HAL Vista-class vs Celebrity Millenium-class (pre-Solsticizing)

[sailandcruise]

I recently cruised on both HAL's Vista Class (Zuiderdam) and Celebrity's Millenium Class (Summit) and found them very similar. I had a great time on both :D , and I would choose either of these two lines for future cruises depending on itinerary and price. :) The ships are similar in size and passenger capacity; they both have great service; the food and entertainment quality and variety are comparable; they both offer the option of fixed or walk-in dining. But there are some distinct differences that matter to me that I note below. (I'm sure there are other differences that don't matter much to me, and I am not listing -- please don't take this as a complete list, just as a set of personal preferences. ;) ) I wish that there was a line that combined what I like about both these lines and classes of ships.

 

Things I like better about HAL: (1) main dining room breakfast menu -- wide variety with several international options. (2) ability to bring aboard unlimited amounts of wine. (3) daily teas in the main dining room, especially the Indonesian and Dutch teas. (4) NY Times summaries available daily and free access to the NY Times web site. (5) complimentary bathrobes. (6) selection of books in the library -- I can always find one I want to read -- and location of the library with large windows. (7) Promenade deck with comfortable teak lounge chairs that circles the ship. (8) Recycling section of cabin wastebaskets for paper. (9) Shampoo/conditioner/gel dispensers in bathtubs/showers (instead of those little plastic bottles that are wasteful and environmentally unfriendly). (10) complimentary espresso drinks in the main dining room.

 

Things I like better about Celebrity: (1) Only one daily announcement. (HAL did this three times a day and emphasized "revenue generating" activities such as bingo and sales in the shops -- annoying. :( ) (2) Tuesday sales allowing for last minute bookings at significantly reduced fares, often with moderate single supplements. (3) Free thalassotherapy pool in the solarium. (4) Aqua Spa cafe. (5) No-smoking policy. (6) large complimentary sauna in men's locker room. (7) no more Park West "art" auctions.

 

I also would book other classes of ships on either of these lines, recognizing that on HAL the other classes are (mostly) smaller ships (R&S class, which I actually prefer to the Vista-class ships) and on Celebrity the other ships are mostly larger (Solstice class, on which I have not yet sailed).

 

I also posted this comparison here on the Celebrity boards: http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=32075894#post32075894

[sailandcruise]

(8) "Oceans Ahead" presentations by senior officers on navigation, propulsion, maneuvering, etc.

[localady]

Thank you for your review and comparison.

I agree with your comparison of the lines in my experience also. I have been on the Infinity and Millennium as well as the Oosterdam, Westerdam and Noordam. I do like the free solarium T pool on the M class ships, it was much larger than the "for pay" T pool on HAL and was lovely to use in Alaska.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you for the comparison.

 

HAL just brought back Park West art auctions about the middle of November. We never bother with them.

[kazu]

Thanks for your comparisons. very interesting. I hope HAL is bringing the Park West auctions back to all the ships :(

[iancal]

Have to agree with your assessment. It is very fair.

 

I will add one other item. Try the Solstice class ships. We find they are far superior to the Vista and Millennium class ships.

 

We find that they are better laid out and actually feel less crowded than than the Vista or Millennium class. We also think that the decor gives the Solstice class ships a very airy and open feeling.

[GeriatricNurse]

Thanks for your comparisons. very interesting. I hope HAL is bringing the Park West auctions back to all the ships :(

 

Didn't you forget the word "not"? :confused:

[kelmac]

Have to agree with your assessment. It is very fair.

 

I will add one other item. Try the Solstice class ships. We find they are far superior to the Vista and Millennium class ships.

 

We find that they are better laid out and actually feel less crowded than than the Vista or Millennium class. We also think that the decor gives the Solstice class ships a very airy and open feeling.

 

I agree with the OP and I agree with iancal ! Solstice Class ships are a game changer in the world of large cruise ships. We've been three times with three more planned.

 

Enjoy!

Kel:)

[realnurse2]

Totally agree with your comparisons between HAL and Celebrity and have one of my own to add.

I have food allergies and felt safer on Celebrity due to the strict attention paid to me ( and others I am sure! ) about my restrictions in the dining room. Now on HAL the dining room staff appear stressed and very busy. From a food allergy point that is when mistakes happen.

[George C]

thanks love the wine policy on HAL and the No-smoking policy on Celeberity.

[Susie51]

Thank you for your comparison. The HAL Vista class ships I have sailed on include: Zuiderdam, Oosterdam, and Westerdam. With -X- I have been on Infinity. One addition that I would make in favor of -X- is that I found it a lot easier to find a table at the buffet on Infinity than on Vista class ships. A point in favor of HAL is the Kitchen demonstrations in the Culinary Arts Lounge.

[sailandcruise]

Totally agree with your comparisons between HAL and Celebrity and have one of my own to add.

I have food allergies and felt safer on Celebrity due to the strict attention paid to me ( and others I am sure! ) about my restrictions in the dining room. Now on HAL the dining room staff appear stressed and very busy. From a food allergy point that is when mistakes happen.

 

Surprisingly, I had the opposite experience. I try to minimize sugar and fat intake, and HAL had sugar-free muffins at breakfast, sugar-free jam whenever I asked, and a wide selection of no-sugar-added desserts (including a whole section at the Dessert Extravaganza), whereas Celebrity had only a single dessert each night in the main dining room (HAL also had this). I was particularly disappointed that none of the baked goods in the Aqua-Spa cafe were sugar free. I also found that the staff in the Summit's dining room was slower and busier than on the Zuiderdam. Perhaps this depends on the specifics of the sailing?

[sailandcruise]

I agree with the OP and I agree with iancal ! Solstice Class ships are a game changer in the world of large cruise ships. We've been three times with three more planned.

 

Enjoy!

Kel:)

 

I hope to be able to enjoy a Solstice class ship sometime too. :D

[djhsolara]

Thank you for doing your comparison. We recently sailed on our first Celebrity sailing (Millennium). I agree with many of your points. I love the Aqua Spa Cafe, however did not enjoy the free T-pool. The T-pool on Millennium was too hot and often very crowded...so I'll stick with the pay option on HAL with a few less people and water that is not quite so hot.

 

We're looking forward to perhaps an "S" class sailing on Celebrity...anxious to see these groundbreaking ships...but still HAL is our line of choice.

 

:) :)

[GeriatricNurse]

Thank you for doing your comparison. We recently sailed on our first Celebrity sailing (Millennium). I agree with many of your points. I love the Aqua Spa Cafe, however did not enjoy the free T-pool. The T-pool on Millennium was too hot and often very crowded...so I'll stick with the pay option on HAL with a few less people and water that is not quite so hot.

 

We're looking forward to perhaps an "S" class sailing on Celebrity...anxious to see these groundbreaking ships...but still HAL is our line of choice.

 

:) :)

 

Was the T-Pool "Adults Only"? :confused:

[George C]

I hope to be able to enjoy a Solstice class ship sometime too. :D

 

The Solstice is a great ship really beautifull, but the service and food in MDR was terrible ( at least on my voyage) , ship was so nice that we will give them another try, also have some great restuarnts ( other than mdr, we had table mates leave at 10pm one night and they were still waiting for main cource)

[djhsolara]

Was the T-Pool "Adults Only"? :confused:

 

I believe, but I can't say for sure. I don't remember kids in there.

 

 

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[RMLincoln]

We were on Constellation for 2 weeks in Spring 2011 and had bathrobes. Has Celebrity taken this away? We were in an inside room so they weren't a suite perk.

 

We had excellent food and service on X, used open dining and enjoyed it very much.

 

I missed tea on X but they did have one or two for about $20 or $25 pp which I did not pay.

 

Yes, the Solarium seemed to be adults only but i didn't investigate that.

 

Looking forward to 24 days on Maasdam soon and I hope we'll not be disappointed by the changes and cutbacks I reading about on HAL - I'm sure the other lines are doing that too to stay afloat financially. But I usually find better deals on HAL and our Constellation cruise was unusually low priced for X.

 

Hard to have a bad day on a cruise ship!! m--

[fleckle]

We were on Constellation for 2 weeks in Spring 2011 and had bathrobes. Has Celebrity taken this away? We were in an inside room so they weren't a suite perk.

Celebrity provides bathrobes for its passengers in all cabin categories.

We had excellent food and service on X, used open dining and enjoyed it very much.

 

I missed tea on X but they did have one or two for about $20 or $25 pp which I did not pay.

Those are the "elegant" (fancy-shmancy) teas. Constellation also has casual afternoon tea that is free to everyone each day on deck 10. One of Cruise Critic's contributors, elean7seas, posted some photos from X's free afternoon tea on Millennium, a sister ship to the Constellation.

 

Afternoon Tea Photos

 

Yes, the Solarium seemed to be adults only but i didn't investigate that.

You are right. It is adults only, but they sometimes make exceptions and have hours when they do allow children to use it on cold weather cruises.

 

Looking forward to 24 days on Maasdam soon and I hope we'll not be disappointed by the changes and cutbacks I reading about on HAL - I'm sure the other lines are doing that too to stay afloat financially. But I usually find better deals on HAL and our Constellation cruise was unusually low priced for X.

 

Hard to have a bad day on a cruise ship!! m--

I agree and also enjoy both HAL and X. Sometimes we find better deals on one and sometimes on the other. Each has advantages and disadvantages.