Westerdam- cruise 40 something

[spunke]

We are long time cruisers but have never been on HA. Have read that it is an older crowd and that the food is not as good as celebrity?? I realize this could be all subjective but any advice would be helpful.

 

We typically like to be alone have a few good meals and lay in the sun and read.

 

Will we be disapointed with the Westerdam verse The Summit or Reflection??

[CruiseWhere]

If you want to be alone..who cares how old anyone is...

Food as you said is very subjective....I'm not a foodie but do appreciate good meals and absolutely love the Pinnacle Grill!

We had a lovely two week cruise on the Westerdam last fall!

Personally I don't think you'll be disappointed:)

[George C]

We did Celebrity Solstice about 4 years ago then did Westerdam, I thought MDR was so much better on HAL, also like the entertainment on Hal, do think Lido was better on Celebrity. We have done 3 other Hal ships in last couple of years and have not done Celebrity , but I am sure we will try them again.

[Krazy Kruizers]

We just recently spent 20 days on the Westerdam -- again.

You will be fine on her.

[spunke]

Great points, I agree if we spend our time alone we shouldn't care.

 

My travel agent was steering me away from the Westerdam and just thought I would glean some advice.

 

 

Was a bit worried that since Carnival took over the quality might have been decreased?? We have sailed on Carnival it is a value oriented line, with much less to offer.

[SeagoingMom]

Haven't been on the Westerdam, but did 10-night Panama Canal cruise on Zuiderdam in 2011. I preferred the food on the Z'dam to that on Celebrity Infinity in 2006 (not that Infinity had bad food, just inconsistent.) I have not sailed on Summit or Reflection.

 

Much preferred the "ambiance" on HAL -- quiet, refined, more "nautical." I love the wraparound promenade deck, and it is perfect for lounging and reading, if you aren't promenading! We preferred HAL's entertainment: a folksy guitar player/singer in one lounge, a wonderful string quartet in another, a dance combo (which we dance to every night) on a small dance floor, a steel drum band in the theater one evening, etc. HAL had two-for-one drink specials every night in one lounge or other, too. We loved that.

 

On Infinity, I definitely enjoyed the no-extra-cost thalassotherapy pool in the solarium. HAL's was extra-cost, in the spa.

 

We really enjoyed both cruises, but I felt a little like Celebrity was a little flashy, as if trying too hard to be elegant, whereas HAL was elegant, full stop. (Yes, I recognize that HAL is not a luxury line, so by "elegant" I don't mean whatever it may be that one gets on the luxury lines, which I have not sailed with.)

 

Try HAL! Why not? Even if you end up ranking it lower than Celebrity, I bet you'll have a great cruise.

[Typhoon1]

Don't believe everything you read.

 

HAL is not age specific. People of all ages can have a great time. It is what you make of it.

[Markanddonna]

the Westerdam and was pleasantly surprised that the stereotype of the passengers being all in wheelchairs or walkers was so wrong! There were lots of people of all ages, lots of kids and three generations. Many thirty to forty year olds. Just a few people who were 75+. Most passengers were active and very healthy. I think Alaska attracts a more rigorous group of people, sometimes...

 

I was seated across two very old ladies one evening and the tiny frail one complained all the time about it being too cold: the Lido pool deck (it wasn't even cool) and all the ports being too cold. Lady, it is ALASKA. Take your cruise to the Caribbean and stay toasty. These ladies just made me smile and think that it is important to think about basics for any vacation: hate humidity and heat- stay away from a Panama Canal trip, hate the cold- think again about Alaska.

[djhsolara]

We've been on Westerdam three times and once on Celebrity Millennium. I think that both of these ships are relatively comparable. We haven't been on any of the large Celebrity ships, so no comparison there.

 

We sound very much like the OP. We pretty much stay to ourselves and enjoy time around the ship and good food.

 

A few things that we noticed as comparisons:

 

CM has both of their pools in one location, so everyone is in one area around the pools. WD has the midship pool and the aft pool, so the areas are separated and spread out.

 

CM does not have a covered pool (other than the T-pool) whereas WD does have the sliding dome for bad weather days.

 

While the T-pool is for-charge on WD, it is much less crowded than the free one on CM.

 

The food was very comparable in the lido and in the MDR on both lines. It does, however, seem that the servers were not as rushed on CM. It was like how it was on WD a few years ago, where you got to know your servers a bit. I will say, however, that we had one of the best dining experiences that we've had anywhere (and we've eaten in many 5-star restaurants all over the world) in the specialty restaurant on CM. It was perfection in food and service.

 

I've gone on and on here. If you've found this helpful and want to know anything else, just let me know.

 

 

Douglas...Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[SeagoingMom]

 

My travel agent was steering me away from the Westerdam and just thought I would glean some advice.

 

 

Was a bit worried that since Carnival took over the quality might have been decreased?? We have sailed on Carnival it is a value oriented line, with much less to offer.

 

 

Carnival took over in 1989 -- a long time ago. If you ask folks who have been cruising for decades, they will surely tell you that the quality has declined. They will tell you that the quality of cruising has declined across the board, not just on HAL.

 

If you did not sail with a line before it changed hands (HAL, in this case) you will not "notice a difference" because you did not see it before. Take the experience as it comes, and make your own judgments.

 

Did your TA give you specific reasons to avoid HAL, or Westerdam specifically (besides some prejudices he/she may have from a long history of cruising)?

[cruz chic]

I found the food on Celebrity to be either very good or very bad. There was no middle ground.

[spunke]

Really enjoy reading everyone response. Does anyone know if there will be pre-dinner music that might appeal to us ??

 

Another age questions!!

 

My TA didnt really say, just that I should expect an older crowd and less entertainment. We really haven't been to a show in many years, but we do like the live bands and music.

 

My wife also insists that we need to be able to order a hot breakfast to the room- so On celebrity that is a C3 category, but according to Hal - all rooms can order a hot breakfast???

[RuthC]

My wife also insists that we need to be able to order a hot breakfast to the room- so On celebrity that is a C3 category, but according to Hal - all rooms can order a hot breakfast???

Sure can! Even my lowly inside cabin qualifies for as grand a cabin breakfast as any suite. :D

Eggs, omelet, breakfast meats, coffee---so many more things I haven't listed. Just hang the tag on your door before retiring, or call in the morning.

If there's something you want that's not listed, write it in. If it's served in the dining room, and you want it delivered during dining room hours, it will be sent to you.

 

Every cabin can also order dinner to the cabin off the dining room menu.

[Osmosis Jones]

Can't help with ship comparisons - BUT . . .we are 39 & 40, and EVERY time we have booked with a travel agent, they have warned us about the crowd being 'older' with an undertone that we'd be better off on another line.

 

It's BOLONEY!!!

 

We have had a fantastic time on all of our HAL cruises.

Sure the crowd is on average, quite mature, but we also like to stick to ourselves much of the time and have found the crowd to be pleasant, friendly and typically interesting when we do engage with others. I'd much rather that than loud, younger, party goers. But each to their own of course.

 

The room service breakfast is great! We often order it, especially if we've had a few drinks the night before ;) It has always been on time, hot, and exactly as ordered.

 

Hope you have a wonderful cruise :)

[sonnyjane]

This thread makes me so happy! I am going for my 30th birthday because the itinerary and dates were right, but everyone I have asked said I'll feel out of place. One called Holland America a "floating mortuary". Glad to hear that everyone has had such positive experiences!

[Linda&Vern]

I wonder why Travel Agents do that ... say it's an old folks cruise line. Maybe Lisa (if you are reading this) could shed some light here. I have my personal opinion, but I'd like to hear from an expert first.

[Markanddonna]

I had my first HAL cruise in Alaska last week and was pleasantly surprised that there were many multigenerational groups, lots of 30's-50's and really not a huge number of seniors. HAL still is inherently geared in their entertainment to an older group and that is reflected in much of the entertainment. So, if you are younger than 65 and you are not a party animal, you will likely enjoy your HAL experience. I have to admit that I have never used the more "active" things like rock climbing walls or ice skating rinks on the ships I have sailed. So, think through the features of the ship carefully and know your own interests as you select.

[Gail & Marty sailing away]

Times are changing and so is the crowd on Holland America

[spunke]

Great help and points -

 

Do any of you think or have had the experience that there might be some more current live music on board before or after dinner?? Or will most of it be gear towards the older crowed??

[Krazy Kruizers]

In the Explorer's Lounge we had the Adagio Duo -- a woman playing the piano and a man playing the violin -- they were just so-so.

In the Ocean Bar we had 2 differen screaming HAL Cat groups playing.

In the Crow's Nest there was a guitarist.

[bcd2010]

Great help and points -

 

Do any of you think or have had the experience that there might be some more current live music on board before or after dinner?? Or will most of it be gear towards the older crowed??

 

My DSs and I started cruising when they were in their late 20s and they are now in their early 40s (although, for the life of me, I cannot figure out how I could possibly have middle-age children!). They always find people who, regardless of age, enjoy interacting with them. As for music, we all bring our iPods and have exactly the music we want. OTOH, if you prefer sitting in a lounge listening to live music, or dancing to it, you may or may not find what you want.

[sail7seas]

Great points, I agree if we spend our time alone we shouldn't care.

 

My travel agent was steering me away from the Westerdam and just thought I would glean some advice.

 

 

Was a bit worried that since Carnival took over the quality might have been decreased?? We have sailed on Carnival it is a value oriented line, with much less to offer.

 

 

If your TA advised HAL had diminished since Carnival 'took over', your TA would do well to get his/her information right before speaking with his/her clients. Carnival Corporation bought HAL in 1989. Were it not for that move by Carnival, it is possible HAL would have ceased to exist.

 

We spent two weeks on Westerdam over Thanksgiving 2012 and found the ship to be in good condition and well cared for. We would not hesitate to sail her again.

 

[Typhoon1]

If your TA advised HAL had diminished since Carnival 'took over', your TA would do well to get his/her information right before speaking with his/her clients. Carnival Corporation bought HAL in 1989. Were it not for that move by Carnival, it is possible HAL would have ceased to exist.

 

I think some TA base their advice on wherever they are paid a higher commission.

[Markanddonna]

I think that spending a few hours researching the cruise critic boards makes you much more expert on cruising than many travel agents out there. I found HAL to be very "multi-generational" on a recent cruise. Some agents won't book NCL because I hear that their percentage is less.

[SeagoingMom]

Really enjoy reading everyone response. Does anyone know if there will be pre-dinner music that might appeal to us ??

 

Another age questions!!

 

My TA didnt really say, just that I should expect an older crowd and less entertainment. We really haven't been to a show in many years, but we do like the live bands and music.

 

My wife also insists that we need to be able to order a hot breakfast to the room- so On celebrity that is a C3 category, but according to Hal - all rooms can order a hot breakfast???

 

 

Re: music -- can't advise without knowing what you like -- BUT on our 10 night Panama Canal cruise, there was a guitarist/singer in the Crow's Nest, very good, "easy-listening," folk, "pop" music, and she would take requests. It was perfect for our pre-dinner drinks, looking out over the bow.

 

In the Explorer's lounge, there was a string quartet -- very good! and just our taste -- elegant, refined.

 

In another lounge, we danced to a small combo, "ballroom" style (foxtrot, waltz, two-step, swing -- not flamboyant Dancing with the Stars type of dancing, for us at least : ) The music ended too early for my taste -- 11 or midnight.

 

I believe there may have been a piano bar on board (?) but we never went there. There may have been some music on the pool deck, but we did not spend much time there, either.

 

A young friend of mine sailed HAL to Alaska several years ago, and came back saying she spent all her evenings in the nightclub -- at that time, having the same impression your TA has put forth, I was shocked to hear there was a nightclub! But she had a blast! (Actually, the "nightclub" on our cruise -- Zuiderdam -- may have been the place near the casino where we took our dance lessons during the day...)

As for the theater -- we enjoyed a steel drum band brought on board from Barbados while we were in the S. Caribbean. Other entertainments were good, too, with the exception of the crew show, which we found corny (although well-meaning.) We especially loved the Captain's Welcome Aboard program -- Capt. Timmers was hilarious!

 

Our ship was definitely NOT geriatric. But it is not "Carnival Cruise Lines," either. We liked that! No one, and I mean NO ONE was in the teen area, nor the children's area, either, as far as we could see, throughout the cruise -- but again, it was a 10-night cruise. )But on a spring break, 7-night Celebrity cruise in 2006, no one was using the children's areas either, as I recall.) So little children and teens, even twenty-somethings, were nowhere to be seen, and did not "disturb the peace." We appreciated that, too. Most cruisers were probably in their 40's and above.

 

And yes, we got hot breakfast in our balcony cabin every morning! Heavenly!