Thinking of coming back

[LV2KruzCats]

We have not cruised with HAL since November of 2002. We have had two cruises per year since on Celebrity, which we have loved. We like the longer 14-16 day cruises. :)

 

What kind of changes can we expect to see ? We are thinking of a Hawaii RT on Zaandam, in fall of 2008.

 

Any input ?

 

Thanks !

 

:):D:)

[Old As Dirt Mom]

We have not cruised with HAL since November of 2002...... :)

 

.......What kind of changes can we expect to see ? Any input ?.....

 

Thanks !

 

:):D:)

 

Hello, KruzCats;

 

I would say a major change is that folks like me, who in 2002 were not even thinking about cruising at all, have now jumped on the bandwagon (or ship) and are cruise enthusiasts.

 

Also, the entire Signature of Excellence has taken place, or is in the final stages of implementation, on the HAL fleet. To name a few of the Signature of Excellence features: You will find new bedding, flat screen TVs and DVD players, the Explorations Internet Cafe/library, the revamping of Club HAL, the Pinnacle Grill instead of the Odyssey Restaurant, the Culinary Arts Center, and all four of the Vista ships.

 

Stay tuned for more input from the folks who are really in the know!

 

Karin

[LV2KruzCats]

Sadly, no one else has offered any input. We are still really torn and can't make up our minds, but it's not like it's within the next couple of month.

 

We are set for three more Celebrity cruises through April of 2008.

 

I guess we'll wait a bit.

[sab490]

As you can see from my signature we have been on several Celebrity cruises. We found our recent Noordam cruise was very comparable to our experience on Summit. The "feel" of the ships is very similar....more elegant and subdued than RCCL and not as "snobby" as Cunard. The food on HAL was better than on any of our Celebrity cruises in both the dining room and the buffet. The service was excellent on both, but I would have to give the nod to the Noordam here too. And those new beds are wonderful! We even ordered two of those pillows when we returned.

 

If you like the Millenium class ships of Celebrity, I don't think you will be disappointed with the Vista class ships of HAL.

[Mary Ellen]

If you like the Millenium class ships of Celebrity, I don't think you will be disappointed with the Vista class ships of HAL.

Fortunately the Zaandam isn't a Vista class ship. For a cruise of this length, you'll appreciate the larger cabins on the Zaandam (and possibly the passenger self-laundry) that the Vistas are lacking.

 

We sailed on the Zaandam to Hawaii this past October with a group from the CC boards. A daily journal was posted by a few members while on board. You can do a search on 'Spamdam' (in honor of the Hawaiian love of the mystery meat) to locate.

[Mary Ellen]

sorry about that darn double post.

[Charliesmom]

We've been on both Celebrity and HAL and prefer HAL. The staff are more uniformly friendly and trained in service. When they smile at you, it feels like it is genuine, rather than forced. Of course, on Celebrity, you get a butler in a mini-suite. That doesn't happen at all on HAL. If a butler is important to you, stick with Celebrity. However, if you are in a full suite on HAL, you get the benefit of the Neptune Lounge and its concierge who will turn cartwheels for you. Celebrity instituted the concierge service after we had traveled onthe Mercury, so I do not know how well they do it. You don't get concierge service unless you are in a full suite on HAL.

 

I think that, in general, HAL ships are better run.

 

Roberta

[barriedavis]

I sailed on Princess 14 times, PandO twice, Norwegian twice and Cunard once. I then sailed Westerdam/Zuiderdam/Westerdam within a year. My last two cruises have been Celebrity Galaxy last Summer and Zenith the Christmas just gone. So I am in a good position to judge. I think there is little to differ. The Zenith was old but very friendly and the food excellent. The dining staff were superb, even the final day after the tips were counted. The activites on Celebrity ships were excellent and both ships were very good value. We have decided to go back to HAL for our next trip (Westerdam - 14th February) for a number of reasons. In order (1) beds were better (2) evening entertainment was better (3) more dining options - if you didn't like your dinner guests on Celebrity, you were a bit stuck). (4) Pinnacle grill. I think the daytime activities on HAL were a bit poor but each to their own. This will differ depending on the specific cruise and the number of days at sea. I don't think you can go wrong with either.

[Krazy Kruizers]

About the only major thing that has happened the last 4 years since you have sailed HAL, cut backs in staff everywhere. I would say that 99% of the staff are still just as friendly as ever.

[Vic The Parrot]

I would say that 99% of the staff are still just as friendly as ever.

 

 

 

Make that 98%

 

 

;)

[Vic The Parrot]

The "feel" of the ships is very similar....more elegant and subdued than RCCL and not as "snobby" as Cunard.

 

 

 

I've been on Cunard many times, and never experienced a "snobby element"

 

 

 

:confused:

[caviargal]

Having done two X cruises and one HAL over the past year, I now give the edge to HAL.

 

The bedding on HAL is simply wonderful as are the linens, etc. The ships are better maintained (X has real issues with maintenance IMO). Cutbacks on X in staffing and service were very evident to me on Mercury and Century last year. I also give the edge to HAL on service overall.

 

With X getting into the big ship business, I expect to see them continue to follow in RCI's footsteps, which is a shame IMO.

 

And, the corkage fee on X is $25 a bottle, a rip off IMO.

[gentlemancruiser]

Vic - I don't know that I would call Cunard Snobby either. I would say they are just more formal in thier approach towards thier guests. Things like 'good evening Sir' or they way the make announcements. I was on the QM2 docked in FLL and accross the pier was a Royal Carribean ship and you could hear their announcements, Wow what a difference!

Cunard takes a more formal approach when interacting with their guests.

 

've sail Cunard, Celebrity, RCCL, Royal Olympia, and HAL. Each line has thier own positives and negatives. I too have decided to try HAL again. I loved the QM2 because of the spaciousness of the ship. I hated RCCL becuase a the lack of space per passenger. I enjoyed the food on Celebrity, but didn't like the location of the pool. I enjoy the enterainment on HAL and the fact that I can use the pool without feeling that I am interputing some groups pool party. We didn't like the previous Noordam which was our first cruise with HAL, had it not been for the staff we would never have sailed them again. You can imagine going from the QE2 cruise onto the old Noordam (shake, rattle and jiggle)

[Randyk47]

In 2004 we came back to cruising after a 6 year break. Our first cruise was on the then fairly new Oosterdam. Quite frankly, we were disappointed in the service as compared to our experience on the Ryndam in 1998. The ship was beautiful, the food good, but dining room service particularly had really taken a nosedive. In 2005 we took our first, and so far only, cruise with Celebrity on the Galaxy as she was home ported in Galveston for two years doing Panama Canal itineraries and we could drive to a port for a change. We loved our cruise on the Galaxy and would cruise with Celebrity anytime given the right combination of itinerary and cost. Our next cruise found us back to HAL and the Volendam last year. Wow!!! What a cruise!!! We loved it and this time HAL, at least on the Volendam, was the HAL we fell in love with back in the early to mid 90's. Great food, fantastic service, and that incredible bedding!!! Volendam was just a few weeks out of her renovation to Signature of Excellence standards and she was in great shape. We came away from that cruise feeling we were "back" to HAL and that we preferred the "smaller" S and R class ships to the Vista class, though it's not a huge difference. Would we cruise Celebrity again? Yes but given similar circumstances we'd pick HAL. Next cruise for us.....the Veendam in March!!! :D

[golfnkitties]

We just booked a Hawaii RT on the Zaandam, after our last 25+ cruises with Celebrity. We love Celebrity, but thought we could use a change. We have our fingers crossed that we won't be disappointed !

 

Can anyone shed some light on breakfast choices ? Dining Room and Buffet, and pastries available. Waffles, pancakes, french toast ?

 

Thanking one and all in advance !

[RuthC]

Can anyone shed some light on breakfast choices ? Dining Room and Buffet, and pastries available. Waffles, pancakes, french toast ?

Yes. All of the above and more.

You can have breakfast in your cabin either by completing the hang tag the night before, or by calling in the morning.

You can go to the dining room and be served breakfast cooked to order.

You can go to the Lido where there are choices galore! Sometimes there is French Toast done the usual way and sometimes there is also a flavored one (banana comes to mind). There's also eggs and omelets cooked to order.

And if you like peanut butter on your bagel/toast/English muffin just ask for it! :D And the Lido is the place to get fresh-squeezed orange juice if you like that.

I wanna go backkkkk!!!!!!!!!