Question for HAL Experts that have cruised Celebrity

Hi all, Happy Thanksgiving! I have a question for those HAL cruisers that have also sailed Celebrity.

We are looking at a 10 day Caribbean cruise next year on Celebrity over Thanksgiving for our 65/75 birthdays in November.

We could not find an itinerary or suitable dates on HAL, unfortunately. Celebrity has what we want at that time, so we are considering sailing with them. Are there any glaring differences between HAL and Celebrity we need to know about? I have never sailed with them before. For example, I had read on the Celebrity forums page that with the drink package, if the particular cocktail you want is above $9, you can pay the difference in price. I am not sure that is the same on HAL.....or is it? Do they have anytime dining on Celebrity? Their website is not much help for some questions and their brochure is not very helpful either. Anyway, any advice you could give as to major differences you have noticed between HAL and Celebrity would be appreciated. I want to know as much as I can before I book. Thank you very much!

Celebrity does have a flexible dining option - I think it's called Celebrity Select. While I prefer HAL, I found Celebrity's food and service generally good. Their entertainment struck me as a bit better, and their spa pool is generally available, not extra charge as on HAL.

Generally, if you like HAL, I think you will find Celebrity to be more like HAL than any other line.

That Celebrity offering is fortunate, not unfortunate, especially if it’s on a Solstice Class ship. I think Celebrity is a better cruise line than HAL.

Yes, they do have anytime dining. It works the same as it does on HAL.

Celebrity’s ships are more modern than HAL. It’s little things, like being able to view your photos and order room service on your stateroom tv. Plus, the ships are beautiful.

Celebrity is also superior with entertainment. They do more game shows, have theme nights, live music on the lido, etc.

Thank you both for your input. We really like HAL and it is our first choice due to the ships' smaller size, but Celebrity ships don't seem to be the giant behemoths that other lines have with 5000 people or more so we thought that was a good thing. The ships do seem very beautiful! So it was unfortunate for HAL, and yes, fortunate for us that we found a cruise with a line we thought we'd like on the dates we wanted to travel. HAL's dates and itineraries just didn't match up. I am anxious to try Celebrity because I want to compare them to HAL.....the ship we are looking at is the Reflection. It seems to be a newer ship, and the 10 day southern Caribbean itinerary looks great, and it sails over both birthdays so we can celebrate onboard.....along with Thanksgiving!

We are 5 Star Mariners and Elite Plus with Celebrity (going on the Reflection in a few days). There are many differences from HAL...especially if you compare to the older and much smaller HAL classes. The Reflection is big...very big and has lots of amenities. Unlike HAL, you will find a lot more activites on Celebrity and that time of the year the ship will be packed with families (lots of children). Celebrity has both fixed and Anytime Dining (more popular than Fixed). Evening shows are generally at 7 and 9 with the earlier show intended for later diners (you eat after the show...which ends around 7:45). The Reflection has quite a few different alternative restaurants which have a high price tag (up to $50). But its sometimes possible to negotiate a lower price (onboard) or you can buy various dining packages....which can get the cost down to as low as $25. Murano is the high end haute cuisine restaurant and one of the best at sea. HAL has nothing even close. Qsine has a unique "tapas on steroid" kind of format and is a lot of fun...especially if you have a small group of diners. The Lawn is on a top deck, partially outside and a unique format steak house where you can make your own diner (or let the staff do all the cooking). The Tuscan Grill is semi-Italian....because it has a huge menu (with some add-ons with annoying up charges). There is also a Sushi Cafe (on deck 5). Another option is to book Aqua Class which means that your assigned regular restaurant is a smaller venue called Blu...which has unique menus and has the feel of a land-based smaller restaurant. Blu also has very nice breakfasts.

Many on Celebrity get the Classic Drink package as a promo. There are none of the silly restrictions you find on HAL...and if you want something that costs more then covered by the package...you now only pay the difference. You also have the option of upgrading the package to Premium (for $11.80 more per day) which covers any drink up to $12 plus gets you things like Pellegrino, full cans of soda (as opposed to fountain sodas) etc.

Because so many folks have drink packages, the bars are very popular and alive....until late at night (when most HAL passengers are sleeping). The Martini Bar is especially popular with a fun group of bar tenders and some amazing Martini concoctions. We once witness a female bartender pour 22 (yes, twenty-two) drinks at one time...which is something you have to see to believe. I have sat at my favorite HAL bars at 7pm...and its been like a quiet funeral home. This does not happen at the Martini Bar. And then they have the World Bar where there are a limited number of very special high-end drinks for those that want to experience a new level of bar tending. The cost of these drinks is generally covered by the Premium Package....but does involve additional cost if you only have the Classic Package.

When DW and I cruise on HAL, we get into the HAL rhythm of things which usually means quiet days and nights...with quiet socializing. On Celebrity, we put on our drinking caps (we always have a drink package) and really get into more of a party mode. But when we want quiet sophistication we hang out at the bar/lounge right outside Murano...where there is usually live music (perhaps a jazz quartet or piano bar player) and excellent bar tenders.

I am not going to sing the praises of Celebrity, because recent cut-backs in both cuisine and entertainment have taken its toll. It is still a very good product (and the ships are gorgeous) but just not up to the standards of days past (which seems to be an issue with many cruise lines). If food is a priority, do consider booking a dining package that lets you enjoy a majority (you can choose the number of meals) in the alternate restaurants. Otherwise, the MDR is more than adequate (comparable to HAL). And the Lido is somewhat better than the Lido's on HAL (Celebrity offers more variety).

Hank

We just stepped off of Celebrity last weekend and have begun to research HAL which will be a first for us. Our HAL trip was planned because it will be a family vacation with my 30-somethings, the itinerary and departure ports were perfect. But, having said that, we had such a great time on our 5th Celebrity trip that we are seriously questioning our judgement at switching lines.

There is always something to do on a Celebrity ship. I am worried about what we will do when we are not at the pool. Will there be a sailaway with music? Things to do besides the pool? A bar open after 10:00? These are all of the things we love about Celebrity and we think you will too.

There is always something to do on a Celebrity ship. I am worried about .... A bar open after 10:00?

Of course there is. And there will be people out enjoying that bar. Except for the ones just leaving dinner, or at the late show.

We are 5 Star Mariners and Elite Plus with Celebrity (going on the Reflection in a few days). There are many differences from HAL...especially if you compare to the older and much smaller HAL classes. The Reflection is big...very big and has lots of amenities. Unlike HAL, you will find a lot more activites on Celebrity and that time of the year the ship will be packed with families (lots of children). Celebrity has both fixed and Anytime Dining (more popular than Fixed). Evening shows are generally at 7 and 9 with the earlier show intended for later diners (you eat after the show...which ends around 7:45). The Reflection has quite a few different alternative restaurants which have a high price tag (up to $50). But its sometimes possible to negotiate a lower price (onboard) or you can buy various dining packages....which can get the cost down to as low as $25. Murano is the high end haute cuisine restaurant and one of the best at sea. HAL has nothing even close. Qsine has a unique "tapas on steroid" kind of format and is a lot of fun...especially if you have a small group of diners. The Lawn is on a top deck, partially outside and a unique format steak house where you can make your own diner (or let the staff do all the cooking). The Tuscan Grill is semi-Italian....because it has a huge menu (with some add-ons with annoying up charges). There is also a Sushi Cafe (on deck 5). Another option is to book Aqua Class which means that your assigned regular restaurant is a smaller venue called Blu...which has unique menus and has the feel of a land-based smaller restaurant. Blu also has very nice breakfasts.

 

Many on Celebrity get the Classic Drink package as a promo. There are none of the silly restrictions you find on HAL...and if you want something that costs more then covered by the package...you now only pay the difference. You also have the option of upgrading the package to Premium (for $11.80 more per day) which covers any drink up to $12 plus gets you things like Pellegrino, full cans of soda (as opposed to fountain sodas) etc.

 

Because so many folks have drink packages, the bars are very popular and alive....until late at night (when most HAL passengers are sleeping). The Martini Bar is especially popular with a fun group of bar tenders and some amazing Martini concoctions. We once witness a female bartender pour 22 (yes, twenty-two) drinks at one time...which is something you have to see to believe. I have sat at my favorite HAL bars at 7pm...and its been like a quiet funeral home. This does not happen at the Martini Bar. And then they have the World Bar where there are a limited number of very special high-end drinks for those that want to experience a new level of bar tending. The cost of these drinks is generally covered by the Premium Package....but does involve additional cost if you only have the Classic Package.

 

When DW and I cruise on HAL, we get into the HAL rhythm of things which usually means quiet days and nights...with quiet socializing. On Celebrity, we put on our drinking caps (we always have a drink package) and really get into more of a party mode. But when we want quiet sophistication we hang out at the bar/lounge right outside Murano...where there is usually live music (perhaps a jazz quartet or piano bar player) and excellent bar tenders.

 

I am not going to sing the praises of Celebrity, because recent cut-backs in both cuisine and entertainment have taken its toll. It is still a very good product (and the ships are gorgeous) but just not up to the standards of days past (which seems to be an issue with many cruise lines). If food is a priority, do consider booking a dining package that lets you enjoy a majority (you can choose the number of meals) in the alternate restaurants. Otherwise, the MDR is more than adequate (comparable to HAL). And the Lido is somewhat better than the Lido's on HAL (Celebrity offers more variety).

 

Hank

Wow, thanks Hank for all that info....it really helps!!!:):)

Question: the standard drink package you only get fountain sodas, not cans?? Maybe the upgrade package is what to get then. DH is a Coca Cola person and likes to bring cans to the room.

I can't help with the drinks package because I never had that on Celebrity. But aside from that, I'll say Reflection and her sister ships within Solstice Class are some of the most beautiful ships at sea. HAL doesn't even come close to Celebrity with ship aesthetics.

The spa pool (Solarium) is adults only and free to use. They play subtle spa music and there is a serving station for healthy light lunches. The blue tinted Solarium glass makes the whole space feel very comfortable.

Celebrity's version of the Crows Nest is the Sky Lounge. It has 2 story glass and they still use it properly. It's a relaxing lounge during the day and on most evenings, they have some form of entertainment.....whether it's a band or some sort of game show. One night, they do a dancing contest where guests pair up with ship's officers and the audience cheers for the winner.

Entertainment is a lot better than HAL. As someone else mentioned, they do some theme nights. One night, they have a 60s party and a 70s party on another. The ship's singers/dancers perform at these parties, as does the Cruise Director staff. And yes, Celebrity does do sail away parties where they have the band playing at the main pool.

The specialty restaurants blow HAL away. But as Hank said, they can be pricey. And also to reflect what he said, the stewards will haggle on price. If you approach them and show disinterest in the price, they will often drop the price anywhere from 25-50% off. It's worth it.

I'll also repeat the info about the Martini Bar. It's the hub of activity in the evenings. The bar has a frozen surface, which keeps your drinks cold. And yes, them pouring 20 something martinis at once is something you have to see.

Here's a pic of the Sky Lounge:

Wow, thanks Hank for all that info....it really helps!!!:):)

Question: the standard drink package you only get fountain sodas, not cans?? Maybe the upgrade package is what to get then. DH is a Coca Cola person and likes to bring cans to the room.

I can offer simple advice which is a win-win. There is generally no advantage to upgrading a drink package (assuming you book with the Classic Package as a promo) prior to your cruise. On Celebrity, you can upgrade to Premium Drink packages at any time, at any bar, with any bar staff. And the cost is prorated so you only pay for the remaining days on the cruise. I suggest waiting until you are aboard and trying out the classic package (perhaps for a day) and see if it works for you. If not, just upgrade.

Hank

Wow, thanks Hank for all that info....it really helps!!!:):)

Question: the standard drink package you only get fountain sodas, not cans?? Maybe the upgrade package is what to get then. DH is a Coca Cola person and likes to bring cans to the room.

We have sailed Celebrity quite often and would sail them more often again if they had ( for us) more interesting itineraries. I can really recommend the ships, especially the Solstice class-ships = Eclipse, Solstice, Reflection, Silhouette and Equinox - we have sailed on all of them and there are only small differences. We'd love to cruise on Celebrity's new ship "Edge" but prices at the moment are ridiculous...

About your question: The standard drink package definitely gives you sodas etc. in cans. You can order an unopened can of coke at any bar and take it back to your cabin to enjoy on your balcony, for example. As we are not into expensive cocktails etc. we always didn't find the need to upgrade the package. If you search the Celebrity board you'll find lots of discussions and threads about the beverage packages and prices of drinks, what is included etc.

Happy sailing!

Of course there is. And there will be people out enjoying that bar. Except for the ones just leaving dinner, or at the late show.

'

Thank you all for your tips/advice. It is most appreciated!

We are 5 Star Mariners and Elite Plus with Celebrity (going on the Reflection in a few days). There are many differences from HAL...especially if you compare to the older and much smaller HAL classes. The Reflection is big...very big and has lots of amenities. Unlike HAL, you will find a lot more activites on Celebrity and that time of the year the ship will be packed with families (lots of children). Celebrity has both fixed and Anytime Dining (more popular than Fixed). Evening shows are generally at 7 and 9 with the earlier show intended for later diners (you eat after the show...which ends around 7:45). The Reflection has quite a few different alternative restaurants which have a high price tag (up to $50). But its sometimes possible to negotiate a lower price (onboard) or you can buy various dining packages....which can get the cost down to as low as $25. Murano is the high end haute cuisine restaurant and one of the best at sea. HAL has nothing even close. Qsine has a unique "tapas on steroid" kind of format and is a lot of fun...especially if you have a small group of diners. The Lawn is on a top deck, partially outside and a unique format steak house where you can make your own diner (or let the staff do all the cooking). The Tuscan Grill is semi-Italian....because it has a huge menu (with some add-ons with annoying up charges). There is also a Sushi Cafe (on deck 5). Another option is to book Aqua Class which means that your assigned regular restaurant is a smaller venue called Blu...which has unique menus and has the feel of a land-based smaller restaurant. Blu also has very nice breakfasts.

 

Many on Celebrity get the Classic Drink package as a promo. There are none of the silly restrictions you find on HAL...and if you want something that costs more then covered by the package...you now only pay the difference. You also have the option of upgrading the package to Premium (for $11.80 more per day) which covers any drink up to $12 plus gets you things like Pellegrino, full cans of soda (as opposed to fountain sodas) etc.

 

Because so many folks have drink packages, the bars are very popular and alive....until late at night (when most HAL passengers are sleeping). The Martini Bar is especially popular with a fun group of bar tenders and some amazing Martini concoctions. We once witness a female bartender pour 22 (yes, twenty-two) drinks at one time...which is something you have to see to believe. I have sat at my favorite HAL bars at 7pm...and its been like a quiet funeral home. This does not happen at the Martini Bar. And then they have the World Bar where there are a limited number of very special high-end drinks for those that want to experience a new level of bar tending. The cost of these drinks is generally covered by the Premium Package....but does involve additional cost if you only have the Classic Package.

 

When DW and I cruise on HAL, we get into the HAL rhythm of things which usually means quiet days and nights...with quiet socializing. On Celebrity, we put on our drinking caps (we always have a drink package) and really get into more of a party mode. But when we want quiet sophistication we hang out at the bar/lounge right outside Murano...where there is usually live music (perhaps a jazz quartet or piano bar player) and excellent bar tenders.

 

I am not going to sing the praises of Celebrity, because recent cut-backs in both cuisine and entertainment have taken its toll. It is still a very good product (and the ships are gorgeous) but just not up to the standards of days past (which seems to be an issue with many cruise lines). If food is a priority, do consider booking a dining package that lets you enjoy a majority (you can choose the number of meals) in the alternate restaurants. Otherwise, the MDR is more than adequate (comparable to HAL). And the Lido is somewhat better than the Lido's on HAL (Celebrity offers more variety).

 

Hank

I made this video of the Martini bartender pouring 13 martinis at one time; but can't imagine him doing 9 more. It must have been something to see.

We sail both Celebrity and HAL, but HAL more often. We like both lines almost equally (but prefer HAL's itineraries in general and their longer European itineraries especially). I think if you're happy with HAL you'll be happy with Celebrity. We have found their service to be just as good IMO, and entertainment better in my experience.

A few years ago we were in the same situation. Trying to find a British Isles cruise that included the Baltic. We ended up taking a 10-day British Isles with Celebrity and a 12-day Baltic with HAL pretty much back to back.

I do prefer Celebrity's Pacific Coastal itineraries, their 7-12 days are great. I think the longest HAL has is maybe 5 days.

I made this video of the Martini bartender pouring 13 martinis at one time; but can't imagine him doing 9 more. It must have been something to see.

So here is the shock. It wasn't a he, but a SHE...and she was tiny (but strong). Two of the male bar tenders actually lifted her up and she somehow was able to hold all those shakers. We did not have our phone (I hate to carry the darn thing on a cruise) or I would have shot a video. The women's lib folks would have been real proud because we have never seen any man do that many. Hard to imagine a HAL doing that....and even harder to imagine a HAL bar selling that many Martinis :).

Hank

So here is the shock. It wasn't a he, but a SHE...and she was tiny (but strong). Two of the male bar tenders actually lifted her up and she somehow was able to hold all those shakers. We did not have our phone (I hate to carry the darn thing on a cruise) or I would have shot a video. The women's lib folks would have been real proud because we have never seen any man do that many. Hard to imagine a HAL doing that....and even harder to imagine a HAL bar selling that many Martinis :).

 

Hank

You got that right! I can't imagine a small person of any sex doing 22. It takes long arms to do it. That is why I always carry my iPhone. You never know what amazing thing you might see that deserves recording.

We have sailed mostly on HAL, but occasionally on Celebrity, since our sailing friends prefer those ships. There is a lot more evening activity on the Celebrity ships, which we enjoy. Ironically, our friends, who won't sail HAL because of the "older" crowd, usually go to bed at 9:30pm, leaving us to party alone!:D

One thing we do not care for on Celebrity ships is their lack of wrap-around promenade decks; what is on the decks you can walk on is all kinds of mechanical equipment, and the lifeboats (similar to Koningsdam, I think) are level with the deck, instead of above.

We have sailed mostly on HAL, but occasionally on Celebrity, since our sailing friends prefer those ships. There is a lot more evening activity on the Celebrity ships, which we enjoy. Ironically, our friends, who won't sail HAL because of the "older" crowd, usually go to bed at 9:30pm, leaving us to party alone!:D

 

One thing we do not care for on Celebrity ships is their lack of wrap-around promenade decks; what is on the decks you can walk on is all kinds of mechanical equipment, and the lifeboats (similar to Koningsdam, I think) are level with the deck, instead of above.

The thing about Celebrity is that a large majority of cruisers have a drink package (with no 15 drink a day restriction). Hence, few passengers could even make a full lap of a wrap around promenade :). And the truth is that most HAL passengers can't stay awake long enough to make it around. I will often walk on the HAL ships and am often alone or with 2 or 3 others waking around that promenade. A fellow cruiser once wondered how many, who cite that full wrap-around as an issue...have ever actually walked it. On HAL it would be more normal to see somebody driving around the promenade in an electric scooter :).

Hank

P.S. Before you flame....I am just having fun.

Well, we are not very fast, and have been passed by many passengers :o. We also do not walk every day, but enjoy it when we do because we can see everything around us on the ocean: clouds, birds, the horizon, ships, and enjoy the fresh air, so we prefer a wrap around promenade.

I have only seen a few scooters on the deck, each a long time ago, for a muster drill. Now they are allowed to stay at a designated spot inside. And we don't need to get into a discussion about whether it's better to have the drills inside or on a deck. Both have their pros and cons.:)

I have only seen a few scooters on the deck, each a long time ago, for a muster drill.

That's because most scooters have a terrible time trying to clear the lip to get out through the doorway, and an even harder time getting back in; the outer side of the lip is slightly higher than the inside. The bottom of most scooters won't clear it.

Add in that one person can't hold the door and drive the scooter at the same time, and it's pretty much impossible for a scooter rider to get out on that deck.

The thing about Celebrity is that a large majority of cruisers have a drink package (with no 15 drink a day restriction). Hence, few passengers could even make a full lap of a wrap around promenade :). And the truth is that most HAL passengers can't stay awake long enough to make it around. I will often walk on the HAL ships and am often alone or with 2 or 3 others waking around that promenade. A fellow cruiser once wondered how many, who cite that full wrap-around as an issue...have ever actually walked it. On HAL it would be more normal to see somebody driving around the promenade in an electric scooter :).

 

Hank

P.S. Before you flame....I am just having fun.

Thank you so much for the laugh. [emoji23] Just what I needed. But I’ve often wondered exactly that.

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... Are there any glaring differences between HAL and Celebrity we need to know about? ... Anyway, any advice you could give as to major differences you have noticed between HAL and Celebrity would be appreciated. I want to know as much as I can before I book. Thank you very much!

... IMHO the most significant difference between HAL and Celebrity is that only HAL has a Roman Catholic priest (who celebrates daily Mass) on board every one of its cruises. So if having daily Mass available is important to you, Celebrity may be a bit of a letdown.

 

... IMHO the most significant difference between HAL and Celebrity is that only HAL has a Roman Catholic priest (who celebrates daily Mass) on board every one of its cruises. So if having daily Mass available is important to you, Celebrity may be a bit of a letdown.

We have Catholic friends who will only cruise HAL for just that reason. Ironically, we once met a Rabbi on a long HAL cruise...and then saw him again on a Celebrity cruise. He told me "its a good gig if you can get it" about being a cruising clergyman.

Hank

The thing about Celebrity is that a large majority of cruisers have a drink package (with no 15 drink a day restriction). Hence, few passengers could even make a full lap of a wrap around promenade :). And the truth is that most HAL passengers can't stay awake long enough to make it around. I will often walk on the HAL ships and am often alone or with 2 or 3 others waking around that promenade. A fellow cruiser once wondered how many, who cite that full wrap-around as an issue...have ever actually walked it. On HAL it would be more normal to see somebody driving around the promenade in an electric scooter :).

 

Hank

P.S. Before you flame....I am just having fun.

Now, now, Hank. Just off the Prinsendam with my window overlooking the Promenade deck, and there was always someone going by!

You knew someone was going to say that, right?

The P-dam did have the oldest demographic I’ve ever seen, for sure.

My biggest observation between the two lines: Celebrity feels like NYC and HAL like Palm Beach.