1st Holland or Celebrity Cruise?

My wife and I are looking to cruise with Holland American Cruises for the 1st time. We are also looking at Celebrity for the 1st time. The cruises are an Alaskan cruise with basically the same itinerary. So come on seasoned cruisers who would you pick and why?

HAL cruisers will say HAL; Celebrity--Celebrity. Either one will do just fine. Have a great time.:)

HAL cruisers will say HAL; Celebrity--Celebrity. Either one will do just fine. Have a great time.:)

This is why I have this post in both the Holland and Celebrity boards:D. I thought the same thing you did. However, Celebrity people will tell me what is better and then HAL people will do the same. I will get the best of both post.

This is why I have this post in both the Holland and Celebrity boards:D. I thought the same thing you did. However, Celebrity people will tell me what is better and then HAL people will do the same. I will get the best of both post.

My wife and I are looking to cruise with Holland American Cruises for the 1st time. We are also looking at Celebrity for the 1st time. The cruises are an Alaskan cruise with basically the same itinerary. So come on seasoned cruisers who would you pick and why?

I'm both a Celebrity cruiser and a HAL cruiser. I have no brand loyalty.

That said, I recommend Celebrity if the itineraries are the same. I think the food is a little better on Celebrity and I think the entertainment is a lot better on Celebrity. Plus, Celebrity does not allow smoking on balconies, nor anywhere inside the ship.

Check out the details of these cruises: departure cities, ports of call hours, sizes of the type of room you plan to book on the ships you would book... things like couches, table with chairs in the room, balcony comparison.

I think the MDR food is better on HAL, I think the show lounge entertainment is better on Celebrity. But HAL still has the classical duo which is what we prefer, and also the piano bar.

Room service is better on HAL Premium restaurants on Celebrity cost more than on HAL but if you don't use them you won't care.

Ship size can impact the experience.

Would you like a library? HAL has great libraries with beautiful views and a librarian to help you find what you'd like. And they have daily news digests on paper and free NY times on web.

DH says he can't tell the difference in the lines except for the pizza, he prefers Celebrity pizza but wouldn't pick a cruise because of it.

So, what's important to you? I'd pick by itinerary and price but I'm not you. Enjoy, m--

Holland America ships tend to be smaller (and older). They lack a "wow" factor for me. Not to say I haven't had a good time, but I would say that I've been underwhelmed with the decor on Maasdam, Veendam and Zuiderdam.

I love the Millenium Class ships (90,000 tons) on Celebrity more so than the Solstice class, but you'll hear people rave about Solstice class.

Of the lines I have sailed to Alaska- I'd say Princess does the best job.

I'm both a Celebrity cruiser and a HAL cruiser. I have no brand loyalty.

 

That said, I recommend Celebrity if the itineraries are the same. I think the food is a little better on Celebrity and I think the entertainment is a lot better on Celebrity. Plus, Celebrity does not allow smoking on balconies, nor anywhere inside the ship.

This reflects our view as well. Given similar itineraries and pricing, we'd give the nod to Celebrity. Our cruise last month on the Eclipse maintained Celebrity's edge, but November's cruise on the Koningsdam might help swing the pendulum back in HAL's favour.

Bottom line: you can't go wrong with either choice.

If Glacier Bay is on your radar, Celebrity is out. They don't have permits to sail there. HAL does.

I'm both a Celebrity cruiser and a HAL cruiser. I have no brand loyalty.

 

That said, I recommend Celebrity if the itineraries are the same. I think the food is a little better on Celebrity and I think the entertainment is a lot better on Celebrity. Plus, Celebrity does not allow smoking on balconies, nor anywhere inside the ship.

I agree with Aquahound 100%.

We have 29 cruises on Celebrity and 9 on HAL. Both have their strong points, but Celebrity wins in about 85% of the categories.

I've been to Glacier Bay and Hubbard Glacier -- Hubbard is more spectacular if the weather is nice and the Captain gets close to the action.

The big kicker is the smoking policy. Celebrity only has three small smoking areas outside; none inside and no smoking on balconies. On HAL they smoke in the Casino and on the balconies, as well as other areas. We have a Holland America cruise coming up and we will be in an inside cabin; last time we had a balcony, it was unusable because of smokers all around us.

I like the warm, Asian feel of HAL and the great wrap-around promenade decks. The food is pretty good as well. Traditional, dark and a nostalgic experience.

Celebrity, especially the S-class ships, feel open, modern and happy. Very professional service and Greek officers that interact with the passengers. Excellent food, but the alternatives are a bit pricey. For us frequent cruisers, the Captain's Club is way better than the Mariner's Club.

Both companies will offer a great experience in Alaska! Both are better than Princess.

Enjoy!

Kel:)

I've sailed on both (Noordam and Reflection) and HAL felt like a an old 4 star hotel in need of slight refurbishment. Celebrity was more modern. Both would though be classified as elegant cruising with good food and lacking in entertainment on board. The food on the MDR on Celebrity was the best I've had on a cruise ship while the service the HAL was overworked but very good.

Both cruise lines were more elegent and traditional than NCL and Royal, but if you need to be entertained and want to try different restaurants everynight then I'd certainly recommend the latter.

I'll be cruising on the Koningsdam in a few weeks and I'm looking forward to the improvements they've made.

We haven't sailed Celebrity ,.... but ... with HAL we book ships with a Sea View Pool area because of the potential of seeing out back and on both sides. We also like the Crow's Nest so there is somewhere you can sit and enjoy the view even if the weather is poor or cold outside.

At risk of getting slammed - there are those who say fellow cruisers smoking on their balcony ruined the use of their own balcony - but that has never been an issue for us (at least so far). Once in awhile we might catch a wift but it didn't linger so it's not necessarily a given that you'll be surrounded by clouds of smoke.

At risk of getting slammed - there are those who say fellow cruisers smoking on their balcony ruined the use of their own balcony - but that has never been an issue for us (at least so far). Once in awhile we might catch a wift but it didn't linger so it's not necessarily a given that you'll be surrounded by clouds of smoke.

We were among the unlucky ones who were driven from our balcony on a 21 day Southern Caribbean b2b. A group of 8 smokers occupying four cabins next to ours had the dividers opened and congregated on the balcony closest to us. Guest Services was able to move us to a different cabin for the second part of the cruise, but it was this experience that first led us to Celebrity. Now we only book aft cabins on HAL to help mitigate the problem. So, not a show stopper for HAL, but Celebrity's policy is still a plus.

We haven't sailed Celebrity ,.... but ... with HAL we book ships with a Sea View Pool area because of the potential of seeing out back and on both sides. We also like the Crow's Nest so there is somewhere you can sit and enjoy the view even if the weather is poor or cold outside.

 

At risk of getting slammed - there are those who say fellow cruisers smoking on their balcony ruined the use of their own balcony - but that has never been an issue for us (at least so far). Once in awhile we might catch a wift but it didn't linger so it's not necessarily a given that you'll be surrounded by clouds of smoke.

Celebrity has the Sky Lounge, which is similar to the Crows Nest on HAL.

I won't slam you at all. You've been very lucky. I wish I could say the same about my Oosterdam cruise where I had a smoker right below me and a cigar smoker a couple balconies down. My balcony was useless at times.

My wife and I are looking to cruise with Holland American Cruises for the 1st time. We are also looking at Celebrity for the 1st time. The cruises are an Alaskan cruise with basically the same itinerary. So come on seasoned cruisers who would you pick and why?

For us, the choice is easy: HAL wins hands-down, because only HAL has a Roman Catholic priest (who celebrates daily Mass) on every one of its cruises. So if spiritual renewal is an important component of your vacation experience, HAL may be the better choice for you as well. Whichever you choose, I hope you enjoy the cruise!

Smooth sailing ...

I would check the amount of time each ship is in port. And the actual port times. On HAL - I don't particularly like the 6pm to midnight stop in Victoria. Finally, do you want to be on a newer ship or older?

We have mostly done HAL but have a couple of Celebrity cruises. We have found that HAL handles open dining better than Celebrity for some reason. We have got stranded at a large table on Celebrity and also sat when the others were a course ahead of us.

Many of the differences between HAL and Celebrity are style. A truthful statement I once heard was Celebrity is all about the "chrome and glass" while HAL is about the "wood and brass."

The style on Celebrity ships is bright, light, large rooms, not much color, modern.

The style on HAL is smaller more intimate rooms, darker colors, more variety of colors, more old-school deluxe.

The one time I tried Celebrity, the food at the buffet, especially at lunch was mostly terrible. Otherwise, food quality on HAL and Celebrity might have evened out (both with hits and misses).

Main theater entertainment isn't very strong on either line, but I guess I had better luck with Celebrity.

On average, I would say HAL had the friendlier, nicer, more polite crew.

Since this is an Alaska cruise, I would strongly suggest an itinerary that includes either Glacier Bay or Hubbard Glacier. I think HAL will give you more options that include that scenic cruising.

Celebrity seemed to have a bit more focus on selling current passengers on extra cost items. HAL does that too, but it seemed a bit less intense.

If you like spending time in a pool or hot tub, HAL ships in Alaska have a covered pool area mid-ships which is kept warm. Many HAL ships also have a movie theater.

In general, I prefer HAL. Your best choice is likely to be based on your own personal preferences.

If you like spending time in a pool or hot tub, HAL ships in Alaska have a covered pool area mid-ships which is kept warm.

Celebrity ships have this too. Only one ship in their fleet (Century) doesn't. On Millennium Class ships, the covered pool also has thelassotherapy sections. Unlike on HAL, use of this t-pool is free.

If you like either HAL or Celebrity you are likely to enjoy the other - they are both head and shoulders above the other mass market lines when it comes to food quality, service, comfort and general atmosphere.

The one characteristic which REALLY separates them (admittedly a purely subjective style preference) are the promenade decks. HAL's are classic teak, with traditional handrails and old style deck chairs --- while those on Celebrity ships have all the atmosphere of strolling around the outside of a warehouse: ugly and utilitarian - just as good for exercise, but sadly lacking in aura.

Since you haven't been on either, I'm going to list the things that I think are the biggest differences.

HAL -- wrap around Promenade Deck. Definite plus for picture taking as you sail.

Celebrity -- if you are in an Aqua Class cabin, the special dining room for Aqua Class passengers (can't remember the name, but excellent food and service)

Lido (buffet dining) -- HAL was much better than Celebrity for variety and overall set-up, but Celebrity's pizza was better

Burger Bar -- HAL has a better burger

Entertainment -- Celebrity has better production shows, HAL has better small music venues

I, personally, prefer HAL because I like being able to attend Daily Mass. However, if this isn't important to you, look at the differences I've listed.

First, though, look at the ports and the length of time you will be in each port. That should be your deciding factor.

Thanks to all that posted!:D My wife and I think after all the post between this board and the Celebrity boards it sounds like Celebrity may win:D sorry HAL fans. I think the most promising part was the smoking policies on Celebrity, for we are both NoN smokers. However I like the idea of mass on board.

Many of the differences between HAL and Celebrity are style. A truthful statement I once heard was Celebrity is all about the "chrome and glass" while HAL is about the "wood and brass."

HAL -- wrap around Promenade Deck. Definite plus for picture taking as you sail.

--- while those on Celebrity ships have all the atmosphere of strolling around the outside of a warehouse: ugly and utilitarian - just as good for exercise, but sadly lacking in aura.

.

Enjoy your cruise! :)

BTW, although Celebrity doesn't schedule them on all sailings, we've been on cruises that have had daily Mass offered, so you may be in luck.

If you decide on HAL select your ship carefully. Not all HAL ships are the same in terms of age and condition.