NCL fans thinking of giving HAL a try.

[Bocadude85]

My partner and I have been on several NCL cruises and loved all of them. But we have grown bored with NCL's itineraries and are looking for something new. HAL has a 14 day far east cruise that we would love to try at the end of the year and we were wondering if us NCL fans would enjoy being on a HAL cruise? We are both young.. 25 to be exact.. would we fit in on this cruise?

[kazu]

My partner and I have been on several NCL cruises and loved all of them. But we have grown bored with NCL's itineraries and are looking for something new. HAL has a 14 day far east cruise that we would love to try at the end of the year and we were wondering if us NCL fans would enjoy being on a HAL cruise? We are both young.. 25 to be exact.. would we fit in on this cruise?

 

for what it's worth - at the beginning - we were huge NCL cruisers - we loved it. but that was way back. and then I tried HAL. I'll take a HAL cruise any day over an NCL (unless you are in a suite - as LAFFNLASVEGAS says they are the best). Other than that HAL has the best itineraries and I think you will be in for a very big surprise:)

[catl331]

We've never tried NCL, but my 35 y.o. DD and DSiL thought the Zuiderdam was a little dull compared to the NCL Pearl. If you're going mainly for the ports I think you'd enjoy a HAL ship.

[Sea42]

From what I've read here, on that kind of itinerary, you will probably be one of few younger people onboard. Would that be a concern for you?

[hammybee]

14 days sailing Asia is likely to attract an older crowd, regardless of the cruise line. It's a port intensive intinerary in a hot/humid climate which means most passengers are likely to be wiped out and prone to retire early regardless of the cruise line or the age of the passengers.

 

Your fellow passengers are likely to be well traveled and open to meeting people of all ages.

 

It's a fabulous intinerary and that alone would compel me to book it without reservation, unless you expect a NCL 7 day social and entertainment experience.

[TheCalicoCat]

From what I understand, if you are a suite booking high roller, stick with NCL...

 

We chose HAL for the itinerary. I was going to say not for the ship, but I did want a smaller ship & Volendam is small. We did not book for the amenities - entertainment, dining venues, suite perks.

[hypercafe]

We have done both. I would say that if the itinerary is for you do it. If you wanted the cruise experience don't. I am 64 and on a trip like this I would feel young. I also think you will miss the freestyle, resort casual style of NCL along with the on board atmosphere. They both offer a great time but are like apples and oranges.

[George C]

I also used to be a NCL fan, I think you will love HAL , food is much better, crowd on a 14 day cruise will be much older.

[LindaM]

If you don't mind being with a much older crowd, there is nothing not to like about HAL. When I was your age we sailed a lot with NCL and were very pleased with it. When I was 25, I wouldn't have liked being the youngest and being with people in their 60's and 70's all the time. That's like being with your parents and grandparents constantly. I may get slammed for this, but make sure you are first on the tour buses. Older people tend to be very slow getting off the bus! We learned that in Alaska when we were 59!!

 

I think that type of itinerary is going to attract a much older, well traveled group on most of the cruiselines, so you may not have a choice if that is the intinerary you want!

[Bocadude85]

Thanks everyone for the great replies. We are not real party animals and usually skip the clubs/parties on NCL. Though we may miss the casual style of NCL. What is the common attire on HAL in the public areas? I am not concerned with not having other passagners onboard close to our age, we have had some great times with couples much older then us. We are also open to other exotic itineraries... anyone have any suggestions? We have done the Caribbean and Central America many many times... traveled Europe pretty extensively and have also done Alaska and Hawaii.

[Hlitner]

NCL uses a very unique business model on their ships which seems to be a "love it or hate it" thing. This is particularly true when it comes to dining. Most HA ships have 2 alternative restaurants (this does vary such as on the Prinsendam where there is only 1 alternative) where you can pay a supplement for a different level of service and cuisine. Many folks love the fact that NCL has many dining venues, and if you are in this group you might miss this on HA. HA also does attract an older crowd on its longer cruises...and we find the longer the cruise the older the passengers (pretty true on most lines). On a 14 day you will probably find a mixed crowd averaging 55+ (educated guess).

 

Hank

[RuthC]

We are also open to other exotic itineraries... anyone have any suggestions? We have done the Caribbean and Central America many many times... traveled Europe pretty extensively and have also done Alaska and Hawaii.

South America, especially the Rio-Santiago w/Antarctica area.

Australia/New Zealand area. Anywhere on the Asia/Pacific rim. A segment of the World Cruise---if not the entire cruise itself!

There's a few Grand Cruises that are worth a look-see: The Circle South America, Circle Pacific, and Prinsendam round-trip from Ft. Lauderdale to Africa/Europe. A trans-Atlantic on the northern route to such places as Iceland, Greenland, Faroe Islands.

[travelnap]

Thanks everyone for the great replies. We are not real party animals and usually skip the clubs/parties on NCL. Though we may miss the casual style of NCL. What is the common attire on HAL in the public areas? I am not concerned with not having other passagners onboard close to our age, we have had some great times with couples much older then us. We are also open to other exotic itineraries... anyone have any suggestions? We have done the Caribbean and Central America many many times... traveled Europe pretty extensively and have also done Alaska and Hawaii.

Bocadude85, I have cruised both NCL and HAL and have enjoyed them both, but they are different. NCL is a more relaxed atmosphere while HAL is more of the formal cruise experience. NCL passenger mix will be younger than HAL's but on that Itineray it would be an older mix on NCL than usual as well. IMHO I would say that you would enjoy the NCL entertainment more than HAL's, but HAL has better itineraries than NCL does. Plus with the smaller ships it is easier to get on an off with HAL unless you are on one of the larger HAL ships.

 

Dining is subjective to all of us but I have not had a bad meal on either HAL or NCL. I would give HAL the nod in the MDR but I would give NCL the nod in the lido or buffet restaurant. Not because the food is better but because HAL has a better MDR menu variety and I think NCL has a better variety in the Buffet.

 

With the itinerary you are looking at it will be very port intensive and then it's less about the ship than the destinations. I usually use the ship excursions on both lines and have enjoyed them. I would give HAL a chance if you like the itinerary and see if you like it. Happy Sailing.

[Viesczy]

My partner and I have been on several NCL cruises and loved all of them. But we have grown bored with NCL's itineraries and are looking for something new. HAL has a 14 day far east cruise that we would love to try at the end of the year and we were wondering if us NCL fans would enjoy being on a HAL cruise? We are both young.. 25 to be exact.. would we fit in on this cruise?

 

We're a little older than you, 40 (me) and 45 (Karen).

 

The cruise will be great, you'll love all the stops. The ship experience won't have the NCL feel, not a good or a bad thing. You know how NCL ships sometimes look like they were decorated by Elton John when he was tripping the most acid a human has consumed and lived? You won't have the garish decor. HAL boats have a more refined feel.

 

If you're looking to be up all night, you'll be up with the crew and any other travelers that are your age, if any as that sorta cruise might not pull in a younger crowd. If you see our coming cruise in the fall, I know we're going to be amont the youngest--neither a good nor bad thing. I'm sure that the crew will tire of me before we hit Hawaii, or I'll sitting in for the guitarist every other show! \m/

 

HAL and NCL are the first lines of choice for us.

 

If both lines were going to the same places... NCL prolly would get the nod (as long as it wasn't on the cursed Dawn) if HAL was going with their dinghy class boats as those things are Lilliputian!

 

If it was Vista Class on HAL, the decision would be harder and the decision would be based off of time of year.

 

I'm sure you'll have an amazing time.

 

Derek

[michigan tim]

Among our 15 or so cruises 3 were on NCL and our only HAL experience was a couple weeks ago; Christmas on the Zuiderdam. DW and I fall into the upper 40s lower 50s range, and even though it was a holiday with lots of families onboard, we were still on the very young end of the average age, which I have no problem with. NCL has more dining options and more live music options. HAL plays canned music with their production shows, NCL has a band/orchestra. NCL has a more active vibe, but still subdued compared to all the rah, rah, rah of CCL or RCL. At 25, you'll likely be adopted as great grand children and will likely have the ship to yourself after 9pm.

 

It all depends on what you seek from your cruise. I'd sail either line in a heartbeat.

[chrispb]

Thanks everyone for the great replies. We are not real party animals and usually skip the clubs/parties on NCL. Though we may miss the casual style of NCL. What is the common attire on HAL in the public areas? I am not concerned with not having other passagners onboard close to our age, we have had some great times with couples much older then us. We are also open to other exotic itineraries... anyone have any suggestions? We have done the Caribbean and Central America many many times... traveled Europe pretty extensively and have also done Alaska and Hawaii.

To be honest, there's not that much difference between NCL & HAL You can be as casual as you like - that's what the Lido is for. You will also find (as we did) that on a far east cruise there's much more of an International mix of passengers.

I prefer the desserts and some of the entertainment on NCL and I liked the cinema on HAL.

I'd say go for it, I've been to most countries in SE Asia and love it. I'm sure you'll enjoy the trip.

[iancal]

I think it will be fine if the HAL cruise is port intensive and you do not expect a lot in the way of shipboard activiities at night. Three things stick out in my mind.

 

The first is demographics-which has been mentioned. My guess is the average age of that cruise, on a non holiday, will be in the late sixties, early seventies. Second, the ship will pretty much close down after the last 'show'. And finally, do not expect the on board entertainment to measure up to NCL's because it will not come close. If you are OK with this, then it should be fine.

[SwissMyst]

....We are also open to other exotic itineraries... anyone have any suggestions? We have done the Caribbean and Central America many many times... traveled Europe pretty extensively and have also done Alaska and Hawaii.

 

HAL constantly surprises us with many unique itineraries tucked in-between its standard one. Look first at Prinsendam, Amsterdam, and Maasdam but all the rest of them have many surprises as well usually somewhere around their major repositioning times in what could be called their "shoulder season". For the really unique, we also use MV Discovery.

 

Our last Maasdam repositioning westbound Trans-atlantic was unique in the fact it offered several overnight stops allowing a little more in-depth exploration of Naples Bay, Lisbon and Madeira.

 

Our next HAL will be a Solar Eclipse -Australia cruise in November. But Maasdam Voyage of the Vikings is a very popular collection of unique stops too. Amsterdam goes around the world, so also has some very unique segments that change with each voyage. Because Prinsendam is smaller, it can go to ports many of the larger ones cannot.

 

One of our most favorite repositioning unique itineraries was the Rotterdam's "Northern Strongholds" which I think they should do again: a wonderful sweep of UK, starting from Rotterdam, up to Scandinavia, back down to Poland, Keil Canal, and the most delightful small Danish island of Bornholm before ending in Copenhagen to start its more traditional Baltic cruise season.

[hamrag]

My partner and I have been on several NCL cruises and loved all of them. But we have grown bored with NCL's itineraries and are looking for something new. HAL has a 14 day far east cruise that we would love to try at the end of the year and we were wondering if us NCL fans would enjoy being on a HAL cruise? We are both young.. 25 to be exact.. would we fit in on this cruise?

 

Aged mid-fifties I agree with most of what has been said i.e. in summary, if it is itinery first go for it, if it is ship experience first then think about it more! Remember what one poster said about feeling like being with your parents & grandparents....only you can decide how that feels for you!

 

Is there an alternative line e.g. RCI have Voyager in Far East, are closer to NCL in ship experience, and have an excellent itinery? Might be worth thinking about.

 

Incidentally we have now cruised 21 times on 10 differing lines, and would not hesitate sailing with most cruiselines as it is mostly about itinery, and new port experiences, for us.

[cmdchiefthom]

Bocadude85,

 

I've done a good number of cruises aboard NCL as well as HAL, often times with my kids, three boys now 30, 32 and 34, and thier friends. No matter if they were on HAL, or NCL, they always enjoyed the ships, and always found things to do aboard. Yes, HAL has an older crowd, however there is always a good mixture of ages. HAL is a more classy cruise line, and that Far East itinerary would include at least three formal nights;) Frankly, the formal nights are, in part, the reason we continue to cruise HAL. If you like the itinerary, I think you'll find the HAL experience quite elegant.:)

[Bocadude85]

Thanks everyone for all the input.After a little deliberation we decided to go ahead and book the trip. We are very excited to try HAL and this itinerary.

[Globaliser]

Great! Do let us know, won't you, what you thought when you've done it?

 

I've done lots of NCL cruises but don't much like the line (I don't get to choose the line on those occasions), and really loved coming back to HAL last year because of the things that were different. But there'll be as many people whose preferences are the other way around.

[iancal]

Congrats. I am certain that you will have a wonderful cruise with HAL.

[butterfly1968]

My partner and I have been on several NCL cruises and loved all of them. But we have grown bored with NCL's itineraries and are looking for something new. HAL has a 14 day far east cruise that we would love to try at the end of the year and we were wondering if us NCL fans would enjoy being on a HAL cruise? We are both young.. 25 to be exact.. would we fit in on this cruise?

 

Hi there, I think we met on the SUN Baltic-trans in Sept? I just returned from the zaandam 16 day Australia to Singapore and hated every minute of it. Besides the $50Cost for a $25 Indonesia visa with 100% markup, it just got worse. I did speak to oth HAL fans who said HaL are usually better and the Zaandam is due for dry docking in Oct 2012. The food and cabin service was great, everything else was poor with the shore ex and front desk being appalling. Hope this helps, Kerry

[Dejah Thoris]

ive done NCL and princess. both have great boats with lots of great laid back people. Holland can be kind of stuffy.