Celebrity Cruiser Tries HAL

[Mary El]

Good day everyone. We have sailed Celebrity many times (33) and we decided to try HAL.

 

We are doing a Grand Voyage on the Prinsendam in March 2017. 56 whole days! We booked an AB Vista Suite for this voyage. I am concerned about this suite. It is aft on Deck 8 (Promenade), cabin 224. Will there be lots of noise because of the engines? Will there be noise because it is near other activities on that deck?

 

Please let me know your opinions about this cabin.

 

Many thanks

[DeeniEncinitas]

I hope our wonderful CCers like Kazu, Krazy Kruiser, and Sail7seas and Joanie chime in for you today!!!

They have the expertise on this fine ship! I have not sailed on her yet.

Hope you get the answers you need!

 

Welcome to our HAL family! This is a great board here.

Denise:)

[dakrewser]

It is aft on Deck 8 (Promenade), cabin 224. Will there be lots of noise because of the engines?

no

 

Will there be noise because it is near other activities on that deck?

 

no

[sammiedawg]

Does smoking bother you? If so find the smoking thread and read carefully as people smoke on Holland America balconies.

I cannot speak to the noise in your location but this is an old, old ship and we felt lots of vibration and heard lots of noise a deck or two lower than you will be, not from onboard activities but from the ship moving. The noise and vibrations are especially noticeable when the ship is maneuvering in and out of port. The engine noise we heard could have awakened the dead.

If you have been sailing Celebrity solstice ships (sensational state of the art vessels) this ship will be a culture shock.

Edited October 22, 2015 by sammiedawg

[regnig]

Well sammiedawg, couldn't you have found one good thing to say?:confused::D

[dorisis]

I can't speak to the noise, but Prinsendam is a VERY TRADITIONL type ship. Celebrity is VERY MODERN. I hope you enjoy the differences.

[sammiedawg]

Well sammiedawg, couldn't you have found one good thing to say?:confused::D

 

Just being honest. The OP asked about engine noise. Anyone planning to spend 56 days on board this ship as a first time HAL cruiser deserves to hear both sides of the coin. We had roughly 150 days on HAL before we tried Prinsendam.

[iancal]

We frequently sail on Celebrity.

 

There are differences between these lines.

 

Never been on Prinsendam but have read the posts about it. This ship is long in the tooth and will not be in anywhere near the same physical condition of a Solstice class ship.

 

People seem to either love it or think that it is an overpriced tub.

 

My recommendation would be NOT to book it for a 56 day cruise. Try it for a shorter period in order to 'hedge' your bets so to speak. 56 days can be a long time if the ship is not to your taste/personal preferences.

[ger_77]

The Prinsendam is a beautiful ship - I'm jealous that you'll be spending all that time on her! That being said, you may experience vibrations in your cabin when entering or leaving the ports. You are unlikely to hear noise from the other venues. Have a wonderful cruise!

 

Smooth Sailing ! :) :) :)

 

[kazu]

Good day everyone. We have sailed Celebrity many times (33) and we decided to try HAL.

 

We are doing a Grand Voyage on the Prinsendam in March 2017. 56 whole days! We booked an AB Vista Suite for this voyage. I am concerned about this suite. It is aft on Deck 8 (Promenade), cabin 224. Will there be lots of noise because of the engines? Will there be noise because it is near other activities on that deck?

 

Please let me know your opinions about this cabin.

 

Many thanks

 

First of all - fair warning - we like this ship. We got on her with great trepidation as she is old and fell in love in 20 minutes. I have never seen DH sign up for a cruise so fast in my life. Show him the itinerary and say the word Prinsendam and he is in.

 

Now, as to your cabin category - the only cabins on this ship that have had major issues or reported issues or whatever the right term is are the AB cabins.

 

These are NOT original Prinsendam cabins. They were added by HAL and there seems to be some issues with them. There have been complaints of vibrations, pool sloshing onto the balconies, noise, etc.

 

I had table mates in these cabins and once the TA began they were able to get an inside cabin for "sleeping". On my last cruise on her it seemed some of this had been rectified BUT she didn't dock until later and the sea view pool was not fully full which probably helped.

 

Personally I would avoid this category. if I am going to sail on the Prinsendam, I want one of her ORIGINAL cabins built by VIKING not a dam typical HAL cabin. We sail this ship because of her character, the crew and the itinerary.

 

If it is do-able, I would go for AA and hope for an upsell offer to to SY or SS (those are REALLY nice rooms) or go down and mark do not upgrade.

 

This is too long a cruise to risk in an AB cabin. JMO though.

 

I hope our wonderful CCers like Kazu, Krazy Kruiser, and Sail7seas and Joanie chime in for you today!!!

They have the expertise on this fine ship! I have not sailed on her yet.

Hope you get the answers you need!

 

Welcome to our HAL family! This is a great board here.

Denise:)

 

thanks for the kind words but unfortunately, the rest won't be able to help as they have not been on the Prinsendam, but she does have a lot of followers here, so I hope those that do sail on her, comment.

Edited October 22, 2015 by kazu

[take us away]

Have over 200 days on the Prinsedam due to her wonderful itineraries. Do not love her or hate her. She is older but elegant, she is a bit worn here and there but has beautiful woods and brass. Her art is awesome. The Pinnacle Grill has beautiful solid rosewood walls which supposedly will never be built again on another ship due to new fire regulations - ask for a table in one of the alcoves. Her cabins are not huge but adequate. Her bathrooms have all been updated and the walk-in closets are great, especially on long voyages. There is a cooler in most cabins. Have hundreds of days on HAL with many long cruises and the crew on the Prinsedam is the best I have encountered. Agree about possibly considering asking for a different cabin as you are booked into one of the new cabins. Only the rear facing AB cabins are new if I remember correctly.

 

Have taken the Grand Med that you are taking and it was one of the best! Loved being able to dock in town in many ports as she fits in areas the larger ships will never go. She has a unique hull design that allows for very smooth sailing across the Atlantic, even in storms. She may look beaten up a bit as will have just come back from the Grand So America as the ice bergs in Antarctica and floating trees in the Amazon will have hit her hull and paint may have flaked a bit.

 

Congratulations on booking this cruise - have a wonderful time!

[StartrainDD]

I've been on Prinsendam in a standard outside cabin on the promenade deck. One of my favorite HAL cabins of all time!

 

I've also sailed on Solstice, Reflection, and most of the "X" M-class.

 

For my taste, I would choose Prinsendam over any of the Celebrity ships (although I will admit I really like the "T-pool" on the M-class). But I do not know the taste of the OP.

 

I agree with KAZU, the only cabins I would not want to be in on Prinsendam are the *new* cabins on the aft promenade deck. I would encourage you to stick with your cruise but as KAZU suggested, look at another cabin option.

 

There are definite differences as you are going from "Modern (chic) luxury" to "Traditional superb service" (my words). We thought the food, entertainment, and service on Prinsendam were all superb and are constantly looking at their itineraries to find a reason to sail her again.

 

I do not agree with comments implying lack of upkeep on Prinsendam. We did not run into any shortcomings that affected the enjoyment of our time on her.

 

Happy cruising!

[InTheWASide]

I can't speak to the noise, but Prinsendam is a VERY TRADITIONL type ship. Celebrity is VERY MODERN. I hope you enjoy the differences.

 

I typically compare the two lines to my clients like this:

 

Both are premium cruise lines.

Think of HAL as being more like a Westin or Fairmont style of hotel

Celebrity would be more like a W or Hyatt/Hyatt Regency

Effectively at the same "level" but different onboard atmosphere.

[pv girl]

Have sailed on her and do like her. The crew and service level seem a step above from regular HAL - have been told the crew are hand-picked - do not know this for sure, but they are superb. Because of the longer and more unique itineraries, you will find your fellow cruisers a well-traveled group and very fun to meet and talk with.

 

Most cabins are unique to HAL with the walk-in closets and larger bathrooms. However, I have not been in an AB cabin, but have heard nothing good about them. They do not have the walk-in closets, from what I have read. And have heard continual complaints about these cabins relating to 2 issues - sloshing water coming down on the balcony when they wash the pool deck above - and - the worst part, constant black soot from engine exhaust getting all over the balcony and its furniture. Since you have lots of time before your cruise, I would research old threads and carefully choose a different class of cabin.

[sammiedawg]

I beg to differ that AB cabins are the only ones with noise and vibration issues. I don't remember our cabin category or cabin number but we were not AB. We were toward the rear but not in the section all the way aft. Port side. We listened to engine racket fourteen straight nights. We had significant cabin vibration, causing secondary racketing noise from table and chair legs, a couple drawers and the sliding bathroom door. We kept a stash of washcloths in our room to shove under table legs each night. ( the cabin steward was required to remove them each morning). We never solved the bathroom door racket.

We also experienced tremendous noise and vibration a couple times in the aft dining room during sail outs. One night the captain had to turn the ship around to get out of a tender spot in Fowey, UK. We were at a four top with another couple, conversation ceased while the ship turned, we could not hear each other across the table.

[CaveDiving]

...We are doing a Grand Voyage on the Prinsendam in March 2017. 56 whole days! We booked an AB Vista Suite for this voyage. I am concerned about this suite. It is aft on Deck 8 (Promenade), cabin 224. Will there be lots of noise because of the engines? Will there be noise because it is near other activities on that deck?...

 

We were in cabin 228 last winter for over 200 days, so we have a bit of recent experience with the cabin location you are considering.

 

As opposed to sammiedawg, I have to report that we experienced no objectionable noise or vibration. Or at least none that I can remember. There was no engine noise and not much activity aft of the cabins.

 

Oh, there is one instance when, for only a few minutes, there is some vibration. It is when the ship is using the rear thrusters to dock or to pull away from a dock. But it never lasts more than two or three minutes.

 

Enjoy your cruise.

 

Scott & Karen

Edited October 23, 2015 by CaveDiving

[Mary El]

Thank you for your responses. Having sailed all of the Celebrity ships (including the Zenith and Horizon), we are not afraid of being in a smaller ship. I would think that the Prinsendam is more like the Zenith and Horizon, what with the size, etc. We are more interested in the itinerary than anything else. We are used to the vibrations.

 

The Century class ships (Mercury, Century, and Galaxy) all had vibrations, especially in the dining room when leaving port. It did not bother us. The dining room was on deck 4.

 

Because of the price of this cruise, which is steep, we can only afford the AB cabins. But will keep my eye out for any price drops, and if there are any I will move up to the next higher cabin.

[take us away]

Save space when you pack as you will get presents during the cruise.

[WisRiver]

We were on the Prinsendam in October, 2014 for the Black Sea Cruise and on the Celebrity Constellation in April, 2015 for a transatlantic. We are three star HAL and this was our first time on Celebrity.

 

The Prinsendam is a much smaller ship than the Constellation. We did not notice the age difference. We had a 9th deck veranda cabin and never noticed any noise or vibration. We never had a problem with smokers on the other verandas. All things being equal, I would chose the Prinsendam. We liked having a real library with a comfortable place to sit. The Constellation library is terrible. They have no librarian, and a meager selection of books. Half of the library is given over to the Apple computer people (which we did like). The computer people are Apple/Mac specialists on the Constellation unlike the HAL ships which have Microsoft/Windows.

 

The MDR menus are about the same as are the Lido buffet for breakfast and lunch. The buffet dinners on the Prinsendam are better because they serve the MDR menu except for lobster nights. The Constellation has a nice big spa area with large warm pool.

[WeLoveCruising]

I typically compare the two lines to my clients like this:

 

Both are premium cruise lines.

Think of HAL as being more like a Westin or Fairmont style of hotel

Celebrity would be more like a W or Hyatt/Hyatt Regency

Effectively at the same "level" but different onboard atmosphere.

 

This is a really good way to describe it, I completely agree. Both are the same level of quality, just different.

[CowPrincess]

Thank you for your responses. Having sailed all of the Celebrity ships (including the Zenith and Horizon), we are not afraid of being in a smaller ship. I would think that the Prinsendam is more like the Zenith and Horizon, what with the size, etc. We are more interested in the itinerary than anything else. We are used to the vibrations.

 

The Century class ships (Mercury, Century, and Galaxy) all had vibrations, especially in the dining room when leaving port. It did not bother us. The dining room was on deck 4.

 

Because of the price of this cruise, which is steep, we can only afford the AB cabins. But will keep my eye out for any price drops, and if there are any I will move up to the next higher cabin.

 

Good attitude :) and you now have enough information about the pros and cons to feel comfortable about your choice(s)

[Tante Amalie]

I typically compare the two lines to my clients like this:

 

Both are premium cruise lines.

Think of HAL as being more like a Westin or Fairmont style of hotel

Celebrity would be more like a W or Hyatt/Hyatt Regency

Effectively at the same "level" but different onboard atmosphere.

 

This is a really optimistic view of HAL. I no longer consider HAL (or Celebrity) a premium line. They have both regressed to mass market lines, but still somewhat better than Carnival, RCCL or NCL. I agree that HAL and Celebrity are comparable, but not equivalent to Hyatt, W, or Westin. I think of them more like Holiday Inn or Sheraton (at best).

 

Our first cruise on Prinsendam was 55 days and we had some of the same concerns as the OP. We enjoyed it, but I can see how it might not be for everyone. There are lots of creaks and groans from the ship, but it never bothered us. I would have some concerns about the new cabins too. But we haven't hesitated to go back on the Prinsendam.

 

On the plus side, I agree that service is very good and I enjoy the retro look and feel of the ship. The dining room is a bit odd. The tables are very close together and it can get quite noisy. The "Wintergarden" that was recently added is great and it makes for the best Canaletto of any HAL ship (by far). I would give it a try and see if it suits you. Despite her quirks and age, she's worth a try.

[kazu]

 

<SNIP>

 

On the plus side, I agree that service is very good and I enjoy the retro look and feel of the ship. The dining room is a bit odd. The tables are very close together and it can get quite noisy. The "Wintergarden" that was recently added is great and it makes for the best Canaletto of any HAL ship (by far). I would give it a try and see if it suits you. Despite her quirks and age, she's worth a try.

 

Regarding the dining room, I found the large aft dining room much more noisier than the more forward dining room normally used for fixed seating. I really enjoy that forward dining room. More central, for movement and much quieter and intimate.

[Tante Amalie]

We like the tables for 2 and there are a couple of good ones in the forward dining room. But most of them are poor and if you get a bad one, you are just a couple of inches away from the next table. It's really like you are at the same table as your neighbors, but with a small gap between you. It's a bit strange, as you might as well be at the same table. You are going to hear every word of their conversation (and vice versa).

 

I think they have increased the passenger capacity on the Prinsendam in order to accommodate the new cabins, and now have created a higher density situation with a more crowded dining room. It reminds me of the restaurants in New York or Paris where you are squeezed in like sardines.

[POA1]

We like the tables for 2 and there are a couple of good ones in the forward dining room. But most of them are poor and if you get a bad one, you are just a couple of inches away from the next table. It's really like you are at the same table as your neighbors, but with a small gap between you. It's a bit strange, as you might as well be at the same table. You are going to hear every word of their conversation (and vice versa).

 

I think they have increased the passenger capacity on the Prinsendam in order to accommodate the new cabins, and now have created a higher density situation with a more crowded dining room. It reminds me of the restaurants in New York or Paris where you are squeezed in like sardines.

Are you sure you're talking about the same ship?