Difference between Holland America and Princess

[osofish2]

Has anyone mentioned the deposit for a cruise?  With Princess, we can use our $100 FCC but not with HAL.  

We are Elite with Princess so HAL will need to have a good offer for us.  We got a Neptune suite to Alaska 14 day for $1100 best cruise ever!  We keep waiting for another one.  At this point give me any West Coast cruise next year that is safe.  Hope everyone is save and well.

[caribill]

4 hours ago, osofish2 said:

Has anyone mentioned the deposit for a cruise?  With Princess, we can use our $100 FCC but not with HAL.  

 

 

HAL as a similar program to the Princess FCD. So on your HAL cruise, sign up for some.

[Ken the cruiser]

17 hours ago, osofish2 said:

We got a Neptune suite to Alaska 14 day for $1100 best cruise ever!  We keep waiting for another one.  

I have to ask, how did you get such a great Neptune Suite deal? By my calculations that's less that $80 pp/day if that was $1100 per person.

Edited August 7, 2020 by Ken the cruiser

[osofish2]

5 hours ago, Ken the cruiser said:

I have to ask, how did you get such a great Neptune Suite deal? By my calculations that's less that $80 pp/day if that was $1100 per person.

Hi!  We had only been on 1 HAL cruise 5 years before so had no idea why we got the offer but jumped on it.  It was a great cruise in a great suite.  A few weeks ago we called to inquire about a west coast cruise and that was when we were a little shocked by the deposit we would have to pay.  We have a bunch of FCC with Princess now because of canceled cruises.  We keep looking for another similar offer from HAL. Have a great weekend

 

[Ken the cruiser]

16 minutes ago, osofish2 said:

Hi!  We had only been on 1 HAL cruise 5 years before so had no idea why we got the offer but jumped on it.  It was a great cruise in a great suite.  A few weeks ago we called to inquire about a west coast cruise and that was when we were a little shocked by the deposit we would have to pay.  We have a bunch of FCC with Princess now because of canceled cruises.  We keep looking for another similar offer from HAL. Have a great weekend

 

Definitely a great deal!! The best deal we ever got was on a 10 day Celebrity Galapagos cruise and got upgraded from an oceanview to their Royal Suite for $650 total along with getting 180 loyalty points instead of the 50 we were going to get for the OV!

Edited August 8, 2020 by Ken the cruiser

[iamaqt2]

My observations living in Seattle and having HAL and Princess cruises readily available.  I've cruised both multiple times.  I am an under 50, really got into cruising about 14 years ago, and will get on a ship any chance I have.  I've also cruised NCL, Celebrity and MSC. I'm Platinum on Princess, and low status on HAL for a very simple reason.  HAL does not appeal to my age demographic.  I consider the food on both lines to be similar,  but after that they're very different products.  HAL is marketed and caters to a much older demographic.  The entertainment is lacking in the evening, and the ship is tucked in for the night by 10 pm.
Princess has a robust nightly entertainment schedule, a fun disco, late night dining options, and in general provides a much better evening experience than HAL.  Those are all huge factors for me when choosing a cruise.  
I will say that HAL does a very nice job on thier Alaskan itineraries though, and with the extremely port heavy days, early to bed was the norm, and so I would be happy to do HAL for an Alaska itinerary.

[JOHN 57]

I agree with you and thanks for info

[Pierlesscruisers]

15 hours ago, iamaqt2 said:

My observations living in Seattle and having HAL and Princess cruises readily available.  I've cruised both multiple times.  I am an under 50, really got into cruising about 14 years ago, and will get on a ship any chance I have.  I've also cruised NCL, Celebrity and MSC. I'm Platinum on Princess, and low status on HAL for a very simple reason.  HAL does not appeal to my age demographic.  I consider the food on both lines to be similar,  but after that they're very different products.  HAL is marketed and caters to a much older demographic.  The entertainment is lacking in the evening, and the ship is tucked in for the night by 10 pm.
Princess has a robust nightly entertainment schedule, a fun disco, late night dining options, and in general provides a much better evening experience than HAL.  Those are all huge factors for me when choosing a cruise.  
I will say that HAL does a very nice job on thier Alaskan itineraries though, and with the extremely port heavy days, early to bed was the norm, and so I would be happy to do HAL for an Alaska itinerary.

 

You sound like you might have been the lady I checked in a year or 2 ago at Pier 91 in Seattle. I tried to give her a map of the ship and she said "No, I don't need one of those, this is my 4th Alaska cruise this season!"  Ah, a nice benefit of living in the Seattle

area!   🙂

 

Tom

😄

[iamaqt2]

3 hours ago, Pierlesscruisers said:

 

You sound like you might have been the lady I checked in a year or 2 ago at Pier 91 in Seattle. I tried to give her a map of the ship and she said "No, I don't need one of those, this is my 4th Alaska cruise this season!"  Ah, a nice benefit of living in the Seattle

area!   🙂

 

Tom

😄

Hahaha Tom, no sadly that was not me.  I wish I had that much free time.  Perhaps when I retire. 

[Pierlesscruisers]

17 minutes ago, iamaqt2 said:

Hahaha Tom, no sadly that was not me.  I wish I had that much free time.  Perhaps when I retire. 

 

It's something to aim for in the future!  At least you can build your cruise numbers quickly by living in Seattle!  You ought to join us working at the pier, it's an enjoyable job, of course this year was a heck of a change from the normal season!

 

The Alaska trips are very popular. I've had many people going on their 10th cruise and even had one gentleman who was going on his 20th Alaskan cruise. I told him he either really like going to Alaska or he had formed a habit!

 

Tom