Cruise lines private island stops

[sugarcharlie]

I'm trying to decide between a Crown Princess and Eurodam trip in March and see they both have stops at their "private Bahama island". Is there much of a difference between these or are they pretty much the same? The other concern is that HAL still allows smoking on verandas and Princess does not. I like the HAL itinerary a little more but hate smoke more. Does anyone have experience with neighboring veranda smoke bothering them, or does it all drift away?

[paul929207]

We have never had a problem with smoke from a nearby veranda. However, others report that theirs were totally unusable as people chain smoked 24 hours a day for the entire cruise.

[vmom]

Its all a matter of luck whether you are next to a smoker who spends a lot of time on the balcony smoking or not. If that is a real important factor for you, play it safe and go with Princess. I have read of people complaining of people next to them smoking so much they could not enjoy their balcony. However that said, most people who book balconies don't run into smoking neighbors as a big issue. If its a huge factor for you, play it safe and go with Princess.

 

That said, both lines are very good and you should have a good cruise experience with either one. Both have private island areas as you stated. Both are very nice by what I've heard. I've been on Princess Cays a few times and it is very nice. Never been on the HAL private island area but have read reviews that it is the best private beach area from among all the cruise lines.

[KirkNC]

The islands are pretty much the same. The smoking on balconies can be a problem. We stopped getting balconies a number of years ago, one reason was smokers, the other reason was we found we spent so little time in cabins the extra cost was not worth it for us.

 

Kirk

[Essiesmom]

I would take Half Moon Cay (HAL) over Princess Cays...Sands and beach are nicer, to me. EM

[mizLORInj]

HAl's Half Moon Cay is MUCH nicer than Princess Cays. Both are nice ships. We've not had issues with smokers on cruises. Note that if you go with an aft cabin (that faces the wake of the ship) it may be less of an issue as you won't be downwind from someone smoking on their balcony.

have fun on whichever you choose!

[Bookish Angel]

Beautiful water and sand and a very pretty small chapel.

[Mary Ellen]

According to a friend who sails both HAL and Princess, HAL's private island wins hands down. However, on our HAL Hawaii cruise, our table mates had a lot of difficulty with heavy smokers on both sides of their verandah. Not only couldn't they use their verandah, but the smoke entered their cabin. We were shocked at that. Several cruises later we had paint fumes in our cabin the day the trim on our verandah was repainted. Our verandah door was shut and locked and the cabin still reeked (marine paint REALLY stinks). If paint fumes can get in, I have no doubt smoke could too. It is all the luck of the draw about having smokers nearby. We've essentially given up booking verandahs on HAL due to this. The odds are in your favor as only about 20% of the population as a whole smokes. Since the % of smokers goes down as the socioeconomic goes up, the odds are even better for you. But with HAL allowing smoking on verandahs, they will draw more smokers from other lines, so that worsens the odds for non-smokers. We'll book insides or outsides as long as HAL allows smoking on verandas.

 

Good luck with your decision.

[cb at sea]

Maybe we've never been near a chain-smoker, but we've had neighbors who did smoke and it really wasn't a problem! Especially when underway, the smoke has always blown away quickly....on port days, we're seldom on our balcony...we're out and about!

[tip]

I would certainly have to agree that HAL's Half Moon Cay is far superior to Princess Cay.

 

I too am concerned about not being able to enjoy my balcony on the Noordam in January due to second hand smoke. This will be our sixth HAL cruise, although the first with a balcony. If we can not breathe fresh air, it will be good bye to HAL from us until they adopt a 21st Century smoking policy.

[mamasue]

Is HAL's half Moon Cay the same place as CCL,s Half Moon Cay??:confused:

[Essiesmom]

Is HAL's half Moon Cay the same place as CCL,s Half Moon Cay??:confused:

 

Yes. Named for Henry Hudson's flagship the Half Moon, which also appears on the HAL logo. EM

[1025cruise]

Half Moon Cay actually belongs to HAL. Since Carnival Cruise Lines and Holland America are both sister companies under Carnival Corporation, when Half Moon Cay is not needed for a HAL ship, Carnival is allowed to use it since they don't have their own private island.

[sugarcharlie]

Thanks for all the responses! I can get a balcony close to the front of the ship so hopefully if I have a smoker next to me it will dissipate quickly. The consensus on HALs private island sure makes me lean in that direction. I do like to sit on the veranda early and late but during most of the days at sea I'm using the health club or at the sun deck.

 

I'm new to this blog and was surprised to see so many responses when I came back from Thanksgiving dinner! It shows me how beneficial and helpful it's members are.

 

Happy Thanksgiving to you all!

[DanJ]

Adding to count that HMC is much nicer than Princess Cays (although PC isn't a dump, that's for sure).

[1025cruise]

In all honesty, the private islands are just glorified beach days, which require tendering.

 

Since I can think of numerous things I'd rather do than go to the beach, I tend to stay on the ship and book a massage that day.

[jdvmd]

Both private islands are nice but I think Half Moon Cay has the upper hand.

[tip]

In all honesty, the private islands are just glorified beach days, which require tendering.

 

You are indeed correct. And coming from frigid New Hampsha, a day on the beach in the Cairbbean in late January or early February without the tours, excursions, and shopping is the best!:D

[Zoey]

I'm trying to decide between a Crown Princess and Eurodam trip in March and see they both have stops at their "private Bahama island". Is there much of a difference between these or are they pretty much the same? The other concern is that HAL still allows smoking on verandas and Princess does not. I like the HAL itinerary a little more but hate smoke more. Does anyone have experience with neighboring veranda smoke bothering them, or does it all drift away?

 

Since my favorite activity on a cruise is to sit on my balcony all day and read, I have to say my worst cruise (out of nine or ten) was on HAL Westerdam a few years ago because of two smokers on the next balcony. There is an opening at the top of the divider and for some reason the smoke always wanted to go through that opening onto my balcony, while sitting docked and while moving. I could have put up with it occassionally, but apparently, the favorite cruise activity for the two older women who coughed pieces of their lungs up throughout the cruise, was to sit on the balcony and smoke...a lot.....most of the day.

I have also been on both Princess Cay and HAL's island, and did prefer Princess'. Whichever you choose.....HAVE FUN

[Keith1010]

I would make your decision based on the overall itinerary and the cruise line and cruise ship.

 

Keith

[Kartgv]

I'm trying to decide between a Crown Princess and Eurodam trip in March and see they both have stops at their "private Bahama island". Is there much of a difference between these or are they pretty much the same? The other concern is that HAL still allows smoking on verandas and Princess does not. I like the HAL itinerary a little more but hate smoke more. Does anyone have experience with neighboring veranda smoke bothering them, or does it all drift away?

If the smoke is coming from a veranda right next to you or below you, it will definitely drift - onto your veranda and, if your door is open, into your cabin. If you happen to have a chain smoker for a neighbor, it can be very unpleasant. When the ship is underway, you may notice it less, but when you're in port it is a definite issue. Forget watching sailaway from your balcony! Those who say it has never bothered them must have been lucky enough to not had chain smokers right next door.

[DanJ]

Another plus we found about Half Moon Cay, is they use larger, shore based tenders there and get you off the ship in a hurry, whereas at Princess Cays, they use the ship-based tenders and it can take a little longer to get the initial rush over to the island. That said, I typically am not in a rush in the morning anyway, so on Princess we usually head over around 11 and there is never much of a wait then.

[cruiseapril]

We like the Oceanview Cabins on HAL- no smoke problems. Nice cabins.

 

We also like Half Moon Cay for the day, compared to other private islands.

[lovevacadays]

I would make your decision based on the overall itinerary and the cruise line and cruise ship.

 

Keith

 

My thought too. I wouldn't choose a cruise based on which private island was best. It's a beach day and both are nice. I would do some searches comparing Princess and HAL ships, itineraries, entertainment etc.

[Talisker92]

We have never had a problem with smoke from a nearby veranda. However, others report that theirs were totally unusable as people chain smoked 24 hours a day for the entire cruise.

I am sorry Paul, but that is typical of the nonsense the anti smoking radicals and drama royalty post on the CC boards.