Should I do Holland America or Celebrity?

[Banana15]

I have two options for a Southern Caribbean cruise...I've done NCL and Carnival, but never HAL or Celebrity. We are both in our 30's-40's, so we don't want a "young" crowd, but don't necessarily want a crowd too old. Neither of us have been to any of these ports (aside from Bahamas), so it would all be new to us. I really want to see Aruba AND Barbados...so there is a favorite on each side. We primarily like to spend evenings in the casino or at a good show. As for the "wants"...I'd really like the food to be good quality and to not have children and people drinking in excess. I seem to lean more toward HAL, but there is a significant price jump and I've read the clientele is much older. Also,one is in March and the other is in May. I'm not sure which month is better for these ports. Based on these facts, which would be a better option? Any advice would be appreciated.

 

HAL 11 nights on March 7th from Ft. Lauderdale on Koningsdam.

Cost is $1,299/person for inside cabin

 

1) Ft. Lauderdale

2) At Sea

3) At Sea

4) St. Maarten

5) St. Lucia

6) Barbados

7) Martinique

8) St. Kitts

9) St Thomas

10) At Sea

11) Half Moon Cay

12) Ft Lauderdale

 

OR

 

Celebrity 10 nights on May 4th from Miami on Equinox

Cost is $949/person for inside cabin.

 

1) Miami

2) At Sea

3) Grand Cayman

4) At Sea

5) Aruba

6) Curacao

7) Bonaire

8) At Sea

9) At Sea

10) Key West

11) Miami

[Shmoo here]

I have two options for a Southern Caribbean cruise...I've done NCL and Carnival, but never HAL or Celebrity. We are both in our 30's-40's, so we don't want a "young" crowd, but don't necessarily want a crowd too old. Neither of us have been to any of these ports (aside from Bahamas), so it would all be new to us. I really want to see Aruba AND Barbados...so there is a favorite on each side. We primarily like to spend evenings in the casino or at a good show. As for the "wants"...I'd really like the food to be good quality and to not have children and people drinking in excess. I seem to lean more toward HAL, but there is a significant price jump and I've read the clientele is much older. Also,one is in March and the other is in May. I'm not sure which month is better for these ports. Based on these facts, which would be a better option? Any advice would be appreciated.

 

HAL 11 nights on March 7th from Ft. Lauderdale on Koningsdam.

Cost is $1,299/person for inside cabin

 

1) Ft. Lauderdale

2) At Sea

3) At Sea

4) St. Maarten

5) St. Lucia

6) Barbados

7) Martinique

8) St. Kitts

9) St Thomas

10) At Sea

11) Half Moon Cay

12) Ft Lauderdale

 

OR

 

Celebrity 10 nights on May 4th from Miami on Equinox

Cost is $949/person for inside cabin.

 

1) Miami

2) At Sea

3) Grand Cayman

4) At Sea

5) Aruba

6) Curacao

7) Bonaire

8) At Sea

9) At Sea

10) Key West

11) Miami

 

For me:

 

HAL:

Pros: 11 nights; 2 new ports (for me); been on HAL (I like it)

Cons: only 3 sea days; $300+ more for one more day; shows on HAL haven't been the best (IMO)

 

Celebrity:

Pros: 2 new ports; 4 sea days; cheaper cost, never been on Celebrity

Cons: Don't like Key West; only 10 nights

[Essiesmom]

I would do the Celebrity cruise. Why? Well, I think the passenger base will be marginally younger, although cruises longer than 7 days will always have an older demographic, because those are the people who can take longer vacations and have more to spend. But second, the ABC islands are not offered as often as the ones on the HAL cruise, and to get all three on the same cruise is really rare. Take advantage! EM

[easyboy]

I will prefer Celebrity. We like Aruba and Bonaire.

[Keith1010]

I've done both. In fact after doing several on Celebrity we took one on HAL.

 

Given your ages I would go with Celebrity.

 

Keith

[crystalspin]

I am a HAL fan-girl, but I would be STRONGLY TEMPTED to visit the ABC Islands all in one trip. In fact, I'm tempted to research this cruise for ourselves!

 

It seems like seven ports/islands over five should be a shoo-in favoring the seven, but SIX of them are in a row and that many consecutive ports can be tiring.

 

I vote for Equinox.

[Yesflygirl]

I was just looking at these, and I believe the HAL is also ten nights 11 days, it says, which is ten nights), and it's now up above fifteen hundred for the lowest cabin. BTW, Celebrity's great.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[puppycanducruise]

We've never cruised with Celebrity, but we love HAL. We are a bit older than you - in our fifties.

But, between these 2, I would go with the Celebrity cruise. We really enjoyed Aruba and Curacao (haven't been to Bonaire).

[Krazy Kruizers]

We have done both itineraries.

Much prefer the deep southern route with the ABC islands.

Go with Celebrity.

[navybankerteacher]

My general preference has always been for HAL, but have found Celebrity to be a close second. Given the cost differential, and the relative desirability of itineraries, I would go with Celebrity.

[Nebr.cruiser]

We much prefer Celebrity over HAL and it would fit your age better, although any cruise over 7 days tends older. We found HAL to be very staid and even at 70 felt kind of young! And we are not partiers and don't drink.

 

I really like the islands in the Holland itinerary though--more exotic--but that many port stops in a row can be a little much. Contrary to many people, the ABC islands are not my favorites, but then we have been to them many times.

 

Prices seem really high for insides on both ships.

[Banana15]

Thanks for all the input, everyone. Like I said, we've only ever done the Bahamas (although, my husband did Jamaica years ago and hated it) so I am almost trying to cram in as much as possible. But in the end, I really want to the better ports. My only main concern with Celebrity is that it's in May. I read that it's the "rainy season". I'm not sure how true that is. Do any of you know?

[Essiesmom]

Rainy season only means that you might have a shower every afternoon. Or not. Just consider that it will be warm and humid, and if it hadn't rained, you would be just as wet from sweating. I would not worry about it. EM

[OCruisers]

The HAL would be my suggestion since it would give you the opportunity to go to more islands and HAL is a good choice for port intensive cruises. :D

[bettyboop16]

Should you go with Celebrity & you snorkel, Bonaire has the best snorkeling. Check out Woodwind Tours.

We take our first Celebrity cruise Feb. 2018. We have cruised HAL 3 times & they are a good cruise line....just they weren't a good fit for us.

[onespots]

Hello Banana15

 

First of all... You cannot go wrong choosing a S-Class Ship with Celebrity. You will find the Exquinox an excellent choice.

Given your age, interests, & energy the Equinox should be more to your liking. HAL is a fine cruise line, however much of their appeal is to an older demographic. If you enjoy night life on the ship, likely there will more to do on Celebrity.

 

Happy Travels

[SuiteTraveler]

Celebrity has considerably better food. HAL has considerably better cabins once you are in suites. I've been on both. HAL demographic was a good 30 to 40 years older than us. I would go on Celebrity.

[geoherb]

Princess does an 8-day itinerary to the ABCs. We did it last December and had a great time. Four days at sea (two going and two coming back). We had been to Aruba and Curacao before, but this was our first cruise that included Bonaire, which we enjoyed a lot.

 

Between your original two choices, I'd recommend the Celebrity itinerary.

[kelmac]

After nine HAL cruises and 29 Celebrity cruises, head to head, I would always pick Celebrity. Better food, better alternatives and better entertainment. I would love a return to the ABC islands, so the Equinox would win out, although I'm intrigued with HAL's newest ship.

 

HAL ships are traditional, dark and old school; Celebrity ships are open, modern and innovative. The S-class ships could be the best bang for the buck at sea. Don't get me wrong, I do like Holland American over Princess, but they have a ways to go to equal Celebrity.

 

Can't make a mistake with these two,

Kel:D

[crystalspin]

Banana15--

If you are really looking at an inside cabin, I see another reason to favor (strongly in my opinion) the Equinox. Insides on the Koningsdam have exactly one straight back chair OR in some rooms a storage vanity backless stool, no chair. The insides on the EQ have a 2 or 3 seat sofa and a desk or vanity chair (and a table to set your pre-dinner drink on)!

 

HAL used to have a corner on the roomy interior market, with at least a short sofa in most insides. All the modern glitz in the world doesn't make up for this shoot-ourselves-in-the-foot "advance"!

[marco]

We've been to all of the ports you've mentioned and we've been on several HAL ships, but not the Konigsdam. We have been on the Equinox. IMHO......I'd be quite happy with either! If ports are important, do a little research on them all and decide based on the more appealing itinerary.

[Staceyface1]

The HAL itinerary sounds more interesting to me if you can swing the cost

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[crewsgirl]

HAL has the better itinerary in my book.