Princess cruiser considering HAL, any advice?

[kywildcatfanone]

Hi folks,

 

We have been on several cruises, all on Princess. We are looking at a cruise on the HAL Oosterdam this fall. We are fairly easy to please overall on our cruises, we like to get the soda card on Princess (allows for unlimited soda), have anytime dining (as you wish on HAL?), sit by the pool during the day. Go to a show in the evening after dinner, and not a lot else.

 

Does HAL have a soda type card, and a coffee card? Anyone compare the food (I know it's subjective) between HAL and Princess? Does HAL have freshwater pools or saltwater? Can you get tables for two in the dining rooms?

 

I may have more questions, but that is all for now. We are in our mid 40's, and really enjoy Princess, but I have been interested in trying another line, and HAL looks real interesting to me.

 

Thanks,

 

Mike

[RuthC]

The soda card on HAL is for 20 glasses of soda. Each glass is about 1/2 can. The card costs $20.70; the equivalent 10 cans would cost $22.40. You decide if the difference is worth it.

Yes, there is a coffee card, but I don't know anything else about it. Oh, Except that with every coffee purchased there's a lovely piece of pastry given.

The anytime dining is called open seating on HAL. "As You Wish" is the umbrella term for all the various dining options. One of those is the Pinnacle Grille. It's the extra charge restaurant, and is excellent.

Yes, there are tables for two. Availability will be based on how many people requested those tables before you did.

[sassyredhat]

Hi Mike,

 

HAL ssems similar to Princess. Yes you can get a coffee card. I love the Lattes from the Exploration Cafe. I'm sure there is also a soda card, but I think there is a limit on the card.

 

Yes they have as you wish dining. We uaually have traditional. And yes there are tables for 2, though not many.

 

 

Pools ?? I'm not sure. We are very 'lo-key' cruisers too. I think you will enjoy HAL. We are booking the O for next April. (Our other cruise got canceled).

 

Pat

[fann1sh]

The pools will be freshwater. A couple of HAL's older ships have an aft saltwater pool as well, but not the Oosterdam.

 

Instead of the soda card, you can bring aboard unlimited pop if you choose. I'm a Pepsi drinker, so must either schlep it or go without.

 

BTW, unlimited wine can also be brought aboard. No charge to consume in your cabin; in the main dining room, they're supposed to charge $18 corkage per bottle, but some people don't ever seem to get charged...and I'm one of them.

 

I do love HAL's smaller ships, and hope you will as well. I often travel with 3 adults in a cabin - who all want lower beds, not pullman upper - and this is both possible and comfortable on HAL, which has great single sofa beds. Princess doesn't seem to have anything similar, so I regret I haven't sailed Princess yet.

[mek]

Princess is my favorite line, but I enjoy HAL. Most of the ships are considerably smaller than Princess' and therefore easier to navigate. I personally think HAL has the nicest cabins of any mass line and they have a much better buffet breakfast than Princess. However, they are considerably more quiet than Princess and I usually find the ships are dead by 11pm - on several nights last month on the Zaandam I walked from one end of the ship to the other without running into a single person. They are quiet, relaxing cruises and the ships I have been on have had excellent libraries.

[kywildcatfanone]

Thanks all for the responses, any other info, please let me know.

That's a bummer about not having an unlimited soft drink option, but I guess if you can bring your own, that would be OK.

 

Mike

[santaharry]

We have taken cruises on several of the line and recently decided that after this next cruise HAL will be our 1st choice.

Several years ago HAL bench-marked the other cruise lines and picked some of the best of others to incorporate into their experience.

Rugs with the day in the elevators

Additional selections on the anytime menu

Upscale bedding and many more new items were added.

The Princess ships are not as well laid out and the viewing areas not as nice.

 

would I do Princess again, if the itinerary and price meet my needs yes, jf they are the same except a minor difference in price I will pay slightly more to go on HAL.

 

We opted for fixed dining since chances of a window seat are higher, and that is a must for Alaska and some other trips.

[navybankerteacher]

If you like Princess, I think you will also like HAL -where I think the food and service are somewhat better. There are two pools on Oosterdam, one under a sliding glass roof, so it is good in all weather, and the other on the open deck aft. I think the somewhat smaller size of HAL ships is a real plus -- also the cabins (and especially the bathrooms) are larger and, in my view, better laid out.

[beauwalker]

Princess and HAL are very similiar. IMO the cabins are larger on Princess, but we may have had a lower class balcony on HAL. Food is about equal. Coffee is better on HAL. Princess seemed livelier, both day and night. You should have a good time on HAL.

[SwissMyst]

I don't think anyone does croissants better than HAL - they are the real deal, crispy, tender and flaky just like in France. Most other cruise lines have doughy, bready versions of croissants. Even those who claim they are "gourmet' cruise lines but theirs were terrible. HAL's are perfection.

 

Can hardly wait to see if our croissant luck holds up on the Zuiderdam because they were all perfect on the Maasdam, Rotterdam and Oosterdam.

[cruisemom42]

I don't think anyone does croissants better than HAL - they are the real deal, crispy, tender and flaky just like in France. Most other cruise lines have doughy, bready versions of croissants. Even those who claim they are "gourmet' cruise lines but theirs were terrible. HAL's are perfection.

 

Can hardly wait to see if our croissant luck holds up on the Zuiderdam because they were all perfect on the Maasdam, Rotterdam and Oosterdam.

 

Are these delicious croissants available in the dining room or at the buffet (or both)?

[SwissMyst]

Are these delicious croissants available in the dining room or at the buffet (or both)?

 

Buffet and room service for sure. Never had breakfast in the main dining room so I don't know, but assume they would be. HAL can be proud of their fresh baked breads. All of them are very good, but these croissants have been a standout. Smaller than the typical ones, so be sure to order them two at a time. Or order four and make sure you are covered.

[maxout]

Buffet and room service for sure. Never had breakfast in the main dining room so I don't know, but assume they would be. HAL can be proud of their fresh baked breads. All of them are very good, but these croissants have been a standout. Smaller than the typical ones, so be sure to order them two at a time. Or order four and make sure you are covered.

 

They most certainly are... :D

 

 

 

 

[SwissMyst]

Maxout, great photo. If Princess can't compete with the kind of smiling, warm service we have all come to expect on HAL, then they are not even in contention. Please, tell me how you got that wonderful photo on to your post here. Thanks.

[fann1sh]

In addition to traditional croissants, HAL also has utterly decadent chocolate croissants.

 

Another place you can get either type is through room service.

 

HAL has an unusually full (and free) room service menu.

 

If your breakfast order is for a time after the dining room opens, you can also write in items like "eggs benedict".

 

If you place a room service order for dinner within 30 minutes of the main dining room opening, you can order anything off the regular menu, to be delivered any time that dinner is still being served.

[European_CruiseGirl]

In addition to traditional croissants, HAL also has utterly decadent chocolate croissants.

 

Another place you can get either type is through room service.

 

HAL has an unusually full (and free) room service menu.

 

If your breakfast order is for a time after the dining room opens, you can also write in items like "eggs benedict".

 

If you place a room service order for dinner within 30 minutes of the main dining room opening, you can order anything off the regular menu, to be delivered any time that dinner is still being served.

 

I was also going to write about the room service which is absolutely fabulous on HAL. I haven't sailed on Princess but my parents have and from what they have told me I have understood that unless you are in a suite level cabin your room service menu is quite limited. The HAL room service menu is more than wonderful! I'll copy-paste it here below (thank's to the person on CC from whom I copy-pasted it to my computer! :) ):

 

Available 24 hours:

 

Smoked Atlantic Salmon - pickled red onion, capers & cream cheese

Mesclun Garden Greens - tomato, cucumber, alfalfa sprouts & blue cheese crumbles

Triple Decker Club Sandwich - sliced turkey, ham, bacon, tomato & lettuce served on toasted bread of your choice

All American Hamburger - broiled 1/4 pound beef patty on a sesame bun with dill pickle & coleslaw - add cheddar or Swiss cheese

Open faced Omelet - ham & cheese or vegetables

Selection of assorted cheese with crackers

Apple tart with whipped cream

Chocolate cake with raspberry sauce

A plate of chocolate chip cookies with a glass of milk

Fruit salad - selected fruits in season

 

Available from 12 noon until 10 PM:

Appetizers & Soups:

Bay shrimp cocktail with cocktail sauce

Smoked Atlantic Salmon

French onion soup baked with Gruyere cheese

Soup of the day

 

Salads:

Mesclun Garden Greens

Chef salad - mixed greens, ham, salami, swiss cheese, turkey, hard boiled egg - choice of Italian or blue cheese dressing

Caesar salad - tossed with Caesar dressing, croutons & parmesan - add bay shrimp or grilled chicken breast

 

Sandwiches & Burgers (All are served with a choice of potato salad or potato chips):

Triple decker club sandwich

Broiled California chicken breast sandwich on multi=grain bread with avocado & honey mustard sauce

Grilled tuna melt - tuna salad & Swiss cheese on rye bread with pickle spears

Thai Vegetarian wrap - eggplant, bamboo shoots, bean sprouts & cilantro rolled with rice & green curry sauce in a tomato tortilla

Steak sandwich - sirloin steak on sourdough bread sauteed with onion & bell pepper

All American Hamburger

 

Entrees:

Seared salmon steak - dill-lime fusion, broccoli florets, carrot batonnet & country mashed potatoes

Penne Primavera - tossed in marinara sauce with Italian roasted vegetables - add grilled chicken breast

Pizza:

margarita (tomato sauce & cheese)

Pepperoni

Vegetarian (mushroom & bell pepper)

 

Desserts:

Apple tart

Chocolate cake

Creme caramel surrounded in berry compote

Fruit jello

fruit salad

Vanilla ice cream with chocolate sauce

Selection of assorted cheese with crackers

 

I'm quite sure I also have somewhere the breakfast room service menu...I'll have to try to find it. :)

[European_CruiseGirl]

Didn't find my own copy of the room service breakfast menu but this is courtesy of sail7seas:

 

Juices: Orange, grapefruit, tomato, V-8, prune, cranberry

 

Fresh Fruit: half grapefruit, melon, sliced oranges, sliced bananas, fruit salad, stewed prunes

 

Low Fat Yogurt: plain, fruit

 

Breads: english muffins, white toast, danish, muffin, raisin bun, croissant, toasted bagel/cream cheese, whole wheat toast

 

Preserves: assorted jams, marmalade, honey, butter, margarine

 

Eggs and Meats: Two eggs (or eggbeaters substitute), any style with choice of breakfast meats

 

- scrambled, sunnyside, over easy, omelette w/ cheese or eggbeater omelete w/ cheese;

- ham, sausage, bacon

 

Cereals: cornflakes, all bran, bran flakes, product 19, rice krispies, shredded wheat, special K, raisin bran, granola

 

Beverages: coffee regular, coffee decaf, tea, 2% milk, skim milk, half and half, sugar, equal, sweet 'n low, lemon

 

You can also get other items if you order your room service breakfast to be delivered during normal breakfast hours (when the main dining room is also serving breakfast). For example hash brown, eggs benedict, omelet with ham, cheese, mushrooms and bell peppers etc.

 

And do remember to write down exactly what you want. They do bring just what you wrote. DH and I once ordered six white toasts, butter and jam and got just that. Six white toasts, one butter and one jam. The next time we were wiser and added the desired amounts of preserves also.

[kywildcatfanone]

Hi everyone,

 

Wow, thanks for the responses so far. I posted this question on the Princess boards, and am getting very similar responses. As I might expect, some things seem better on HAL, some on Princess, but most all comments are positive. I'm going to have to consider this cruise seriously.

 

Thanks again!

 

Mike

[maxxedout2]

KYWILD.....

 

...relevant question .... for us too..thanks.

 

We're lurking...reading...learning as much as we can about

HAL. Scheduled HAL/Aruba/Xmas'10.

 

Thanks all for question/responses.

 

Gotta love CC Boards.

 

PS. We want to do as many different Caribbean

ports as possible so we may be jumping from

shipline to shipline, BUT with only 2 Princess

cruises we can say their ships and crews

are great.

 

:cool::cool:

[agabbymama]

Not sure which ships on Princess you have cruised, but I have only saided the Grand Princess. And HAL ships are no where near as large as the Grand. We like the smaller size of HAL ships, makes it really easy to walk all the way around the ship. HAL has a teak wood promenade deck that does circle the entire ship (no up a deck or down a deck to complete the circuit). Lots of wood and brass everywhere, so you know you are on a sailing ship. Lots of FRESH flowers everywhere. We had orchids on every table, even out by the pool, on our Alaskan cruises. The Grand was just too huge for us. Our cabin was toward the stern, and we only made it to the bow showroom once. Just too far to walk for these two old ladies. We gave up and went to shows in the midship lounge. And the whole crew on HAL is very friendly and always have a smile and greet you, even if they aren't your room steward or MDR servers.

 

And like Swissmyst, I've never had breakfast in the MDR, because you can order almost anything you want for a HOT breakfast from room service. It is wonderful to sit on your own balcony with your coffee and breakfast. My husband does like to go to the Lido, as it's buffet "all you can eat". But I prefer the in room service.

 

I'm not a late night partier, so it didn't bother me at all that HAL was quiet in the evenings. I did enjoy the lounge show before retiring. And sometimes karaoke is fun to watch for a while. I play bingo usually once, no matter which ship I'm on, it's just too expensive to play more than that.

 

I've never been in a pool on any of the ships I've sailed on, so can't make a comparison on that. Always seems to be plenty of people around the pool though, on an Alaskan cruise, not many were actually in the pools.

 

Have a great cruise!

[kywildcatfanone]

Not sure which ships on Princess you have cruised, but I have only saided the Grand Princess. And HAL ships are no where near as large as the Grand. We like the smaller size of HAL ships, makes it really easy to walk all the way around the ship. HAL has a teak wood promenade deck that does circle the entire ship (no up a deck or down a deck to complete the circuit). Lots of wood and brass everywhere, so you know you are on a sailing ship. Lots of FRESH flowers everywhere. We had orchids on every table, even out by the pool, on our Alaskan cruises. The Grand was just too huge for us. Our cabin was toward the stern, and we only made it to the bow showroom once. Just too far to walk for these two old ladies. We gave up and went to shows in the midship lounge. And the whole crew on HAL is very friendly and always have a smile and greet you, even if they aren't your room steward or MDR servers.

 

And like Swissmyst, I've never had breakfast in the MDR, because you can order almost anything you want for a HOT breakfast from room service. It is wonderful to sit on your own balcony with your coffee and breakfast. My husband does like to go to the Lido, as it's buffet "all you can eat". But I prefer the in room service.

 

I'm not a late night partier, so it didn't bother me at all that HAL was quiet in the evenings. I did enjoy the lounge show before retiring. And sometimes karaoke is fun to watch for a while. I play bingo usually once, no matter which ship I'm on, it's just too expensive to play more than that.

 

I've never been in a pool on any of the ships I've sailed on, so can't make a comparison on that. Always seems to be plenty of people around the pool though, on an Alaskan cruise, not many were actually in the pools.

 

Have a great cruise!

 

Actually we have only sailed on the Grand Class ships on Princess, of which the Grand is one of the smallest I think (holds 500 less passengers than Crown/Ruby/Emerald). And is our most favorite Princess ship, even if it is one of the older one.

So, I am looking forward to trying a smaller ship. Many on the Princess board rave about the smaller ship experience, so that is a plus in my mind.

 

Mike

[kywildcatfanone]

One other question comes to mind, and I really appreciate all the responses so far. What time does the buffet close for the evening? Our usual pattern on Princess is to eat dinner around 5:30 in the DR, go to a show, and then hit the buffet area to play cards till midnight - and sample some buffet food late in the evening. Is that possible on HAL?

 

Mike

[European_CruiseGirl]

One other question comes to mind, and I really appreciate all the responses so far. What time does the buffet close for the evening? Our usual pattern on Princess is to eat dinner around 5:30 in the DR, go to a show, and then hit the buffet area to play cards till midnight - and sample some buffet food late in the evening. Is that possible on HAL?

 

Mike

 

There is a late night buffet served in the Lido approx 10-11:30PM every night. Between 5 (or 6 can't remember) to 10PM there is no buffet avail on HAL ships as the Lido restaurant (HAL's buffet restaurant that serves buffet breakfast and lunch) serves the same menu as the dining room at dinner hours but has a more casual athmosphere.

[kywildcatfanone]

There is a late night buffet served in the Lido approx 10-11:30PM every night. Between 5 (or 6 can't remember) to 10PM there is no buffet avail on HAL ships as the Lido restaurant (HAL's buffet restaurant that serves buffet breakfast and lunch) serves the same menu as the dining room at dinner hours but has a more casual athmosphere.

 

Wow, am I reading this right, the buffet serves the same meal as the dining room? That would be great.

 

Princess does not do this, and lots of threads on the Princess boards related to complaints about dress codes, most of it stemming from people who feel they paid for the DR food, and don't want to be relegated to the buffet because they do not serve the same food.

 

Mike

[navybankerteacher]

Wow, am I reading this right, the buffet serves the same meal as the dining room? That would be great.

 

Princess does not do this, and lots of threads on the Princess boards related to complaints about dress codes, most of it stemming from people who feel they paid for the DR food, and don't want to be relegated to the buffet because they do not serve the same food.

 

Mike

 

That's one of the plusses on HAL. They dress up the Lido for evening meal for those who want less formal setting than MDR - but still want good food and service. Additionally, all selections are available for room serviice dinng if you really want informality.