Opinions on Vista class & is there any difference in ships?

[big al]

Hi guys & gals-I am considering trying the HAL vista class ships but I have some concerns,so if you can give some advice or opinions,please do:

1)I have heard about vibration problems.I am a light & difficult sleeper.We are looking at an SS category cabin.Any thoughts on whether or not this is true?

2) I am a part-time cruise agent and have cruised Carnival,Celebrity,RCL,NCL and Princess,with the latter being my favorite.Almost everbody tells me that the average age on HAL is death,and that the nightly entertainment is dead and the ship is finished by 11PM..we are not late night people,but we do like shows and nightly entertainment.My wife & I are 52 & 50.Celebrity's entertainment was also terrible,but at least they had good food and service.

3)Anybody sail the new Westerdam and compare it to the 2 others?Vibration problems? Thanks!

Big Al

[barefootguy]

Hey Big Al,

If there is truly a vibration problem, it'll save you a roll of quarters for the bed with that crazy motor... You know the one in that "No Tell Motel".

 

As for us "old guys", stop by my web site... We both dive & get a bit crazy... We're the old guys at 51 & 55...

[jhannah]

I haven't sailed a Vista in two years. At that time, the Zuiderdam had some issues ... but I only felt it in the lower dining room. Your SS cabin will be high enough that it won't be a problem.

 

So far as HAL being old, that's an exaggerated stereotype. Yes, their demographic is somewhat older than, say, Carnival. But frankly the Panama Canal cruise I sailed on the Coral Princess was the "oldest" pax group I've ever seen. I'm sure you will find a reasonable mix of ages.

 

HAL offers production shows as well as individual performers (pianists, magicians, comedians, etc.) Some will blow you away, others will leave you cold ... just as would be the case in any land-based venue. The bars will roll on into the wee hours as long as folks are there. They won't roll up the sidewalks at dark!

 

While the Vista ships are larger and offer a few more amenities, you will still feel like you are on a HAL ship. They way the public spaces are laid out you won't have any feeling of being crowded.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Big Al, First off I think you will love the Vista Class, We took the Oosterdam to Alaska the 2nd week of the Alaska season and there were very few kids but I did not feel everyone was old either. DH is 50 and in a few weeks I will be 50:eek:

As far as the vibration we were on the Zuirderdam which is the one in question about vibration and yes there was one at the time we were on her which was April 2003. This could ONLY be felt at the very aft of the Lower Dining Room. No where else on the ship could you feel it. I believe this problem is now fixed. We sat in the aft of the lower dining room on the Oosterdam and it was extremely smooth. There was plenty of good entertainment at night on the Oosterdam. Granted we are not Big Partiers and I like to rise early, but I believe there was still a lot to do at night. We have sailed on RCL and found we liked HAL better.

We will be sailing on the Westerdam in March, I have heard great reviews of this ship. So we are looking forward to sailing her.

[bepsf]

Big Al--

 

1. I felt way more vibrations on Amsterdam - both in the Lower Dining room, the midships Lido and in my Deck 7 aft stateroom than I ever felt on Oosterdam.
   
2. I had heard that HAL Alaska cruises were deadly too - but we met a number of a fun of mid-30's couples and hung out w/ them and some of the shipboard staff - we had a blast.
   
3. Not been on "W", but when on "O", I purposely requested a table in the lower dining room against the center-aft windows to check the vibration - not a ripple in my waterglass, not a rattle of my coffeecup. (Which I certainly can't say about Amsterdam - one night it was so bad I had to put the champagne glasses on the sofa to keep them from rattling against one another and the ice-bucket!)
   

I love the Vista Class and can't wait to get back to the "O"

Hope you enjoy your cruise on "W"!

[DFD1]

No vibration problems on the Oosterdam. We had a table next to the aft windows and did not feel any vibration at all. The Vista Class ships are more "modern" in their atmosphere and decor than the other, more traditional, HAL ships. That does not suite some expereinced cruisers who post here, but others love the newer, more modern ships.

 

We have sailed on 5 different HAL ships, including the Oosterdam, and we have enjoyed them all, but the old Noordam least of all. She was vibrating like crazy in the area of the aft lower decks and that same area was hot as heck. But, not to worry, she is gone now and being replaced by a brand new Noordam, the fourth of the new Vista Class ships....due in 2006, I think.

[doone]

Remember, your on a ship, you will feel some movement or vibration at times, I enjoy this. To me, this is what a cruise is all about.

[Randyk47]

We were on the Oosterdam in March and I don't recall even the slightest vibration problem. Dinner was upper level forward and our room (SS6060) was more or less midships. Did meet one couple who had an S cabin aft and they complained about vibrations but they weren't happen about the aft cabin in the first place so it's hard to say that there really was a problem or if they were just looking for something to complain about.

 

My wife and I are more or less in your age range and we quite enjoyed ourselves on the Oosterdam. We mix a little dancing with a little gambling and have never gone to any of the shows (shows are just not our thing). We really like the Crow's Nest and stayed to closing 3 out of the 7 nights. Good little live combo and a few friends made it a great place for us.

 

As for the age range. Actually our Oosterdam cruise was probably the youngest group we'd seen on a HAL cruise and not at all the "near death" experience some have advertised HAL to be. I think HAL's demographics are changing as they try to attract families and new cruisers so it's not quite a quiet as it once was. I remember the first time we cruised HAL, on the then brand new Ryndam, that about 10 PM the ship pretty much was empty. Of course we were even younger back then and actually enjoyed having the place to ourselves so to speak.

[Tatka]

Hi guys & gals-I am considering trying the HAL vista class ships but I have some concerns,so if you can give some advice or opinions,please do:

1)I have heard about vibration problems.I am a light & difficult sleeper.We are looking at an SS category cabin.Any thoughts on whether or not this is true?

2) I am a part-time cruise agent and have cruised Carnival,Celebrity,RCL,NCL and Princess,with the latter being my favorite.Almost everbody tells me that the average age on HAL is death,and that the nightly entertainment is dead and the ship is finished by 11PM..we are not late night people,but we do like shows and nightly entertainment.My wife & I are 52 & 50.Celebrity's entertainment was also terrible,but at least they had good food and service.

3)Anybody sail the new Westerdam and compare it to the 2 others?Vibration problems? Thanks!

Big Al

We are family of 3... 32 + 33 + 13yo..and we loved Zuiderdam.

 

I didn't watch show every night but both production shows were wonderful!!! Specally last formal night show. Food was very good (closer to Celebrity than to RCI).

 

Ship itself is beautifull... Standard Cabins are bigger than on other lines. We had larger inside and it was about 190 sq ft.

 

I don't think age thing applies to Vista crowd... We had many people of our age and younger. We had pool competitions, ping pong tournaments etc.

[big al]

Hey Everyone-thanks for your replies...RandyK-How did you like your SS6060 cabin?That's the category I'm looking at.....pool area OK?

[Randyk47]

Big Al - We really liked our cabin. Nice size, great bathroom (especially when two people are trying to get cleaned up at the same time), and nice verandah. SS 6060 was kind of midships. We were about half way down the hallway between the midships and forward elevator banks and I think this had a big impact on not getting a lot of noise from hallway traffic. Between that and not being right under the pool it was probably the quietest cabin we've ever had. (Has an S on the Ryndam and got a lot of noise from the movement of lounges, washing the deck, etc.) Might caution that while it's called a "suite" it is not a suite in the sense of access to the Neptune Lounge, priority tendering, etc., like S and PS category suites. As for the pool area.....I think this is one of the things HAL does really well. They have a retractable roof over the pool and it's open just about all the time. If the weather gets bad they can close it and you still have an "outdoor" like feeling and can still use the facility. Of course, it has it's own bar and easy access to food.

[TedC]

We've been on all three Vista ships and enjoyed them all.

 

The main difference is in the decor. Most recently we were on the Westerdam and it had art works in the corridors of the cabin decks which was pleasing to us. Those corridors on most ships are rather bland and boring.

 

 

Entertainment varies from cruise to cruise, it's the luck of the draw. I thought the entertainment was weak on our Westerdam cruise, but others loved it.

 

The W is a beautiful and comfortable ship, enjoy!