Convince Me to Book HAL

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Even I was taken aback by the negativity of the "New partnerships, upgrades, and branding" thread. I am a 4 star mariner with 17 cruises on HAL (virtually every cabin variety from inside to Neptune suite), and two cruises on Celebrity (Penthouse suite and Royal suite). Not as many cruises as some, but enough to provide a frame of reference.

 

None of my cruises was ever flawless, but nothing in life is. I have found the onboard HAL experience to be much better than the endless angst here on Cruise Critic would indicate. If there were issues that needed to be addressed, they have always been addressed and an attempt made to ameliorate the situation. Some resolutions have been more successful than others. C'est la vie.

 

What I like about HAL in my experience is that, regardless of cabin category, the onboard crew and staff are always polite, helpful, and accommodating, and there is not as much of a class distinction as I found on Celebrity.

 

I have not personally experienced the diminished dining room or cabin service that many here lament. Perhaps I am just lucky, or perhaps I have adjusted my expectations over time. Or perhaps I started cruising after the "glory days", and don't know any better:D. In all my cruises with HAL over a 10-year period, I have had less than stellar service from two sets of cabin stewards, and one wine steward. The most inconsistent service and food preparation I have experienced have been in the Pinnacle Grill. Others will have differing viewpoints.

 

Nobody can convince anyone to do anything. But I can point out that things are certainly not as dire on a HAL ship as some here indicate. Knowledge is a very useful tool. But ultimately, we all have to have our own experiences to learn what we like or don't like.

 

Good luck and bon voyage in your travels. If you do book with HAL, I would be interested to read your observations, if you have a mind to do a review:)

[RetiredMustang]

Clearly, we have found a home on HAL. Ask me politely, and I will share info and experiences of 25 or so HAL cruises. Demand to be convinced, and you will get nothing.

 

Dave

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

Clearly, we have found a home on HAL. Ask me politely, and I will share info and experiences of 25 or so HAL cruises. Demand to be convinced, and you will get nothing.

 

Dave

 

I agree with Retired Mustang. We cruise several lines but always come back to HAL when the itinerary is to our liking because the service and crew are so outstanding. The brouhaha of yesterday's news conference means nothing to me.

[Topsham]

Good questions. Wife and I are retired and we really aren't into rock climbing or riding flows. We like to spend quiet time on board. Spend a lot of time on the balcony or in other quieter areas of the ship. We do like to spend time in Princess Atrium watching the ebb and flow although it can get a bit too loud. Specialty restaurants are more important than the MDR. We do the buffet a lot. Loved the suites breakfast area in Sabatini's. More interested in a friendly crew providing good service than shore excursions.

 

Right now we're limited to seven day cruises in the Caribbean. When we are no longer with dogs that will change and we would like to do some longer cruises. Hawaii and Tahiti. South America. Alaska and Panama. Not all that interested in Asia or Europe since wife avoids long flights.

 

RocketMan,

 

Read your posting a few times today. I would probably fit quite well to sit in a comfortable chair and chat with you during a cruise. Balcony... great on HAL ships.... especially the Neptune balconies. I enjoy days on board. I don't cruise to spend the whole day sitting in a bus on tour when I could be a on quiet, air con ship! Friendly on HAL ships? Most definitely. The bar staff are Filipino and the cabin and restaurant are Indonesian. Not like other cruise lines with multi nationals and sometimes don't always gel perfectly. Good service. Some of the best... unless you are on Seabourn. MDR... for me... not important. I prefer Canaletto and Pinnacle Grill. Lido for lunch... I prefer Pinnacle Grill. Great restaurant... quiet... good food, good service... never crowded. Breakfast? Well, in Neptune Suite you can have a great breakfast. On a rating I would say HAL close to 100... Princess breakfast in cabin would probably down to 40! Big difference. If you are in a Neptune Suit... breakfast is fantastic. Not crowded... comfortable, friendly, good breakfast. You would never go to Lido for breakafast of you can dine in Pinnacle. I have sailed with many other lines. The Cunard ships are beautiful in the Grills. The HAL ships are quite beautiful as well. Not like Princess. I like some touches in Princess but the HAL cabins are superior. The HAL ships are less than crowded. One thing I wish I had on HAL... is a good Sabatini. Canaletto falls a bit in that rating... still good but Sabtaini is quiet enjoyable.

 

Most importantly... HAL ships are 'ships'. Very 'nautical'. Not over the top... just enough to let you know that you are on a ship... not a floating hotel.

 

Honestly, I think you would be quite at home. Give it a chance. You won't be disappointed.

 

Good voyage!

 

Stephen

[alsas]

This is the best Hollands crew service does not get any better the ships and size are perfection food and choices perfection. Life onboard with more sea days is the best

[WeLoveCruising]

Travel professionals have told me Carnival Corp purposely upgraded one and let the other one slide.

 

That may be their opinion, but I dont think it's true. Letting HAL slide with multi millions spent on upgrades (ok, so people can debate how it is spent, but it IS being spent), and a new ship on the way? As a public company the whole corporation is responsible to shareholders. Purposely letting the brand slide...I dont think so.

Edited November 1, 2015 by WeLoveCruising

[avian777]

Even I was taken aback by the negativity of the "New partnerships, upgrades, and branding" thread...

None of my cruises was ever flawless, but nothing in life is. I have found the onboard HAL experience to be much better than the endless angst here on Cruise Critic would indicate. If there were issues that needed to be addressed, they have always been addressed and an attempt made to ameliorate the situation. Some resolutions have been more successful than others. C'est la vie... things are certainly not as dire on a HAL ship as some here indicate. Knowledge is a very useful tool. But ultimately, we all have to have our own experiences to learn what we like or don't like... Good luck and bon voyage in your travels...

 

What uncommon good sense you have, especially for a "middle-aged" person. You have captured (and eloquently expressed) my feelings to a "T". Thank you for sharing your insights, and best wishes for many, many more cruises!

[Lizzie68]

That silly announcement or press conference the other day isn't going to impact the things I like about HAL. I've had the pleasure of being able to book a Neptune Suite for a couple of short cruises and highly recommend them. Personally, I've never experienced any issues on HAL or any other line for that matter.

 

What not try HAL for a 7-day cruise and form your own opinion? If you need to be persuaded or convinced, maybe you need to look at other lines.

 

Roz

 

Roz, you mirrored my thoughts here. As to the negativism expressed earlier, I believe it was more about the fiasco of the BIG announcement rather than HAL itself. No one who watched the live event could feel otherwise.

 

When somebody says "convince me..." I wonder why they can't do their own research and make their own decision like the rest of us. So many things are subjective, many of us cruise for different reasons, and different cruise lines offer a multitude of choices.

[innlady1]

When I read, "convince me", it's an automatic turn-off.

 

Just try a short 7 day cruise to see if it's a good fit or not.

 

I prefer to make my own decisions. ..what fits for one may not fit for another.

[RocketMan275]

Roz, you mirrored my thoughts here. As to the negativism expressed earlier, I believe it was more about the fiasco of the BIG announcement rather than HAL itself. No one who watched the live event could feel otherwise.

 

When somebody says "convince me..." I wonder why they can't do their own research and make their own decision like the rest of us. So many things are subjective, many of us cruise for different reasons, and different cruise lines offer a multitude of choices.

 

This thread was started as a form of research. As I stated, all the negative comments in the referenced thread caused me to reconsider if my research was adequate. In that thread, posters expressed extreme dissatisfaction with the CEO and the state of Holland cruise line. It would seem that customer satisfaction, especially the satisfaction of long time customers, would be a critical element in choosing a cruise line.

 

This thread has been quite useful in my research. I could conclude at this point that the negativity in the other thread was the result of disappointment with the announcement rather than disappointment with Holland cruises.

[Aquahound]

Personal background: The wife and I have cruised multiple times on Royal and Princess and are more interested in the ship than the itinerary. Would probably book a Neptune suite on a Caribbean seven day cruise.

 

Koningsdam aside (hopefully), HAL is not a cruise line to book for the ship. Look at my signature...lots of RCI, a few Princess, Celebrity, etc, plus 3 HAL cruises. Trust me on this one. HAL is a line to book for itinerary or if you have absolutely no interest in on-board activities or entertainment.

 

That said, I just took a 10 night cruise on HAL and I loved it. Then again, I knew what to expect going in. Relaxation was all I wanted on this cruise....and I got it!

Edited November 1, 2015 by Aquahound

[DaveOKC]

Good questions. Wife and I are retired and we really aren't into rock climbing or riding flows. We like to spend quiet time on board. Spend a lot of time on the balcony or in other quieter areas of the ship. We do like to spend time in Princess Atrium watching the ebb and flow although it can get a bit too loud. Specialty restaurants are more important than the MDR. We do the buffet a lot. Loved the suites breakfast area in Sabatini's. More interested in a friendly crew providing good service than shore excursions.

 

Sounds to me that HAL will be a reasonable or better fit for you. As others have mentioned, selecting a cruise line is really a personal choice, depending on your likes and dislikes.

 

To us, we enjoy HAL's customer service (on board and on land) and its relaxed atmosphere. We also like having a Catholic priest on board almost every sailing. The entertainment is nothing special, but OK in our opinion. The MDR room food is "average", not outstanding but not bad either, and the servers are generally very friendly.

 

A Neptune suite experience is very nice, with free perks (check the website for details), a nice and quiet lounge just for Neptune cabins (with very nice concierges, and generally a couple of cocktail parties. Very nice sized cabins and balconies.

 

Some of us "regulars" really enjoy the aft-wrap Neptune suites due to their very large balconies (most of them) and the better viewing conditions. They are a bit of a walk to other things (including the Neptune Lounge) however. Great for a private cruising experience IMO. Check out this board for more details on these cabins. Read this topic for more details:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2271303

 

We love the Pinnacle specialty dining. Neptunes get to have breakfast there for free, but lunch and dinner are a slight extra charge, but well worth it IMO. On two of the newer HAL ships there is another great specialty dining - the Tamarind (Asian fare).

 

I hope you will give HAL a try.

Edited November 1, 2015 by DaveOKC

[Roz]

Well stated, Dave. That pretty much sums up my experience on HAL.

 

Roz

[RocketMan275]

Koningsdam aside (hopefully), HAL is not a cruise line to book for the ship. Look at my signature...lots of RCI, a few Princess, Celebrity, etc, plus 3 HAL cruises. Trust me on this one. HAL is a line to book for itinerary or if you have absolutely no interest in on-board activities or entertainment.

 

That said, I just took a 10 night cruise on HAL and I loved it. Then again, I knew what to expect going in. Relaxation was all I wanted on this cruise....and I got it!

 

Perhaps I could have stated that better. At this point in our lives, we are strictly limited to seven day Caribbean cruises because we do not wish to kennel our dogs for longer periods of time. After you've been to Cozumel, you've been to Cozumel, consequently the itineraries are not all that critical to us. We'd just as soon be in Cozumel or be in St Thomas. We aren't interested in rock climbing or flow riding either. We spend most our time just relaxing and we visit very few of the entertainment venues.

 

That said, we are looking to the future when we will have more flexibility in cruising and we are looking at different cruise lines. We intend to do Alaska. Also the canal. We certainly wish to do Hawaii and the Hawaii/Tahiti looks encouraging. A round South America also looks good. I have yet to convince the wife that she wants to do any more trans oceanic flights so Europe/Asia may not be possible. So far, Princess and Holland appear to be viable candidates.

 

I had really planned to do a seven day Caribbean Holland cruise as an experiment until I encountered all the negativity on that thread. If you did not know better, that thread would have convinced you that the CEO of Holland is incompetent, completely over his head, out of touch with his customer base, and should be fired immediately. The ships are falling apart and in dire need of maintenance to make the toilets and a/c operational, the food is terrible, etc., etc. Now, just based upon what you read in that thread, why would you book HAL?

[Roz]

If you go on a cruise looking for problems, you'll find them.

 

For me personally, I'd do more research rather than relying on one thread on a public msg. board in response to one press conference. I have no idea if Mr. Ashford is in over his head or not. All I know is that I enjoy HAL cruises, so at the very least he's hiring competent people to staff the ships.

 

Roz

[3rdGenCunarder]

Perhaps I could have stated that better. At this point in our lives, we are strictly limited to seven day Caribbean cruises because we do not wish to kennel our dogs for longer periods of time. After you've been to Cozumel, you've been to Cozumel, consequently the itineraries are not all that critical to us. We'd just as soon be in Cozumel or be in St Thomas. We aren't interested in rock climbing or flow riding either. We spend most our time just relaxing and we visit very few of the entertainment venues.

 

That said, we are looking to the future when we will have more flexibility in cruising and we are looking at different cruise lines. We intend to do Alaska. Also the canal. We certainly wish to do Hawaii and the Hawaii/Tahiti looks encouraging. A round South America also looks good. I have yet to convince the wife that she wants to do any more trans oceanic flights so Europe/Asia may not be possible. So far, Princess and Holland appear to be viable candidates.

 

I had really planned to do a seven day Caribbean Holland cruise as an experiment until I encountered all the negativity on that thread. If you did not know better, that thread would have convinced you that the CEO of Holland is incompetent, completely over his head, out of touch with his customer base, and should be fired immediately. The ships are falling apart and in dire need of maintenance to make the toilets and a/c operational, the food is terrible, etc., etc. Now, just based upon what you read in that thread, why would you book HAL?

 

I don't know that the CEO should be fired, but he sure should have studied before he went out before an audience. As others have said, and you have recognized, the complainers were unhappy with the sloppy presentation and the limited value of the new "enhancements." Those of us who love HAL get angry because we want to see shoreside support the wonderful crew and staff better. And it isn't just HAL. I often want to go the the main offices of Cunard and bang heads together. I don't know how many times Cunard shoreside has screwed up somthing and the people on board make it right.

 

As for condition of the ships, a year or so ago, we had a batch of threads about issues on board. AC, toilets. But with hundreds of cabins on a ship, the ones that have problems show up here to vent/warn. Far more people have problem-free cruises. That is NOT to say that the people who post about troubles didn't have them, but they are the exception, not the norm.

 

Something to think about for longer cruises. Lots of people list the itineraries as a plus with HAL. One way the itineraries are so special is that HAL tries to vary itineraries from one cruise to the next. So you can put together two 7-day cruises to make a 14-day cruise with minimal repeating of ports. Poke around the website and look at the variety of cruises and the way HAL offers combinations as longer cruises. And if you don't want one of their combinations, book any two you like as a back-to-back to "personalize your cruise experience" (and you wouldn't even need Afar/Utrip to do it for you :rolleyes:)

 

One quick clarification about breakfast in Pinnacle. It's the same menu as MDR, not a separate menu. What you get is better server ratio and a quiet, elegant experience. A lovely, gentle way to ease into your day.

Edited November 1, 2015 by 3rdGenCunarder

[Old As Dirt Mom]

...............

 

I had really planned to do a seven day Caribbean Holland cruise as an experiment until I encountered all the negativity on that thread. If you did not know better, that thread would have convinced you that the CEO of Holland is incompetent, completely over his head, out of touch with his customer base, and should be fired immediately. The ships are falling apart and in dire need of maintenance to make the toilets and a/c operational, the food is terrible, etc., etc. Now, just based upon what you read in that thread, why would you book HAL?

 

Go ahead and book a 7-day Caribbean itinerary on the Westerdam. Right now, she's our favorite ship, and we have two more cruises booked on her. We like Westerdam's open deck space, her internet packaging, the aft Neptune suites on deck 5 (the largest verandahs in the fleet are the Neptune deck 5 afts on the Zuiderdam, Oosterdam, and Westerdam, but that deck is completely covered, which we like, so if you want an open aft Neptune, choose another deck). We had excellent cabin and dining room service on our last two cruises, both Westerdam. Mark Pells is her hotel director currently, and he is very good.

 

If you and your wife don't have a good time, report back here, and I'll buy you both a drink should we ever cruise together:D There, now I've put my money where my mouth is (or where my keyboard is:D).

 

My sister keeps a blog on each cruise we do together. We just did a Panama Canal cruise. Here's a link to the daily "On Location" programs that she scanned, just to give you some idea of what HAL offers:

 

https://twocruisingsisters.wordpress.com/2015/10/20/on-location-guides-2/

Edited November 1, 2015 by middle-aged mom

[summer slope]

We cruise HAL for the reasons you are looking for. We want the quiet, laid back atmosphere, views, and the itinerary. We do not want screaming kids running everywhere, teens with their attitudes, rock walls, flow riders, ice shows, etc. Yes there are well behaved kids and teens, we've cruised with many of them but you don't find the numbers on a HAL cruise.

[kalliekae]

Most importantly... HAL ships are 'ships'. Very 'nautical'. Not over the top... just enough to let you know that you are on a ship... not a floating hotel.

 

Honestly, I think you would be quite at home. Give it a chance. You won't be disappointed. Stephen

 

I certainly don't have as much cruising experience as many on here, but I so agree with the above statement. We love both HAL and RCCL. We're booked on the Allure this month which is truly a floating resort with a ton of activities. The op says he's sailed RCCL and so he knows that they offer a WOW factor versus HAL who offers old world cruising. I don't think you should compare the two cruise lines because one sails each one for different reasons and no one can "convince" someone to choose a cruise line. Book a 7 day and if you like it, great. If not, try a different line in the future.

[RocketMan275]

Go ahead and book a 7-day Caribbean itinerary on the Westerdam. Right now, she's our favorite ship, and we have two more cruises booked on her. We like Westerdam's open deck space, her internet packaging, the aft Neptune suites on deck 5 (the largest verandahs in the fleet are the Neptune deck 5 afts on the Zuiderdam, Oosterdam, and Westerdam, but that deck is completely covered, which we like, so if you want an open aft Neptune, choose another deck). We had excellent cabin and dining room service on our last two cruises, both Westerdam. Mark Pells is her hotel director currently, and he is very good.

 

If you and your wife don't have a good time, report back here, and I'll buy you both a drink should we ever cruise together:D There, now I've put my money where my mouth is (or where my keyboard is:D).

 

My sister keeps a blog on each cruise we do together. We just did a Panama Canal cruise. Here's a link to the daily "On Location" programs that she scanned, just to give you some idea of what HAL offers:

 

https://twocruisingsisters.wordpress.com/2015/10/20/on-location-guides-2/

 

Thank you for this response, it's one of the most useful on this thread.

 

I have been doing my research and the Westerdam and her sisters stand out as the ships we would like the best. Those aft suite balconies on deck five are magnificent. We like room and we like cover since we're far beyond our sun bathing days. The only thing missing is Tamarind. BTW, Tampa may be a bit more convenient. What's your thoughts on Oosterdam?

 

One thing that makes HAL stand above Princess is the Panama Canal and South American itineraries. I would love to do an Alaskan cruise and link that to a panama canal cruise.

 

So, in conclusion, as things stand now, I will plan on booking Westerdam or one of her sisters.

[Old As Dirt Mom]

Thank you for this response, it's one of the most useful on this thread.

 

I have been doing my research and the Westerdam and her sisters stand out as the ships we would like the best. Those aft suite balconies on deck five are magnificent. We like room and we like cover since we're far beyond our sun bathing days. The only thing missing is Tamarind. BTW, Tampa may be a bit more convenient. What's your thoughts on Oosterdam?

 

One thing that makes HAL stand above Princess is the Panama Canal and South American itineraries. I would love to do an Alaskan cruise and link that to a panama canal cruise.

 

So, in conclusion, as things stand now, I will plan on booking Westerdam or one of her sisters.

 

We like Oosterdam, too, and in fact, we like all the Vista class ships that we've been on: Oosterdam, Westerdam, and Noordam. I spent 39 days on board Oosterdam last year. She's doing some great Caribbean itineraries this coming season. I have never been on the Signature class, although that may change next year as the Nieuw Amsterdam will be positioned out of Vancouver for the Alaska season. So I have no experience with Tamarind (yet :)).

 

Planning a cruise. It's my favorite "dilemma" in life:) Enjoy!

Edited November 1, 2015 by middle-aged mom
In full disclosure, I have never been on Zuiderdam, so I wanted to clarify.

[RocketMan275]

We like Oosterdam, too, and in fact, we like all the Vista class ships that we've been on: Oosterdam, Westerdam, and Noordam. I spent 39 days on board Oosterdam last year. She's doing some great Caribbean itineraries this coming season. I have never been on the Signature class, although that may change next year as the Nieuw Amsterdam will be positioned out of Vancouver for the Alaska season. So I have no experience with Tamarind (yet :)).

 

Planning a cruise. It's my favorite "dilemma" in life:) Enjoy!

 

Thanks for the response. We prefer to drive to the port and Tampa cuts a couple hours off the drive to FLL.

 

One of my problems is the fact that I suffer from Compulsive Planners Disorder (CPD). It's something I picked up in my professional life. I'm retired now, so I plan cruises.

[Ms.Eva]

Just my little two cents:

 

I have cruised on HAL five times on three different ships (the Rotterdamn two times, the Noordam two times and the Veendam once). The cruise on the Noordam, in 2007-2008 was my first Christmas cruise and I loved it. I wished I could have gone again for Christmas, unfortunately, HAL doesn't seem to sail out of NYC anymore and my mother and I don't want to fly. We've been on Cunard and last year on NCL out of NYC.

 

Anyway, HAL is my favorite cruise line. What I like the most are the movies, every night at 10pm. Since I cruise with my mom, a lot of time she doesn't want to do much in the evening, which means that I'm on my own after the show; I'm shy and an introvert, I don't like the casino and not too good a trivia, so for me, the movies were perfect because I had something to do every night.

 

I'm not a foodie so food isn't that much of an issue for me.

 

Now if HAL would leave out of NYC again, I'd be a happy woman.

[DaveOKC]

Thank you for this response, it's one of the most useful on this thread.

 

I have been doing my research and the Westerdam and her sisters stand out as the ships we would like the best. Those aft suite balconies on deck five are magnificent. We like room and we like cover since we're far beyond our sun bathing days. The only thing missing is Tamarind. BTW, Tampa may be a bit more convenient. What's your thoughts on Oosterdam?

 

One thing that makes HAL stand above Princess is the Panama Canal and South American itineraries. I would love to do an Alaskan cruise and link that to a panama canal cruise.

 

So, in conclusion, as things stand now, I will plan on booking Westerdam or one of her sisters.

 

A year ago we did the sister ship Zuiderdam on a partial Panama Canal cruise AND we were in a deck 5 aft wrap. This was a great cabin choice for this destination as you really get a great view of the locks and other operations of the canal. The extra shade area was a big plus as well, as the sun can get overbearing at times.

 

The balcony is so large that you can get 40 people on it! Great place to host a sail-away or viewing party.

[RocketMan275]

A year ago we did the sister ship Zuiderdam on a partial Panama Canal cruise AND we were in a deck 5 aft wrap. This was a great cabin choice for this destination as you really get a great view of the locks and other operations of the canal. The extra shade area was a big plus as well, as the sun can get overbearing at times.

 

The balcony is so large that you can get 40 people on it! Great place to host a sail-away or viewing party.

 

Thanks.

Boomer Sooner.