What are your favorite things ( preferably recent ) about HAL ?

[scubacruiserx2]

 We spent 6 weeks aboard the Nieuw Amsterdam in late September which was the last cruise to Alaska on the NA from Vancouver . We returned to Vancouver and did the repositioning cruise through the Panama Canal and back to our home port of Port Everglades . We mostly loved it and made a number of new friends , some like family . We will be mentioning a number of things as we go along but we would like to also hear from you .  🙂😊 So what are some your favorite things  ?

[lcand1923]

IMy favorite thing about HAL is THE CREW!!!

 

I haven’t cruised since the pandemic, but can’t believe this would have changed.

[Tennessee Titan]

How many of these threads do we need????

[Blackduck59]

9 minutes ago, Tennessee Titan said:

How many of these threads do we need????

I'm not sure we've had many "we think HAL is great" type threads. Recently it has been a seemingly endless parade of HAL sucks and it's not what it was threads. Someone started a specific ship "They're doing great" thread which I certainly appreciated by me as my wife and I prepare for our first HAL experience and were beginning to think we made a big mistake booking a HAL cruise.

[Destiny0315]

6 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

I'm not sure we've had many "we think HAL is great" type threads. Recently it has been a seemingly endless parade of HAL sucks and it's not what it was threads. Someone started a specific ship "They're doing great" thread which I certainly appreciated by me as my wife and I prepare for our first HAL experience and were beginning to think we made a big mistake booking a HAL cruise.

I give you credit @Blackduck59 as I too would be leery after reading some of the threads on here. What hurts is though many things have changed not only with HAL but with most cruise lines in recent years(especially in the post pandemic era), I think you will find the Zaandam and the ocean/river cruise that you will be on an overall good experience. Many of the people who are now sour on HAL started out many many years ago cruising with them on smaller ships just like the Zaandam and loved their experiences. As HAL's ships became bigger just as others did they have had some troubles keeping things up to the old standards and things that they were best known for and that is noticed most by the veteran HAL cruisers. Looking forward to reading about how you find things on your cruise either way.

[SusieKIslandGirl]

1 hour ago, Tennessee Titan said:

How many of these threads do we need????

I like to read different opinions and see what I might have missed. If the title isn't something I'm interested in, I ignore it.

[PACD_JG]

It's like our San Diego poster with better 

1 hour ago, Tennessee Titan said:

How many of these threads do we need????

It's like our San Diego poster with better spelling...

[albingirl]

Nothing to worry about. All is well. People should just simmer down and enjoy the ride. My favorite thing is sleeping on a moving ship. Yes, I  am a boat owner that can never sleep while we are moving, but what a great sleep on a ship!! Far from shore, moonlight on the sea, nothing better.

[ottahand7]

Ty

[CHOPPERTESTER]

Longer itineraries

Late night Lido buffet

HAL staff

Ninja cabin attendants

[Guest ldtr]

1. Smaller average ship size than other main stream lines

2. Itineraries. HAL has some great longer itineraries that other lines cannot match

3. Covered pool 

4. Crows Nest

[Haljo1935]

There's a lot to like, heck even love about HAL.🧡 Perfect? Nope, but no cruise line or cruise experience is. 🚢I appreciated the always exceptional laundry service from the Eurodam crew in May and thoroughly enjoyed a peaceful day in the Crow's Nest cruising through Glacier Bay.🦦

And of course, no "positive" report would be complete without mention of the fabulous Clothesline Candied Bacon we enjoyed in the Pinnacle Grill.

I know you'll have a great time @Blackduck59 on your first HAL cruise and look forward to reading your thoughts after.

[crystalspin]

3 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

I'm not sure we've had many "we think HAL is great" type threads. Recently it has been a seemingly endless parade of HAL sucks and it's not what it was threads. Someone started a specific ship "They're doing great" thread which I certainly appreciated by me as my wife and I prepare for our first HAL experience and were beginning to think we made a big mistake booking a HAL cruise.

Have spent three weeks total (2 around South America and 1 R/T Vancouver to Alaska) on the Zaandam. Also two weeks on sister ship Volendam (R/T Seattle with a long day-stop on your lovely island, the NINE of us went to Butchart). They are fine ships! 

Edited August 8, 2023 by crystalspin

[scubacruiserx2]

A white rainbow taken from our aft balcony in Alaska on the Nieuw Amsterdam !

 

 

 

[Haljo1935]

2 hours ago, scubacruiserx2 said:

A white rainbow taken from our aft balcony in Alaska on the Nieuw Amsterdam !

 

 

 

Aft cabins in AK are the best!!

Nice pic.

[Stateroom_Sailor]

1.  Reasonably priced, especially suites

2.  Excellent service from crew

3.  Best food in the mass market

4.  Exotic itineraries

5.  Spending adds to loyalty points

6.  Relaxed atmospher

7.  Great live music

 

8 hours ago, Tennessee Titan said:

How many of these threads do we need????

 

8.  Minimal number of Negative Nancies, or cheerleaders.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Staff

Music Walk 

[High Flyer]

All of the above........

[FRANKIEDNYC]

#1 the crew, covered pool, smaller ships, not many children, always a Catlholic Priest on board

[cbr663]

14 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

I'm not sure we've had many "we think HAL is great" type threads. Recently it has been a seemingly endless parade of HAL sucks and it's not what it was threads. Someone started a specific ship "They're doing great" thread which I certainly appreciated by me as my wife and I prepare for our first HAL experience and were beginning to think we made a big mistake booking a HAL cruise.

 

I can understand your feeling like you may have made a mistake booking a HAL cruise when reading CC.  Please remember though that this is Cruise "Critic" and posters are going to post unfavourable opinions of their cruises.  I always try to balance the unfavourable opinions with the understanding that cruise experiences are subjective experiences.  We all have different wants and expectations from our cruises and a perfect cruise for one can certainly be a poor cruise for another.  This also explains why a person in one cabin can have an exceptional cruise while a person in a cabin right next to them can have a poor experience.

 

For me, the real gold of CC is passengers generously sharing all their insider tips that they have learned from their travels.  Seems like no matter how many cruises we take we still learn from others and their experiences.

[eastcoastcruiser]

The overall value and:

• Friendly, hardworking crew
• Fresh flowers everywhere and flower arranging classes by the onboard florist
• Library (Rotterdam)
• Crow's Nest
• Thermal Suite (Rotterdam)
• Live music
• Enclosed pool
• Grand Dutch Cafe (Rotterdam)
• Full outside promenade deck
• Full breakfast available for room service
• Artwork throughout the ship
• Variety and quality of food in Lido and MDR, specialty restaurants
• Cleanliness of ship
• Lots of quiet public areas
• Calm and laid back atmosphere, older demographic of fellow passengers

[3rdGenCunarder]

15 hours ago, lcand1923 said:

IMy favorite thing about HAL is THE CREW!!!

 

I haven’t cruised since the pandemic, but can’t believe this would have changed.

 

It hasn't. Staff has reduced numbers, but the crew are still great, especially the cabin stewards.

[StartrainDD]

I have many areas where HAL is not what it once was.  However, one thing they are absolutely doing right is planning  l o n g e r  cruises that either begin, end, or (even better) are round trip from the US.  The worst part of traveling these days is the air portion and if we can avoid that or at least keep it domestic or one way I am willing to forgive some of the other shortcomings.

 

Every upcoming HAL trip we have either begins or ends in Fort Lauderdale.  I can put up with one way air when needed but are trying hard not to have two long flights on a trip.

 

Further, as others have said, we love the crew and for cooler climate trips the covered pool is a huge plus!

[Nickelpenny]

I had never cruised before Jan 2022.  I researched the various cruise lines.  I didn't want a lot of kids around; I didn't want an amusement park; I wanted good food, a nice bed, interesting places to see and music would be a plus.  I didn't need a lot of entertainment (though I do enjoy good musicals/plays, etc).  I didn't really find a line that met these "wants" that was in my budget.  Someone I worked with mentioned HAL and I thought I would give them a try.  7 cruises later (and 5 more booked) I do like the quietness, the great crew, the itineraries and the affordability for me to keep doing this (as I cruise solo).

[CruzR887]

Here's why HAL is there cruise line we check first when selecting a cruise:

 

-No events in centrum area, so the Royal Dutch cafe can be enjoyed without competing noise and you can hear and be heard at Guest Services.

-Covered main pool so the area is open even during cold and rainy weather and open to the sun when it's nice outside.

-Two room stewards and two daily room services.

-The Grand Dutch Cafe. Only The International Cafe on Princess is comparable.

-The Music Walk. Best live daily music at sea. (Bring back LCS!)

-The max number of passengers on board

-Crows Nest open to all passengers

-Dogs and Burgers made to order.

-Pretty good pizza

-No amusement park on the upper deck with expensive rides that are mostly closed.

-Great itineraries

If HAL had more enrichment lectures (guest speakers) and brought back classical music (no not Center Stage) it would be darn near perfect in our opinion.