Oceania Cruises vs. Holland America?

[Cahpek]

We have been on several cruises with Oceania (Riviera twice, Nautica and Regatta), and we loved the experience especially the high standard of cuisine.

 

Later this year, there is a cruise with Holland America Lines travelling on the

Koningsdam - the ports she will be visiting are very attractive (Norwegian fjords) as the schedule seems quite extensive compared to most cruise lines travelling to that region this year. However, while we have been on Oceania, we have never travelled with HAL and we are a bit unsure what the experience will be like on a HAL ship like the Koningsdam. (All we know about HAL is that there is a surcharge for going to their specialty restaurants).

 

If there are folks here who have travelled both with Oceania and Holland America, we would be grateful if they could tell us their experience comparing between the two cruise line companies.

 

What we are particularly interested in is the quality of cuisine on HAL vs Oceania, especially in the buffet restaurants and main dining rooms. Are the desserts in the buffet on HAL ships way below the standard of Oceania's? Do we get less feeling of being overly crowded on HAL ships compared to Oceania ships? Are there any quiet places on HAL ships apart from hiding in your own state room? Are the libraries on Oceania better than HAL's, or is that the other way around? Which cruise company offer better activities and entertainment (we do realise entertainment on Oceania is not always one of their strongest points!)

 

We have travelled with other cruise lines before too (Celebrity, P&O, Azamara, Princess, Fred. Olsen), so we will not be too "shocked" if the level of service or cuisine on HAL is not up to the standard offered by Oceania . Of course, we would be delighted if someone were to tell us HAL food could be good too. We realise that sometimes, we were almost "spoilt" being on Ocenaia cruises,(especially when it comes to dining and comfort) but we are adults, we can face reality!!!:)

 

Thanking you all in advance!

Edited March 30, 2017 by Cahpek

[JimandStan]

I'll give you a quick anecdote to illustrate how perfectly awful HAL is compared to Oceania:

 

We were longtime HAL loyalists when we found Oceania and fell in love with it in '05.

Returning home, we had still had another HAL cruise booked. It was the maiden voyage of their Vista class Noordam which happened to coincide with my birthday. We had a large group of friends traveling with us, so we gave HAL another shot.

 

During that Birthday cruise I broke my leg, very badly in St Thomas and Hal botched the situation so badly that they offered us another similar Cruise at their expense.

 

We thought that the food, service and ambiance had slipped so badly on HAL that we left that free cruise on the table.

[Classiccruiser777]

In recent years I've been on three HAL cruises and four O cruises (all on the Regatta). The food, coffee, beds and linens don't compare. O is a vastly superior product/experience. Also, much more is included in O's fare.

 

 

Perhaps the edge for entertainment goes to HAL due to more venues but for important measures O is much better.

 

 

My wife and I love O but will, on occasion, still take a HAL cruise for the right price and itinerary.

 

 

I suggest significantly lowering your expectations going over to HAL and you probably won't be disappointed.

Edited March 30, 2017 by Classiccruiser777

[Barrheadlass]

I wanted to get out the popcorn to enjoy while reading the responses. We took an Oceania cruise two years ago...wow, almost 3. Loved every minute of it, and thought every single thing better than HAL. That said last summer I took an 18 day cruise on HAL, and enjoyed nearly everything. Can't think of a single thing I didn't like. Food as good as O? No. Service? I'd say as good. Fellow passengers? Nice folks.

Price comparison? Way less than O. Last summer's cruise on HAL was my fifth. Would return in a heartbeat. My husband won't travel any more, and O's single supplement was discouraging. I've read on these boards that sometimes they aren't as bad, so I am really planning to experience Oceania again. P.S. My next cruise is on Hurtigruten.

[Cahpek]

I wanted to get out the popcorn to enjoy while reading the responses. We took an Oceania cruise two years ago...wow, almost 3. Loved every minute of it, and thought every single thing better than HAL. That said last summer I took an 18 day cruise on HAL, and enjoyed nearly everything. Can't think of a single thing I didn't like. Food as good as O? No. Service? I'd say as good. Fellow passengers? Nice folks.

Price comparison? Way less than O. Last summer's cruise on HAL was my fifth. Would return in a heartbeat. My husband won't travel any more, and O's single supplement was discouraging. I've read on these boards that sometimes they aren't as bad, so I am really planning to experience Oceania again. P.S. My next cruise is on Hurtigruten.

 

Thanks for replying so quickly.

 

You mentioned that food on HAL is not as good as on Oceania. But how less good is it? You also mentioned that your next cruise is on Hurtigruten. Correct us if we are mistaken, but Hurtigruten is not exactly known for its Haute Cuisine either,nor for its high standard of accommodation nor great on-board entertainment , is it? Yet you do not seem to mind. Does that mean you are not too fussed about the food, standard of luxury , on-board entertainment, or level of accommodation but more keen on the itinerary, friendliness, informality, "sense of adventure" and other attractions, etc when you select a cruise?

Seems like your priorities in selecting a cruise are quite different from ours. Guess everybody's different, and have different tastes.

Edited March 30, 2017 by Cahpek

[Bootman4U]

Thanks for replying so quickly.

 

. Guess everybody's different, and have different tastes.

Just imagine how LONG you would have to wait to get ON an Oceania cruise if everybody had the exact same taste that you do.

 

:Fussed about the food? I'd really love to see some of the menus O cruises eat at home.

[Hawaiidan]

We have been on several cruises with Oceania (Riviera twice, Nautica and Regatta), and we loved the experience especially the high standard of cuisine.

 

Later this year, there is a cruise with Holland America Lines travelling on the

Koningsdam - the ports she will be visiting are very attractive (Norwegian fjords) as the schedule seems quite extensive compared to most cruise lines travelling to that region this year. However, while we have been on Oceania, we have never travelled with HAL and we are a bit unsure what the experience will be like on a HAL ship like the Koningsdam. (All we know about HAL is that there is a surcharge for going to their specialty restaurants).

 

If there are folks here who have travelled both with Oceania and Holland America, we would be grateful if they could tell us their experience comparing between the two cruise line companies.

 

What we are particularly interested in is the quality of cuisine on HAL vs Oceania, especially in the buffet restaurants and main dining rooms. Are the desserts in the buffet on HAL ships way below the standard of Oceania's? Do we get less feeling of being overly crowded on HAL ships compared to Oceania ships? Are there any quiet places on HAL ships apart from hiding in your own state room? Are the libraries on Oceania better than HAL's, or is that the other way around? Which cruise company offer better activities and entertainment (we do realise entertainment on Oceania is not always one of their strongest points!)

 

We have travelled with other cruise lines before too (Celebrity, P&O, Azamara, Princess, Fred. Olsen), so we will not be too "shocked" if the level of service or cuisine on HAL is not up to the standard offered by Oceania . Of course, we would be delighted if someone were to tell us HAL food could be good too. We realise that sometimes, we were almost "spoilt" being on Ocenaia cruises,(especially when it comes to dining and comfort) but we are adults, we can face reality!!!:)

 

Thanking you all in advance!

 

 

It is not fair to compare....O is so vastly DIFFERENT and Superiour in every respect... nothing on HAL is the same... library, ( what library)

Cuisine... even the pay extra on HAL dont even come close . Buffet. hotel banquet stuff.. you have to be kidding,

Passengers....well HAL has 3000 and O 1000...yes there are a LOT of ALL Sorts on HAL

 

Plus everything is extra..on HAL Totaly different . I quit HAL years ago.... As the inn keeper inn Le Mis said " nothing gets you nothing ...everything has got a little price". My experience is that HAL gets you on board for a low price... and aims to get double back..... your HAL trip may even cost more in the final tally.....

[Sopwith]

We used to cruise mostly with HAL but became disenchanted because of declining service and quality. They began shifting their business model about ten years ago to appeal more to the price sensitive mass market, and it now shows. We then tried a couple of O cruises and were much happier despite the higher price. For us it was worth it. Much better food, better service, smaller and less crowded ships.

 

Twice in the last five years we decided to give HAL another chance because of the timing and itinerary of particular cruises. We were disappointed both times and probably won't cruise with HAL again.

 

O is not perfect by any means, but much better than HAL. And pricier if that matters to you.

[sammiedawg]

No comparison. Oceania is in another world for ship quality, ambience and most especially food. Oceania is well worth the additional expenditure.

Holland America has had fiercely loyal passengers but many have moved to other lines as the cutbacks continue.

I've read mixed reviews on the Koningsdam. It is shiny and new but the space per passenger is not as good as the older Holland America ships. I've also read the new ship does not have a real library.

[mancunian]

We have sailed on HAL 15 times and another booked, and Oceania twice and we are going again in two weeks.

 

You cannot compare apples and pears. For a start have you compared the cost of a Norwegian cruise on Oceania. We looked and nearly fell off our chairs. Yes you do perhaps get more included on Oceania, but by the time you have paid the extras on HAL you are still quids in over Oceania. Also alcohol and excursions are very expensive on Oceania.

 

If food is your main concern yes Oceania is better, though we have thought the food on HAL good too, particularly on our last cruise on Nieuw Amsterdam. I don't think it is necessarily true that the speciality restaurants are not as good on HAL - Tamarind takes some beating.

 

If entertainment is important go for HAL.

 

I personally do not agree about the beds finding HAL much the more comfortable. Because I have a spine problem I personally find it very hard to turn over on Oceania.

 

We find the service to be good on both with HAL having the slight edge. They may have to work harder but the Indonesian crew love to serve, crew on Oceania are well trained but we think see it more as a job. Neither time on Oceania have our cabin crew been as good as HAL.

 

We love both and will continue to travel on both dependent on itinerary. We have also tried Celebrity and Seabourn but are unlikely to go on them again, particularly Celebrity.

 

You pays your money and you takes your choice as the saying goes. But just be sure of what you are comparing.

[JimandStan]

If food is your main concern yes Oceania is better, though we have thought the food on HAL good too, particularly on our last cruise on Nieuw Amsterdam. I don't think it is necessarily true that the speciality (sic) restaurants are not as good on HAL - Tamarind takes some beating.

Interesting to hear. Post the 1989 Carnivalizatin, we never found HAL food to be above Country Buffet level, then when the prices decreased due to their huge capacity increase (post Maasdam class), it became bland tasteless cafeteria food.

 

 

Oddly, we disliked Tamarind, or whatever the Specialty was on the Noordam, we've wiped it from our minds, because the food was over salted to a nauseating level.

[Bootman4U]

I'm waiting for somebody to say that even if an Oceania vessel sinks it will do so in some better way than any other cruise line.

Perhaps it will glide to the bottom.

[JimandStan]

I'm waiting for somebody to say that even if an Oceania vessel sinks it will do so in some better way than any other cruise line.

Perhaps it will glide to the bottom.

 

Lets see how you feel about it after your first Oceania cruise-

I'm telling you, you will not believe the difference....

[Hawaiidan]

Lets see how you feel about it after your first Oceania cruise-

I'm telling you, you will not believe the difference....

 

THATS a fact.... its like switching from Holiday inn or Howard Johnson to Hyatt Regency or Ritz Carlton. Food like switching from Golden Coral or Sizzler to Spago or Mortons. The hot ticket is Bread Pudding. and Baked Alaska with the waiters parade,.. and dont forget the special 1 night only Lobster Night.... ( on O lobster and grilled seafood is available everyday in every restaurant ..even the pool grill !)

Its just so different.

For me the crowds, packed decks, run-loose kids and the Faux dress up code and pretentious ( yes pretentious strolling around with these bevy of pins as badges of heraldry, " hello , Im X, a double diamond golden HAL member.... " And you... Pity you dont get invited like me to the special luncheon for special passengers...

I reiterate.... HAL looks cheaper but when the smoke clears you will most times have spent more than a comparable O cruise... I was shocked by that fact....and its by a LOT

[stevec999]

We have been on one HAL, one Oceania and a lot of Carnival cruises. We booked HAL last year because the timing and the itinerary were just what we were looking for. It was a partial Panama canal on the Zuiderdam. Food was mostly okay with some good and some not so good. The premium restaurants were not bad. Service was good, crew was friendly and helpful.

 

HAL is really a lot like Carnival when it comes to food, service and entertainment. HAL is much quieter and the décor is much more reserved. We enjoyed the HAL trip but not really inclined to go back but won't rule it out if an itinerary pops up that intrigues us.

 

We were on the Riviera last January. The service was excellent, the food was beyond good and the entertainment was so-so. We thought the ship was beautiful. The bed was the most comfortable we had ever slept in. Overall it was an outstanding experience. It also seemed to be the friendliest group of passengers.

 

If we didn't already have cruises booked on Celebrity and Princess I am sure our next trip would be on Oceania. At this point is looks like we won't be back on Oceania until fall of 2018 for a trip to Cuba.

[Classiccruiser777]

And no pesky photographers on O.

 

HAL has also cut back on live music.

[Debbers]

Hurtigruten is not exactly known for its Haute Cuisine either, nor for its high standard of accommodation nor great on-board entertainment

 

Not speaking for the poster, but I can't imagine anyone books Hurtigruten for food, entertainment, or luxury accommodation. We booked for the itinerary (fjords, islands, villages, green mountains), which gave us a pretty good look at Norway in 12 days, and a price lower than a comparable land-based trip. We found dinners to be good, and lunch and breakfast to be monotonous (smoked fish! again and again and again!), the entertainment laughable (and it was a musical duo, not a comedian), and the accommodation clean and comfortable, but spartan and tiny. Drinks were amazingly expensive--we shared a beer once or twice. But we had a great time and enjoyed the trip. It's a different kind of cruise.

[Barrheadlass]

Not speaking for the poster, but I can't imagine anyone books Hurtigruten for food, entertainment, or luxury accommodation. We booked for the itinerary (fjords, islands, villages, green mountains), which gave us a pretty good look at Norway in 12 days, and a price lower than a comparable land-based trip. We found dinners to be good, and lunch and breakfast to be monotonous (smoked fish! again and again and again!), the entertainment laughable (and it was a musical duo, not a comedian), and the accommodation clean and comfortable, but spartan and tiny. Drinks were amazingly expensive--we shared a beer once or twice. But we had a great time and enjoyed the trip. It's a different kind of cruise.

 

Thanks for basically answering the OP's question to me! My cruise on Hurtigruten two years ago had no entertainment at all, and I never bought a single drink. But the scenery! And the northern lights! I thought the food good, and felt there was plenty of variety...but no pastries at breakfast! The cabin certainly was austere. My upcoming trip is on an expedition ship...chosen solely for the itinerary...Norway, Scotland, the Faroes, and Iceland. For the cost, I could have taken a really nice O cruise...and had a totally different experience.

[ronrick1943]

Agree, No to HAL and yes to "O". Saying that we're going to try Regent a sister company to "O". We tried Silver Seas, but liked "O" better, so we'll see about Regent soon.

[Floridiana]

Thanks for replying so quickly.

 

You mentioned that food on HAL is not as good as on Oceania. But how less good is it?

 

It is bland, seems to be preferred by many passengers. Recipes are not authentic, for example German chocolate cake would never pass muster in Germany. Limited variety of and repetitious food in the buffet. This said, if you mentally prepare yourself for this and look at the price and the itinerary, you can easily survive a HAL cruise. I haven't been on one for three years and it seems they have cut down on more amenities in the meantime, not food related.

[Paulchili]

It is bland, seems to be preferred by many passengers. Recipes are not authentic, for example German chocolate cake would never pass muster in Germany.

 

But, more importantly, would it pass muster with good old Sam? :D

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/German_chocolate_cake

[sammiedawg]

Thanks for replying so quickly.

 

You mentioned that food on HAL is not as good as on Oceania. But how less good is it? You also mentioned that your next cruise is on Hurtigruten. Correct us if we are mistaken, but Hurtigruten is not exactly known for its Haute Cuisine either,nor for its high standard of accommodation nor great on-board entertainment , is it? Yet you do not seem to mind. Does that mean you are not too fussed about the food, standard of luxury , on-board entertainment, or level of accommodation but more keen on the itinerary, friendliness, informality, "sense of adventure" and other attractions, etc when you select a cruise?

Seems like your priorities in selecting a cruise are quite different from ours. Guess everybody's different, and have different tastes.

 

Do you like rotisserie chicken? IMO Holland America does it very well and you will see it over and over at the buffet. Many days it was the best choice at the buffet.

HAL food is bland and meat cuts have been greatly cheapened. Menu choices are more basic and fewer in number, I'm always amazed at the huge menus Oceania services. Oceania breads, desserts, seasonings, meat quality, preparations are superior.

Dinners on HAL come out faster with more basic preparation and food is generally hot. Service is sincere but they've cut back on numbers of dining room staff.

Specialty restaurants include the Pinnacle Grill, a steakhouse which is pretty good. The cover charge is about thirty dollars. They also convert a portion of the buffet room into an Italian venue at dinner, service charge ten or fifteen dollars. They rely heavily on garlic for Italian seasoning, you will smell the garlic from a distance. The newest ship is supposed to have a French venue, it is getting mixed reviews.

Fixed dining is big on Holland America but open dining is available. There are more rules, written and unwritten and as previously mentioned loyalists wear their pins and medallions proudly. You will see men in tuxedos and women in ball gowns Many are convinced there is nothing better on the high seas.

 

Holland America isn't all bad. You can get astonishing deals and see the world for not much money.

[MarkieMarkNYC]

I wanted to get out the popcorn to enjoy while reading the responses. We took an Oceania cruise two years ago...wow, almost 3. Loved every minute of it, and thought every single thing better than HAL. That said last summer I took an 18 day cruise on HAL, and enjoyed nearly everything. Can't think of a single thing I didn't like. Food as good as O? No. Service? I'd say as good. Fellow passengers? Nice folks.

Price comparison? Way less than O. Last summer's cruise on HAL was my fifth. Would return in a heartbeat. My husband won't travel any more, and O's single supplement was discouraging. I've read on these boards that sometimes they aren't as bad, so I am really planning to experience Oceania again. P.S. My next cruise is on Hurtigruten.

I agree that HAL is an excellent company. Their service is at a par with Oceania and they offer some pretty terrific itineraries. And I do agree that one can often get better deals on HAL.

In general I would take some posts with a grain of salt - in particular when a person has one bad experience and uses it to define an entire company.

That said - I prefer Oceania because I enjoy the "feel" of the experience (for me it's hard to define) and I seem to mesh better with the passengers on Oceania.

[LHT28]

I prefer Oceania because I enjoy the "feel" of the experience (for me it's hard to define) and I seem to mesh better with the passengers on Oceania.

I would agree

 

There is something I cannot describe about O cruises that attract us

 

We are NOT foodies, we rarely drink or have sodas

 

but we are willing to pay the prices to sail on O

[106f]

I noticed OP has cruised Princess. Try searching CC for Princess vs HAL. I think the consensus is they are similar. Perhaps a more "apples to apples" comparison instead of "apples to pears" a someone said.