Why Do You Sail HAL Ships ?

[mcrcruiser]

We can honestly tell any one that we really like the HAL ships . Even though we are 3 star Mariners  vs  Elite  Plus on Celebrity  cruise ,we can honestly say HAL's   Pinnacle  class  ships are as  good as the S & M class ships i if Celebrity in all regards . We now favor HAL because they sail frequently from our home port of San Diego 😃  .The Koningsdam is our favorite ship 😆

[0106]

I sail HAL because of the smaller ships, great service and interesting ports.

[JeffElizabeth]

For us? Itinerary and smaller ships. 

[Radbooks]

I like to feel like I'm on a ship and not at a theme park. Love the crew service too. It just fits us.

[Arizona Wildcat]

Itinerary.  Itinerary.  Itinerary. 

[BetsyS.]

My stepfather and I love HAL because they leave out of Boston and we don't want to fly.  We're in Maine and it's a 2 hour drive to Boston for us. We like the itineraries and 

longer cruises.  The HAL crew are the best - they go above and beyond. We like the Crow's Nest.  The laundry service is excellent. We love the food and service. We find the cruises very relaxing. 

[mcrcruiser]

All of above is true with HAL   cruises   . We still sail on Celebrity ships because we can get to them   in San Pedro world cruise center  ,a 1.75  hour drive for us & park at $18 per day  there . 

 What HAL does not do here on the west coast have a ship dedicated  to the San Diego market during the Alaska season   because of their limited fleet  size  .so id we want to cruise in summer months we use r Royal Caribbean  whee we use our  diamond perks 

[oldbluff]

Ditto on friendly staff, smaller ships and itineraries. Unlimited laundry is the best $7/day on the ship. Indian cuisine on occasion. Free popcorn with movies. Neptune Lounge when we splurge. Did I mention the staff? Hot split pea soup on deck with glaciers all ‘round. Bread pudding with vanilla spilled about. Real books in the (albeit shrinking) library. A sane embarkation process for all, not just suites. Full circuit promenade decks. Wooden lounge chairs on same. And the smiling staff, welcoming us home.

[zgscl]

There are several reasons we have been quite loyal to HAL (that being said I have two upcoming cruises on Celebrity that will be my first with the line and I’m looking forward to comparing) 

We mostly go on cruises to relax and have everything taken care of. I appreciate that everything is pretty low key. 

 

1) The guests & crew. The atmosphere is very laid back and relaxed. No water slides, race tracks, ice skating rinks, etc. I don’t want any of those things onboard. While there may be kids and teens, they are generally quite well behaved and your fellow travelers are generally quite friendly and down to earth. Crew are outstanding across the board. 
 

2) Love the music walk. As much as I dislike step one dance company & other Main Stage shows which are the same on every single cruise, I really enjoy the music venues and just relaxing. 
 

3) Exc talks are exceptionally well done. Also enjoy the focus on enrichment such as cooking classes, guest lecturers, naturalists, etc. (though largely being replaced with EXC talks) 

 

4) Familiarity. For me there is a huge benefit in knowing exactly where everything is, who does what, and what every show/activity is. It makes it easy to plan my day & cruise and I truly don’t feel like I’m missing out if I decide to veg out in the cabin watching movies or take multiple naps in a day. When I boarded Koningsdam this week I went immediately to my mister station before even going to my cabin, had them scan my nav pass on my phone and was then done and ready to start my vacation. I also know the phone extension for all major departments. If I’m by a house phone I can dial for the spa, or guest services or restaurant reservations without having to go back to the cabin or find the department. I also don’t need to spend any time learning the ships layout or studying specialty dining menus. 
 

5) Neptune suites. We really enjoy the product. There is not generally anything comparable at a similar price point on other lines. The concierge does a great job with our needs. To move to another line would require a higher price point usually for perks we don’t particularly value. Not that I wouldn’t enjoy them, I just don’t find them of enough value to entice me to spend extra, and in most cases the actual cabin would be a downgrade even if the perks were an upgrade. I also absolutely love the aft wrap Neptune suites (deck 4 on the Pinnacle class ships in particular). 

 

5) Itineraries. HAL has a lot to choose from, and more on the west coast than most of the other lines we would consider. 
 

6) I much prefer the more traditional and mid size ship design on HAL than some of the more modern designs and bigger ships. 
 

This is not a comprehensive list, but some of the key things we really enjoy on HAL

[DENIE]

We will be on our first HAL trip (Koningsdam) this December since doing the same MX Riviera itinierary in 2010 (Oosterdam).  We did enjoy that cruise. More recently we've done 3 Celebrity cruises, which we really enjoyed.  We are sailing on the Koningsdam with a bunch of friends who selected HAL and the Koningsdam, so really looking forward to try out this newer class of ship, the Music Walk, etc.  My wife and I prefer the smaller ship size with no water parks, fewer children, good food, etc.  

 

Most recently, however, we completed our first sailing on Oceania and loved it...but that is a little different product. 🙂

 

 

[Nang]

Started on HAL due to the itinerary and only strayed twice, once to Celebrity and once to the now defunct CMV (Cruise & Maritime Voyages).

 

HAL (and Celebrity) is a class above CMV which delivered a good product but just not up to HAL in terms of food, although they had better entertainment all round (the Pinnacle HAL ships' music options are way better though). CMV servers were not as friendly but that was largely a cultural thing in my experience,  eastern Europeans formed the bulk of the CMV staff are just more abrupt in their manner. CMV entertainment staff were very engaging and friendly and often interacting with passengers around the ship

 

Celebrity food was pretty much on a par to HAL's and their entertainment was better (again except for the HAL Pinnacle class music). Celebrity's downfall was their staff in and around the bars - they are just lazy, no other way to say it. Ash trays constantly over flowing, tables cleared by passengers because if you want it done, it seems you need to do it yourself. One day on the rear deck at a table within eye shot of the bar and about a 4 metre walk, I drank 5 beers and when I wobbled off there were 5 empty Corona bottles on the table. It was cool outside and the bar was not overly busy. If you wanted a table in the smoking area, it was pretty much clear the table when you arrive because the bar staff were too busy chatting with each other to do anything but make you a drink.

 

So for us its HAL's food, staff, music on the Pinnacle class and very importantly their itineraries that keep us coming back.

[lcand1923]

Wrap around Promenade Deck and The Crew!!!

[mcrcruiser]

8 hours ago, zgscl said:

There are several reasons we have been quite loyal to HAL (that being said I have two upcoming cruises on Celebrity that will be my first with the line and I’m looking forward to comparing) 

We mostly go on cruises to relax and have everything taken care of. I appreciate that everything is pretty low key. 

 

1) The guests & crew. The atmosphere is very laid back and relaxed. No water slides, race tracks, ice skating rinks, etc. I don’t want any of those things onboard. While there may be kids and teens, they are generally quite well behaved and your fellow travelers are generally quite friendly and down to earth. Crew are outstanding across the board. 
 

2) Love the music walk. As much as I dislike step one dance company & other Main Stage shows which are the same on every single cruise, I really enjoy the music venues and just relaxing. 
 

3) Exc talks are exceptionally well done. Also enjoy the focus on enrichment such as cooking classes, guest lecturers, naturalists, etc. (though largely being replaced with EXC talks) 

 

4) Familiarity. For me there is a huge benefit in knowing exactly where everything is, who does what, and what every show/activity is. It makes it easy to plan my day & cruise and I truly don’t feel like I’m missing out if I decide to veg out in the cabin watching movies or take multiple naps in a day. When I boarded Koningsdam this week I went immediately to my mister station before even going to my cabin, had them scan my nav pass on my phone and was then done and ready to start my vacation. I also know the phone extension for all major departments. If I’m by a house phone I can dial for the spa, or guest services or restaurant reservations without having to go back to the cabin or find the department. I also don’t need to spend any time learning the ships layout or studying specialty dining menus. 
 

5) Neptune suites. We really enjoy the product. There is not generally anything comparable at a similar price point on other lines. The concierge does a great job with our needs. To move to another line would require a higher price point usually for perks we don’t particularly value. Not that I wouldn’t enjoy them, I just don’t find them of enough value to entice me to spend extra, and in most cases the actual cabin would be a downgrade even if the perks were an upgrade. I also absolutely love the aft wrap Neptune suites (deck 4 on the Pinnacle class ships in particular). 

 

5) Itineraries. HAL has a lot to choose from, and more on the west coast than most of the other lines we would consider. 
 

6) I much prefer the more traditional and mid size ship design on HAL than some of the more modern designs and bigger ships. 
 

This is not a comprehensive list, but some of the key things we really enjoy on HAL

You should enjoy your Celebrity cruise   because many things are similar to HAL especially heir staff  .  Depending on the Celebrity class ship   you booked , the S & M class ships are   more like Koningsdam   .S class  is larger & M class is  slightly smaller  ,not by a lot   .Food selections & quality is similar to HAL  . Yet there are differences   but nothing major  .The big difference is on S class  balcony state rooms are larger than on  Pinnacle class ships (190 sq  ft  bot including the balcony .) .The M class are smaller ,a lot  smaller  (170 sa ft not including  the balcony )   .We like the showers on the S class better than the M class 

[montythecat]

We are recent converts to HAL’s Pinnacle Class ships for one main

reason which zgscl mentions. Music. I am not keen on theatre

shows which are so much part of the Celebrity product. On their

three Pinnacle ships HAL provides, for us, wonderful variety. The

two pianists are fun and cover all sorts of music and The Rolling

Stone Rock Room, The BB King Lounge and the classical quartet

give us everything we could wish for from Bach to Bon Jovi.

The high quality of food, staff and the decor of the ship are

other good things which add to the pleasures we have experienced

on our two HAL cruises. I am confident there will be many more to 

come starting in South America in February.

 

[doone]

I enjoy sailing HAL because of their itineraries, smaller ships, food and I can't forget their amazing crew who go above and beyond to be sure you enjoy every minute onboard.  I also like their traditional cruising style and the new Pinnacle Class ships are great with their music walk........I always feel like I am at home when I step onto any Holland America ship............next up, March 2023, Rotterdam, cannot wait................

[mcrcruiser]

9 minutes ago, montythecat said:

We are recent converts to HAL’s Pinnacle Class ships for one main

reason which zgscl mentions. Music. I am not keen on theatre

shows which are so much part of the Celebrity product. On their

three Pinnacle ships HAL provides, for us, wonderful variety. The

two pianists are fun and cover all sorts of music and The Rolling

Stone Rock Room, The BB King Lounge and the classical quartet

give us everything we could wish for from Bach to Bon Jovi.

The high quality of food, staff and the decor of the ship are

other good things which add to the pleasures we have experienced

on our two HAL cruises. I am confident there will be many more to 

come starting in South America in February.

 

Yes Celebrity is more focused with production shows  & mainliners  in their main showrooms  . That imo is the biggest difference between the 2 lines  . The music walk on HALS Pinnacle ships is  great entertainment in it self because of the variety of music  . We have seen the best individual entertainers on   Xa  ships   vs any other cruise line  . 

what it comes down to us what a person is comfortable  in sailing with any cruise line  . We have sailed 6 lines in the past  , now down to 3  maximum  & of HAL expands their  San Diego presence we will be sailing more with HAL 

[FlaMariner]

Why do we cruise HAL?  (in order of importance)

 

1). The price....It's a great value for our travel dollar

2). The crew....the service is outstanding

3). The itineraries....HAL goes around the world and that's key to our goal of ticking off our bucket list destinations

4.) The crew....the service is outstanding

5). The ships.....perfect size (not "condo of the seas"), classy, spotless, traditional, functional and full of the amenities we like (quiet pool deck, promenade walk, crows nest, gym, hydro suite, music walk)

6) The crew....the service is outstanding

7). The food....we cruise to dine (MDR, dive in burgers, marketplace buffet, love it all)

8). The crew....the service is outstanding

9). The Dutch traditions and aura. 

 

Also, the crew is outstanding!

 

 

[mightycruisequeen]

HAL has the best itineraries, not to mention the wonderful crew!  I also like that their ships don't feel crowded (okay, yes, Koningsdam felt pretty crowded).  I love the older, smaller HAL ships the most.  The food & services are way above what I would expect for the money.  We really feel at home at on HAL, and we hope to sail many, many more times on their ships.

Thanks for this nice thread, by the way! 🥰

[Hlitner]

We have primarily chosen HAL cruises because of the fantastic itineraries and reasonable prices (when compared to some of the better lines we favor).   The only time we booked HAL because of the ship was with the old Prinsendam (we had exactly 200 days on that vessel) which was a personal favorite.  In the interests of full disclosure, we have yet to sail on any of the Pinnacle Class.

 

Hank

[BetsyS.]

10 hours ago, oldbluff said:

Ditto on friendly staff, smaller ships and itineraries. Unlimited laundry is the best $7/day on the ship. Indian cuisine on occasion. Free popcorn with movies. Neptune Lounge when we splurge. Did I mention the staff? Hot split pea soup on deck with glaciers all ‘round. Bread pudding with vanilla spilled about. Real books in the (albeit shrinking) library. A sane embarkation process for all, not just suites. Full circuit promenade decks. Wooden lounge chairs on same. And the smiling staff, welcoming us home.

I agree with you about the delicious hot pea soup served on deck, the bread pudding and the real books in library.   The HAL crew really is top notch.

[MarkWiltonM]

We like HAL's Pinnacle-class ships. We also sail Celebrity and Oceania but HAL is often the best value. We also really like HAL's buffet and the Crow's Nest. 

[SetAnOpenCourse]

Our favorite things about HAL:

 

The ships that have the wide promenade, and that you can walk all the way around, or spend time seeing and hearing the ocean.

 

Peaceful atmosphere, at least compared to some other lines.

 

Daily Mass (Catholic).

 

Overall classy, courteous atmosphere.

[BetsyS.]

1 minute ago, SetAnOpenCourse said:

Our favorite things about HAL:

 

The ships that have the wide promenade, and that you can walk all the way around, or spend time seeing and hearing the ocean.

 

Peaceful atmosphere, at least compared to some other lines.

 

Daily Mass (Catholic).

 

Overall classy, courteous atmosphere.

I agree with you. The peaceful atmosphere is what makes the vacation relaxing. 

There are many places all over the ship where you can read a book, take a nap, 

or watch the ocean. There is something for everyone.  For people who want nonstop activities even on sea days, there is a variety to choose from. I found that staying onboard on a port day means you feel like you almost have the ship to yourself.

I did that on a rainy day. 

[Happily@Sea]

Quiet ships [don't like the Pinnacle class - the Lido pool area background music is much too loud - it's like they are trying to make up for having a double deck]. Itineraries, the crew, FLL/PEV is a non-airplane destination for me - train instead. 

 

Rooms ready on embarkation and freedom to disembark when you are really ready to leave. And again the crew and the service.

 

I've been on one other line since 2015  [RCI] and it seemed like the loudspeakers were never switched off - and too many 'toys' I have no use for - and this was one of their smaller ships.

[FlaMariner]

8 minutes ago, Happily@Sea said:

Rooms ready on embarkation

 

That's a good one...forgot about that....you only realize how cool that is when you board another cruise line (at least w/Princess) and the room is not ready until afternoon.