Princess vs Holland? Never been on Princess Cruise Your Opinion Please

Getting ready for 28 day cruise from LA to Tahiti. We mostly book with HAL as they leave from San Diego. However, I notice that mini suites comparatively are cheaper on Princess I believe. It would be our longest cruise yet and want to make sure we are comfortable. Balcony cabins are usually fine but would love some extra desk or sitting room for a longer cruise. Just wondering how Princess rates compared to HAL in overall experience. Thanks

Getting ready for 28 day cruise from LA to Tahiti. We mostly book with HAL as they leave from San Diego. However, I notice that mini suites comparatively are cheaper on Princess I believe. It would be our longest cruise yet and want to make sure we are comfortable. Balcony cabins are usually fine but would love some extra desk or sitting room for a longer cruise. Just wondering how Princess rates compared to HAL in overall experience. Thanks

I think Princess is comparable to HAL, but it really depends on which ship you are taking. The demographics will be about the same as on HAL with a cruise of that length.

I can only speak for the Grand or Crown class ships not knowing which ship you are sailing on ... so the following only applies to that class of ship.

Princess mini suites are nicer than a regular balcony as they have the extra sitting area and a bathtub instead of a shower stall. If you go with the Club Class, you will get a special area in the dining room that is really nice. They have a special dish that is made available, more elegant dining linens and stemware as well as no wait for dining.

Keep in mind that all the balconies on the Dolphin deck are uncovered, though. The Emerald deck has a few cabins towards the very aft of the ship that are covered, though ... none of these are in the Club Class area.

The specialty restaurants are worth the upcharge in my opinion. They are on HAL as well, though.

The entertainment is usually pretty good .... it was great on my last sailing on Princess.

I am not completely impressed with how Princess maintains their ships, though. It's ok but not their strong point.

The Grand class ships have an indoor pool area, the Crown class does not.

Either way, I'd give them a tie score against HAL.

HAL has excellent food and service, but Princess has better shows, entertainment and activities

I favor Princess over HAL. I am three star on HAL, but I like Princess better. Food is good on both lines. I think that you would like Princess.

I favor Princess over HAL. I am three star on HAL, but I like Princess better. Food is good on both lines. I think that you would like Princess.

I have been very loyal to Princess and it is my favorite. However, in the last couple years I have become very dismayed with Princess' cutbacks, cutbacks and more cutbacks, specifically in the food and beverage area and the addition of "sneaky" ways for passengers to have the opportunity to pay for "extras"

In the last 2 years I have sailed on HAL's Koningsdam (newest ship) twice and I love it. The ship is beautiful and modern and I am quite impressed with the food quality, taste and selection. Though HAL does not provide all the activities that Princess does I have enjoyed HAL' entertainment. That said, I do not know if I would have the same opinion if I tried the now very old Zaandam again, which was the very first ship I cruised on :) and got me hooked. I will be on Koningsdam's twin the Niew Statendam for a Caribbean cruise in Dec 2019.

Oh, and BTW The 28 day LA-Hawaii-Samoas-Tahiti is the best cruise EVER! I have done it twice :)

HAL has excellent food and service, but Princess has better shows, entertainment and activities

HAL tends more toward the escargot end of the very good food spectrum.

Princess by a mile.

We tried HAL to Alaska this summer...itinerary was great, but that was all-worst food ever! I sent back food twice in 14 days ( have never done that before)...activites and entertainment were very poor compared to princess...won’t be wasting my money on a HAL cruise again!

We tried HAL to Alaska this summer...itinerary was great, but that was all-worst food ever! I sent back food twice in 14 days ( have never done that before)...activites and entertainment were very poor compared to princess...won’t be wasting my money on a HAL cruise again!

I have sailed on and enjoyed both. Each has its strength, but as others have mentioned, it really depends on which ships you are comparing.

Sorry but HAL gets my vote - my first princess cruise was a disaster - I think HAL spoiled me

I have done 42 cruises so far on Princess, with 2 more booked, and have never been disappointed. No, Princess is not perfect, and there are a few things I would like to see changed or improved, but I certainly would not have kept coming back all these times if the overall product was not good.

I'm sure OP will find some things a bit different from what they are accustomed to on HAL, but I expect they will find plenty to like about Princess too.

I have done that 28 day itinerary, and it was my favorite one of all I have done. I sincerely hope OP find it as enjoyable as I did.

HAL staterooms are larger and their ships hold significantly less people than Princess. For example a Mini Suite on Princess is roughly 320 square feet while the Signature Suite on HAL his roughly 400 square feet. That's why we prefer HAL over Princess.

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HAL has excellent food and service, but Princess has better shows, entertainment and activities

We agree although not sure we would use "excellent" for describing HAL food. Another difference is that many Princess ships are substantially larger then most HAL vessels.

Hank

While we enjoy both lines (we are three star on HAL and will be Elite on our next Princess), we lean towards Princess. Much better entertainment and activities and love, love, love the International cafe. They also offer better loyalty perks. We have never been disappointed with Princess dining room food. One big negative on board Princess is the chaos of anytime dining. We will not sail with them if we are not able to get Traditional dining.

However HAL often does have better itineraries and you can't beat them for informational seminars. If we are doing a longer trip we do prefer HAL.

We live in San Diego so HAL would be convenient for us but we have stayed away from that line because of friends who have cruised with them. One couple sails with a large group and enjoys HAL because their group provides the socializing and fun they need on board.

The other couple travels alone and has told us that their HAL experience was the worst ever-old ship, no socializing/activities etc.

We are all seniors and so we are now trying Princess which seems to have all that we wish to enjoy.

In my experience on the Emerald there will be lots of daytime activities on sea days, things like trivia multiple times per day, free Zumba, Bingo, some pool games, classic movies by the pool, demonstrations, probably lectures, and then those "activities" that are really soft sell sales talks, watch out for them. In the evening there will be shows in the theater which I think for the most are better than HAL shows. I enjoyed Magic to Do. Arrive at least 30 minutes early for the production shows. There will be a variety of live music every evening in multiple venues including Pop/Rock party band, soft ballroom music, piano entertainers, jazz & big band from the Princess Orchestra, solo musicians, classical, maybe more. There is usually dancing in Club Fusion, Wheelhouse Bar and Explorer's Lounge. Parties in the Piazza and deck parties. There may also be shows with singers, comics, magic in Explorer's Lounge, and theme parties run by the cruise staff. Princess also has MUTS outdoor movies by the pool every evening.

Princess has a larger cruise staff and has way more activities and entertainment than HAL. I found HAL to be dull in the evening.

My comment on food is about the same. Some things were better on HAL, some things better on Princess. You will find the buffet open from 6am until late evening every day, never closing during that time. The International Cafe is open 24/7. The grill and pizza by the pool is open every day from 11am until mid evening. Free room service, but limited menu unless you are in a full suite.

Looking for quiet? Adagio Lounge, Promenade deck, Terrace Pool, Skywalker's. The Sanctuary is very nice for peaceful quiet and comfort, but there is a cost, $20/half day, $40/full day, $30/full day if you reserve for the enter 28 day cruise. Visit ASAP on boarding day.

We started cruising in 1994 using Celebrity for our first few cruises, then started using sailing on Princess and HAL in 2002. For the last 10+ years we've favored Princess (been Elite for awhile), but our last cruise was on the HAL Zuiderdam, one of their Vista class ships (Signature class are the newest). I agree with previous posters that there are fewer activities on HAL ships, but then they're smaller (Zuiderdam=2,000; Royal P=3,600). The Zuiderdam was a pretty quiet ship; the production shows were quite modest (much smaller stage and cast), but the guest entertainers were what you would see on Princess. The spa was great (had a large whirlpool). The main locus of activity was the Explorations Cafe (forward on top deck--great views thru window walls) where trivia and other organized activities took place. They have both a large bar there as well as a coffee bar in a nearby library where there's also a huge table to do jigsaw puzzles. I like to play the slots and it wasn't busy in the casino, especially on the many sea days on our TA. As on any TA there were several lecturers. As someone above pointed out HAL's cabins are larger, even the regular ones. They're deeper so there's room for a sofa (makes into a single bed if needed), which is nice to have. To sum up, I would say Princess ships are "lively"; HAL ships are "sedate." FWIW we returned to HAL because the TA itinerary offered us some one new port (Cherbourg, Fr) and because I had achieved their 3* Mariner level.

HAL has excellent food and service, but Princess has better shows, entertainment and activities

I agree with you.

We just took a 14 day cruise to the Fjords aboard the Koningsdam (HAL). Previously, we sailed twice with Princess. I did a separate review on this cruise but the dining was a disaster. Breakfast closes at 9:00 am. The dining room is not open for lunch so, many of the 2600 passengers end up in the Lido, their buffet, which is only built to hold maybe (being generous) 1300 passengers. Unless you dine in a pay dining venue, you will be in a battle for lunch (and remember their Lido has no trays). The two level dining room was more like a loud beer hall and there were too many tables too close together. Princess dining is much better in my opinion and their itineraries are better. At least you have separate dining venues, not everyone is in one big room. They are trying to drive everyone to the alternate dining venues. Many complained about the fact you could not hear someone on the other side of the table it was so loud. I found Princess cabins bigger and better designed. Food was good on both ships.

Thank you, Bean...

We are looking forward to trying the HAL new-build, the Niew Stanendam, next year.

Did NOT want to choose the older, and mixed review, Emerald Princess.

But, after a lot of research and reading, I think your post which describes the obvious issues regarding dining really nails a concern of ours.

We do plan on spending several evenings in the specialty restaurants... And will sorely miss the absolutely excellent food and service on our last cruise on the Coral. (even thought the buffet was really bad...)

Do not know why HAL has not learned, and is making the same old mistakes, over and over again, and even making some things worse, with their new ships... (Well, the reason could be obvious, but I won't go there). The complete desecration of their much appreciated Crows Nest is another biggie.

, Do not know why HAL has not learned, and is making the same old mistakes, over and over again, and even making some things worse, with their new ships... (Well, the reason could be obvious, but I won't go there). The complete desecration of their much appreciated Crows Nest is another biggie.

Is cost cutting the reason? Anyway, Princess appears a clear winner.

On Hal leaving from San Diego, they usual sail their decrepid really old ships (Zaandam, Veendam etc). These are smaller old ships. Their theatre is the really old cabaret style seating.

Did a Hawaii cruise and there were so many scooters that they needed traffic control but didn't have it. In evening the Buffet closes early. No where on ship can you even get a cookie . Room service only place to get food.And the ship looked like a ghost ship at 10:00pm.

Now in all fairness, we have never sailed on their newer ships (Konigsdam etc). Have sailed on the above mentioned as well as Oosterdam, Westerdam class of ship.

Entertainment was not as good on HAL for production shows but they did have good individual entertainers that were superb. We are 3 star on HAL and have over 60 cruises with Princess.

Princess isn't perfect but we always have a good time. And even though we prefer Princess and have mentioned the negatives on HAL, we did enjoy ourselves and met some great people traveling with us on HAL.

. . . The complete desecration of their much appreciated Crows Nest is another biggie.

Would you please elaborate on that statement? As noted in my previous post, the Crow's Nest was the center of a lot of activity on our Zuiderdam cruise last year. Thanks!