HAL vs. Princess

[ontheweb]

I think one of the problems with this question is that there is a difference within each cruise line between different ships.

 

For instance--we have been on 2 HAL cruises the Noordam in the Eastern Mediterranean and the Maasdam from Boston to Montreal. They were two totally different experiences. Dancing is important to us (especially DW). There was a lounge to dance every night on the Noordam while dancing was for all intents and purposes nonexistent on the Maasdam.

 

On Princess, our British Isles cruise on the very small Ocean Princess was much different than on our other much larger Princess ships (a Baltic cruise and an Alaska cruise).

[FlaMariner]

Agree that the ships can make it difficult to compare apples to apples....but...

 

We were on the Rotterdam in October and the Sky last March....both new ships and from our experience, HAL fits us and Princess does not.

 

Glad we have choices.......

 

 

Edited April 13, 2022 by FlaMariner

[ModMs]

Did finally get through on HAL website and have booked Greek Odyssey cruise. Thanks for all the comments, as they helped us choose HAL.

[rj59]

I have 100 days on HAL and am Elite on Princess. HAL has a dedicated deck of corporatized music venues, without a central inside gathering place like the piazza of Princess (although most HAL ships have stunning atrium art works, as well as fantastic antiques). HAL ships all have covered upper decks, except for an aft outside pool/bar area. HAL has a more varied buffet, I think, with an Asian station that changes menus daily, incredible breads, and best of all, scoop ice cream. They also have real coffee, not the syrup of older Princess ships. They have crows nests on the front of the ship, great for watching the sea, not the paid open-air Sanctuary of Princess. The older HAL ships have wraparound teak promenades that are great for getting away from people, with comfy lounge chairs and great views for whale and wildlife viewing in Alaska or Mexico, and you don't have to climb stairs to go all the way around, as on Princess. Princess has the best pizza at sea, HAL has the worst, but a good burger bar. Learn some basic Indonesian phrases for HAL, since almost all your dining room and stewards will be male Indonesians. HAL has other premium things that Princess doesn't, like Elemis toiletries and real hand towels in public restrooms, and they used to have others, like free chocolate-covered strawberries in the espresso bar and unlimited lobster in the buffet on formal night. Another thing I love about HAL, as a shy solo traveler with Covid fears, is that you can order anything from the MDR as room service.