What Sparked Your Interest?

[Aquahound]

Okay now you have me curious. Just what were the itineraries?

 

My first was a European cruise on Nieuw Amsterdam that started in Venice with an overnight, cruised Croatia, the Greek Isles, Sicily, up the west coast of Italy, and ended in Barcelona...12 nights. To date, it is still my favorite cruise. That was my first HAL cruise.

 

Then came Alaska. I was doing some work in the Pacific Northwest and I wanted to book a last minute cruise, round trip out of Vancouver, that included Glacier Bay. Low and behold, Zuiderdam had balconies available at a really good last minute price and it fit my criteria perfectly.

 

Lastly, I didn't get to cruise much last year due to my job, so I wanted a longer cruise in October (more than a week) that included the Southern Caribbean. I found Oosterdam, 10 nights, that not only included all the ABCs, but also 3 places I have never been....Half Moon Cay, Grand Turk and Samana.

Edited February 8, 2016 by Aquahound

[VMax1700]

Our first cruise was a Southern Caribbean on Celebrity Galaxy. Moored across from us in Curacao was the beautiful blue hull of the Westerdam. When we got home we immediately started to look at HAL cruises............next one is in 4 weeks whoo hoo!

[momatibm]

What sparked your interest in cruising with HAL? For us, it was seeing the beautiful blue hull of the smaller HAL ship when we were boarding a Princess ship at the Port of San Diego.

 

Back in the olden days, 1988, I read every cruise ship brochure my travel agent had. Decided on Holland America Line -- others had charges for deck chairs (huuum). We've been on Holland America Line ever since.

[qsuzi]

Thanks for commenting AZNative, VMax, and momatibm. See the blue hull also captured VMax's attention!:cool:

 

Aquahound, thanks for sharing the information on your itineraries.

[Tom O.]

For us, it is the smaller size of HAL ships. Even the biggest HAL ships are smaller than the average cruise ship these days, (not considering the Koningsdam, not yet in service).

I also like the more mature nature of most passengers.

Finally, as others have stated above, is the more stately beauty of the ships and their decoration. On the opposite end of this "stately beauty" scale would be NCL with their downright tacky decorations (especially the hull graffiti).

[Aquahound]

Aquahound, thanks for sharing the information on your itineraries.

 

No problem. :) I do have to admit though....I do like their dark blue hulls. :D

 

[1of4]

Waiting for our 4th cruise on HAL. My reasoning will probably be different than other. It was Club HAL that drew us in. We were looking at our first family cruise after a few other voyages on other lines. Club Hal advertised individual programming that included the area of the voyage. Perfect as every vacation has to be a learning experience. We also liked the traditional atmosphere with lack of announcements, many places to sit and look at the scenery, and the many optional activities like Windows classes, cooking classes, etc. Everyone found things they wanted to do.

 

We have tried others but always come back. Next up is Koningsdam which just may be too big for us as we prefer smaller ships. But we won't know unless we try.

[Randyk47]

I had been bugging my ex about taking a cruise for years and in 1993 she finally kind of gave in and booked a 4-day "try it, you'll like it" cruise. We took the Carnival Fantasy basically out and back to Nassau, Bahamas. She didn't get seasick, which was her main cause of hesitancy, so when we got back we went to a cruise only TA and asked about another cruise. The TA was excellent and asked us what we liked and didn't like about our cruise. Based on our answers she recommended either Celebrity or Holland America. HAL won because they had brand new ships with verandas and ex was mildly claustrophobic and wanted easy access to fresh air. She and I didn't last but HAL did. I was hooked and cruised HAL for the next 16 years including honeymooning with my bride on the Ryndam in 1998.

[qsuzi]

For us, it is the smaller size of HAL ships. Even the biggest HAL ships are smaller than the average cruise ship these days, (not considering the Koningsdam, not yet in service).

I also like the more mature nature of most passengers.

Finally, as others have stated above, is the more stately beauty of the ships and their decoration. On the opposite end of this "stately beauty" scale would be NCL with their downright tacky decorations (especially the hull graffiti).

 

Hey Tom nice to see you. I appreciate you taking the time to comment on this thread.

[qsuzi]

Waiting for our 4th cruise on HAL. My reasoning will probably be different than other. It was Club HAL that drew us in. We were looking at our first family cruise after a few other voyages on other lines. Club Hal advertised individual programming that included the area of the voyage. Perfect as every vacation has to be a learning experience. We also liked the traditional atmosphere with lack of announcements, many places to sit and look at the scenery, and the many optional activities like Windows classes, cooking classes, etc. Everyone found things they wanted to do.

 

We have tried others but always come back. Next up is Koningsdam which just may be too big for us as we prefer smaller ships. But we won't know unless we try.

 

Maybe it's just me, but I don't think some/many would think of HAL when they are looking for Clubs for children. Thanks for bringing to our attention that Club HAL has individual programming that includes the area of the voyage.!!

[qsuzi]

I had been bugging my ex about taking a cruise for years and in 1993 she finally kind of gave in and booked a 4-day "try it, you'll like it" cruise. We took the Carnival Fantasy basically out and back to Nassau, Bahamas. She didn't get seasick, which was her main cause of hesitancy, so when we got back we went to a cruise only TA and asked about another cruise. The TA was excellent and asked us what we liked and didn't like about our cruise. Based on our answers she recommended either Celebrity or Holland America. HAL won because they had brand new ships with verandas and ex was mildly claustrophobic and wanted easy access to fresh air. She and I didn't last but HAL did. I was hooked and cruised HAL for the next 16 years including honeymooning with my bride on the Ryndam in 1998.

Interesting comments. Have you strayed from HAL these last 16 years and how many HAL cruises to date?

[xlxo]

My cruises is based on availability and itinerary..... the one thing I like about HAL over Princess is the photo packages. As a photo junkie..... I spend far too much on Princess cruises on individual photo's.

 

I like HAL's AYCE (all-you-can-eat) buffet approach.

[jaspersmycat]

In 1983 at age 35, I wanted my DHL and I to go on a vacation where it would be hard for my company to get in touch with me. Cruising was perfect. My next requirement was no children. The TA recommended HAL. We sailed on the previous Nieuw Amsterdam from Acapulco to San Francisco. We both liked the wayear it made us feel like adults. We did 2 more cruises over the next 2 years and then didn't cruise again until 2007. We tried HAL again and still liked it. My DHL passed away in 2012 and I still cruise on HAL.

[sppunk]

Wanted to cruise Alaska and had become disenfranchised with Princess. So Westerdam we booked in 2007, we are now 3 star Mariners.

[stevec999]

Our first cruise on HAL is next week. It was the itinerary that attracted us. We will see how it goes but it will be awhile before we do HAL again. Next two cruises are booked on other lines.

[kftw]

My first cruise was in the early 1980's and was on the first Volemdam. I was sick for 4 of the 7 days. I swore I'd never cruise again. We started cruising again 15 years ago with cruises spread over 4 cruise lines. After our last cruise which was a TA, we began looking for our next one.

 

Fast forward to now and we are booked on 2 HAL cruises this year. First it was the itinerary that drew us to HAL. (29 day Azores, Normandy & Baltic Adventure) After booking this cruise, I came over to the CC HAL forum. I discovered it's made up of "travelers" rather than "vacationers". Our kind of people. :D Feeling so confident HAL will be a good fit for us, we have booked the RT-14 day Alaska cruise this summer.

[Randyk47]

Interesting comments. Have you strayed from HAL these last 16 years and how many HAL cruises to date?

 

To date all together I have 12 HAL cruises, the one Carnival cruise, one Celebrity cruise, and four Silversea cruises. We tried, and I guess switched to, Silversea in 2012 when we actually got a 14-day Med cruise on Silversea for less than a 12-day Med cruise on the Prinsendam in comparable cabins. We love the smaller ships, service, food, entertainment and so far have been able to stay within our budget.

[FlyingFishy]

The price. After eliminating the cruise lines I refuse to sail, HAL had by far the best price for a week long cruise out of Miami/FLL. This will be our first time on HAL and I cannot wait!!!

[ellieanne]

My mother and I read an article in the Saturday Evening Post about visiting Prince Edward Island and seeing Green Gables. The article mentioned that cruises made calls and it was possible to go on shore excursions to Green Gables. We contacted a good family friend who had been a travel agent and she suggested HAL for us. The first year we cruised, we took a Canada/New England cruise, but it did not call at Prince Edward Island. At the time, the Island was limiting cruise ship calls. It took us two more attempts to finally make a call at Charlottetown. But it was definitely the article in the Saturday Evening Post that made us look at cruising, and thus HAL.

[teamflames]

Hi suzie,

Thanks for starting a positive based thread it is uplifting to read everyone's answers after so many negative threads in recent days. As novice cruisers we were getting concerned we might be making the wrong decision to take a cruise.

My wife and I quit our careers and sold our home 5 years ago, packed some backpacks and have been on the road ever since. My parents wanting to catch up but refusing to try our traveling lifestyle paid to join them on a cruise (how lucky are we!) we did a west med cruise with celebrity and had a fun time.

Still we wouldn't change our lifestyle to take up cruising. We had decided to visit Eastern Europe this upcoming summer. My beloved grandmother who instilled in me my love of travel passed and left me a gift. As she loved cruising in her later years (did more than 30) we decided to use it to take a cruise around the Baltic and Scandinavia as it was an area that was difficult to visit cost wide and we felt we should honour her by using the money the way she loved to travel.

Our ta suggested we try princess and due to our good experience on celebrity we looked at them but in the end Hal easily had the best itineraries. Couple that with the great deal our TA managed to secure us and the added bonus of the brand new koningsdam being released it felt like fate was making the decision a very easy one.

We are very excited about our first Hal cruise

 

 

Sent from my iPod touch using Forums mobile app

[aussiewalker]

My partner and I chose HAL 5 years ago as they were the only line which sailed out of Sydney and allowed us to smoke on our balcony. That was on the Volendam to NZ. We have since circumnavigated Aus in the Volendam once again because they were the only line which allowed us to smoke on our balcony.

[Scrapnana]

What first brought me to HAL is Cruise Critic! When I joined I started reading forums for different cruise lines that had world cruises. Although I ended up taking a world cruise on Cunard, I liked what I read about HAL enough to book a cruise in 2015. Now I have two booked for this year and who knows what will be next!:D

[qsuzi]

Thanks for sharing your comments xixo, jaspersmycat, kftw, sppunk, stevec, FlyingFishy, and aussiewalker.

 

Elienne, thanks for commenting and happy to read your perseverance paid off and you got to visit Green Gables.

 

Teamflames, such courage to quit your careers and sell your home to live out your dream. Among our best cruise memories are the cruises we took with my parents and best friend and her mom so know your cruise with your parents will be so special and you will always have those memories to look back on. I appreciate what you are bringing to this board and thank you for your kind comments.

 

Scrapnana, I've seen your name since first starting to post on this board. I hope you post some comments after you return from your first HAL cruise. What will be the first HAL ship you will sail on?

Edited February 9, 2016 by qsuzi

[pmcubed]

For me the question I'll answer first is what appealed to me about cruising.

 

I love to travel and see many different places - my dh likes travel but hates the packing/unpacking. So, when we discovered cruising - perfect fit.

 

Now, I know I want a cruise - which one? I chose HAL because of the older clientele (don't want to trip over children while I'm on vacation). And because of the smaller ships.

 

We have been on 3 HAL cruises, one Carnival. We love HAL.

 

Pat

[WeLoveCruising]

My husband worked for HAL for more than ten years, so that part seems obvious....but our love of HAL actually started before that.

 

When we were both young, even before our 30th birthdays, my husband worked as a manager for a large cruise agency in Florida. That gave us access to lots of ship's tours, including sailing on inaugurals reserved for agencies. It was the early-mid 90's, and at the time, I had mostly been on the old Royal Caribbean ships like Majesty of the Seas, as well as the Carnival Fantasy type ships. Although it wasn't a new ship, we got an invitation to have lunch on the old Nieuw Amersterdam.

 

I remember others on the tour talking about how small, dark, and closed in that ship was. What I remember was experiencing the best meal I'd had on a ship, served by some of the most professional crew. I remember noting the coffee cream was served in china, not creamers. I remember the salt and pepper were in classy little shakers, not packets. I remember the cloth towels in the restrooms. I didn't know at the time that the HAL employee who gave the tour would later become one of my husband's best work friends.

 

My husband and I were never big night life people. At the time we did that tour, we had previously sailed on those Carnival and RC ships I mentioned, as well as the old Norwegian Cruise Line Norway. I remember driving home from the pier, talking about how much we'd like to try that classy little ship, bringing on a stack of books and just relaxing. We booked it a few weeks later, and never looked back.