How does Celebrity compare to Holland America?

[Presto2]

Hi,

 

Just curious how Holland America compares to Celebrity. Hadn't really thought of looking at their cruises much recently but have read that their prices are not too bad.

Have just had a look at a clip on YouTube about the cruise line and in some ways lots of elements of it seem to suit us.

Just wondering

 

If anyone has been on P&O as well, a comparison with them would help too :-)

 

Thanks

[yorky]

I’m also very interested to hear this one. We have never sailed with Holland but some of their pricing is very appealing these days, I can live with the smoking areas.

[Presto2]

2 minutes ago, yorky said:

I’m also very interested to hear this one. We have never sailed with Holland but some of their pricing is very appealing these days, I can live with the smoking areas.

 

Smoking areas??? As in where ? Inside or outside?

 

:-)

[jkgourmet]

In general, we preferred HAL.  Mostly a feeling of more tradition, more dark wood and formal decor (and the Edgification is really making that a glaring difference).  The service is very good on both, but we'd give HAL a few extra points.  HAL tends to have less kids.  We found the food compatable.  Entertainment was better on HAL, especially in the bars - more adult oriented, less rock and pop music.  And HAL has some GREAT itineraries.

 

So why do we now sail on celebrity?  The prices.  When I take HAL's cheapest cabin and add gratuities and an alcohol package, X is ALWAYS cheaper.  

 

Note that we book the cheapest cabin we can to celebrity perks - which is typically a GTY OV.  That gives us the classic alcohol package.  Our online TA pays the gratuities on X but not on HAL.  BUT even comparing HAL guarantee inside cabins, the overall price is less on X.

 

More expensive cabins may produce different results.  Certainly, someone who doesnt care about an alcohol package will end up with a different total cost.  But with pur requirements, I can't beat X prices on ANY other cruise line (except MAYBE very last minute bookings, which require an expensive last minute plane ticket.)

 

 

[yorky]

5 minutes ago, Presto2 said:

 

Smoking areas??? As in where ? Inside or outside?

 

🙂

https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/news/news.cfm?ID=7263

[Presto2]

1 minute ago, yorky said:

https://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/news/news.cfm?ID=7263

 

Thanks, that is the right answer for us ;-)

[Presto2]

4 minutes ago, jkgourmet said:

In general, we preferred HAL.  Mostly a feeling of more tradition, more dark wood and formal decor (and the Edgification is really making that a glaring difference).  The service is very good on both, but we'd give HAL a few extra points.  HAL tends to have less kids.  We found the food compatable.  Entertainment was better on HAL, especially in the bars - more adult oriented, less rock and pop music.  And HAL has some GREAT itineraries.

 

So why do we now sail on celebrity?  The prices.  When I take HAL's cheapest cabin and add gratuities and an alcohol package, X is ALWAYS cheaper.  

 

Note that we book the cheapest cabin we can to celebrity perks - which is typically a GTY OV.  That gives us the classic alcohol package.  Our online TA pays the gratuities on X but not on HAL.  BUT even comparing HAL guarantee inside cabins, the overall price is less on X.

 

More expensive cabins may produce different results.  Certainly, someone who doesnt care about an alcohol package will end up with a different total cost.  But with our requirements, I can't beat X prices on ANY other cruise line (except MAYBE very last minute bookings, which require an expensive last minute plane ticket.)

 

 

 

Thanks that is really helpful. We are going to a 'Cruise Fayre' in a few weeks and HAL are going to be there so we want to go armed with lots of questions. We like tradition and are happy on both Celebrity and P&O (love the formal nights). Having said that we are on Edge in August so really are happy to go with the flow -- we just do our homework first so know what to expect. The HAL research has now begun ….. it will keep me quiet for hours and hours and hours ..

[Host Jazzbeau]

On the smoking issue, Celebrity has always been the leader in restricting smoking while HAL has been the laggard.  HAL's new policy may seem to be similar to Celebrity's, but it still allows smoking indoors [Celebrity has a complete ban] and HAL's customer base includes a lot more smokers [because of their very permissive smoking policy until recently] so any smoking areas on HAL are likely to be dense clouds of smoke that drifts further than on Celebrity.

[Presto2]

2 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

On the smoking issue, Celebrity has always been the leader in restricting smoking while HAL has been the laggard.  HAL's new policy may seem to be similar to Celebrity's, but it still allows smoking indoors [Celebrity has a complete ban] and HAL's customer base includes a lot more smokers [because of their very permissive smoking policy until recently] so any smoking areas on HAL are likely to be dense clouds of smoke that drifts further than on Celebrity.

 

Uggghhhh, that's put us off a bit now ….. we are not looking for this year so we can ask the rep. when we go to the Cruise Fayre. Seems like it is very far behind as smoking indoors is really restricted in the UK and I think that is the same for the rest of Europe.

 

P.S. Just noticed that I am now on 5,999 posts. Do I get a fanfare of trumpets when I hit 6,000

[jkgourmet]

Actually, HAL's smoking policy is different depending on the ship.

 

https://www.icruise.com//cruise-lines/holland-america-line-smoking-policy.html?redirectFromMob=true&404=http://m_icruise_com/cruise-lines/holland-america-line-smoking-policy_html=&

[OCruisers]

Per above .... Where smoking and which type of smoking is allowed differs depending on the ship.  

[TMLAalum]

We were recently on HAL's brand-new Nieuw Statendam. Smoking was allowed in the casino on a limited basis; however, even on non-smoking days, the smell of cigarettes permeates the common areas. We boarded 18 days after the first passengers and the first thing I noticed was the smoke odor and wondered if I was imagining it since I was unaware of HAL's policy on that ship.

 

Decor preferences are personal; however, to me, I felt like this new ship's interior was very dated-looking...low ceilings, lots of vinyl, clashing colors, and clashing patterns. 

[PoolSlider]

1 hour ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

On the smoking issue, Celebrity has always been the leader in restricting smoking while HAL has been the laggard.  HAL's new policy may seem to be similar to Celebrity's, but it still allows smoking indoors [Celebrity has a complete ban] and HAL's customer base includes a lot more smokers [because of their very permissive smoking policy until recently] so any smoking areas on HAL are likely to be dense clouds of smoke that drifts further than on Celebrity.

 

Ive taken two cruises on HAL both on the Zuiderdam post-drydock and there was no smoking indoors at all. There was smoking on the aft pool deck on the left side and one spot outside on the promenade and that was it. It was marvelous to walk thru the ship without a thought to encountering the dreaded haze. 

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

27 minutes ago, PoolSlider said:

 

Ive taken two cruises on HAL both on the Zuiderdam post-drydock and there was no smoking indoors at all. There was smoking on the aft pool deck on the left side and one spot outside on the promenade and that was it. It was marvelous to walk thru the ship without a thought to encountering the dreaded haze. 

 

Casino?

[woody14h]

Smoking is allowed on the Konigsdam and Niew Statendam in the casino.  Problem is the smoke wafts into the other regions of the ship.  I have told HAL, no more sail on these ships.  We are 3 star on HAL and Elite Plus on Celebrity.  Perks on Celebrity far overshadows HAL.  Food is subjective but we feel both are on the same plane. Service on both for us has been impeccable.  Either line is a good choice. We book based on destinations, price and flight arrangements. We have found in the past Celebrity ChoiceAir to be easier and better for us to choose and book.

[Presto2]

Thanks to everyone above for the posts ---- will keep an eye on the reviews re smoking as we hate the smell with a passion!

Then again, on Ventura P&O 2 years ago we were on the non smoking side and ended up with a balcony above a crew smoking vent. It was horrible and that was a no smoking area ------ well. should have been.

[Ken the cruiser]

We are in our mid 60's and have cruised with both HAL and Celebrity and, hands down if comparing similar itineraries, we prefer X over HAL. If you are looking for a relaxing cruise with not much happening on sea days, then HAL is your cruise line. If you like to have fun, go to Vegas-style evening shows, play trivia up to 3-4 times a day, go and possibly participate in interactive game shows every night and enjoy multiple special dining venues, then Celebrity is a great choice. We recently did a B2B on the Reflection in the Caribbean in a sky suite, and wow, did we have a great time! HAL has pretty much gotten too boring for us except for maybe a Maasdam cruise where they have implemented their In-debt EXC program.

Edited February 23, 2019 by Ken the cruiser

[Oville]

49 minutes ago, woody14h said:

Smoking is allowed on the Konigsdam and Niew Statendam in the casino.  Problem is the smoke wafts into the other regions of the ship.  I have told HAL, no more sail on these ships.  We are 3 star on HAL and Elite Plus on Celebrity.  Perks on Celebrity far overshadows HAL.  Food is subjective but we feel both are on the same plane. Service on both for us has been impeccable.  Either line is a good choice. We book based on destinations, price and flight arrangements. We have found in the past Celebrity ChoiceAir to be easier and better for us to choose and book.

I agree with your assessment and would add the demographics are a bit different.  We have found HAL attracts an older clientele.

[jnik]

 

3 hours ago, Presto2 said:

The HAL research has now begun ….. it will keep me quiet for hours and hours and hours ..

I am also very interested in hearing from members who have traveled on both. I am taking my next cruise on Celebrity, after my first (real) cruise on HAL.  We decided to give Celebrity a try based on recommendation of our travel mates.  I am in the process of doing my hours and hours of research on Celebrity, so that I know what to expect.  Here is to hoping this thread gets a lot of helpful responses.

[PoolSlider]

1 hour ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

 

Casino?

No smoking casino ✌️ on Zuiderdam.

 

Edited February 23, 2019 by PoolSlider

[Ken the cruiser]

9 minutes ago, jnik said:

 

I am also very interested in hearing from members who have traveled on both. I am taking my next cruise on Celebrity, after my first (real) cruise on HAL.  We decided to give Celebrity a try based on recommendation of our travel mates.  I am in the process of doing my hours and hours of research on Celebrity, so that I know what to expect.  Here is to hoping this thread gets a lot of helpful responses.

What is it that you like to do on a cruise, especially on sea days? What did you enjoy most about your first (real) HAL cruise?

 

When doing your research, make sure you also look at the benefits of booking the different types of X cabin categories, depending on your budget, what type of category amenities interest you the most and how fast you want to move up the ladder in their loyalty program.

Edited February 23, 2019 by Ken the cruiser

[jnik]

Just now, Ken the cruiser said:

What is it that you like to do on a cruise, especially on sea days? What did you enjoy most about your first (real) HAL cruise?

I am going to clarify the (real) part of my answer, my DH and I won a cruise in a raffle over 25 years ago, we did not have any choice in the itinerary (Greek Islands and Turkey), ship (Epirotiki World Renaissance)  or cabin (OV) ; nor was there an internet available for us to do research on any of our ports.  So, although we enjoyed that cruise, the experience is not really comparable to the cruises we are planning and taking now.

Our HAL cruise was chosen for the itinerary (12 days Barcelona to Venice) and had only one sea day.  My DH and I were staying in the Pinnacle Suite, so we spent a fare amount of time lounging about in the cabin, and on the balcony.   When out and about, we went to a couple of the late shows (both were okay, we were not "wow"ed, but neither were we bored).  While we were out exploring the ship, I do not remember seeing anyone involved in any specific activities or events.  I did have a very nice and very expensive pedicure at the spa.  

Looking back, what I specifically remember liking about HAL, was their service.  Everything seemed to be well run.  Also, we had friends also on the ship and so we were not as dependent on the ship to provide entertainment. We will be traveling with the same friends on our Celebrity cruise (they are much more seasoned cruisers, we are just getting our feet wet).  

I finally did a review about a week ago, although my cruise was last July. It will give you a better idea of my overall feelings.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[bEwAbG]

I have done HAL twice this year, both times on Nieuw Amsterdam.  They do not allow smoking in their casino on this ship (also true for Zuiderdam, Oosterdam, Westerdam, & Eurodam).  The only smoking area is outdoors.  X ships are more modern versus HAL, but this one was refurbished in a drydock a little over a year ago and is in great shape.

 

I found entertainment to be miles above that found on Celebrity (have not been on Edge yet).  They have several different music venues (classical, pop, blues) in addition to the mainstage shows.  I also found more to do on sea days than anything I've ever experienced on Celebrity.  Outside of trivia, X has basically offered sales presentations and pool time on my sailings and their shows are poorly done.

 

The food is comparable.  The number of specialty restaurants varies depending on the ship but HAL's older ships are more like M-Class in that regard.  I like the food in HAL's lido more than X.

 

I would give an edge to the staff on HAL for service.  More than once I've run across X employees who act like they don't want to be there.   Or, they say the right thing but never follow through.

 

X offers more in the way of suite benefits but the fares at that level are usually a lot higher than HAL.  There is no dedicated restaurant for suites and you do not get a butler and there is no free alcohol in their suites lounge like on X (though they're experimenting with a suites-only dining venue on a couple of their ships, it's currently the MDR menu + an extra dish).  The bathrooms in the HAL Neptune Suites are much better than the Sky Suites, and you don't feel like you'll break your neck stepping into and out of the tub.  The balconies for the Neptune Suites are also very large: big enough to fit two loungers and a full-size table & chairs with room to spare. 

 

I was reluctant to try HAL and only did so because they sail Glacier Bay in Alaska and also had changed their smoking policy for Nieuw Amsterdam.  I was suitably impressed after the Alaska trip to replace my Caribbean sailing on Celebrity with one on HAL (I got back two weeks ago and it was a wonderful cruise--better than my last one on Celebrity).  I didn't find the passenger demographics to be much different from X.  I believe their reputation for having older clientele is based on their longer itineraries, which is also true of Celebrity.  In fact, there seem to be quite a few who go back and forth between the two lines.

 

 

Edited February 23, 2019 by bEwAbG

[Ken the cruiser]

Jnik, if your friends' budget can afford it, based on your being able to afford the Pinnacle cabin, I highly recommend booking a suite. The food in their private Luminae restaurant is so good you won't even think to book any specialty restaurants unless you just want to.

 

We were recently in a corner aft-facing sky suite on the Reflection and had a wonderful time. We also for the first time had a butler, Walter, who was simply great. We never really understood what one needed a butler for, but after our 21 day cruise, we definitely learned to appreciate their value. Also, with a suite you automatically get all of the Go Best perks, which is a real plus! And then there is Michael's executive lounge to spend some relaxfull time at before dinner if you choose. But, even if a suite is not in the budget, you will still have a great time!

Edited February 23, 2019 by Ken the cruiser

[jnik]

29 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Jnik, if your friends' budget can afford it, based on your being able to afford the Pinnacle cabin, I highly recommend booking a suite. The food in their private Luminae restaurant is so good you won't even think to book any specialty restaurants unless you just want to.

 

We were recently in a corner aft-facing sky suite on the Reflection and had a wonderful time. We also for the first time had a butler, Walter, who was simply great. We never really understood what one needed a butler for, but after our 21 day cruise, we definitely learned to appreciate their value. Also, with a suite you automatically get all of the Go Best perks, which is a real plus! And then there is Michael's executive lounge to spend some relaxfull time at before dinner if you choose. But, even if a suite is not in the budget, you will still have a great time!

Ken, We have booked the PH on our next cruise which won't be until July of 2020.  We don't get to vacation often due to business obligations, but when we do, we make it count. 

Our dear friends travel more often, having chosen more traditional careers, but do it on a smaller scale.  I have another thread going on the advisability of sharing the PH with another couple.  Our friends are currently booked in an aqua class cabin, and I think we can make that work for all of us.  We are excited to give cruising another try, this one with a few more sea days.  

I promise to do an in depth report back on the difference at traveling in the PH on both lines next year.