Celebrity, Holland America, and Princess

[jhuntermartin]

If there are any Past Passengers of these Cruise Lines I would love to hear about the differences between the three lines. As I see of it of the Larger Ship Cruise Lines I feel these are three more that market to the same group of people and are me and my wife's favorite. We have cruised all three. However, have not been on Celebrity and Princess for a while.

[jackdiamond]

If there are any Past Passengers of these Cruise Lines I would love to hear about the differences between the three lines. As I see of it of the Larger Ship Cruise Lines I feel these are three more that market to the same group of people and are me and my wife's favorite. We have cruised all three. However, have not been on Celebrity and Princess for a while.

We have cruised all three; and, our preferences are (1) Celebrity, (2) Princess and, (3) Holland.

[RickT]

We've also cruised all three. In order of preference:

1) Celebrity

2) Princess of me, HAL for DW

3) HAL, Princess for DW

 

Each has some very good features but overall the combination of food, service and ships helps Celebrity win out in our opinion.

 

When looking for a cruise if Celebrity offers an itinerary we like at a decent price we'll book with them. If not, we'll see what Princess and Hal have to offer. I really don't think you can go wrong with any.

[ozmarlene]

I have cruised all and my choice is #1 celebrity #2princess and I personally do not care for HAL.

While I like celebrity the most, I feel princess often has best itineraries.

[jocelysue]

In order of preference:

 

HAL

Princess

Celebrity

 

We like the fact that HAL has full baths in almost every cabin, has the YUM YUm man, offers films with popcorn, and has a top deck where you can sit out at night and Watch the stars, often with a lecturer on hand to explain them to you. Also all menus available for room service. Minor point: classical Entertainment great, other Entertainment, dismal. Of course this is subjective. Food equally good everywhere.

[hokiecruisers]

Celebrity

Princess

Holland

 

A lot depends on your age, expectations and preferences. They are all different and have their good points!

[OuiOnboard]

Sorry, but i can't help. They are all very close with each having it's +'s and -'s. Try them again and you will know which is your best fit. Happy Sails.

Edited January 1, 2014 by OuiOnboard

[Christine Frances]

In order of preference:

 

HAL

Princess

Celebrity

 

We like the fact that HAL has full baths in almost every cabin, has the YUM YUm man, offers films with popcorn, and has a top deck where you can sit out at night and Watch the stars, often with a lecturer on hand to explain them to you. Also all menus available for room service. Minor point: classical Entertainment great, other Entertainment, dismal. Of course this is subjective. Food equally good everywhere.

 

Who the heck is the "Yum Yum man"? Is he the same as the "washy washy" man on NCL? X has the wonderful lawn where you can see the stars at night along with MDR menus for room service. ps never use a bathtub, not even at home:D

[sjh422]

First place for me goes to princess. --love the piazzas

celebrity is second

[BKFlowerMound]

We have cruised all three; and, our preferences are (1) Celebrity, (2) Princess and, (3) Holland.

 

Been on all three - once all in the same year - and I would rank them the same way (for me). Why?

 

I'm trying to write my impressions of HAL without sounding like a jerk. You see, I like older people (I'm headed there myself). Their experiences make for great conversations, but . . . I found HAL too old for my tastes. The music, the entertainment, the food - everything - seemed geared for the 70+ crowd and the ships seem lifeless to me. After the last HAL cruise, I pray that I don't become one of those grumpy entitled people shouting at each other to move the others scooter out of the way in the lido buffet to get to the jello. Yes, I liked the yum yum man, the day of the week in the elevator, but not enough to overcome the demographic issue and the smoking on balconies (or is that now gone). When I was 18, I had a blast on Carnival. Now, I feel I've aged out of it. At 50, I haven't yet aged in to HAL. Some will say that the time of year, destinations, and length of the cruise have more to do with the average age of your fellow passengers. And while I agree that is true, I think it's also true that all things being equal, you'll find HAL's average age to be significantly higher than Celebrity's or Princess's.

 

We liked Princess but preferred X primarily because of the smoking policy. Now that Princess has changed theirs, they're back on our list. X still has the edge because the ships feel less crowded, the cabin designs are better (more useable space albeit less storage), free ice cream, drinks packages, better decor. Princess, however, has more deck space (pools ), which isn't really a priority for us but is for others.

[Oville]

Celebrity

Holland

Princess

 

Not sure we'd cruise Princess again.

[BKFlowerMound]

Who the heck is the "Yum Yum man"? Is he the same as the "washy washy" man on NCL? X has the wonderful lawn where you can see the stars at night along with MDR menus for room service. ps never use a bathtub, not even at home:D

 

When you leave the MDR on HAL, there is a man dressed in red with a pillbox hat passing out treats, candied ginger, chocolates, mints, etc.

 

They are always friendly Indonesian gentlemen and it's oddly nice. If you google it and click images, you can see lots of pictures. Here's a link to a thread on the HAL boards about them:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=684608

Edited January 1, 2014 by BKFlowerMound

[Xport]

In order of preference:

 

HAL

Princess

Celebrity

 

Your cruise history suggests that you haven't sailed Celebrity yet! I don't understand how one can rank the three cruise lines under discussion here on that basis...

Edited January 1, 2014 by Xport

[NJ Fred]

"X" used to rank #1 in my book. However, Princess has moved into that slot based on a comparison of our last four voyages over the past 18 months.

 

Celebrity's cutbacks are simply too noticeable. They are ruining a once-stellar product. The nickel and diming is starting to remind me of Carnival; not that obnoxious yet but certainly far more obvious than it once was.

 

"X" seems to be straying from the market that made it a success - the market that spent the money needed to construct their "S" class vessels. I do not fancy loud, intrusive music when trying to sip a glass of wine or post-meal brandy. What happened to the charming and serene background music that made one feel as if they were relaxing in a lounge?

 

Princess has come a long way. Their attentiveness to the customer is worlds better than before Alan Buckelew (now moved on) took the helm. Michael Bayley should study Alan's methods and procedures - he could learn a few things.

 

We only sail Holland when the deal is too good to refuse. We find their ships too "sterile." Functional but minimal "sex appeal."

 

Just my observations and conclusion. Might not be yours.

 

That's why there's competition. The oceans have the same salt water - but you can sail through it aboard ships of different line.

 

Hoist the anchor and let's get underway!

Edited January 1, 2014 by NJ Fred

[C 2 C]

We started cruising with HAL then Princess then Celebrity and NCL and RCI.

 

We have cruised with Princess a dozen times, the last in 2004.

We have cruised with HAL 161 days, the last in 2008.

 

HAL still has the most interesting itineraries for us.

 

We have cruised on Celebrity over 100 times and only a world cruise would get us to stray from the cruise line now.

 

Many talk about the downgrade in Celebrity's on board experience.

Unless one cruises on all of them within a short period of time, comparisons are very difficult. There are just too many changes on a continuous basis.

 

Another problem with comparing experiences is that they vary by ship as well.

We have noticed a real improvement in the MDR on Constellation this year.

Our latest 2 month voyage was one of our best experiences ever. However if one looks at reviews others hated the experience.

 

We love Celebrity, especially the M-Class. They just provide a consistency of product that we did not find with HAL or Princess.

Princess no longer has any appeal for us but HAL's itineraries, especially their Grand Voyages are very interesting.

[Hlitner]

This is one of the most constructive comparison threads we have seen in some time. So here is our story, Elite on Princess, Elite on Celebrity and 4 Star Mariners on HAL. I am starting to think we just cannot do a valid comparison so we just keep cruising with all 3 of these lines :). Just got off the Eclipse 2 weeks ago, going on the Ruby Princess in the spring and then on the Oosterdam in the fall. Each line does have their pluses and minuses and there are some major differences between the various ships. In fact, ship and itinerary selection is probably a more important factor then the actual cruise line.

 

There is one factor that might impact on younger folks (we are in our 60s). On our cruises we have found differences in the age groups on these lines with HAL having the oldest crowd (especially on longer cruises), then Celebrity and finally Princess with more a mix with many more younger cruisers.

 

Hank

[TomTN]

Out of 10

X 9

HAL 7

Princess 4

 

I sailed on the wrong Princess ship. Caribbean Princess. It is one of those where they added many cabins, but did nothing to accommodate the extra passengers in the dining rooms(especially buffet) or other public areas(especially theater). I don't like MUTS, especially during the day, but also at night. I don't like having to get to the theater an hour before the show to get a seat. I don't like being a crowd that can barely move(human gridlock). Their pizza was excellent.

If you sail princess I would choose a different ship. One that has not been drastically modified. Many people enjoy that environment. To each his own.

 

HAL, I like, but prefer X. We have not sailed on HAL since 2005.

 

X, Crummy coffee. Other than that my complaints are minor. Suits me.

 

I think you are correct about those being the top three of the mainstream lines. You'll see and meet nice folks on all three.

[tunaman2011]

Greetings

 

We have sailed multiple times on all three. At the present time, Celebrity is our line of choice. For us they are all excellent lines and we would gladly sail on any of them, but the Celebrity smoking policy is a big selling point for us. While the other lines have reduced indoor smoking, it is still allowed. The worst place is always the casino and the casino is always centrally located where it is almost impossible to avoid. Celebrity has other factors we think are superior, but the smoking policy is the "swing vote".

 

Smokers probably feel totally different and may shun Celebrity because of the restrictions. I am not a "smoker hater" just one that doesn't like the smell indoors.

 

Good Sailing

Tom

[Denny01]

Good thread.

Celebrity then Princess then HAL way back.

Just found HAL stuck with the 1940-50's music and attitude so won't go any further about it.

Enjoyed all cruises, but put Celebrity ahead:

1. SRs. Princess standard SR was more cramped and shower was very small with curtain wrapped on me. We aren't big people either. So for Princess, we upgrade to mini-suites. It is differently larger but then pricing is more.

 

2. Dining. Quality of food was comparable. I liked the Celebrity buffet setup better and more choices. Princess International Cafe was tops with great sandwiches and deserts. Our favorite area on Princess.Celebrity has El Bacio for snacks, and Bistro on 5, our favorite, but costs $5pp....no big deal (to me).

 

3. Service. Both excellent but Celebrity a cut above. Celebrity room stewards consistently went that extra step. MDR Celebrity service is fantastic. Princess was great too, but when we had a large group, they tried to have one team support all of us and it took way too long for dinner.

 

4. Common Areas. Both ships had good bars, lounges and common ares. I found Celebrity to have a less crowded feel, more seating and open areas. the Princess theaters on the 3 different ships were too small for the number of passengers. To get 2 decent seats together you had to show up 45min or more early.. Too painful.

 

5. Entertainment. Princess had better big shows, but Celebrity had a live band that was great. Princess had canned music with the singers. Both had good music groups around the ship. Princess has Movies Under the Stars. That is fun. Sit outside, watch a movie and have popcorn. But they run something all the time and it is distracting during the day.

 

6. General. Princess has a coffee card that is for a set number of coffees so you can share. Love it. Celebrity has the sparkling wine as a welcome aboard. I thought Princess had more hard-sell and more announcements.

 

OK. Enough. Most everything listed above is subjective. Although there has been a number (boy has there!) of threads complaining about the Celebrity Loyalty program changes, I think it is better than Princess. Princess takes A Lot of points to get to Elite. I'm now Elite Plus and will enjoy the free coffees and so on, so not only is my opinion subjective as everyone's is, mine is biased.

 

Den

[keithm]

If there are any Past Passengers of these Cruise Lines I would love to hear about the differences between the three lines. As I see of it of the Larger Ship Cruise Lines I feel these are three more that market to the same group of people and are me and my wife's favorite. We have cruised all three. However, have not been on Celebrity and Princess for a while.

We've only done Cunard to this point. Since they mostly left the Caribbean, we've looked at other lines. Using our TA's advice we chose Celebrity.He's done dozens of trips on Celebrity/Princess and about 5 on HAL. His observations are as follows: Celebrity is close to Cunard for dining(supposely better for Celbrity in the MDR)The quality has dropped somewhat over the past few years, though according to him still very good.On Princess the food has really "dumbed" down in quality as has the really lax enforcement of dresscodes(this too,is happening on Celebrity)On HAL the pax are much older(not a problem)food is pretty good,but a lot smaller portions. Smoking is a lot more prevalent on HAL(especially the smaller ships)The heavier smoking is a deal breaker for us(it did in both my parents). Being "foodies" the real choice for us is Celebrity at this point. I do feel, however that the cost of the specialty rest. is a bit steep compared to Cunard/Princess/HAL. That being said I do hear(and read) great review about Murano. Loved the menu. Reminds me of the Grills on Cunard(without the cost of a Grill Suite!)We're on Eclipse Jan.25 for 2 weeks. Really looking forward to a new experience.

[grandgeezer]

We used to love HAL, seven of our first nine cruises were on them. Then they started the cutbacks, nothing real major, but a lot of little ones that all add up. We did two Princess cruises but never got the right vibe.

Celebrity is our #1 by a long shot. Being "Elite Plus" helps, but it isn't the overwhelming factor.

So wrapping it up:

#1 Celebrity

#2 RCCL

#3 Princess

#4 HAL

#15 Norwegian (don't want to talk about it)

[bigeagle12]

Ok, a few things first. We have never been on a cruise we did not love. We are in our mid 50's and very active. As you can see, we have not yet sailed on Celebrity. However, we are sailing in 30 days with friends who have sailed Celebrity and have been reading the Celebrity threads for several months and have an excellent idea of what to expect from Celebrity.

 

We believe all 3 cruise lines provide quality ships, service, food, and accommodations. Where we find the differences are with entertainment and activities.

 

Here are our rankings:

 

1. Princess and RCI - love the piano bars and late night activities.

2. Celebrity - excited about S class ship and no smoking in the casino ... will miss the piano bar and sounds like live poolside bands are hit or miss.

3. HAL - so far they had the best food but the activities were all geared towards the 70+ crowd.

[20pluscruises]

# 3. Princess...and this is going sound strange...when they served the Baked Alaska it was made with ice milk and not ice cream. I right away thought, if they are cutting back on this...what else are they cutting back on. That was our last time on Princess.

 

# 2. Hal...due to the smoking, older crowd and dead casino at 11:00 p.m.

 

# 1. Celebrity...still our favorite, but we'll have to wait and see as we are planning a trip this summer on a pricier ship. This will determine whether we do 2 cruises a year or just one upscale cruise each year.

 

After our pool area nightmare this last cruise (picture will be posted soon) we

do however question if Celebrity is worthy of getting any more of our $$$

Edited January 1, 2014 by 20pluscruises

[baldercash]

"X" used to rank #1 in my book. However, Princess has moved into that slot based on a comparison of our last four voyages over the past 18 months.

 

Celebrity's cutbacks are simply too noticeable. They are ruining a once-stellar product. The nickel and diming is starting to remind me of Carnival; not that obnoxious yet but certainly far more obvious than it once was.

 

"X" seems to be straying from the market that made it a success - the market that spent the money needed to construct their "S" class vessels. I do not fancy loud, intrusive music when trying to sip a glass of wine or post-meal brandy. What happened to the charming and serene background music that made one feel as if they were relaxing in a lounge?

 

Princess has come a long way. Their attentiveness to the customer is worlds better than before Alan Buckelew (now moved on) took the helm. Michael Bayley should study Alan's methods and procedures - he could learn a few things.

!

 

I assume you have not sailed on the Royal Princess or read the reviews on her?

From my readings Princess is breaking new ground on having cruisers refuse to return on her. So much for their new direction.

[20pluscruises]

I assume you have not sailed on the Royal Princess or read the reviews on her?

From my readings Princess is breaking new ground on having cruisers refuse to return on her. So much for their new direction.

 

What is their new direction? thnx!