like a great spot to enjoy a cocktail.

 

I'll be interested to see what you book for your next cruise.

 

:D

[DaveOKC]

Hello Shogun!

 

Nice to see you here. DH and I have booked our first HAL cruise in March. We like a 10 day itinerary in the Caribbean for a winter break and prefer a smaller traditional style ship with a nice aft area like the Terrace on Princess. The Royal and Regal really don't appeal to us.

 

We're looking forward to the Oosterdam. We want to try ordering room service from the MDR for dinner and the Crows Nest looks like a great spot to enjoy a cocktail.

 

:D

 

A couple of tips for ordering off the main dining room (MDR) menu from room service:

 

1. Go to the MDR earlier in the day and note the menu for dinner. Taking a photo of it is a good way to remember all the options.

 

2. Normally you have to order from room service the first hour the MDR is open but you can have it delivered at any time (I would check with the room service operator beforehand so that you know the proper procedure as it may vary by ship.

 

3. If you are dining on a balcony, bring a cloth tablecloth with you, along with some hold down clips (can get from a party supply store).