How does HAL compare with Celebrity & P&O?

[Presto2]

Hi,

Have been noticing lately that a number of people on Celebrity threads have noted that the prices on HAL are very good and will be trying them / returning to them.

Just wondering if anyone on here could give us some idea of how HAL compares to Celebrity and P&O. There are many elements of HAL that appeal to us (on a YouTube clip) and are now doing some 'research' for future cruising.

We have to sail in the school holidays and am guessing that this will change the 'feel' of the cruise

Many thanks for any help you can give

[OlsSalt]

Each brand has hits good and bad points - so much depends on what you are looking for when choosing a cruise vacation.

 

Just go in with different expectations, and not as an exact comparison exercise and I suspect you will have a very nice time on a HAL ship.. Base your decision on price, itinerary and convenience because all brands offer room, board, transportation and entertainment in various degrees of competitive quality or variety. Only you know what elements might or might not be deal breakers for your own vacation requirements. Without knowing those, any comparison become in fact exercises in futility.

 

We think HAL offers a very good overall product.  We also like to cruise for the sake of traveling. So most of the onboard difference between cruise lines matter very little to us. HAL delivers what we are looking for - cruising to travel at value prices.

Edited February 23, 2019 by OlsSalt

[avian777]

1 hour ago, OlsSalt said:

...We think HAL offers a very good overall product.  We also like to cruise for the sake of traveling. So most of the onboard difference between cruise lines matter very little to us. HAL delivers what we are looking for - cruising to travel at value prices.

 

👍👍👍  Agree 100% ... would add that HAL is also the only cruise line that has a Roman Catholic priest (who offers daily Mass) onboard every one of its cruises.  Which is why we are 100% loyal HAL cruisers.

[Hlitner]

Do you think the lower cost (per passenger day) of many HAL cruises is simply based on supply/demand?   It is possible that Celebrity is able to demand (and get) higher prices because it offers a more popular product?   Just food for thought.

 

And do not kid yourself about HAL pricing.  On their very popular (high demand) cruises such as their Voyage of the Vikings or World Cruise you will find per passenger day pricing significantly higher.

 

Hank

[Fouremco]

We've slightly more HAL cruises under our belts than Celebrity but view them equally good. Our last two cruise were split between the two lines, as are our next two. We chose HAL for an upcoming Voyage of the Midnight Sun because Celebrity didn't offer anything quite like it, but our following Hawaiian cruise will be on Celebrity for the same reason. 

 

Are you limited to school holidays because of you kid(s) travelling with you or because you are teachers? While we have only travelled on RCI with kids/grandkids, I feel that Celebrity offers a bit more than HAL for the youngsters. Others who have travelled with kids on both lines can offer a better perspective. 

[Aquahound]

4 hours ago, Presto2 said:

Hi,

Have been noticing lately that a number of people on Celebrity threads have noted that the prices on HAL are very good and will be trying them / returning to them.

 

To be honest, if HAL and Celebrity offered the exact same itinerary at the exact same price, I'd pick Celebrity every single time.  My HAL cruises were very similar to cruises offered by Celebrity (and other lines) but I only chose HAL because they were significantly less expensive.  

 

I prefer Celebrity because they are more modern, have better entertainment and I think their ships are nicer.  HAL is kinda stuck in the past and a little sleepy on board.  

[opa&oma]

When discussing differences, it should always be taken into consideration which of the line's ships you're talking about.  HAL's 2 newest ships are very different than their older ships.  The 2 newest HAL ships are every bit as modern as any of Celebrity's (excluding Edge).  HAL emphasizes music, and has  Blues and Rock n Roll venues, hardly sleepy music!  HAL is not what it used to be.  As (before) loyal Celebrity cruisers, we are so glad we gave HAL a try!

[Ken the cruiser]

Presto2, in order to better answer your question, what do you like to do on sea days when you're on a cruise? Also, do you like port-intensive cruises or ones with more sea days and what type of cabin do you usually book, inside, OV, balcony or suite?

Edited February 24, 2019 by Ken the cruiser

[iancal]

It would very much depend on which HAL ship.

[Aquahound]

15 hours ago, opa&oma said:

When discussing differences, it should always be taken into consideration which of the line's ships you're talking about.  HAL's 2 newest ships are very different than their older ships.  The 2 newest HAL ships are every bit as modern as any of Celebrity's (excluding Edge).  HAL emphasizes music, and has  Blues and Rock n Roll venues, hardly sleepy music!  HAL is not what it used to be.  As (before) loyal Celebrity cruisers, we are so glad we gave HAL a try!

 

What I said was "HAL...is a little sleepy onboard."  That's because, compared to Celebrity, HAL has no nightly game shows, no lido entertainment, no Crows Nest entertainment, no theme parties like 60s night, 70s night, white night, etc; the list goes on and on.  So yes, HAL is very sleepy compared to Celebrity.  Maybe the OP will love that.  Many do.  But my statement still stands.

[Cruzaholic41]

HAL does differ from Celebrity and P&O.  As stated, HAL can’t touch Celebrity’s ships and HAL can’t touch the varied entertainment on both Celebrity and P&O.  Also, Celebrity has much better specialty restaurants. 

 

Where HAL excels is creating a more traditional, relaxing atmosphere. Yes, you might get bored if you enjoy the activities on those other lines. But I guarantee you’ll return from a HAL cruise well rested. 

[bEwAbG]

I don't get the "HAL is sleepy" argument.  Maybe that was true in the past, but on my two Nieuw Amsterdam sailings this last year (my first on HAL), there was lots to do at all hours of the day and night.  I found their entertainment to be miles beyond anything I've ever seen on any Celebrity ship.  Does X really have a nightly game show these days?  Anytime I dropped by a "theme night" there were the same dozen people there (very sparsely attended on several different trips).  Sea days were also much more lively on HAL with several overlapping events.  X basically offers trivia, sales presentations, and pool time these days.  And my last trip on X was on Reflection, which is their "party" ship!

 

I really like Celebrity but was pleasantly surprised with HAL. 

Edited February 24, 2019 by bEwAbG

[OlsSalt]

1 hour ago, Aquahound said:

 

What I said was "HAL...is a little sleepy onboard."  That's because, compared to Celebrity, HAL has no nightly game shows, no lido entertainment, no Crows Nest entertainment, no theme parties like 60s night, 70s night, white night, etc; the list goes on and on.  So yes, HAL is very sleepy compared to Celebrity.  Maybe the OP will love that.  Many do.  But my statement still stands.

 

Thanks for the details. Gives more dimension to my own comments that HAL passengers tend to be mre "self-contained" and don't necessarily need or want this  high level of group participation activities. Good thing there is choice, and that passengers can find  out about these differences upfront.

[Presto2]

16 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

Presto2, in order to better answer your question, what do you like to do on sea days when you're on a cruise? Also, do you like port-intensive cruises or ones with more sea days and what type of cabin do you usually book, inside, OV, balcony or suite?

 

Hi, on sea days we just love to relax on our balcony, have a nice meal out there, read a good book and sip a cocktail or 2. Basically, we are not 'entertainment' cruisers and our idea of a lovely evening is pre dinner cocktails, a lovely relaxed meal, then after dinner drinks / cocktails and a stroll around the ship / on the prom. deck if there is one. Our holiday is a complete chill out amidst all of the exciting exploring we do on land. We are happy to enjoy a good sailaway party on P&O but nothing too O.T.T. Music wise we like all sorts from heavy Rock to Classical so easy to please I suppose!

Don't really bother with the shows on the ships.

 

Cruises tend to be in the Western and Eastern Med and are pretty port intensive - just love to get off the ship and explore. We would like to do the Caribeean one day, but that looks like a retirement one when we can sail out of the school holidays as the only other time is over Christmas from the U.K. and that is silly prices.

 

Re the loyalty ladder, we aren't really too bothered about that as it has taken us a while on P&O and Celebrity and the perks are not that amazing after all.

 

We can't afford a suite so to give some idea, on Celebrity we tend to book a SV cabin or on P&O a balcony cabin. I just LOVE the sea --- am happy is it is rough, calm, smooth, whatever. Just being on the water (or beside it) is my kind of a dream. Would hate an inside cabin or one where I couldn't hear and feel the sea. (E.g. we have just moved from an IV cabin on the new Edge to get a SV cabin as we want to experience being at sea … if that makes sense)

 

We are pretty easy going and will go with the flow re a cruise line's dress code. Would hate it too informal though and quite like the 2 formal nights per week on P&O.

 

Just us 2 - mid 50s - no children and have to sail at peak times in the school holidays due to work commitments.

 

[Presto2]

2 hours ago, Aquahound said:

 

What I said was "HAL...is a little sleepy onboard."  That's because, compared to Celebrity, HAL has no nightly game shows, no lido entertainment, no Crows Nest entertainment, no theme parties like 60s night, 70s night, white night, etc; the list goes on and on.  So yes, HAL is very sleepy compared to Celebrity.  Maybe the OP will love that.  Many do.  But my statement still stands.

 

As the OP just wanted to say that we are happy with either but sleepy sounds good to me.

[OlsSalt]

OP, sounds like from your follow-up comments that HAL will suit your needs very well - the smaller ships especially keep you very connected to the sea - both by easy outdoor access and lots of windowed public rooms.

 

Instead of a verandah, you might want to explore one of the lanai cabins that open to the covered 360 promenade walking deck (a special feature of all HAL ships) and the two dedicated reserved teak loungers for each lanai cabin. Over the railing from both your cabin glass doors and the teak deck chairs is your own view of the ocean. These cabins are smaller than the regular verandah cabins, but also a little bit cheaper.

 

Explore this lanai cabin option (if the ship you are looking at offers them)  for their benefits and some drawbacks, but they are definitely a sure way to connect morning, noon and night with the sea and still have the fun of people watching and being part of the daily onboard feeling as well. 

 

The website "HalFacts" has passenger photos and comments that offers tips about various ships and actual cabin numbers.

Edited February 24, 2019 by OlsSalt

[HokiePoq]

18 hours ago, Aquahound said:

 

To be honest, if HAL and Celebrity offered the exact same itinerary at the exact same price, I'd pick Celebrity every single time.  My HAL cruises were very similar to cruises offered by Celebrity (and other lines) but I only chose HAL because they were significantly less expensive.  

 

I prefer Celebrity because they are more modern, have better entertainment and I think their ships are nicer.  HAL is kinda stuck in the past and a little sleepy on board.  

The only reason I might do the same is that Elite benefits are way more generous than 4 star Mariner benefits.  I enjoy both lines but somehow get a better feeling onboard with HAL. I think this is because of the port talks and helpful info that is given even if you are not on one of their excursions.  Last X cruise only info came from shore excursion department.     Both have lounges that close relatively early.  On our last cruise in 2018,  X did not have any lounge entertainment while the stage show was on.  If it wasn't to your liking, too bad.

[Mickb]

Presto

We have tried all 3 lines. 5 cruises on HAL, 3 on Celebrity and 1 on P&O. We are probably 10 years older than you but enjoy the same sort of cruise. I will probably get shot down for this but we have found that HAL is not what it was. I suspect that with the bigger ships, they are trying to attract the younger crowds and imo, this has led to a loss of what was so attractive about the line. We found that we were not enjoying their product as much as we used to. Their crews are however 1st class and the best of the 3 lines. Passengers tend in the main to be North American and more senior.

Celebrity are more lively and arguably have better food and a much better choice of dining - albeit at extra tarif. We enjoyed their ships but found them crowded. Cabins are similar although I think their bathrooms are better. The clientele is a bit more international. Nightlife is a little more animated.

P&O offer a very British product and with so many beds to fill have discounted heavily in recent times. We found that the ‘drinking culture’ displayed by some of the passengers was offputting. You don't expect fights in bars on a cruise ship!

Presently, we seem to have found a home at Cunard. You might care to have a look at the Queen Victoria or Queen Elizabeth ? 

I totally realise that the above is very subjective - it’s our impressions after 25 years of cruising and doubtless many will take exception to what I say. However perception is reality. 

Good luck and smooth sailing in what ever line you chose.

[Presto2]

3 hours ago, Mickb said:

Presto

We have tried all 3 lines. 5 cruises on HAL, 3 on Celebrity and 1 on P&O. We are probably 10 years older than you but enjoy the same sort of cruise. I will probably get shot down for this but we have found that HAL is not what it was. I suspect that with the bigger ships, they are trying to attract the younger crowds and imo, this has led to a loss of what was so attractive about the line. We found that we were not enjoying their product as much as we used to. Their crews are however 1st class and the best of the 3 lines. Passengers tend in the main to be North American and more senior.

Celebrity are more lively and arguably have better food and a much better choice of dining - albeit at extra tarif. We enjoyed their ships but found them crowded. Cabins are similar although I think their bathrooms are better. The clientele is a bit more international. Nightlife is a little more animated.

P&O offer a very British product and with so many beds to fill have discounted heavily in recent times. We found that the ‘drinking culture’ displayed by some of the passengers was offputting. You don't expect fights in bars on a cruise ship!

Presently, we seem to have found a home at Cunard. You might care to have a look at the Queen Victoria or Queen Elizabeth ? 

I totally realise that the above is very subjective - it’s our impressions after 25 years of cruising and doubtless many will take exception to what I say. However perception is reality. 

Good luck and smooth sailing in what ever line you chose.

We did research Cunard but they stopped the Western Med cruises in August which was disappointing.

 

Re food and Celebrity, last year we were not at all impressed and our evening meal was not something we looked forward to but something we 'had to do … on Constellation. Hoping Edge is better,

 

Stunned you saw fighting on P&O --- have to say we have never seen that --so sad as she has a great tradition as a cruise line ………….

[Presto2]

4 hours ago, OlsSalt said:

OP, sounds like from your follow-up comments that HAL will suit your needs very well - the smaller ships especially keep you very connected to the sea - both by easy outdoor access and lots of windowed public rooms.

 

Instead of a verandah, you might want to explore one of the lanai cabins that open to the covered 360 promenade walking deck (a special feature of all HAL ships) and the two dedicated reserved teak loungers for each lanai cabin. Over the railing from both your cabin glass doors and the teak deck chairs is your own view of the ocean. These cabins are smaller than the regular verandah cabins, but also a little bit cheaper.

 

Explore this lanai cabin option (if the ship you are looking at offers them)  for their benefits and some drawbacks, but they are definitely a sure way to connect morning, noon and night with the sea and still have the fun of people watching and being part of the daily onboard feeling as well. 

 

The website "HalFacts" has passenger photos and comments that offers tips about various ships and actual cabin numbers.

 

Off to research now. Thank you so much for you help and taking the time to reply :-)

[SetAnOpenCourse]

It sounds like you enjoy a traditional promenade.  If so, perhaps opt for that.  Eventually, it would seem, they could be gone  even from HAL’s fleet.  In terms of specific cruise regions they could be gone sooner.

[DrSea]

You should know that HAL is trialing a $10 fee for each additional entree in the MDR on some ships. I was told it was fleet-wide, but it isn't....yet...

 

When I called, I was explicitly told that I could order as many entrees in the MDR without incurring any additional fees. Seems like things are changing. Don't know what your preferences are, but you should know. 

[iancal]

Until recently, if it came down to Celebrity or HAL we would always select Celebrity.  

HAL’s newest ships may have given us pause for re-consideration.  It would still be a no to a number of HAL’s older ships based upon our preferences.

[JRG]

We have felt this way for a number of years now about preferring X over HAL...   

 

The Bvulgari shampoo and bath products in our suite, however, did it for us, as did the heated marble floor.

 

Having a butler is the way to go too if you prefer suites...it's an X suite perk.  

 

You are doggone right that the newer ships may be the saving grace for HAL.   We would sail K-Dam again in the right circumstance as the newer ships remind us of X ships in alot of ways.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 27, 2019 by JRG

[Hlitner]

It is fascinating to follow the various cruise line threads and read differing opinions.  There are many long time HAL cruisers/fans that have posted about preferring the older ships to the new vessels.....and vice versa.   I fall somewhere in the middle as DW and I really do enjoy the smaller size and character of the older ships (the Prinsendam has long been our favorite HAL vessel) but have problems reconciling our love of those ships with a myriad of maintenance problems that we have encountered on those same ships.   Over the years we have had plenty of A/C and plumbing problems in our cabins, and have seen more then our share of buckets (below water leaks) in public areas, malfunctioning doors, out of order drink machines in the Lido, etc.  While this kind of thing can happen on a newer ship, it is not very common.    When one is trapped on a long cruise through the South Pacific in a cabin with A/C that barely functions, and there are no other available cabins....this can be frustrating.  

 

As to other issues like food quality, service, and entertainment....this has nothing to do with the age of the ship.  A tough gristled steak in the Pinnacle can happen on even the newest ship since this is an issue of the quality of raw product.  Serving an over salted tiny warm water lobster tail in the MDR has nothing to do with the age of the ship.  

 

We do think that HAL matches-up favorably with most of the other mass market lines....all of whom have implemented various cut-backs over the past few years.   In the past 2-3 years we have noticed more and more posts here on CC (not to mention personal comments made by cruising friends) speaking towards moving more upscale (in terms of cruise lines) to get something akin to the level of service and quality we used to experience on the better mass market lines such as HAL.  One major problem HAL has to deal with is how to sell their older vessels to younger cruisers who expect many of the amenities found only on newer ships.

 

Hank