Which ship to pick for the best HAL experience

[~Oceanus~]

We have not cruised on a HAL ship in nearly a decade and wonder which itinerary or which ship would best reflect the Holland experience. We are three star Mariners but have played the field for a while and need a refresher course on cruising HAL style.

[Randyk47]

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

 

We love the smaller S and R class ships so our preference would be the Maasdam or the Volendam. Whether or not you're going to find the same experience you had a decade ago is a tough one to answer. We think HAL has lost some of what once was the very special HAL experience but that depends on your own preferences. The good is that the staff and crew is still wonderful and charming. The bad is that there are fewer of them and service has suffered accordingly. Add our preception that food and entertainment quality has also gone down and it's not the HAL of years ago.

Edited November 24, 2015 by Randyk47

[joepeka]

There is a "New to Holland America?" thread on this forum that you may want to spend a little time browsing (even though you're not "new" to HAL):

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2088428

 

Like you, we've been away from HAL for over 11 years and have booked the Zuiderdam for early 2017. I've found some really good info on what's changed by reading that other thread and just spending a little time on this forum in general. I have noticed, by comments on this forum, that things appear to have gone down a bit over the past decade but we've seen that on other lines as well so as long as the familiar HAL "feel" is there, I think we'll be content.

Edited November 24, 2015 by joepeka

[iancal]

The challenge will be consistency.

 

HAL ships have become less and less consistent between ships and between cruises because of budget cuts and I suspect employee morale.

 

Same with some other cruise lines to a greater or lesser extent. A great cruise experience is becoming less likely to be the guarantee of a great cruise experience on your next cruise on the same cruise line.

Edited November 24, 2015 by iancal

[InTheWASide]

I recommend Eurodam or Nieuw Amsterdam

[avian777]

We ... wonder which itinerary or which ship would best reflect the Holland experience.

 

The Seattle-Alaska round-trip cruise on the Zaandam (in 2009) was the best we've ever had.

[cruz chic]

I recommend Eurodam or Nieuw Amsterdam

 

I like newer ships so I would agree. The problem is that I have had excellent and not good cruises on both these ships. Impossible to say what will happen on any ship at any time on any line.

[dakrewser]

If you really want the "HAL experience", choose an itinerary you want, then (if necessary) the ship which has the amenities (B.B.King Blues, Tamerind restaurant, Signature Suites. etc.) you want.

[~Oceanus~]

I have read that the Halcats no longer perform. Do all ships still offer live music for dancing?

[turtleash]

First time traveling Holland was earlier this month and it was on the Eurodam. Absolutely LOVED the ship, people, staff and cruisers! We would travel Holland again and look forward to it. I would probably pick itinerary, then ship, unless I really wanted to go on a specific ship. You may want to read this post, my boyfriend has been putting our experience from our first holland journey on this thread. http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2282433

[RuthC]

I have read that the Halcats no longer perform. Do all ships still offer live music for dancing?

There is a dance band in the Ocean Bar, not unlike the HALCats, sans singer.

 

However, they were also the show band on my recent cruise. They did play in the Ocean Bar for first seating cocktail time, but more often than not they were not playing for second seating cocktail time, nor after dinner.

There was the BB King band in the Queen's Lounge, but they were 1.) too loud, and 2.) not the same type of music.

[markarmel]

We have been on Nieuw Amsterdam twice around the Med and absolutely loved it. Magnificent ship and crew.

[take us away]

Enjoyed cruising the Med but Antarctica was awesome. Prefer the smaller ships and the Amsterdam feels like my 2nd home as the staff is so wonderful. I also decide where I want to go then search out the itinerary - the ship is just whichever is assigned to the cruise I like.

Edited November 26, 2015 by take us away

[Himself]

I recommend Eurodam or Nieuw Amsterdam

 

Ditto!