HAL or Princess?

[tolman50]

We are going to Alaska May 28, 2005. We are thinking of HAL Oosterdam or the Diamond Princess. Please help with the difference between the two lines.

[kitty9]

HAL's average age of their passengers tends to be higher than on Princess. Food is about equal, but service is much better on HAL. Princess has personal choice dining (not something I care for at all) and HAL does not.

[wallie5446]

Have cruised on both, Princess.

[tolman50]

Thanks for the reply.

[freddiebud]

wallie: why did you like princess better?

[marco]

We think there are more similarites than differences. One think we like better on HAL is the glass dome over the pool area. One thing we like better on Princess is the pools open 24/7. Yes, Pricness has personal choice dining, and HAL doesn't but if you don' want it, you CAN choose traditional on Princess. Dining on both was quite good, but we thought variety of selections greater on HAL.

[wallie5446]

wallie: why did you like princess better?

When we were on HAL it was still a no tipping line, as this was a few years ago. The service in the dinning room was outstanding, but we were sitting with the ship Doctor and his family. But in the casino, by the pool, in the lounges, we were not impressed. Ship was nice, food was great. We were in our early 40'ies and felt young !

 

On Princess it felt like there was something happening all the time, but it has also been 10 years since we cruised with them. Their shows were the most professional we have seen, still to this day. I dont know if they still do things this way now, or not. We liked the way they served the side dishes at dinner. They would bring out the entre, then a large tray of the sides, and ask everyone at the table how much they wanted. And the pasta's:p I like pasta!

 

The reason it has been so long since we cruised either, Celebrity is our line of choice, and Princess just started cruiseing the Carib in the summer when we get vacation time. So we are now looking at the Grand out of Galveston to see if they are still as we remember.

 

Hope this was close to what you were wanting.

[freddiebud]

thanks. i am also trying to decide which line to select for my dream cruise. alaska has been my dream since i was 13 so i really want to make it special.

[wallie5446]

thanks. i am also trying to decide which line to select for my dream cruise. alaska has been my dream since i was 13 so i really want to make it special.

What is your age now ? That will help determine which to look at a bunch.

[freddiebud]

Mid 40s. Planning on going in 2006. Already took my DH's dream trip to Tahiti.

 

Obviously the ports are the most important. Dining isn't important to me. (I know, that's crazy talk!) I want decent service, interesting ports and a nice ship. I was leaning towards Princess just because they've done it so long. Also, I am planning the land trip after, so that is another consideration: Princess hotels/trains or HAL hotels/trains.

[wallie5446]

Sounds like you have the plan ! IMHO, Princess would have all the base's covered. And the Princess Lodge on Keni looks fabulous.

[catmand]

I would like to add a little. Having sailed Star R/T Seattle-Alaska and just recently Sapphire, sister ship to Diamond, if you are thinking about Princess and more specifically Diamond I can't imagine how you could have a nicer ship and more fun on any other line. Now, don't mind the fact that we are sailing Infinity next year, we live just outside San Francisco so that works for us.

 

Princess: both traditional or "Anytime Dining" and Sapphire/Diamond has 4 themed dining rooms, a 24/7 buffet and entertainment choices all day/evening. It isn't unusual to have 5 different things going on in the evening, all at the same time. Pools open 24/7, ah there are so many great points with Princess and if you are going in 05 your ship will just be 1 year young.

 

We will be sailing out of San Francisco to Alaska on May 28, 2005, maybe we will see you there!

You MAY want to think about doing the land portion before the cruise??? I have heard a number of people say while very enjoyable the pace can/is a little hectic.

[freddiebud]

catmand: thanks for the info. i also thought about doing the land portion first, but then i just read (on this board!) that going northbound might cost less. will need to do some more research.

 

thanks to everyone's thoughts.

[mr green]

Its close but go Princess:) john taylor

[mr green]

Its close but go Princess:) john taylor

[momofmeg]

HAL's average age of their passengers tends to be higher than on Princess. Food is about equal, but service is much better on HAL. Princess has personal choice dining (not something I care for at all) and HAL does not.

 

I agree with this partially. HAL does tend to be an older crowd and Alaska attracts an older crowd so if you do HAL it is like a double wammy. Our Statendam cruise was very sedate-very little going on after the broadway shows unless you gamble-the lounges were DEAD-with one or two lone drinkers no entertainment after 10 p.m. There was one plus though-we had the hot tub to our selves every night. Now Alaska is the only HAL cruise I have done.

 

I have also done only one Princess cruise. Everything though was top notch. We had a great Italian chef, super cruise director, the broadway style shows were filled with talented people and the lounges actually had entertainment after 10p.m. Princess was not as party crazy as Carnival but there was still plenty going on for me. She also had a good mix of all ages of adults on her-though children under 18 were much less then Carnival or RCCL. You also saw very few children on HAL. But there were also only a handful of 20-30-40 somethings. A few more 50 plus but most were over 65. It was like 65% over 65 and 35% under 65.

[Folgy]

I have cruised to Alaska 3 times

 

The Rhapsody of the Seas : Fantastic

 

The Serenade of the Seas : Fantastic

 

 

The Ryndam (HAL) : Disgusting (too many young people/babies /kids/ poor food /poor service/poor entertainment/ ugly ship/

 

HAL has gone the way of family cruises ...but does not provide the same as the RCCL or Princess line

[Charlene]

You can't go wrong with Princess, no matter what you are looking for, Princess will have it!!

 

I learned the hard way, and sailed on other lines as well, and I'm so happy with Princess it has everything that any age group could want for a good time.

[momofmeg]

I have cruised to Alaska 3 times

 

The Rhapsody of the Seas : Fantastic

 

The Serenade of the Seas : Fantastic

 

 

The Ryndam (HAL) : Disgusting (too many young people/babies /kids/ poor food /poor service/poor entertainment/ ugly ship/

 

HAL has gone the way of family cruises ...but does not provide the same as the RCCL or Princess line

 

On our HAL Statendam cruise in 2001. I saw one baby. There were only 3 teenagers on the whole cruise. Only 2 couples that were 20 something. In the 30 something catagory we saw maybe 5 couples with just a handful of kids-it was one of these couples that had a baby. In the 40 something catagory mabe 12-15 couples. In the 50 something about the same ratio of couples though you saw more that were traveling with friends and not as a couple. The rest were over 65. This ship had 1200 passengers. So you figure the ratio. Pretty low to me.

 

I also want to make something clear. I do not have a problem with the over 65 age group. this is the crowd that are the great dancers in the lounges on Carnival and RCCL dancing to the big band and 50's music, "Lawrence Welk" type stuff etc. Hey these guys can really dance. HAL Statendam just did not offer a lounge with that kind of entertainment.

 

As far as service-it was so-so. I felt this was their tipping not required policy they had at the time. I guess we did not look like big tippers or something so none bothered to give service above adequate. Not only that but one night- when we were in the glaciers-at dinner we kept seeing whales breeching out of the water. Everyone was running to the windows to look. The waiters actually showed irritation at all of us at the windows as we were in their way for serving dessert.

 

We tipped them still but we also gave an "adequate" tip for "adequate" service-nothing special-normally we tip around twice the suggested amount but we felt these guys did not deserve it.