Maybe new to HAL, can you help?

[wavelets]

We are avid cruisers and the majority of our more recent cruises have been on Celebrity. We are thinking of making a switch to HAL. We usually travel with another couple and our ages range from mid 40's to mid 50's. We usually like to to a 10 day caribbean cruise in Feb/Mar. Do you think this would be a good fit for us? Also, we have 6 Carnival cruises under our belts (from waaay back). Would this get us more of a preferred staus with HAL? Thanks!

[Krazy Kruizers]

About the only thing you would get from having sailed on Carnival is a bit of a discount -- you need to provide your Carnival member number.

You all fit in nicely with HAL -- 10 day cruises -- look at the Noordam -- we did back-to-back cruises on her just this past February -- and we loved the cruises and the ship.

The Zuiderdam also does 10 day cruises -- it has been several years since we have sailed on her -- so can;t give any updates there.

[Spender Nui]

Cruisers who have sailed hundreds of days with HAL have very little in the way of preferred status.

[dag144]

I enjoy HAL, going on my 19th cruise on Tuesday, 10 day Sea of Cortez. Sounds like I enjoy HAL and I do. Ships are pretty. My favorite are the older ones, from the Statendam through the Amsterdam.

 

Food is not as good as Celebrity, except in the Pinnacle Grill. However, since I make a pig of myself this is fine with me especially as the standard evening menu always includes a boneless chicken breast and salmon.

 

Staff is terrific, I think the best at sea.

 

There are no perks for repeat travelers, maybe one cocktail party with the captain. However, if you get one of the large "s" category suites you get the use of a wonderful spot, the Neptune Lounge ( "s"category passengers only) and preference on disembarking at each port,plus several cocktail parties and a great lunch.

 

Go for it,

 

I heard that change is good!

[wwinfl91]

IMHO I would give HAL a try and see how you like it. We started with HAL and then tried other lines and still come back to HAL when a cruise has an itenerary we want.

 

We find the food in the main dining rooms very similar and the specialy restaurants on HAL are excellent.

 

Have a great next cruise.

[Mary Ellen]

It will depend upon what you are looking for in a cruise. If you want live music around the pool, a party atmosphere, conga lines though the dining room... - HAL isn't for you. If nighttime entertainment is VERY important, this is HAL's weakest point. If you are fine relaxing, with a great staff to take care of you (not constantly pushing you to buy drinks), HAL could be just what you want.

[usha]

Wavelets, I'd say that HAL is pretty comparable to Celebrity.

(That said, we still prefer Celebrity.)

Food on both is terrific. HAL has better Lido, Celebrity has lots better specialty restaurant, main diningroom is neck & neck, IMO.

Service on HAL is not as polished as Celebrity, but HAL staff is just as friendly and eager to please.

The beds on HAL are AWESOME! The tubs in cabins are nice, too. There's also a nice lighted magnified makeup mirror on HAL that makes it so easy to see what you're doing with your mascara! Basically, cabin-wise, HAL is at least as nice as Celebrity.

The feeling of spaciousness on HAL is very similar to that on Celebrity. You won't feel crowded, except maybe on embarkation, and perhaps around the pools on sea days.

Passengers mix is pretty similar between the two lines, with the age skewing maybe a bit older on HAL, but that's not a huge issue for us.

Entertainment on HAL is, well, not its big draw. We don't care so much about that, either, but if you do, HAL might seem disappointing.

HAL has "as you wish" dining, and we thought it worked pretty well for us, even though we were dreading it before the cruise (we couldn't get fixed seating).

For us, the great divide is the smoking policy. :(

Whereas Celebrity now has smoke-free passenger cabins & balconies, HAL is still allowing smoking in cabins and on balconies. If you're a smoker, that might make HAL look like the Holy Grail, but if you're NOT a smoker....well, you can come to your own conclusions there.

[GarySuzy]

We have only sailed on X once and then only for four days - previous to that we had sailed on RCCL and NCL. Our first time on HAL was on the Maasdam on a 11 day Southern Caribbean - that one cruies sold us on HAL. It was the all around experience, the food, the crew, the size of the ship and the itinery that made us really appreciate the product that HAL offers. We have sailed with HAL 4 more times and have a 5th cruise scheduled for Dec.

 

All That being said HAL is a more laid back cruise when it comes to entertainment - so if your cruising to entertained it is not the best. There is something for everyone to enjoy it just may not be at the same level as X or Princess.

 

As for age we are in our late 50's and have been on cruises where we were the average age, Age is a mind thing and most of HAL's passengers are very active and out going.

 

As Krazy Kruisers stated "You all fit in nicely with HAL -- 10 day cruises --" I would just add or Longer.

Have fun whatever you decide.

[knitlady037]

I give the Noordam another big vote. She is a beautiful ship. We are booked March 5 for a 10 night cruise. Great itinerary.

[wavelets]

Thanks for all the info! We are booked on the Celebrity Equinox for 2/2010 but were looking at the the Noordam for 2011. It sounds like it would be a good fit.