Transatlantic Dilemma - Which one to take?

[Native Floridian 26]

I’m going to post this in Holland and RCCL forums.  We have sailed on 3 Transatlantics previously on Princess and NCL and love the relaxing sea days combined with appealing ports. We are booked on the Holland America Nieuw Statendam 14 night Transatlantic  on April 8 with only $1 deposit.  Final payment due in January.  The fare is about half of what is it selling for today for the Inside cabin.  Airfare through FlightEase also booked with decent $300ish one way fare back from Spain.  We’ve only sailed HA once many years ago. We are Carnival shareholders, so get the $250 OBC shareholder benefit and some OBC from travel agent and those are pretty much exhausted with crew appreciation charges.  We are 60 and 62.  We like the itinerary with Ponte Delgada, Azores, Gibraltar and 3 stops in Spain (Cadiz, Malaga and Alicante) before ending in Barcelona.  We will take a train to Madrid for 2 nights and return to Florida from there.  We love Spain and have not been to Gibraltar, Cadiz or Alicante.  We’re also excited that the ship is newer.

The dilemma comes in because we have a $500 Future Cruise Credit with RCCL with no expiration.  They have a 12 nt TA from Canaveral on the Jewel oTS with port stops in Ponte Delgada, Cherbourg Fr, Dover UK and end in Amsterdam.  Other than ending in Amsterdam I am not excited about the itinerary.  We also have not sailed RCCL for many years either.  The price of this cruise is much less than our HAL cruise, but we have no shareholder or onboard credit.  Our OBC covers ¾ of the cruise price before tips. However, initial fare savings are partially offset with higher airfares coming back from Amsterdam or Brussels if we go there after the cruise.

Considering price, itinerary and features of the ships and our ages, what would you do?  Like I said we haven’t sailed either cruise line for over 20 years so don’t know the awesome features each has to offer.  Tell me some things I may not know when comparing the onboard experience.

[basenji56]

It sounds like you have answered your own question.  Holland makes more sense.

 

[mek]

3 minutes ago, Native Floridian 26 said:

I’m going to post this in Holland and RCCL forums.  We have sailed on 3 Transatlantics previously on Princess and NCL and love the relaxing sea days combined with appealing ports. We are booked on the Holland America Nieuw Statendam 14 night Transatlantic  on April 8 with only $1 deposit.  Final payment due in January.  The fare is about half of what is it selling for today for the Inside cabin.  Airfare through FlightEase also booked with decent $300ish one way fare back from Spain.  We’ve only sailed HA once many years ago. We are Carnival shareholders, so get the $250 OBC shareholder benefit and some OBC from travel agent and those are pretty much exhausted with crew appreciation charges.  We are 60 and 62.  We like the itinerary with Ponte Delgada, Azores, Gibraltar and 3 stops in Spain (Cadiz, Malaga and Alicante) before ending in Barcelona.  We will take a train to Madrid for 2 nights and return to Florida from there.  We love Spain and have not been to Gibraltar, Cadiz or Alicante.  We’re also excited that the ship is newer.

The dilemma comes in because we have a $500 Future Cruise Credit with RCCL with no expiration.  They have a 12 nt TA from Canaveral on the Jewel oTS with port stops in Ponte Delgada, Cherbourg Fr, Dover UK and end in Amsterdam.  Other than ending in Amsterdam I am not excited about the itinerary.  We also have not sailed RCCL for many years either.  The price of this cruise is much less than our HAL cruise, but we have no shareholder or onboard credit.  Our OBC covers ¾ of the cruise price before tips. However, initial fare savings are partially offset with higher airfares coming back from Amsterdam or Brussels if we go there after the cruise.

Considering price, itinerary and features of the ships and our ages, what would you do?  Like I said we haven’t sailed either cruise line for over 20 years so don’t know the awesome features each has to offer.  Tell me some things I may not know when comparing the onboard experience.

I have done the HAL itinerary on Royal and thought it was great.  I agree with you abut the Royal itinerary - not especially exciting.  I would probably do the HAL cruise.

[Suzcruz57]

We’ve been away from RCCL for a few years and just off Indy of the Seas. Positives were the 5 drink vouchers for being D+, excellent food and service. Have been on Jewel years ago when she was newer and she’s a lovely ship but smaller than Niew Statendam. Sailed Niew Statendam and loved her. Excellent service, food and beautiful ship. Would go with Hollands NS. Whatever you choose, it’ll be great. Transatlantic are great. Loved Gibraltar. 

[Native Floridian 26]

6 minutes ago, Suzcruz57 said:

We’ve been away from RCCL for a few years and just off Indy of the Seas. Positives were the 5 drink vouchers for being D+, excellent food and service. Have been on Jewel years ago when she was newer and she’s a lovely ship but smaller than Niew Statendam. Sailed Niew Statendam and loved her. Excellent service, food and beautiful ship. Would go with Hollands NS. Whatever you choose, it’ll be great. Transatlantic are great. Loved Gibraltar. 

Thank you so much.  Yes, the drink vouchers for D+ would be good.  I appreciate your input.

[mugtech]

Perhaps you should check out the 4/23/23 TA from Miami stopping in the Azores, 3 stops in Spain (Malaga, Cartagena, Barcelona), stopping in Toulon, France, Corsica and ending in Rome.  The ship is Explorer of the Seas, just got an itinerary change today.

[Biker19]

2 hours ago, Native Floridian 26 said:

The dilemma comes in because we have a $500 Future Cruise Credit with RCCL with no expiration.  They have a 12 nt TA from Canaveral on the Jewel oTS with port stops in Ponte Delgada, Cherbourg Fr, Dover UK and end in Amsterdam.  Other than ending in Amsterdam I am not excited about the itinerary.  We also have not sailed RCCL for many years either. 

You can't do much better than going with Symphony, though it won't be for the ports.

[Native Floridian 26]

25 minutes ago, mugtech said:

Perhaps you should check out the 4/23/23 TA from Miami stopping in the Azores, 3 stops in Spain (Malaga, Cartagena, Barcelona), stopping in Toulon, France, Corsica and ending in Rome.  The ship is Explorer of the Seas, just got an itinerary change today.

OK, thanks.  That is a better itinerary.  That one is higher than our HAL cruise and double the price of the Jewel.

[pretzlaff]

You are asking a question of many people whose answer will often be 'why either or, rather than both'.

 

We will be on the Symphony and Jewel going over, and both again in the fall coming back.

 

The Royal spring transatlantics have been silly cheap.  Try to book one in addition to your Holland cruise. 

[LB_NJ]

I have a TA on RCCL and they have been NO HELP on getting good airfare back to the US.  

On 11/29/2022 at 5:01 PM, Native Floridian 26 said:

 Airfare through FlightEase also booked with decent $300ish one way fare back from Spain. 

 

I have a TA with RCCL in April and they have been no help with one-way airfare back from Europe.  Quoting over $600ish a person.  If you even think about RCCL get a quote on airfare before making a change.  You will have to call the 800# since the website is no help.

[Native Floridian 26]

2 hours ago, LB_NJ said:

I have a TA on RCCL and they have been NO HELP on getting good airfare back to the US.  

 

I have a TA with RCCL in April and they have been no help with one-way airfare back from Europe.  Quoting over $600ish a person.  If you even think about RCCL get a quote on airfare before making a change.  You will have to call the 800# since the website is no help.

I agree. Working with RCCL on airfare is no fun! They don't even give you the lowest prices when they start rating off the flight details. They quoted me over $1k for one way.

Edited December 1, 2022 by Native Floridian 26

[Native Floridian 26]

18 hours ago, pretzlaff said:

The Royal spring transatlantics have been silly cheap.  Try to book one in addition to your Holland cruise. 

The HAL and Royal TA's are both spring. Can only do 1. Hard enough to get hubby on one.

Edited December 1, 2022 by Native Floridian 26

[mugtech]

So which one are you taking?

[Native Floridian 26]

9 minutes ago, mugtech said:

So which one are you taking?

We're sticking with the HAL Nieuw Statendam.  Made final payment this week!

[neverlaysup]

On 11/29/2022 at 2:01 PM, Native Floridian 26 said:

I’m going to post this in Holland and RCCL forums.  We have sailed on 3 Transatlantics previously on Princess and NCL and love the relaxing sea days combined with appealing ports. We are booked on the Holland America Nieuw Statendam 14 night Transatlantic  on April 8 with only $1 deposit.  Final payment due in January.  The fare is about half of what is it selling for today for the Inside cabin.  Airfare through FlightEase also booked with decent $300ish one way fare back from Spain.  We’ve only sailed HA once many years ago. We are Carnival shareholders, so get the $250 OBC shareholder benefit and some OBC from travel agent and those are pretty much exhausted with crew appreciation charges.  We are 60 and 62.  We like the itinerary with Ponte Delgada, Azores, Gibraltar and 3 stops in Spain (Cadiz, Malaga and Alicante) before ending in Barcelona.  We will take a train to Madrid for 2 nights and return to Florida from there.  We love Spain and have not been to Gibraltar, Cadiz or Alicante.  We’re also excited that the ship is newer.

The dilemma comes in because we have a $500 Future Cruise Credit with RCCL with no expiration.  They have a 12 nt TA from Canaveral on the Jewel oTS with port stops in Ponte Delgada, Cherbourg Fr, Dover UK and end in Amsterdam.  Other than ending in Amsterdam I am not excited about the itinerary.  We also have not sailed RCCL for many years either.  The price of this cruise is much less than our HAL cruise, but we have no shareholder or onboard credit.  Our OBC covers ¾ of the cruise price before tips. However, initial fare savings are partially offset with higher airfares coming back from Amsterdam or Brussels if we go there after the cruise.

Considering price, itinerary and features of the ships and our ages, what would you do?  Like I said we haven’t sailed either cruise line for over 20 years so don’t know the awesome features each has to offer.  Tell me some things I may not know when comparing the onboard experience.

Why not do the crossing on Symphony or Explorer?

[LB_NJ]

Honestly, the best ship for a TA is the QM2.

[Native Floridian 26]

2 hours ago, LB_NJ said:

Honestly, the best ship for a TA is the QM2.

Perhaps.  They are a different price point alltogether from what we like to spend.

[Native Floridian 26]

13 hours ago, neverlaysup said:

Why not do the crossing on Symphony or Explorer?

Ports were weak on the Symphony as we'd been to them before.  Also, that was too early to cross in terms of wanting warmer weather.  Explorer has nice ports, but at the time was not in the same price range.

 

We're happy with the HAL Nieuw Statendam choice.