Celebrity Cruisers do HAL - Long!

[oceanbear]

It will be a long time before we sail HAL again! Why? Because we were spoiled by a Deluxe Suite on our first cruise and it will be a long time before we can afford that again. Seriously, I would not hesitate to cruise a HAL ship again.

I am a long time Celebrity cruiser and I did do a lot of comparing while onboard; however, I’ll preface my comments by saying, my DW and I both had an enjoyable cruise. My comparison is between Oosterdam (my only HAL experience) and Celebrity “X” M-Class ships.

 

General:

Oosterdam is a bit smaller with fewer passengers. It needs a little work in the carpet maintenance, but it’s a nice looking ship

 

Embarkation:

We checked in at 1PM- Smooth & Fast with No waiting. Unlike X, there was no glass of champagne as we boarded, and no one to lead us to our cabin; however, our suite was ready, and we were greeted by a stateroom attendant and our luggage was on the bed ready to unpack. This was a Deluxe Suite, so Champagne (Pol Clement) was iced and waiting. It was not the best but it was drinkable, unlike the complimentary stuff they were serving on my last Celebrity cruises. These suites do not come with a butler as they would on X, but rather have a Concierge available to assist with any and all requests. I actually find that butlers can be intrusive and prefer this concierge concept. Disembarkation was fast and painless.

 

Stateroom:

We booked a “Guarantee SC” and got a great upgrade! A “Deluxe SA Suite”! What can I say? Very nice! Great location, large room, tons of storage, very thick king mattress (much better than anything I’ve experienced on X or RCL), separate dressing area, two sinks, and a large bath with whirlpool tub and shower and a 2nd separate shower, and a large deck and table with 4 chairs. Very nice indeed!

 

The suite came with access to the “Neptune Lounge” which was available every day, and even during boarding times. The lounge provides snacks, a coffee/espresso machine and it is where the concierge sits ready to book reservations and handle special requests etc! A real plus!

 

Public Areas:

I noticed the elevator banks are spread out into small groups so everyone doesn't crowd together in the same area, but I wasn’t convinced that was a great idea as elevators across the hall often are the ones that stop while you stand waiting for the bank you selected. Some lounges seemed tucked away in hard to find spots.

 

Dining:

Lido (Lunch) – We enjoyed the décor of the Lido area. Made us feel like we were dining in a tropical restaurant like the old “Ports of Call”, but the food was typical "Lido food". Variety was similar to Celebrity but again the quality and taste points go to X. The only exception was the stir-fry, which was much better on Oosterdam. Also, Oosterdam needs more drink stations in the Lido area.

 

The MDR décor also has a definite Southeast Asian influence, very attractive while less formal than on X. While the low ceilings seem more confining, they are offset by the curves of the room, which help to break up the dining room. The square vs. round tables (on X) for two seemed roomier too. On formal evenings, the chair coverings didn’t present a very attractive effect, and the staff didn’t really appear very formally dressed either.

Celebrity’s food in the MDR used to be fabulous, now the best you can expect seems to be just "good to very good". Food in Oosterdam’s MDR was just OK. The complimentary Cappuccinos with dessert are a nice touch that Celebrity should adopt.

 

Food in X’s specialty restaurants is still excellent, and any of the specialty restaurants I’ve tried on M-Class are better that the “Pinnacle” on Oosterdam. All I can say is in Pinnacle they try, but food quality, preparation and ambiance all fall short.

 

The Pinnacle venue is not as elegant as on X and noise from the surrounding areas easily intrudes on the restaurant. Service is friendly but not as professional as on X. The wine list is limited and seems to focus on wines exceeding $60/btl. The wine steward seemed a tad disappointed that I managed to fine a more reasonably priced bottle of Gewürztraminer. Dinner was disappointing. The Caesar Salad was too heavily dressed for my taste, even after being asked how we would like it, and the Lobster Bisque was just adequate. I must admit DW enjoyed them both more than I did. After sending both our entrees back once for being overcooked, my veal chop still lacked the taste and texture of true quality meat, and while DW’s King Salmon was better, it still was not memorable. The desserts were very disappointing! The Chocolate Volcano (Lava Cake) was dried out, and DW’s vanilla soufflé was floury and gummy, both were inedible.

 

We tried “Canaletto” one evening. The food was visually pleasing, but quality was lacking. The service was good as it was in the other dining venues. An attempt at casual elegance fell short. When the person pouring the wine calls himself a “sommelier” but can’t pronounce “Spatlese” properly, something is amiss, but the German Mosel wine was excellent and very reasonably priced at only $25. As for the food, the seafood pasta dish I had for an entrée was again just OK, and DW’s Chicken Marsala was unlike any “Chicken Marsala” either of us has ever had. The chicken was tender but it must have walked through the Marsala. Overall, I think the concept is nice; give the passengers an alternative dining venue with reservations required, but they need to step it up a bit on the food.

 

Service:

Service aboard Oosterdam had a definite Asian flair, while X is more European. Both are fine just a different feel to them. Celebrity service used to be generally outstanding throughout their ships, but lately service especially in the MDR and in the staterooms seemed to have suffered from a cut in staff, making the service harried and uneven. This did not seem to be the case on Oosterdam. Overall service was good throughout the ship. The only serious shortcoming was when dining in our suite. Since we were in a deluxe suite we were allowed to order from the MDR menu; however, the food was just brought to the room and dropped off. No attempt or offer was made to bring in the balcony table or to serve our food. We found out later that “table service” was by “by request”. Unfortunately we didn’t know, so we used the coffee table. We did not eat in the suite again.

 

Entertainment:

We skipped most of the ship’s entertainment and spent most of our time in our suite, or in the lounge areas. We did watch a film and found the film theater seating to be very comfortable and the screen size to be adequate although the sound system needs improvement. The seating was limited but there were always multiple screenings throughout the day. The free popcorn was nice too.

 

Some other Oosterdam positives:

The ship offered a couple of Internet “Happy Hours” during which connection charges are 50% less, plus a reduced price Internet package on the last day of the cruise; good for confirming reservations, online check-ins etc. Free Internet access to Nytimes.com – All very nice!

We were served whole lobster tails in the MDR.

Oosterdam has the traditional “wrap-around” Promenade deck.

There is a daily Happy Hour from 4:00 to 5:00 (Buy one - 2nd only $1) Great idea! I think it works well for the cruise line too as people keep buying additional drinks after Happy Hour ends.

Hot Espresso coffee drinks at the coffee bar are only $2.40 (single) - $2.80 (double), half the price that X was charging on our last 2 cruises. X’s tasted better but twice as good? I think not!

 

Some Oosterdam negatives:

Smoking is allowed. This is one area where X truly shines for us, where very limited smoking is allowed. Anyway, on this cruise we only got occasional whiffs but not really offensive, except in the casino and in one passageway on our deck in the forward area of the suites (7050 – 7048). We were so thankful our suite was nowhere near that area. It was foul! We felt sorry for the next passengers occupy those suites.

Oosterdam does need some carpet cleaning and repairs here and there.

A large number of male passengers seemed to think that “Levis” even “worn ones” constituted “slacks” suitable for the evening meal in the MDR. Staff did nothing to correct this, but it happens on X too. A significant number of male passengers, even seniors, showed up with tie but no jacket for the formal dinners. Even when they were offered a jacket several men were seated without one. I know this a bone of contention with many passengers, but if people know the rules, and they are posted, follow them. IMO, The evening’s attire is part of the ambiance of the event for everyone.

There were children in the "Adults Only" pool/spa on occasion, but that happens on X too.

 

We’ve cruised to the Mexican Rivera several times in the past, so the port stops held no allure for us and we went ashore only briefly in PV. Our main purpose for this cruise was to celebrate our 41st wedding anniversary and just be lazy and relax. This cruise filled the bill!

[Krazy Kruizers]

thank you for your review

 

glad you liked the deluxe suites -- we always book an sa

 

happy 41st anniversary

[KirkNC]

Thanks for the review and comparison contrast with X. We have sailed on Solstice and enjoyed it very much. I really wish HAL would read some of these reviews on Pinnacle. It could really be a magic place but as you experienced, it isn't that way in a consistent manner.

 

Kirk

[erewhon]

Thank you for your review.

Congratulations on your 41st Anniversary.

[Mary Ellen]

Thank you for the comparison. I'm glad you enjoyed your cruise.

Since we were in a deluxe suite we were allowed to order from the MDR menu;

Just to avoid confusion, this is available to all passengers on HAL - no matter the cabin category. Yes, even those in the least expensive inside cabins are allowed to order room service off the MDR menu.

[kazu]

Thank you for your review. It was very interesting. and comparisons are always great.

 

We have been very lucky with the Pinnacle so far and by the way, in case you sail HAL again, if you order a wine package and find a bottle you like, you can ask to have it sent to the Pinnacle to drink with your meal.:D

 

your wine steward will take care of it for you. The one thing I find the PG lacking in is their wine choices JMO though

[Hobbsey]

What a thoughtful and well balanced review. Thanks for your views. I haven't cruised X in many years and it makes me want to try them again. We did our honeymoon on Century when she was nearly new - we loved our butler.

 

HAL ambiance with their clear connections to their sailing past hits a soft spot with me and I have never had consistently better, friendlier service than from their Indo / Phil staff.

[scopewest]

Did you try breakfast in the Pinnacle? We enjoy that suite perk.

[Cruizer Bill]

Thanks again for your review and Happy Anniversary!

I understand Oosterdam is scheduled for drydock soon. Guess you hit her at the end of her maintenance cycle.

Did you try HAL's Raisin Buns? They are the greatest! :):):)

[sd1]

It will be a long time before we sail HAL again! Why? Because we were spoiled by a Deluxe Suite on our first cruise and it will be a long time before we can afford that again. Seriously, I would not hesitate to cruise a HAL ship again.

I am a long time Celebrity cruiser and I did do a lot of comparing while onboard; however, I’ll preface my comments by saying, my DW and I both had an enjoyable cruise. My comparison is between Oosterdam (my only HAL experience) and Celebrity “X” M-Class ships.

 

Thank you for your thoughtful review. We took a cruise on the Oosterdam in March and found it a wonderful experience. We booked very close to the sail date because the price was so attractive. We booked an SC and were assigned to an SA, not far from the Neptune Lounge. What an amazing cabin. We were truly surprised that it really looked in real life like it did in the catalog where they use wide angle lenses :). We enjoyed our cabin so much we spent a great deal of time relaxing there. The couch was angled and I found I could sit so that I could sit with my feet up and face the large windows and watch the world go by. I hardly moved the whole cruise!

 

We had a marvelous trip, partly because we enjoyed the spacious room so much but truly because of the happy countenance of the personnel. We cruised several years ago with Regents. It is not fair to compare given the very different products but I must say I felt more comfortable and enjoyed the staff more on HAL than on Regents.

 

I agree with all of your assessments regarding the food. We ate in the Pinnacle Grill four times because we decided it was more comfortable and the food better than the MDR. As you noted, the food in the MDR was adequate to good. The food in the Pinnacle was variable. It was interesting that our wait staff actually brought us additional food, almost as if they were worried that the first things we ordered were not going to be up to the standards they believed were best. By third night we let them decide for us what we were going to have. We had the same table staff each time we ate there.

 

We took our own wine as it was a special treat for my DH who loves wine. The sommelier was very generous in spirit about us bringing our own wine and spent time discussing the wines with us which we enjoyed very much.We were pretty shocked at the $18.00 corkage fee but we did not regret bringing our own wine.We opened a different bottle each night but we could have opened fewer. HAL will store your wine for you until you next meal if you choose.

 

We found in suite dining to be the one truly unhappy thing about our trip. In reading your review I discovered we could have ordered from the MDR. For some reason that eluded me. Next trip I will know!

 

I found the concierge staff in the Neptune lounge to be incredible. They encouraged us to ask for anything at any time and they cheerfully helped us with even the most esoteric things.

 

I am working to see if I can take my family on a cruise for Christmas. We have been torn between the lower price on Celebrity (Summit Sky Suite) and the positive experience we had on HAL. The butler service and better food was tugging me toward Celebrity but your review and my experience are tugging me back to HAL. Again, thanks for the great review and the insights.

[BoiseIdahoSpud]

Enjoyed reading your review. We're loyal to HAL now (love the Indonesian and Filipino crews and traditional ambience) but our very first cruise was on Celebrity Summit. We LOVED the "Normandie" premium dining experience and the solarium pool. Still miss those for sure! Happy to know you enjoyed the warm HAL hospitality!

[LVSue]

What a lovely, civilized review and discussion! SIL and I feel really at home on HAL ships, but we can relate to some of your complaints (especially lack of table with room service; I could swear on the Prinsendam we had that). We have also become disillusioned with the Pinnacle. But we love the crew, too (like BIS), and despite minor discomfitures, we’ll probably cruise HAL forever; however, we can understand those who want to venture out. (I think we’re past venturing.)

[oceanbear]

Glad my review was well received!

We never got up early enough to eat a “hot" breakfast, so we never tried the PG for breakfast. We always ate a continental breakfast in the Neptune Lounge, so we never tried HAL’s raisin buns either.

One HAL “positive” I failed to mention is the wine policy allowing an unlimited amount wine to be brought onboard. Celebrity limit is 2 bottles per stateroom and only during the initial embarkation. HAL’s $18 corkage is also better than the $25 on X.

[off2ctheworld]

Happy Anniversary! Thank you for this review! We've had questions about X that you answered so well. Hope to enjoy a SA cabin someday.

[portofrome]

Congratulations on your Anniversary. Thanks for the review.

[woody14h]

One of the better reviews in a while. We also love HAL and X. Last 3 cruises were on HAL. No other reason except the timing and itinerary. We love the friendly faces of the crew on the HAL ships. Both crews seem much more harried these days. It used to be fun to discuss items with the MDR stewards such as shore excursions, families etc. Not enough time now.

 

Our biggest complaint on HAL is the smoking policy but it wasn't that intrusive on the last 2 cruises. Biggest complaint on X is the pricing of alcohol beverages in the room. Up to 3 times HAL prices.

[PCruzer]

I really enjoyed reading your review. My husband and I have not been on an X cruise in a very long time. Our last one was on the Century. We did a number of X Bermuda cruises in the early 90's....Horizon & Zenith. Loved those smaller ships, and at the time, the food was outstanding.

 

Glad you enjoyed your SA suite on HAL. Happy Anniversary!

[Roz]

Thank you for taking the time to write a very fair, balanced review. I've never sailed on Celebrity, but agree with almost everything you wrote about the Oosterdam and HAL.

 

Aren't those deluxe suites wonderful? I had one for the first time last October, and the Neptune Lounge is quite a perk. My sister and I used it a lot.

 

Roz