Jumping ship to HAL

[flashdog_1]

I'm not at all displeased with Celebrity although I wouldn't mind a menu change. Menus have been the same on all 4 Celebrity cruises over the last 14 months.

 

We were going to go on a 7 night W Carib on Century, to Montego Bay, Grand Cayman, and Costa Maya (where we have not been), & Cozumel where we have. My daughter, who frequently travels with me, said she could not leave work that week, so I started looking elsewhere since the Celebrity cruise I'd picked had no more identical sailings.

 

Took advantage of HALS "buy an inside and get an outside" sale going on right now.

 

Off topic: HAL's website does not indicate which categories get the upgrade so could not book (at least NCL's website has an asterisk next to the upgradeable cabins when they have an upgrade sale). Celebrity's website does not have you indicate if you are a senior, so you don't know if your cruise has the discount. So much for website criticism. i bet we've all missed a price reduction because of regional discount or senior discount!

 

So I called the last cruise travel agent I'd used and she called HAL and got the right categories. The cruise has ports of call that Celebrity does not at this time of year (March) for only one week cruises from Florida.

 

We get to go to Santo Tomas de Castilla, Guatemala. How many of you have stopped on the Atlantic coast of Guatemala near Belize? See what I mean. Betcha haven't.

 

We also go to Belize City and Costa Maya where we have not been. (And Key West where we've spent weeks and weeks).

 

I still have a Celebrity cruise booked in November, though, and am looking forward to a second trip to Panama. That trip has a new port for me, Roatan. And I'll also get to see Grand Cayman. First time I was booked there the hurricane destroyed it, so never did see it. So now the only missing port from the original cruise is Jamaica.

 

I can't wait to make a comparison.

 

The folks on the roll call all seem involved in planning their cruises, and some have sailed Celebrity, so they're already telling me some differences!

[Longboysfan]

Yes. The food is a bit different on HAL.

Yes. You should like it.

But. I have found that HAL leaves off the spice in the main dining room.

Remember your going with an older demographic group.

There are not as many ship activities on HAL - if that is your thing.

[helenp2]

I have sailed on both HAL & X. One thing that stands out for me is HAL's beds are the BEST at sea. Also, their cabins seem to be larger. I agree that they don't season their food that well. However, we found very little difference in the age groups on board both lines. Hope you enjoy your new experience.

[DeepWaterMariner]

HAL is a wonderful alternative to Celebrity. I understand your wanting a change after so many cruises on Celebrity in a relatively short time. My wife and I enjoy the differences in menu and entertainment between cruise lines. In the past year we have sailed on RCI, Princess, and NCL with a Celebrity cruise coming up in two weeks. Even two cruises in the same year on the same cruise line is a bit much for us.

[SANDY BEACH]

We enjoy both Holland and Celebrity and try to sail on each line once a year. I find the food on both lines to be quite similar. You will not find a more comfortable bed afloat than Hollands, very comfy. Service is very good on both but I would give the edge to Celebrity. I think if you have enjoyed your Celebrity cruises, you will find Holland a good substitute.

[flashdog_1]

I read the HAL secrets thread and had to laugh. One thing that seems to be universally appreciated on HAL is the towel animals. I've never seen a towel animal on Celebrity and am not interested in receiving one, either. I think I'd feel violated. The good steward just leaves a clean cabin and you don't h ave to think about it. But if I saw an elephant greeting me in my eyeglasses, as well, I know I'd feel invaded, just as I would if I saw this in my home.. it means there's been an intruder!

 

And I've discovered that they do not have interactive TV so you can't order room service or check your account! How I will miss those two things.

 

And I've learned that they announce bingo! Horrors~

 

I'm sure it will not ruin my cruise, but the noise of announcements could turn the page for me if it annoys me that much. After all, lack of announcements was one of the reasons I chose Celebrity initially.

 

And no minibars in ocean view cabins.

 

This will take an adjustment on my part. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

[roberts2005]

You will find the cabins are larger.

 

And the sliding roof over the pool is great on rainy days.

[Keith1010]

It's good that you are trying another line. Sometimes, by doing this it makes you appreciate even more the cruise line that you have sailed often before but sometimes you end up finding another criuse line that you think is either better or at least on a par with what was your favorite cruise line.

 

We tried HAL once. We thought the weak points were food (well below the qulaity of Celebrity), and entertainment (more low key entertainment and we didn't care for the cruise director) . We thought the ship was nice along with the service. But, for us, we have no further plans to sail HAL. We have met some over the years who favor HAL as we have met others over the years who favor other cruise lines such as Celebrity.

 

Again, all of this is personal choice and you might come back from the cruise favoring the food and entertainment so it's great that you will be able to compare all of this first hand for yourself.

 

Keith

[rjg41]

A friend who usually does "X" and Princess took a HAL cruise. When he got back he told me he was going to do a Carnival. "I've been among the dead for a week now I want to be among the living."

[Keith1010]

Usually, it's reverse in terms of people taking their first cruise with say Carnival and then going from Carnival to any of the other cruise lines you mentioned and so forth.

 

Keith

[ocngypz]

I sail both HAL and Celebrity. I have not seen any difference in ages when comparing 7 nighters, 10 nighters and 14 nighters.

 

You will enjoy HAL's lido buffet.. and don't forget to try the bread pudding!

Fabulous!!!

 

Which ship did you book?

[JNLROSE]

We too are considering a 14 nt'r on HAL in the upcoming months. Looking forward to their S suite & the Neptune lounge concierge service. I've heard the stories about the buffets & the beds being MUCH better than X but that the dr food is NOT as good. I guess we will just have to see for ourselves.

Does the Zaandam have a spa cafe---anyone know? Also, anyone know how she handles across the Pacific waters to HI?

[Danno]

Nice ships, large cabins, good staff, much older clientel....horrible, bland, overcooked, poorly presented food. Dining is not an "event" on HAL, it's simply something you have to do to exist. If dining is not a priority, you'll love everything else.

[rubrrick]

My DW and I were on the Westerdam last month (December) in an S cabin. We prefer the RS on X or OS on RCCL, as an S cabin is large enough, we feel like we are entertaining in our bedroom, as there is no separation. The Neptune lounge is nice, the concierge is not that good, except to remember your name.

We found the food aboard, both in the main dining room and at their specialty restaurant to be exceptional. If we were not traveling with a group, HAL has a good feel to it. As someone else said, the beds are the best in the business.

 

Rick

[JNLROSE]

Danno--we love to "dine" and we love gourmet food, but sometimes on a cruise we get VERY tired of the dinner thing! Since we are both pretty much gourmet cooks ourselves, food on ships NEVER really meets our expectations. :p We like the specialty restaurants & the casual dining option. We are not anti social by ANY means, but we get tired of the having to go at a set time to sit with the same people & do the same routine. We like to dine alone in peace & quiet sometimes & then with maybe only another couple once or twice to enjoy good friends & conversation as opposed to a group. Dining on cruises is not a priority as to why we cruise, we enjoy the rest, relaxation & the sun! The itinerary is the 1st priority, the accomodations 2nd, THEN we select the rest! :D The service & ambiance on Celebrity is the reason we have not strayed yet, but we're looking at all our options!

[dmarch@islc.net]

I think we all need to sail another line from time to time in order to fully appreciate X. If our next cruise is anything like our last on the Century, I'll be about ready. Have fun, enjoy your cruise, and try to eat often in port.

 

David

[JNLROSE]

You'll be back!

 

Probably, but I agree you really need to try other lines in order to appreciate your fave, whichever one that may be. :D We've actually been on a couple of land vacations recently that absolutely exceeded our expectations in a big way! Our attention has been gotten!;)

[CGTNORMANDIE]

It does not surprise me that a lot of Celebrity devotees are shopping around for other deals...HAL sounds like a good alternative. If you are not in the market for a European or Alaskan cruise then you will find slim pickings as Celebrity only has 7 major ships in operation. I also think the new pricing policy had led many X cruisers to try other venues.

 

ROSS

[bobpatj]

Dining is not an "event" on HAL, it's simply something you have to do to exist.

 

Sorry for your bad experience on HAL, Danno, but you obviously haven't been aboard a HAL ship, recently. We are HAL "regulars," who will be sailing the Summit for the second time, in February. We have had wonderful food on our HAL cruises in the dining room, Lido and the specialty restaurants. Our last cruise on the Summit was four years ago and all I remember about the dining room food was that it was much too salty, for my taste.

[flashdog_1]

To answer your question, I will be on Veendam March 11. And we're not going to fly since it's in Tampa and it's only an 8 or so hour drive (if I can avoid getting there at rush hour). Our last couple of two nighters, our air fare was almost as much as the cruise fare.

 

I have discovered since I first posted, that you can arrange to rent a fridge for $2 a night on HAL. Does Zenith do this, also? I am sure I will miss a fridge on Veendam and on Zenith in November.

[T739]

We have cruised both HAL and Celebrity often and fiind very littel differemce in quality and satisfaction level. Both are quite good. However, to the post above referencing towel animals, we have never had one on HAL, but always on Celebrity.

[Danno]

Sorry for your bad experience on HAL, Danno, but you obviously haven't been aboard a HAL ship, recently.

 

Recently...I don't have the nerve to try again.

 

We sat with HAL regulars and they were delighted with the food...I didn't even know you could cook carrots to the consistancy of oatmeal!! The cookbook must read "here's how to cook food that has absolutely NO TASTE".

 

The Lido was actually very good...however the dining room food, I would have sent it back but I was afraid something worse might appear. We skipped two of the last three nights and on tip night, I went in tipped/thanked our waiter (not his fault) and ate at the deli.

 

Every other aspect of the cruise was good to very good...when we get a bad meal in a restaurant we always compare it to that week.

[FlorenceItaly]

Dining is not an "event" on HAL, it's simply something you have to do to exist.

 

Sorry for your bad experience on HAL, Danno, but you obviously haven't been aboard a HAL ship, recently. We are HAL "regulars," who will be sailing the Summit for the second time, in February. We have had wonderful food on our HAL cruises in the dining room, Lido and the specialty restaurants. Our last cruise on the Summit was four years ago and all I remember about the dining room food was that it was much too salty, for my taste.

 

Yes, Danno, when was your last HAL cruise????????????

 

Marie

[FlorenceItaly]

the whole thread. You answered, recently.

 

And, my experience on HAL is the annoucements are few and far between. You are correct, it is more than Celebrity, but not by much.

 

Btw, I am 43, and will be traveling in March on my fourth HAL cruise since 2004, with other lines in between. I do enjoy Celebrity very much, but can not pay their 200% solo rate. My dh has very little vacation time, so I do go on my own at times. However, we did cruise together just last month on HAL.

 

Marie

[BellaBaci4]

Hello All,

 

We sailed HAL last June. We had made this decision to try based on a great rate. The X cruise we were looking at to Bermuda had almost doubled in price from the previous year. I just couldn't justify the cost. It was a very nice cruise. I felt the breakfast buffet was very similar to Celebrity. with the exception of the fresh orange juice on Hal. I though Hal's lunch buffet was much better than Celebrity, But X beat Hal in the dinner category. Service was very similar on both lines. I wouldn't hesitate to sail HAL again, but I have to give X a better grade.

Happy Sails,

Bella