4 Celebrity loyalists back from first HAL cruise

[Galaxy2004]

After 9 cruises on Celebrity ships (1 Galaxy, 6 Millenium class, 2 Solstice class), we chose HAL because its Panama Canal partial transit schedule worked best for us. We found HAL and Celebrity comparable in many ways (high levels of service, friendly staff and officers, etc.), but also different in other ways. We had a great cruise and will likely try HAL again when it debuts its new ships. That said, for us here are some pros and cons we found on HAL.

 

HAL pros:

BB King’s Blues Club – Seriously, this is probably the best entertainment we ever experienced on a cruise ship. We never have high expectations in that department, but we enjoyed this venue, which was full almost every show. They also had a pretty good comedian (Fred Klett).

Bread – loved almost every offering, maybe even more than on Celebrity.

Desserts – I love chocolate and HAL has some really good chocolate desserts.

Bathroom layout and storage

Fresh orange juice and lemonade - FREE

 

HAL cons:

Lido buffet - cafeteria style layout, hot food seldom hot and cold beverages never really cold, limited selections, mushy sushi, limited cheese selections, foods covered so you couldn’t see the offerings – I know, supposedly this would keep the foods hot – poor salad offerings, etc. Breakfast was fine with good waffles and good poached eggs.

Dining room – Lights were never dimmed and curtains were left open to the promenade deck (so we had to watch walkers watch us all night). Even on formal nights, there was nothing special about the dining room ambiance.

No outside jogging track.

Midday time changes (instead of overnight)

Activities announcements (limited to 2-3 per day, but we prefer Celebrity's no-announcements)

 

HAL mixed:

Promenade deck – Nice for walking but terrible at night when the dining room curtains were open and you had walkers outside.

Pinnacle Grill – Very nice dining room and excellentservice. One night was part of the Explore 4 package. Good food, but with so many great steak restaurants out there we didn’t find it to be anything special and prefer Ocean Liners on Celebrity.

Explore 4 drink package - We are not big drinkers, but enjoyed trying the drinks of the day, having bottled water when we wanted, trying the specialty coffees in the Explorer's Cafe, etc. Did not like that we couldn't leave a tip unless we had cash. Also got the feeling that the bartenders and servers aren't thrilled with the drink cards. Never had bad service and actually loved our bartender in the Sports Bar outside the casino, but we also didn't see bartenders entertaining anyone or building relationships that we'd experienced on other cruises.

 

For us, Celebrity wins in the following: Solstice class atrium and decor (we went to a talk on the upcoming Ms Koningsdam and were underwhelmed with its proposed atrium and overall décor); buffet layout (self-serve, individual stations); ice cream, pizza, cookies, dining room ambiance, outside jogging track, and outside public spaces.

 

As I mentioned earlier, we had a great cruise. We were in 7136 (an aft cabin), which was great for the Panama Canal Gatun locks transit and an overall great room. In-laws were in 7138 so we were able to open the pass-through on our adjoining balconies making for a great outdoor space. Would highly recommend the partial Canal transit and this itinerary. Lots of sea days to relax. Quick review of our stops:

1. We enjoyed our day at Half Moon Cay (a nice beach with clean facilities but an underwhelming BBQ lunch offering).

2. Aruba - been there several times. Ship didn't get in until 1 so we shopped a bit then returned to the ship.

3. Curacao - took a taxi to Mumba beach ($12.5 taxi each way, $3 per person entry fee, $3 per chair rental fee, nice beach and facilities). Ship tour stops here but costs way more.

4. Panama Canal - stayed on board to experience the Gatun locks transit. VERY HOT. Glad we took advice from other posters to keep our curtains closed as the ship's air conditioners had a hard time keeping the aft rooms cool that day. Amazing to see all the container ships. This was why we booked this cruise and our expectations were fulfilled. We walked through the tourist shops outside the terminal in Colon but there's not much there.

5. Costa Rica - grabbed a taxi/van off the ship and visited the Dole banana processing plant and Tortuguero Canals. Opted for a local lunch spot over spending time at the beach. About 4 hours of touring for $50 each (total $200). Ship was charging $80+ per person for a tour with visits to the same locations. Enjoyed what we saw but we understand that this is the industrial/cargo area of Costa Rica and there's much more to see on the Pacific side.

 

Overall, we 4 Celebrity loyalists enjoyed our first HAL cruise, are happy to have HAL as an option, and are looking forward to HAL's debut of its new ship next year. Also, thanks to all the HAL posters that provided such detailed reviews and recommendations. We used this message board a lot in preparing for our trip and our trip was better because of your advice.

[RMLincoln]

Glad to hear that you enjoyed your cruise. Thanks for your report. m--

[POA1]

Thanks for the review, but which ship?

[madera1]

Glad you enjoyed the partial transit of Panama Canal and time on a Hal ship.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD

[Crew News]

Thanks for your review.

[PathfinderEss]

Thanks for taking the time to do a review of your Panama cruise. Glad to hear you had a good time.

[debsjc]

Thanks very much for your report.

Could you tell us a little more about Mumba beach please, we will be stopping at Curacao in a few weeks.

How long did the taxi ride take, does the beach have a café & bathrooms, is there any shade, and do you know if the snorkelling is any good there?

 

Thanks :)

[erewhon]

Thank you for your review......... on which ship were you sailing?

[portofrome]

Thanks for your review.

[Mtn2Sea]

Thanks for the review. I always like to hear specific comparisons between ships and cruise lines - makes this type of review so much more meaningful.

[puppycanducruise]

Thanks for taking the time to post your review.

Glad you had a good cruise.

[Galaxy2004]

Thank you for your review......... on which ship were you sailing?

oops, we were on the zuiderdam.

[Galaxy2004]

Thanks very much for your report.

Could you tell us a little more about Mumba beach please, we will be stopping at Curacao in a few weeks.

How long did the taxi ride take, does the beach have a café & bathrooms, is there any shade, and do you know if the snorkelling is any good there?

 

Thanks :)

The taxi ride was about 15 mins. There were clean bathrooms, outside showers, and restaurants. We saw a few people snorkeling along the wave break but did not hear anything about what they saw.

[Galaxy2004]

The taxi ride was about 15 mins. There were clean bathrooms, outside showers, and restaurants. We saw a few people snorkeling along the wave break but did not hear anything about what they saw.

there was plenty of shade via palm trees and also covered cabanas for rent, i think those were $9.

[KirkNC]

Thanks for the review, we enjoy both lines as well.

[catl331]

Yes, the Pacific side of Costa Rica is totally different from the east side. We did the full Canal transit and stopped in Costa Rica. There are very few roads in C. R. so traffic can be heavy. One can still get a great view of the workings of that canal on the Zuidie. Amazing!

[POA1]

oops, we were on the zuiderdam.

Thanks!

[debsjc]

there was plenty of shade via palm trees and also covered cabanas for rent, i think those were $9.

 

 

Thanks very much for the information

[BaltimoreCruise]

We're on the February 13 sailing. Thank you for your report.

[0bnxshs]

Thanks for your thoughtful review. We too found BB Kings Blues Band to be the best entertainment on the high seas! JMHO though. Glad you enjoyed your cruise and have found options. :)

Edited February 4, 2015 by 0bnxshs

[Alcarondas]

The Zuiderdam partial-PC has been on my to-do list for a while now. Having read your comments, I'm definitely moving it to a higher-priority status. Thanks for your review.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you for your comparison of the 2 cruise lines.

Glad you enjoyed your cruise.

[Cruising-along]

Thank you for your review. We also like both Celebrity and HAL. You didn't mention pizza, but Celebrity wins over HAL hands down! :D But HAL has better coffee IMO. :D

[Caribbean Chris]

Very nice review with good balance of pros and cons. We sail both lines and I have my own unwritten list of the pluses for me. Love to hear from others like you did about their impressions.

Edited February 4, 2015 by Caribbean Chris

[HealthyTouch101]

Thank you for posting your experience. It is always helpful to read about comparisons.

 

I am puzzled by the comment about the jogging track, as I always have seen joggers on the sports deck or even the regular decks, sometimes with jogging hours posted. And I found this on the website:

 

Holland America Line makes it easy for you to stay fit and trim while on your journey with fully equipped fitness centers (minimum age for guests using the fitness center is 16 years old) and sports courts. Fitness centers aboard each ship include exercise and weight training equipment, and sports courts may include tennis, volleyball or basketball. Our broad, generously proportioned teak decks are perfect for walkers and joggers, and when you are finished exercising, cool off in one of our pools. To maintain or achieve optimum health, work with one of our qualified personal trainers or take one of our fitness classes lead by knowledgeable instructors.