Why oh why didn't we sail HAL?

[richstowe]

We were on the same Carnival cruise together a couple of years ago! I actually like Carnival and make no apologies for it. Doing the Wobble on the Lido Deck, waiters dancing to Get Low, towel animals by the pool, lower prices... But I have sailed Carnival once or twice a year, usually a B2B, every year since 2005. I've seen things change. The menu options got worse about five years ago and now the quality and portion size of those exact same offerings changes every time I cruise, and not for the better. Less wait staff and thereby a chaotic dinner experience at times (and that's when they're NOT dancing :rolleyes:). Sloppy looking uniforms on cabin crew and wait staff. Cabin stewards with many more rooms to clean. Not that it matters, but strangely it does: no chocolates. It was so nice on BA to get those Andes mints at night. It's just a nice touch. Lido buffet options are about half of what they were. And face it- they can be pathetic, just really bad. My point: they would have a Carnival cruiser for life- it has its place for sure in my life- if they weren't constantly reducing the quality of the product. My oldest child is 32 and I have five kids. I know I'll be taking grandkids cruising and it would be nice if Carnival is still an option by then... I'm thinking specifically of the smell of the Penne Mariscos on Pride last summer. You could smell it from three tables away. Yuck. And the steaks- Rich, tell me you haven't noticed that they're now a slow cooked small piece of meat that is essentially a piece of pot roast?

I remember . You were on our cruise with your son and meeting up with your DH for the next cruise . Very nice meeting you . Boy was that a foggy cruise . Speaking of Glory , I was very impressed 2.0 changes which added Guys burgers , the taco bar and the upstairs fish/seafood counter . The MDR fare was not particularly different then Princess , Hal or Celebrity which I've since cruised on . I guess they have had cutbacks which depending on your opinion have been matched with upgrades .

However I will always remember that this ship sailed at 120% occupancy . Yikes it was crowded .:eek: I suppose you could expect the same on RC or Norwegian during the summer .

Edited October 19, 2015 by richstowe

[Freckles83]

Sailed on the Breakaway earlier this year. Though I wouldn't go so far to say my personal experience was as off putting at the OP's .. it just wasn't HAL.

 

Im soooo looking forward to my upcoming trip on the NA though. I think being on the Breakaway will make me appreciate this next vacation so much more. :)

[chill6x6]

We were on the same Carnival cruise together a couple of years ago! I actually like Carnival and make no apologies for it. Doing the Wobble on the Lido Deck, waiters dancing to Get Low, towel animals by the pool, lower prices... But I have sailed Carnival once or twice a year, usually a B2B, every year since 2005. I've seen things change. The menu options got worse about five years ago and now the quality and portion size of those exact same offerings changes every time I cruise, and not for the better. Less wait staff and thereby a chaotic dinner experience at times (and that's when they're NOT dancing :rolleyes:). Sloppy looking uniforms on cabin crew and wait staff. Cabin stewards with many more rooms to clean. Not that it matters, but strangely it does: no chocolates. It was so nice on BA to get those Andes mints at night. It's just a nice touch. Lido buffet options are about half of what they were. And face it- they can be pathetic, just really bad. My point: they would have a Carnival cruiser for life- it has its place for sure in my life- if they weren't constantly reducing the quality of the product. My oldest child is 32 and I have five kids. I know I'll be taking grandkids cruising and it would be nice if Carnival is still an option by then... I'm thinking specifically of the smell of the Penne Mariscos on Pride last summer. You could smell it from three tables away. Yuck. And the steaks- Rich, tell me you haven't noticed that they're now a slow cooked small piece of meat that is essentially a piece of pot roast?

 

I know exactly what you are talking about. Anyone can see how I've tried different cruise lines. Of COURSE I was a huge Carnival fan when I first started cruising. My beef with Carnival was the cut-back in entertainment. NCL then won be over until I went back on the Star AFTER Jewel of the Seas. WOW! Now THAT was EYE OPENING. Food quality was NO COMPARISON in favor of Royal Caribbean. Looking forward to HAL...

[Seago2]

I remember . You were on our cruise with your son and meeting up with your DH for the next cruise . Very nice meeting you . Boy was that a foggy cruise . Speaking of Glory , I was very impressed 2.0 changes which added Guys burgers , the taco bar and the upstairs fish/seafood counter . The MDR fare was not particularly different then Princess , Hal or Celebrity which I've since cruised on . I guess they have had cutbacks which depending on your opinion have been matched with upgrades .

However I will always remember that this ship sailed at 120% occupancy . Yikes it was crowded .:eek: I suppose you could expect the same on RC or Norwegian during the summer .

 

What ship was that? I guess it was Glory. I don't remember the overcrowding- my son and I are like ninjas on these Carnival ships and can get from point A to point B in a flash. We were also up high in the spa cabins or whatever they were. I do remember that damn foghorn going off every minute- omg. We were blasted in our cabin. Love the Canada itinerary and would love to take the Maasdam cruise.

[Typhoon1]

Our first trip was on Carnival. Second was HAL. The difference was like night and day.

[igraf]

The problem may have been more the size of the ship than the cruise line. My wife just went on a "girls trip" cruise on the Norwegian Jewel (comparable to a HAL Vista-class ship) and had a great time. No problems with crowds. In fact, she reported that the Jewel compared favorably against HAL in several areas. As a comparison, we have been on eight (or so) HAL cruises.

 

A much younger crowd on the Jewel, almost a whole generation younger than HAL, but no problems with drunks, etc.

 

igraf

Edited October 21, 2015 by igraf

[denatravels]

My first cruise was on breakaway. I liked it enough to book five more cruises (although none of NCL). The dining package was really great and loved the specialty restaurants. The service in O'Sheehans was bad enough on two occasions to get my ice cream sundae comped. There were 1600 kids on board, which actually didn't bother me (February break), but the pool situation was ridiculous. Thousands of people escaping the Northeast departing NYC in THREE DEGREES. Only 1 really nice weather day, but the space was really poor there.

I have since been on 3 Royal Caribbean, and have celebrity, princess, and HAL booked. I think I like the idea of experiencing different lines. Of the two I have already sailed, I think the fact I have two more booked on Royal says what I preferred.

Edited October 21, 2015 by denatravels

[Seago2]

The problem may have been more the size of the ship than the cruise line. My wife just went on a "girls trip" cruise on the Norwegian Jewel (comparable to a HAL Vista-class ship) and had a great time. No problems with crowds. In fact, she reported that the Jewel compared favorably against HAL in several areas. As a comparison, we have been on eight (or so) HAL cruises.

 

A much younger crowd on the Jewel, almost a whole generation younger than HAL, but no problems with drunks, etc.

 

igraf

 

 

Oh I definitely agree with you. As you can see, I sail Carnival quite often and NCL is a fraction above Carnival. But after a cruise like the last one every single thing is up for discussion. Now we have had it. Certain things, like the volume of atrium singers, the food quality, the "amenities" jammed on deck, the fellow passengers, the lack of flowers, art, older people I actually can talk to- we should have sailed HAL. And I know things have changed on HAL, I get it. I saw a huge change just between my two HAL cruises- the flowers had almost disappeared, the crew was covering more tables and cabins, the food seemed worse- but it's still a cut above and an excellent fit with us. Just comparing being on BA with sailing into Aruba on Westerdam- night and day. Walking back on the ship in port we always douse our hands in sanitizer and bring them up to our faces and say "ahhh, I love the smell of Purell in the morning" a la Apocalypse Now. This time I couldn't even say it. I was filled with dread walking back on the ship because I knew the first thing I would face would be the overcrowded elevators.

 

It's like apples and oranges. I'll say Carnival again with kids, possibly NCL if the situation is right, but absolutely no mega ships. And if it's just "the two of us" it will be HAL.

 

Praying that this rumored upcoming announcement will put a Vista ship back in New York.

[3rdGenCunarder]

Oh I definitely agree with you. As you can see, I sail Carnival quite often and NCL is a fraction above Carnival. But after a cruise like the last one every single thing is up for discussion. Now we have had it. Certain things, like the volume of atrium singers, the food quality, the "amenities" jammed on deck, the fellow passengers, the lack of flowers, art, older people I actually can talk to- we should have sailed HAL. And I know things have changed on HAL, I get it. I saw a huge change just between my two HAL cruises- the flowers had almost disappeared, the crew was covering more tables and cabins, the food seemed worse- but it's still a cut above and an excellent fit with us. Just comparing being on BA with sailing into Aruba on Westerdam- night and day. Walking back on the ship in port we always douse our hands in sanitizer and bring them up to our faces and say "ahhh, I love the smell of Purell in the morning" a la Apocalypse Now. This time I couldn't even say it. I was filled with dread walking back on the ship because I knew the first thing I would face would be the overcrowded elevators.

 

It's like apples and oranges. I'll say Carnival again with kids, possibly NCL if the situation is right, but absolutely no mega ships. And if it's just "the two of us" it will be HAL.

 

Praying that this rumored upcoming announcement will put a Vista ship back in New York.

 

Yes, please!!!! We're an hour from the city by car service, and it drives me crazy that there's never a ship I want to sail on!

 

Two years ago we didn't have a winter warming trip booked, and I started looking at cruises. I thought maybe I could do NCL in the Haven, but I took one look at a picture of Breakaway and I closed the web page! I do not want to sail on a ship that has an amusement park on the top! And, OK I know it wouldn't get insurance if it wasn't seaworthy, but it looked like WAY too much "up" for too little draught. It creeped me out and I couldn't imagine sailing on it.

[richstowe]

It's like apples and oranges. I'll say Carnival again with kids, possibly NCL if the situation is right, but absolutely no mega ships. And if it's just "the two of us" it will be HAL.

 

Praying that this rumored upcoming announcement will put a Vista ship back in New York.

What about Princess and Celebrity especially for " just the two of us" ? I really enjoyed both these lines . They share with HAL a less kid oriented milieu . Both of them treat you like an adult with less PA announcements and other nonsense . They are generally similar to HAL with newer ships and a younger (but not young) crowd . If you wish to avoid megaships , the Millennium class Celebrity ships are very nice . Edited October 21, 2015 by richstowe

[guinnesshalfpint]

Impeccable timing for your review! I have recently received numerous last minute offers from multiple lines. Those bargain basement prices of ncl and rci are incredibly tempting for an impromptu solo cruise. I keep thinking I will just find a tiny corner of the ship, relax and avoid the crowds and hype. I guess that is incredibly naive...I can't imagine a cruise without the atmosphere of our crows nest, promenade and small lounges.

[Seago2]

What about Princess and Celebrity especially for " just the two of us" ? I really enjoyed both these lines . They share with HAL a less kid oriented milieu . Both of them treat you like an adult with less PA announcements and other nonsense . They are generally similar to HAL with newer ships and a younger (but not young) crowd . If you wish to avoid megaships , the Millennium class Celebrity ships are very nice .

 

 

I have one Princess cruise under my belt but it's not a fair comparison- it was CB, which is a very big ship IMHO, but we were sailing into a hurricane, the airport in NYC had closed the night before, and there was no parking available near Red Hook (Flood Zone A). This all combined to make a wonderfully empty ship. So it was a fantastic cruise but I have no idea what she would have been like totally full.

 

I always neglect to think of Princess because there are so few sailings on the East Coast.

 

Never sailed Celebrity.

[Seago2]

Impeccable timing for your review! I have recently received numerous last minute offers from multiple lines. Those bargain basement prices of ncl and rci are incredibly tempting for an impromptu solo cruise. I keep thinking I will just find a tiny corner of the ship, relax and avoid the crowds and hype. I guess that is incredibly naive...I can't imagine a cruise without the atmosphere of our crows nest, promenade and small lounges.

 

 

Between the two of us we read nine books this cruise. So it's possible to find a quiet corner- of your cabin. We were in our cabin the vast majority of the time we weren't in port. Kudos to our cabin steward for getting in there and cleaning during the short periods we were gone. If there is an upsell deck space on a ship, like Vibe on BA, you might find a quiet spot. There were some other deck areas that were quiet at times but they were absolutely jam packed at other times and had the 8 foot plexiglass with the little viewing strip. A few other outside areas on 7 and 8, but to get there you have to navigate the crowds. Also, if I had been a solo cruiser I would have found it incredibly lonely on BA. Freestyle dining means you don't have the same table mates at night. It's hard to even recognize any of the same people from day to day. Everyone has their eyes set to where they want to go and are squeezing through lines and crowds to get there. And it's so incredibly loud I don't know how you would even converse with someone. The people in the lounge areas were screaming at each other to be heard (atrium bar, O'Sheehans). Maybe they were screaming with joy, don't know. The library was packed but extremely quiet.

[denatravels]

Between the two of us we read nine books this cruise. So it's possible to find a quiet corner- of your cabin. We were in our cabin the vast majority of the time we weren't in port. Kudos to our cabin steward for getting in there and cleaning during the short periods we were gone. If there is an upsell deck space on a ship, like Vibe on BA, you might find a quiet spot. There were some other deck areas that were quiet at times but they were absolutely jam packed at other times and had the 8 foot plexiglass with the little viewing strip. A few other outside areas on 7 and 8, but to get there you have to navigate the crowds. Also, if I had been a solo cruiser I would have found it incredibly lonely on BA. Freestyle dining means you don't have the same table mates at night. It's hard to even recognize any of the same people from day to day. Everyone has their eyes set to where they want to go and are squeezing through lines and crowds to get there. And it's so incredibly loud I don't know how you would even converse with someone. The people in the lounge areas were screaming at each other to be heard (atrium bar, O'Sheehans). Maybe they were screaming with joy, don't know. The library was packed but extremely quiet.

 

 

There is a studio lounge on breakaway-- since I don't do traditional dining on ANY cruise, I actually found this among the easiest to meet people!

[Sir PMP]

"We used to sail NCL a LOT and after freestyle, we stopped"

 

NCL should be banned from the Mediterranean, 2 weeks ago we were with Prinsendam in Katakolon, Greece, and the Norwegian Jade was in, they put at noon 2 large boom boxes outside the ship and started playing very loud disco music, passengers on Hal could not sit on the promenade deck and relax, it showed a total disrespect for the village and other cruise lines in port, shame on NCL..

[Jolie_Cruiser]

Thank you "Seago2" for your review. I sailed on the Breakaway in 2013 for the first and last time..... I wrote a review then, here it is:

 

" Average solo cruise on PACKED ship"

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=228907

[ldlewis45]

Between the two of us we read nine books this cruise. So it's possible to find a quiet corner- of your cabin. We were in our cabin the vast majority of the time we weren't in port. Kudos to our cabin steward for getting in there and cleaning during the short periods we were gone. If there is an upsell deck space on a ship, like Vibe on BA, you might find a quiet spot. There were some other deck areas that were quiet at times but they were absolutely jam packed at other times and had the 8 foot plexiglass with the little viewing strip. A few other outside areas on 7 and 8, but to get there you have to navigate the crowds. Also, if I had been a solo cruiser I would have found it incredibly lonely on BA. Freestyle dining means you don't have the same table mates at night. It's hard to even recognize any of the same people from day to day. Everyone has their eyes set to where they want to go and are squeezing through lines and crowds to get there. And it's so incredibly loud I don't know how you would even converse with someone. The people in the lounge areas were screaming at each other to be heard (atrium bar, O'Sheehans). Maybe they were screaming with joy, don't know. The library was packed but extremely quiet.

As a solo cruiser on the Breakaway, I have to say I had a completely different experience, and I sailed in the middle of summer when schools were out. I rarely felt crowded, and it was a very full ship. That said, I didn't search out the crowds, either. I swam in the pool, but at night, and never had any issues with crowding there. I was always able to find a quiet area to sit and read. The Waterfront area was a great place to pull up a chair at a table and enjoy being close to the water and read. As a solo traveler, I was always able to find people to talk to. I prefer not having the same dining companions every night, because if they're terrible, you're stuck with them for the duration of the cruise. By having different dining companions every night, I have the opportunity to meet a lot more people, and if I decide I like them, there's always an opportunity to plan a meet-up later. I'm an introvert, so I don't like to be forced into social contact with people that I don't know. I like having the opportunity to decide whether I want to socialize.

[Seago2]

Thank you "Seago2" for your review. I sailed on the Breakaway in 2013 for the first and last time..... I wrote a review then, here it is:

 

 

 

" Average solo cruise on PACKED ship"

 

 

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=228907

 

 

I didn't even mention the poor resolution on giant the Atrium screen! Maybe it's meant to be viewed from 50 feet away?

 

I've often wondered what it would be like to be a solo cruiser. Sounds better on HAL but I'm sure it's a lot more expensive.

 

As re: Hawaiian shorts in the MDR: I have no problem with shorts in the MDR, especially on a Bermuda cruise. I saw lots of businessmen in port in Bermuda shorts and loved the look. But there was one guy in the cheapest quality gym shorts- the kind made of T shirt material- with a t shirt on top. Both looked worn out. He was chasing a little child around who was similarly dressed. This was in the middle on the Manhattan MDR. Wow.

[3rdGenCunarder]

I didn't even mention the poor resolution on giant the Atrium screen! Maybe it's meant to be viewed from 50 feet away?

 

I've often wondered what it would be like to be a solo cruiser. Sounds better on HAL but I'm sure it's a lot more expensive.

 

As re: Hawaiian shorts in the MDR: I have no problem with shorts in the MDR, especially on a Bermuda cruise. I saw lots of businessmen in port in Bermuda shorts and loved the look. But there was one guy in the cheapest quality gym shorts- the kind made of T shirt material- with a t shirt on top. Both looked worn out. He was chasing a little child around who was similarly dressed. This was in the middle on the Manhattan MDR. Wow.

 

When people go to dinner dressed like that, I figure it's what they've been wearing all day. Have they been walking around in port, touching who knows what? Running on deck, sweaty? If they're in the same clothes, they haven't showered. And maybe haven't even washed their hands. AT least when people change for dinner, there's a hope that they're clean.

 

I agree that the nicely tailored Bermuda shorts are a good look. But once you let any kind of shorts into the MDR at dinner, you're going to get gym shorts, too. It's so much easier to make long trousers the rule.

[Jolie_Cruiser]

I didn't even mention the poor resolution on giant the Atrium screen! Maybe it's meant to be viewed from 50 feet away?

 

I've often wondered what it would be like to be a solo cruiser. Sounds better on HAL but I'm sure it's a lot more expensive.

 

As re: Hawaiian shorts in the MDR: I have no problem with shorts in the MDR, especially on a Bermuda cruise. I saw lots of businessmen in port in Bermuda shorts and loved the look. But there was one guy in the cheapest quality gym shorts- the kind made of T shirt material- with a t shirt on top. Both looked worn out. He was chasing a little child around who was similarly dressed. This was in the middle on the Manhattan MDR. Wow.

 

The business type Bermuda shorts are neat and do have a classy look. On the other hand, the shorts I saw in the Manhattan were more suitable, IMO, to mow the lawn or swim in. And the same guy was also wearing a tank top.... I respect people who are not offended by that at dinner, but I was really put off by it.

 

I have found that some HAL cruises (even at double rate) in low season and at the last minute are a better value for me than the NCL cruises which I have booked in advance. I really enjoyed my T/A on the Eurodam. Great solo hosting by the Culinary Arts Center hosts, met interesting people, nice complimentary meals, plenty of activities where you don't get nickeld and dimed to death, nice wine packages etc.

[mamaofami]

I could never sail on a ship that size. My daughter and her boys sailed Breakaway from NY last February. The boys (18 and 13) loved it. My daughter said you didn't even know you were on the water.

 

Sorry you had such a bad experience.

[Jolie_Cruiser]

Actually, I enjoyed my sailing on the smaller NCL Sun more.

Edited October 24, 2015 by Jolie_Cruiser

[Shellback801]

Our one and only cruise was on HAL. The Westerdam was drop-dead gorgeous, inside and out, and we loved the ship, the itinerary, and the service. It was a truly memorable experience.

 

While I'm no fan of dressing for dinner on a Caribbean vacation, we complied with HAL tradition. Yet when someone showed up to the MDR looking like he just came from the gym (or a dumpster) we couldn't help but snicker. The reaction from some of the HAL devotees was priceless.

 

Guess we're weird that way.

 

We are cruising with Carnival in January (the price was amazing, and we paid for my brother and sister in law on the occasion of their retirements), where apparently one of the entertainment venues is dumping a bucket of ping-pong balls into the pool to see who can stuff the most into their swimsuits. I shall attend. My wife harrumphed at the very notion.

 

So I guess I'm weird that way.

 

I expect that our next cruises will be HAL Alaska and HAL Europe. We're rather fond of your little cult.

[3rdGenCunarder]

I could never sail on a ship that size. My daughter and her boys sailed Breakaway from NY last February. The boys (18 and 13) loved it. My daughter said you didn't even know you were on the water.

 

Sorry you had such a bad experience.

 

(bold is mine) This seems to be the intention with the mega-ships. When Oasis and Allure of the Seas were new, I checked the prices. A balcony cabin facing the atrium was more than the exact same cabin facing the ocean. "The ship is the destination" doesn't work for me. :(

[sail7seas]

I didn't even mention the poor resolution on giant the Atrium screen! Maybe it's meant to be viewed from 50 feet away?

 

I've often wondered what it would be like to be a solo cruiser. Sounds better on HAL but I'm sure it's a lot more expensive.

 

As re: Hawaiian shorts in the MDR: I have no problem with shorts in the MDR, especially on a Bermuda cruise. I saw lots of businessmen in port in Bermuda shorts and loved the look. But there was one guy in the cheapest quality gym shorts- the kind made of T shirt material- with a t shirt on top. Both looked worn out. He was chasing a little child around who was similarly dressed. This was in the middle on the Manhattan MDR. Wow.

 

You might be surprised to find out the pricing on HAL for Neptune Suites was just about the same for NCL Dawn when I sailed solo in a Penthouse. I would have thought NCL would be 'somewhat' less costly but the actual fare was not. What made up for it was at the time I booked, they had great 'all included' beverage, dining, OBC and paid auto charged gratuities. That added up to a considerable amount of money in extras.