Advice sought - HAL vs Princess to Hawaii

[AtlantaCruiser72]

Does anyone who has sailed both HAL and Princess to Hawaii have any insight as the the amount of onboard Hawaii focused programming HAL has vs Princess?  It seems Princess offer a Hawaiian ambassador program, special menu items, cultural performances, Luau themed deck parties etc. I love the port schedule of HAL's 18 day cruises vs Princess 15 day cruises., I'm just worried that I'd be "missing out" in relation to the onboard experience by sailing HAL over Princess. 

 

Thanks in in advance for thoughts/insight

 

PS - I have also posted this same question on the HAL boards

Edited February 7, 2020 by AtlantaCruiser72

[AtlantaCruiser72]

5 hours ago, ronbe65 said:

Your experience will depend on the ship. Neither "HAL" nor "Princess" exist. Only ships do.

Choose the ship.

 

Happy cruising!

 

I think you missed the point of my query and respectfully disagree with that statement, as would I dare say the CEOs, management team and employees of both corporations.   

 

I am well aware of the differences between HAL and Princess vessels and their general activity/entertainment offerings.  

 

My specific questions revolve around their Hawaii centric shipboard programming. Princess is very clear in their marketing materials as to what types of activities and entertainment additions they have on Hawaii sailings (which are not ship specific FYI). HAL does not specifiy. I am trying to get comparisons from passengers who may have experienced both to get a sense of what I may "miss" by sailing HAL over Princess. 

Edited February 7, 2020 by AtlantaCruiser72

[Oceansaway17]

let me offer another choice to consider. Fly to Honolulu and see the sights, then board the only USA registered ship called NCL Pride of America. It goes to 4 islands and you can do B2B and really see a lot each time ya go around

I am doing this in 2022.

 

Otherwise I think your answer is embedded in your question. Go for HAL because of the longer cruise and the ports. It is all about the ports.

But again, do look into NCL as you won't have to worry about seas days back and forth the USA.

[AtlantaCruiser72]

Oceansaway17 - I do appreciate your thoughts and input. I perhaps was not specific enough in my statements. I personally enjoy long stretches of time at sea, hence why a 15-18 day itinerary appeals to me. I have done a previous 15 day, 4 port Hawaii cruise before on Celebrity and have been to Honolulu MULTIPLE times, so this is a revisit of a favorite destination.

 

Cost/benefit analysis also plays a factor.  The cost to fly to the islands from Atlanta, several nights hotel and food in Honolulu, plus the high cost of sailing on Pride of America just does not have enough benefit to me personally. Airfare, 3 days pre cruise and 7 night Pride of America sailing would be nearly double the final cost of the 15/18 day cruise from the West Coast, let alone doing a b2b. Even if cost were not a factor and itinerary were the only consideration I'd choose the Princess 15 day or HAL 18 day any day over Pride of America due to the addition of the sea days.

 

My big question was if the onboard Hawaiian themed activities/entertainment offered by Princess would be superior enough to what HAL might offer to convince me to do a 3 day shorter cruise with less time in Hawaii.  So far I'm still leaning torward HAL. 

[Cruiserkenn]

You should definitely go on Princess, in order to learn about the "Aloha Spirit" from the onboard Hawaii amnassodors.

 

Aloha! 🙂🌅🌠🐬🌈⛴⚓️🌺🌸🐠🐟🐋🐳🌝🌞💥

[Cruisen Elf]

I have never been on HAL, so I can't speak to what they may or may not offer regarding Hawaiian themed onboard activities.  I did sail on the Star Princess 15 day round trip to Hawaii in Nov. 2016.  There were many enrichment activities offered, including (but not limited to) lei making (several varieties), hula dancing instruction, ukulele lessons, Hawaiian dance performances, and Hawaiian cultural and history lectures.  The folks taking hula and ukulele lessons performed in a show near the end of the cruise.  There was always something to choose to do  - or not - as you pleased.  We were never bored, and found plenty to do.   I know this is only 1/2 of the story, but I hope it helps!

[wen_c82]

I sailed on Emerald Princess to Hawaii last April. It was a fantastic cruise with Hawaii Ambassadors ELUA on board. Most notable were probably almost daily uklele and hula dance lessons. If you search Youtube you can find many final farewell performances by the students.  Lots pple brought their own ukelele onboard. There were a couple as leis making sessions, we also helped made some extras for the crew members!  yes I brought mine off the ship, no problem.  There were also some other fees base crafts that I didn’t have time to participate. 

 

Every evening ELUA also performed Hawaii musics in the pizzazz as well some other venue.  They are fabulous.

 

As far as food is concerned  I didn’t really pay much attention to food so can’t comment on it. 
 

i had been to all the islands multiple times before so the cruise was a different ‘Hawaiian’ experience for me. I thoroughly enjoyed it. 
 

 

[SusieKIslandGirl]

We took a cruise on Holland America that included Hawaii on the way to French Polynesia. We had a number of activities before Hawaii that included hula lessons, a ukulele class and lei making. It was a fantastic trip. 

[nini]

You will most likely get varied answers and comments especially when comparing

the HAL board versus Princess. We have cruised with both and really were not impressed

with our HAL ship. I refer to it as a bucket of bolts with not much going on. The passengers

were most definitely an older crowd (Mexican Riviera in December) and we have decided

that Princess is our favorite. Is it perfect? No. However, as mentioned, the itinerary is important.

Friends of ours went on the American ship that goes around the islands and they were not impressed.

[XBGuy]

Atlanta, I have never sailed on Holland America.  So, feel free to ignore my comments.

 

We have cruised the Princess Los Angeles-Hawaii roundtrip three times--most recently on the Star Princess in January.  I can't say that I recall any Hawaii-themed menu items on the ship.  I may have missed it, but I would have enjoyed Poke.  (I did get some in Honolulu and Kauai).  I am also happy that I did not see Spam on any menu.

 

Princess usually has a hula show in the Princess Theater in Honolulu.  I think the troupe is from a local hula school.

 

People mention the Hawaiian Ambassadors.  Elua (Leialoha and Tiki Dave) was on our most recent cruise, and, I have to say, they are very hard working.  My wife attended the hula class and had a blast.  They had 85 passengers in the ukulele class.  There were lei-making classes on every sea day.  They would perform regularly in the Piazza, or, less often, in one of the lounges.  On the sea days prior to arriving at the islands, Tiki Dave gave some very informative port lectures.

 

I have no idea if there were Hawaii-themed deck parties.  There might have been.

 

I might add that our most recent cruise was one of the best we've ever had.  

 

Fight FOMO.  You'll have a great cruise regardless of which option you pick.

[Sillyjilly]

Hal goes to sleep at 9. I'm not exaggerating. Everything shuts down.

I tried ordering a beer from room service at midnight and I was told NO! So much for playing cards in your room and having a few drinks.

I found Princess a little more lively.

[nini]

49 minutes ago, Sillyjilly said:

Hal goes to sleep at 9. I'm not exaggerating. Everything shuts down.

I tried ordering a beer from room service at midnight and I was told NO! So much for playing cards in your room and having a few drinks.

I found Princess a little more lively.

This is also what we discovered. 

[victory2020]

I have been Elite on Princess cruise for a long time.  I sailed Europe on HAL & I found them to be far superior as a new cruiser. Been on then twice since & I see a huge difference. This is just cruise line to cruise line, but I will be going HAL rather than Princess from now on.

[vampiress]

i just posted on a different thread with questions about the hawaii rt from san pedro, and i highly recommend one with elua on there. 

 

i've yet to be on a HAL, i've heard that is skews older and with less night life, and while i am noght the night owl i like to think i am, i enjoy having things like MUTS and bars open so if i do feel like being up late there is still stuff

[AtlantaCruiser72]

I appreciate all the advice 😂  I really would prefer Princess over HAL if itinerary were equal.  As I'm looking for Spring 2022 this is all still somewhat theoretical until schedules are actually published.  If I do Princess it would probably be from San Francisco as we have family in the East Bay area.  HAL would obviously be from San Diego.  If ship deployment patterns remain we would be choosing between Ruby Princess 15 days r/t SFO w/ 4 days in Hawaii vs HAL Konigsdam 18 days r/t SAN w/ 6 days in Hawaii.  I have sailed both lines and know what to expect on a "normal" sailing with both in terms of onboard activities and entertainment and dining.  The differences between the brands in those areas do not bother me in any way.  They both have their merits.  It does seem that Princess have more Hawaii-centric offerings on their sailings, but the extra days in Hawaii along with available perks/inclusions/pricing when bookings open may tip the scale to HAL, or not .....  LOL  

 

IF Princess were ever to replicate the HAL 18 day itinerary there would be no discussion to be had.  It would be Princess any day all day, any ship (yes "even" the Island!) ....... but they seem to stick to the 15 day sadly, hence my dilemma as I really like the extra port time HAL offers.

 

Thanks again to all !!!!!!

Edited February 9, 2020 by AtlantaCruiser72

[Thrak]

We've looked at the Hawaii cruises from Vancouver. One way to Hawaii. That would allow us to cruise there, stay a while, and then fly home. Doesn't sound too bad at all. The best Hawaii cruise we've done was 28 days with Hawaii and South Pacific. Would like to do that one again some day. (Not if it was on Island Princess though and that seems to be the ship doing that itinerary these days.)

Edited February 9, 2020 by Thrak