No HAL cruise fits our availability - Alternatives?

[OlsSalt]

RCCL Vision leave May 17 - departure Barcelona - 2400 passenger -Italy and Greece - could be good since it is relatively smaller ship.

 

Celebrity Infinity hits a lot of the right buttons and has the more interesting itinerary. Do you really want to show up in port with 4000-5000 other passengers on the larger ships. Mega ships are fine if you put onboard activities ahead of the actual travel experience. Which will be your preferance when switching from HAL to Brand X?

Edited January 20, 2019 by OlsSalt

[I_r_a]

Hi SC,

 

Have you considered a river cruise - AMA, Avalon?

 

Ira

[colonialinnkeeper]

I would not settle for either ship as I know I would find the experience not to my liking. 

 

This year we switched out itineraries that we want to sail because the dates/ports were more condusive to this plan.  We were originally looking at northern Europe for 2019 but switched to the Mediterranean again combining a two and a half week land visit to Germany/Switzerland/Austria and chose the longer more perfect Northern Europe sailing for next year.  Are there other places you wish to visit that you could do this for this year?

[Aquahound]

16 hours ago, SumoCitrus said:

I would very much like to cruise HAL again this spring/summer but I can't find an itinerary that works with our schedule. I found two cruises that do work, both sailing from Barcelona and visiting France and Italy. If you were absolutely forced to skip HAL and take another line/ship, which of these would you choose? Keep in mind we really like the feel of HAL cruises (i.e., not a zoo, minimal kids, etc.)

 

1. Norwegian Epic

2. RCL Oasis of the Seas

 

As someone who has actually cruised those ships and has been on several HAL ships, let me first say you should take the opinions of those who haven't sailed them with a grain of salt.  

 

First, I whole heartedly disagree that RCI is a step down from HAL.  RCI, especially Oasis, has faaaar better entertainment than HAL and much better specialty restaurants. Plus, people tend to focus on the number of passengers without taking into account the size of the ship.  To contrast what Rowsby said earlier, although Epic has less passengers, Epic is still the more crowded ship because the space to passenger ratio is lower.  Truth be told, I've sailed Oasis Class 4 times and they tend to be some of the least crowded ships I've sailed.  In fact, according to CLIA, Oasis Class space ratio (41.6) is slightly better than HAL's Nieuw Amsterdam (41.1).  Norwegian Epic's is down at 37.  Anything in the 40s or higher is really good.  

 

I'll agree with what Hunky said.  Oasis Class has several low-key venues that are great for relaxation.  Central Park is dimly lit at night and usually has a violinist or solo guitarist playing (HAL did away with this sort of entertainment).  There's also a jazz club with a live band playing smooth jazz music every night.  The adults only Solarium is a great place to relax during the day with its 270 degree panoramic view of the ocean.  There's also a nice library with comfy chairs.  Then again, if you want to let your hair down and take in the great entertainment, there are numerous choices all over the ship.  They also still have a live calypso band playing poolside.  

 

NCL, on the other hand, I would avoid.  I've been more disappointed with them than satisfied.  Epic is a very odd ship with a weird stateroom layout.  The shower isn't in the bathroom.  It's in the living space in the room.  There's a reason NCL didn't continue with that ship design.  

[Fouremco]

In 2017, we treated our kids and grandkids to a 12-member family cruise on the Allure of the Seas, sister ship to the Oasis. The cruise was during spring break and was carrying its maximum passenger load, but as Aquahound has pointed out, the passenger:space ratio makes it feel less crowded than many smaller ships with less passengers. In our 70's, DW and I skipped the rock climbing, zip-lining and surfing, but we had no difficulty finding venues that were suited to our age and tastes. With its excellent specialty restaurants and far superior entertainment, evenings were a delight. 

 

While DW and I would always choose HAL or Celebrity over RCI, we'd have no hesitation in booking the Oasis if faced with the OP's circumstances.

[Cruzaholic41]

I say try Oasis. It’s an awesome experience. Only those who have actually been on Oasis would know how good it really is, and I’ve been on that ship class 6 times.  It’s that good.  Ignore the naysayers who haven’t been there. 

[OlsSalt]

Not fair to say if one has not been on one of these mega ships, one can't comment about them. There is a reason we have not been on them, and that is very much worthy of comment - no way, no how, never ever. No thanks.

 

 I would take a land vacation well before even considering a "cruise" on one of these things. 

[cruisemom42]

11 hours ago, Cruzaholic41 said:

I say try Oasis. It’s an awesome experience. Only those who have actually been on Oasis would know how good it really is, and I’ve been on that ship class 6 times.  It’s that good.  Ignore the naysayers who haven’t been there. 

 

It's not so much about  being a "naysayer".  The OP is looking for an experience similar to what they have found on HAL. I think to recommend either of the two ships listed would be to set them up for disappointment IF that is what they want and are looking for.

[Aquahound]

I think its a lot easier to have a HAL experience on Oasis than it is to have an Oasis experience on HAL.  On Oasis, if you want to avoid the activities and entertainment, you can.  If you want to go to the same music venue every night like on HAL, you can.  If you want to just chill in a quiet area with little to no noise, you can.  

 

This is the Solarium.  Its adults only.   It has a restaurant, a bar, a pool, 2 hot tubs and 2 cantilevered hot tubs.  This was my favorite hang out during the day.

 

[OlsSalt]

Visual drama does not equate onboard cruising pleasure. Might as well book a flight to Minneapolis and spend your days at Mall of America if one wants thrills, chills and indoor gardens. 

[Aquahound]

15 hours ago, OlsSalt said:

Visual drama does not equate onboard cruising pleasure. 

 

As someone who has actually been on this ship class 4 times, I can assure you it does.  

[chill6x6]

One thing I just remembered that I REALLY enjoyed about the Oasis....the BAND!  Man could they PLAY!  It was so great to here Sing sing sing, Begin the Beguine, et al..  They played in many venues....sometimes as a jazz band, sometimes orchestra duty.  Also have to mention the diving show....I couldn't believe actually how GOOD it was.  

 

Quite honestly I enjoy mixing it up with cruise lines.  Every cruise line has their own speciality if you will....just like restaurants I don't eat at the same one all the time.

[Cruzaholic41]

 

 

As someone who has actually been on this ship class 4 times, I can assure you it does.  

 

Exactly. Saying one is not interested is one thing. Claiming one knows about the experience but hasn’t actually been on board is another. That’s why the OP should give the most credit to those who have actually cruised Oasis. 

 

[Georgie562]

Honestly most of you are bashing other lines as if it were really that horrible. Yes they might have no similar experience at all to HAL but each line and ship is unique and different..  I have NO preference at all on any cruise line. I go where the price and itinerary takes me. For instance my upcoming cruise on Princess was the only one available during the week of my birthday from California so I went with it. If Holland had a same cruise that same week for less than Princess then I would have gone with Holland or any line for that matter.  I have tried several lines and ships and I enjoyed them all in their own ways. I've only been on one Holland cruise. Will I cruise HAL? I sure will if the itinerary, time and price are in place.

Edited January 22, 2019 by Georgie562

[OlsSalt]

6 minutes ago, Georgie562 said:

Honestly most of you are bashing other lines as if it were really that horrible. Yes they might have no similar experience at all to HAL but each line and ship is unique and different..  I have NO preference at all on any cruise line. I go where the price and itinerary takes me. For instance my upcoming cruise on Princess was the only one available during the week of my birthday from California so I went with it. If Holland had a same cruise that same week for less than Princess then I would have gone with Holland or any line for that matter.  I have tried several lines and ships and I enjoyed them all in their own ways. I've only been on one Holland cruise. Will I cruise HAL? I sure will if the itinerary, time and price are in place.

 

We are not bashing other cruise lines; just the type of experience they offer. Huge ships are just not everyone's cup of tea. And you don't need to try them to reach this obvious opinion. I have no desire to show up in port with 5000 other passengers.   That is the one obvious deficiency they offer when someone is looking for a comparable HAL experience. It appears RCCL runs a 2400 passenger ship - worth a try in a pinch. But anything larger simply does not work.  I personally max out with the Eurodam class.

[RMLincoln]

On 1/20/2019 at 9:31 AM, cruisemom42 said:

 

Croatia is outstanding. Split and Dubrovnik are both scenic and historic. (Also relatively easy to do on your own, if that interests you.) . The sail in to Kotor is also visually stunning. And you still get Catania, a good port in Sicily and a stop in Naples. Spend a few days before or after in Rome and if Italy is a big draw for you, you can easily get by train from Rome to Florence for either a long daytrip or another couple of days' stay.

Yes, yes, yes and yes!  Do think about using trains or short-hop flights to get to see other parts of Europe.  On a cruise you only get a limited taste of a given port but if you plan to fly into a cheaper airport you can get the experience of visiting for a day or two, then train to the port.  This is more adventurous and requires some compact packing but may give you more options.  Read Rick Steves to get ideas of connecting options.

It sounds like you want to see France and Italy, are there shorter cruises you can combine?  I use an excellent search engine for options that is a commonly used vacations site for overall cruise options. 

I think the above descriptions of the larger ships show that the cruise experience on those ships is for the ship experience more than the land experience.  The mega-ships give a ton of onboard options, but how much time are they in ports? 

We took HAL Nieuw Amsterdam r/t from Venice to the Greek Isles and Istanbul, port intensive... was hardly on the ship long enough to experience it, so I'd advise you to look closely at the time in ports and if the ports and time allow you to do what you want to do... just because the ship is large and has a ton of options doesn't mean you have to do them all!  Envision how each day would work for you. 

And for me, the layout of the bathroom on a port intensive cruise is hardly a factor, but it may be for you.  Only you can balance the ship experience importance vs. the land experience.  In Europe for us it's the land.  Happy planning!  m--

Edited January 22, 2019 by RMLincoln

[stevec999]

You might look at Oceania. Similar to HAL as far as being low key. I prefer their larger ships (Marina,Riviera-- 1250 pas).

Service is great and food is a step (or two) up. Entertainment is basic. Speciality restaurants are included in cost. Ships are very classy with lots of art on display. Very high staff to passenger ratio.

[Nymich]

On ‎1‎/‎20‎/‎2019 at 1:18 PM, Aquahound said:

 

  

 

NCL, on the other hand, I would avoid.  I've been more disappointed with them than satisfied.  Epic is a very odd ship with a weird stateroom layout.  The shower isn't in the bathroom.  It's in the living space in the room.  There's a reason NCL didn't continue with that ship design.   

Thanks for posting this about the showers and sink in the room!  I had no idea so I went and looked at some videos.  Always great to get some good info!

[BJzink]

On ‎1‎/‎20‎/‎2019 at 8:23 AM, SumoCitrus said:

Wow these are great replies - thank you very much. I tend to agree with RuthC and I suspect we will have to try to look for the good on other cruise lines. HAL just seems like such a good fit.

 

Our dates of availability are May 17 - June 3. I did find a K-Dam cruise out of Rome that might work but I am unfamiliar with Croatia. It also isn't as Italy-intensive but we might be able to work with that. Not a fan of K-Dam's side-saddle toilets but I can suffer through it.

 

Flight availability also an issue. It's harder find "deals" in business class to FCO apparently.

Been to Croatia x 2 - it is gorgeous and such a great history.

[Terre]

I have been on the Oasis and liked the ship, but for me it was just too big with too many people.  It was difficult to get into any of the restaurants along the promenade area or get into the lounges.  When there were events in the promenade it was so packed with people you couldn't move....I just don't like that.