HAL vs Celebrity for Antarctica - Quite surprising to me

[MVPinBoynton]

We have cruised on Celebrity 21 times and HAL only once. We loved the one cruise we had with HAL and have looked forward to booking another one. In comparing prices for the 14 day Antarctica cruise with Celebrity with HAL's 22 day cruise, I was surprised that Celebrity was actually higher than HAL for an oceanview cabin; and we get a free upgrade with Celebrity. Celebrity's oceanview cabins are only 170 sq. ft vs HAL's 319.

 

A friend of our did this Zaandam cruise this year; which got me interested in it. I am so excited about finally getting back on a HAL ship and seeing this amazing continent. Looking forward to booking more HAL cruises and experiencing more of their lovely ships in the future.

[cabinluvn]

We are on the January 22 day Antarctica. Been looking at the cruise for years and finally jumped on it for 2018

 

 

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[MVPinBoynton]

We are on the January 22 day Antarctica. Been looking at the cruise for years and finally jumped on it for 2018

 

 

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I think you mean Jan 28, since our Jan 6 cruise ends on the 28th. :D It should be an awesome experience. Can't wait.

[cabinluvn]

Yes, the january 28 22 day. Am very excited, but finding the one way airfare from Chicago to Santiago and Buenos Aires to Chicago to be quite daunting. As it stands now, the total for the two of us would be over $5000

 

 

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[OlsSalt]

We have cruised on Celebrity 21 times and HAL only once. We loved the one cruise we had with HAL and have looked forward to booking another one. In comparing prices for the 14 day Antarctica cruise with Celebrity with HAL's 22 day cruise, I was surprised that Celebrity was actually higher than HAL for an oceanview cabin; and we get a free upgrade with Celebrity. Celebrity's oceanview cabins are only 170 sq. ft vs HAL's 319.

 

A friend of our did this Zaandam cruise this year; which got me interested in it. I am so excited about finally getting back on a HAL ship and seeing this amazing continent. Looking forward to booking more HAL cruises and experiencing more of their lovely ships in the future.

 

I don't think HAL oceanview cabins are 319 sq ft. That may be the upper end for an occasional oddly placed cabin or perhaps a handicap cabin. I think they are closer to 170 sq ft too. (?????) depending on the ship. Zaandam is a lovely, smaller, older ship. She is an excellent choice.

[MVPinBoynton]

Yes, the january 28 22 day. Am very excited, but finding the one way airfare from Chicago to Santiago and Buenos Aires to Chicago to be quite daunting. As it stands now, the total for the two of us would be over $5000

 

 

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Have you used Kayak.com to find better fares?

[cabinluvn]

Yes, I have used that and airfarewatchdog

 

 

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[MVPinBoynton]

I don't think HAL oceanview cabins are 319 sq ft. That may be the upper end for an occasional oddly placed cabin or perhaps a handicap cabin. I think they are closer to 170 sq ft too. (?????) depending on the ship. Zaandam is a lovely, smaller, older ship. She is an excellent choice.

 

They certainly don't look that big; but that is what it shows on the HAL site. I can't imagine there being an error on a website. :D It is bigger than what Celebrity has for sure.

[MVPinBoynton]

Yes, I have used that and airfarewatchdog

 

 

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My goodness, that is high. A lot cheaper from Miami.

[cabinluvn]

Wished we lived in Miami, just for the airfare. Flying from the Midwest is always pricey

 

 

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[Hlitner]

DW and I have been blessed to have cruised (and also done lots of independent land travel) to and around 6 continents. The only remaining frontier is Antarctica. Personally, we would not consider going to Antarctica on either Celebrity or HAL because we are still pretty healthy and mobile. The thought of seeing the 7th Continent from the deck of a cruise ship, but not being able to go ashore and see some of its wonders....would be a little depressing. There are some cruise ships (mostly smaller vessels) that actually go to Antarctica and take passengers ashore (often in large Zodiacs). We know that Hurtigruten still has a ship that heads to Antarctica and includes exploration ashore. I think that Ponent also does some cruises in this area (with shore visits). And there are other small lines that also offer exploration opportunities. As a general rule, ships are not permitted to land more than 100 passengers (at a time) on the continent...which makes a real cruise to this continent the purview of smaller cruise ships;.

 

As to seeing things from a large ship, this is so limited its a shame. The nature of large ships and the problems with ice keep large ships at some distance from the shore. And it does make a difference. For example, the first time we went to Doubtful Sound (New Zealand) it was on a large HAL ship where we did get into the fjord and enjoyed the beauty. But then a few years later, while on an extended driving trip in NZ, we drove to a nearby area where we could board a small boat (about 70 passengers) to cruise the same area. What a difference. What we saw from about 1/2 mile away on our large cruise ship, we now got to see close enough to reach out and touch. Waterfalls that you could barely see from a cruise ship were actually dropping water on our bow (some kids took a very cold bath).

 

Today, because of International Agreements, Antarctica just has too many restrictions that limit the larger ships. If we were going next year....I think that Hurtigruten would be the one to get our business.

 

Hank

[SilvertoGold]

Outsides tend to be approximately 190 square feet on HAL R class ships. There may be the odd ones that are larger and the Lower Prom ones are smaller.

 

Have a FANTASTIC cruise. This is our all time fav!

[SilvertoGold]

Yes, the january 28 22 day. Am very excited, but finding the one way airfare from Chicago to Santiago and Buenos Aires to Chicago to be quite daunting. As it stands now, the total for the two of us would be over $5000

 

 

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Have you looked into HAL FlightEase? We have found huge savings booking through HAL on international flights.

[senorjim]

Yes, the january 28 22 day. Am very excited, but finding the one way airfare from Chicago to Santiago and Buenos Aires to Chicago to be quite daunting. As it stands now, the total for the two of us would be over $5000

 

 

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I'd suggest asking HAL for an air quote. We have on a few occasions received very good pricing on open jaw flights from them. Especially for long haul business class.

Jim

 

 

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[Stpatsirish]

Have you asked HAL to price out airfare? We did for our flights to Amsterdam and from Rome. We could not find anything ourselves that was anywhere near what HAL could get for us. We saved more than half.

[cabinluvn]

DW and I have been blessed to have cruised (and also done lots of independent land travel) to and around 6 continents. The only remaining frontier is Antarctica. Personally, we would not consider going to Antarctica on either Celebrity or HAL because we are still pretty healthy and mobile. The thought of seeing the 7th Continent from the deck of a cruise ship, but not being able to go ashore and see some of its wonders....would be a little depressing. There are some cruise ships (mostly smaller vessels) that actually go to Antarctica and take passengers ashore (often in large Zodiacs). We know that Hurtigruten still has a ship that heads to Antarctica and includes exploration ashore. I think that Ponent also does some cruises in this area (with shore visits). And there are other small lines that also offer exploration opportunities. As a general rule, ships are not permitted to land more than 100 passengers (at a time) on the continent...which makes a real cruise to this continent the purview of smaller cruise ships;.

 

As to seeing things from a large ship, this is so limited its a shame. The nature of large ships and the problems with ice keep large ships at some distance from the shore. And it does make a difference. For example, the first time we went to Doubtful Sound (New Zealand) it was on a large HAL ship where we did get into the fjord and enjoyed the beauty. But then a few years later, while on an extended driving trip in NZ, we drove to a nearby area where we could board a small boat (about 70 passengers) to cruise the same area. What a difference. What we saw from about 1/2 mile away on our large cruise ship, we now got to see close enough to reach out and touch. Waterfalls that you could barely see from a cruise ship were actually dropping water on our bow (some kids took a very cold bath).

 

Today, because of International Agreements, Antarctica just has too many restrictions that limit the larger ships. If we were going next year....I think that Hurtigruten would be the one to get our business.

 

Hank

 

 

 

I guess it the expectation you have of the experience. Myself, I think that the less human contact with a place that is in danger of going away is the better. I do not need to put my feet on the ground in order to be in awe of the vastness of the area. I would rather look at it from afar rather than be a part of the destruction of the land

 

 

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[RuthC]

The outside cabins on the Zaandam are 196 sq. ft. on the two lower decks; the Lower Promenade outsides are smaller.

Have you looked at open jaw flights? Those are generally cheaper than two one-way fares. Please don't make the mistake I made the first time I did this cruise: I arrived on embarkation day, although we had an overnight in that port. I was too tired to leave the ship the next day.

Coming home was a 33-hour day from the time I got up that last morning on board until I got home the next day. The second time was a 39-hour day, due to flight delays at one connection.

Just letting you know that it is a grueling trip down & back, so be prepared to rest up a bit on each end.

[cabinluvn]

I am not familiar with open jaw flights. I have flown to Peru for a medical mission, also from Chicago to Shanghi, so I am familiar with long flights. We always come in 1-2 days before sailing. We are retired, so recovering on the coming home leg is not as big a deal

 

 

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[RuthC]

I am not familiar with open jaw flights.

Open jaw is a third way to book; the other two you are familiar with are round trip and one way.

In open jaw, the beginning and ending airports are the same, but the intermediate arrival and departure airports are different. They must be closer to each other than the legs of the flights. Your South America ports would qualify you for open jaw.

If you open an airline booking window, take a deeper look to see that option. I always have trouble finding it, and I know what to look for!

[cabinluvn]

Open jaw is a third way to book; the other two you are familiar with are round trip and one way.

In open jaw, the beginning and ending airports are the same, but the intermediate arrival and departure airports are different. They must be closer to each other than the legs of the flights. Your South America ports would qualify you for open jaw.

If you open an airline booking window, take a deeper look to see that option. I always have trouble finding it, and I know what to look for!

 

 

 

So, if I was trying to book on a booking site, say Airfarewatchdog, how would I go about looking for an open jaw? Or even if I go on American or Delta....

 

 

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[Turtles06]

Open jaw is a third way to book; the other two you are familiar with are round trip and one way.

In open jaw, the beginning and ending airports are the same, but the intermediate arrival and departure airports are different. They must be closer to each other than the legs of the flights. Your South America ports would qualify you for open jaw.

If you open an airline booking window, take a deeper look to see that option. I always have trouble finding it, and I know what to look for!

 

An open jaw flight is (also) a round trip flight where the beginning and ending airports are different. (You fly from Airport A to Airport B, and Airport B to Airport C.) Map it out --- looks like an open jaw.

[cabinluvn]

An open jaw flight is (also) a round trip flight where the beginning and ending airports are different. (You fly from Airport A to Airport B, and Airport B to Airport C.) Map it out --- looks like an open jaw.

 

 

 

That is what I did and it was $1300/pp from chicago to Santiago and about the same from buenos Aries to chicago

 

 

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[RuthC]

So, if I was trying to book on a booking site, say Airfarewatchdog, how would I go about looking for an open jaw? Or even if I go on American or Delta....

I've never used one of those booking sites, but I have booked open jaw on American Airlines (the last time I did that cruise, as a matter of fact). I can't remember how I got to the open jaw option, and I just went into the AA website, and didn't see it. Perhaps you have to actually have to start to book a flight, and it comes up?

I have two suggestions. First, try playing around with the AA site. You know your dates, and airports. So long as you don't enter a credit card number, there's no loss except time.

The second suggestion is, if the first doesn't work, is to go to the air forum on CC and ask the question there. Someone will know precisely how to do it.

[EDLOS]

So, if I was trying to book on a booking site, say Airfarewatchdog, how would I go about looking for an open jaw? Or even if I go on American or Delta....

 

 

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You will see One Way, Round Trip and Multi City.... Click on Multi City. You will probably be starting in Santiago, Chile and ending in Buenas Aires, Argentina or vice versa. I have found sometimes the lowest fares I could find was by booking One Way's each way. Diffinitley consider booking to Miami and then booking from Miami to So. America destinations. Also many non stops from New York to So. America cities at good prices.

[cabinluvn]

Thanks, I will also check with HAL

 

 

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