Celebrity Cruisers New To HA

[leo72976]

My wife and I are experienced cruiser with 50+ cruise under our belt.  We have sailed with many lines over the years with Celebrity and RCL being amongst our favorites.  We just booked our first cruise with Holland America for later this month (Koningsdam Vancouver to San Diego).  What are your thoughts regarding the similarities and differences between Celebrity and HA?  I don't know why but I am just so nervous.  

 

Also, what is your experience getting from the Vancouver airport to the port?  I have been to Vancouver many times but never flew into the airport, only out.  

[AV8rix]

Hi @leo72976!  Welcome to the HAL board!  I originally learned to fly in Roanoke, back when Northwest Regional Airport was Friendly Aero Valley.  The late great Edna Gardner-Whyte, who built the airport, was my instructor.  But that was back in the dark ages, before the invention of gunpowder or the printing press😉.

 

Never been on X, but I know that some folks here have been so can offer you comparisons.

 

Getting to Canada Place from YVR is simple.  Just take the SkyTrain mass transit. There is a SkyTrain station right at the terminal.

 

Again, welcome!

Edited October 4, 2023 by AV8rix

[oakridger]

11 minutes ago, leo72976 said:

Also, what is your experience getting from the Vancouver airport to the port?  I have been to Vancouver many times but never flew into the airport, only out.  

 

The taxis are set fares and line up right outside the arrival luggage area.  It's the easiest way for me to get to the port area.  

 

Check this other thread about Celebrity vs HAL:

 

 

~Nancy

[dawnvip]

Both answers above are correct for transferring from YVR to Canada Place. It all depends on your level of mobility/comfort in taking the skytrain (about 20 min and $10 CAD each) along with your luggage, and your time of arrival at airport. Vancouver traffic is horrible, so the flat rate to get to Canada place ($41 CAD) could take anything from 25 min to hours.

 

DH and I enjoy both HAL and Celebrity. Evening entertainment is probably less on HAL, but service and food is as good. Rooms and amenities are comparable. 

[Ken the cruiser]

What are some of the things you like to do in the evenings and on sea days? That might help folks provide a better comparison. For us we haven’t cruised with HAL since 2019, but recently booked an April 2025 Panama Canal cruise on the Eurodam just to give HAL another look as we have grown tired of Celebrity’s jacked up prices and cookie cutter itineraries and needed a replacement line to book some of our future cruises with to go along with some of the itineraries we found interesting with PCL and NCL. 
 

One reason we’re giving HAL another look is because of their very fair prices for aft-facing cabins and awesome early booking packages. Another reason we’re checking them out again is because they have some awesome 3-5 week itineraries that Celebrity has no plans of even coming close to matching. Of course, it also helps that we’re 4 star Mariners and very much enjoy the unlimited free laundry perk! 😁

 

But we do know HAL has changed their entertainment offerings since we last cruised with them, so we’re keeping an open mind regarding their unique variety of entertainment offerings rather than expecting to see first rate production shows and guest entertainers in the main theater every night like we’ve come to expect with Celebrity, especially on their Edge class ships.

 

My one suggestion is to keep an open mind and appreciate what HAL has to offer rather than instantly comparing them to your other favorite lines. I know we did just that when we went on a NCL Jade cruise last fall where we started having a much better time once we stopped wondering why NCL wasn’t doing things like we had come to take for granted on some of the other lines like X and PCL whom we have cruised quite a bit with since cruising started back up. 
 

Edited October 4, 2023 by Ken the cruiser

[Cruising-along]

Welcome to HAL! The Koningsdam is one of the Pinnacle Class ships, our favorite.

We sail both Celebrity and HAL, most recently we were on an Alaska cruise on the Solstice a couple weeks ago. It was a great cruise.  As mentioned above, the entertainment on HAL isn't up to par with Celebrity, but the Koningsdam will have BB King, Billboard onboard and Rolling Stone Rock room besides evening musicals, comedians, magicians etc. 

 

We've found the service and attentiveness of the crew to be equal on both lines, the specialty restaurants on HAL aren't as pricey.  HAL's laundry deals can't be beat.  Anyone, not just higher-level Mariners, can get bags of laundry done for a small fee -- anytime, not just once per cruise.  I really wish Celebrity would do that, we would take longer cruises with them if the itinerary was right.

Edited October 4, 2023 by Cruising-along

[leo72976]

1 hour ago, AV8rix said:

Hi @leo72976!  Welcome to the HAL board!  I originally learned to fly in Roanoke, back when Northwest Regional Airport was Friendly Aero Valley.  The late great Edna Gardner-Whyte, who built the airport, was my instructor.  But that was back in the dark ages, before the invention of gunpowder or the printing press😉.

 

Never been on X, but I know that some folks here have been so can offer you comparisons.

 

Getting to Canada Place from YVR is simple.  Just take the SkyTrain mass transit. There is a SkyTrain station right at the terminal.

 

Again, welcome!

What a small world!  I have been living out this way for around 20 years and have seen NW Regional grow by leaps and bounds.  I have spent over 20 years working at DFW and the past 2 years at DAL.  

 

Thanks for the advise about YVR.

[leo72976]

42 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

What are some of the things you like to do in the evenings and on sea days? That might help folks provide a better comparison. For us we haven’t cruised with HAL since 2019, but recently booked an April 2025 Panama Canal cruise on the Eurodam just to give HAL another look as we have grown tired of Celebrity’s jacked up prices and cookie cutter itineraries and needed a replacement line to book some of our future cruises with to go along with some of the itineraries we found interesting with PCL and NCL. 
 

One reason we’re giving HAL another look is because of their very fair prices for aft-facing cabins and awesome early booking packages. Another reason we’re checking them out again is because they have some awesome 3-5 week itineraries that Celebrity has no plans of even coming close to matching. Of course, it also helps that we’re 4 star Mariners and very much enjoy the unlimited free laundry perk! 😁

 

But we do know HAL has changed their entertainment offerings since we last cruised with them, so we’re keeping an open mind regarding their unique variety of entertainment offerings rather than expecting to see first rate production shows and guest entertainers in the main theater every night like we’ve come to expect with Celebrity, especially on their Edge class ships.

 

My one suggestion is to keep an open mind and appreciate what HAL has to offer rather than instantly comparing them to your other favorite lines. I know we did just that when we went on a NCL Jade cruise last fall where we started having a much better time once we stopped wondering why NCL wasn’t doing things like we had come to take for granted on some of the other lines like X and PCL whom we have cruised quite a bit with since cruising started back up. 
 

We like to relax and enjoy good food and service.  We are go with the flow people and can generally have fun doing anything.  One of our favorite itineraries is a Trans Atlantic because we get to relax.  Don't get me wrong, there are days we love a lively party but generally, that is not us.  

 

I agree with you that X is raising the prices too much and not providing anything extra.  I was blown away to see the charging $1700 for an inside cabin on a 4 day sailing!  We love their product but not for that price.  

[leo72976]

44 minutes ago, Cruising-along said:

Welcome to HAL! The Koningsdam is one of the Pinnacle Class ships, our favorite.

We sail both Celebrity and HAL, most recently we were on an Alaska cruise on the Solstice a couple weeks ago. It was a great cruise.  As mentioned above, the entertainment on HAL isn't up to par with Celebrity, but the Koningsdam will have BB King, Billboard onboard and Rolling Stone Rock room besides evening musicals, comedians, magicians etc. 

 

We've found the service and attentiveness of the crew to be equal on both lines, the specialty restaurants on HAL aren't as pricey.  HAL's laundry deals can't be beat.  Anyone, not just higher-level Mariners, can get bags of laundry done for a small fee -- anytime, not just once per cruise.  I really wish Celebrity would do that, we would take longer cruises with them if the itinerary was right.

Definitely looking forward to the music crawl I have read about!

 

Is there a specialty restaurant you recommend?  

[Ken the cruiser]

4 minutes ago, leo72976 said:

We like to relax and enjoy good food and service.  We are go with the flow people and can generally have fun doing anything.  One of our favorite itineraries is a Trans Atlantic because we get to relax.  Don't get me wrong, there are days we love a lively party but generally, that is not us.  

 

I agree with you that X is raising the prices too much and not providing anything extra.  I was blown away to see the charging $1700 for an inside cabin on a 4 day sailing!  We love their product but not for that price.  

I’m sure others will join in, but my feeling is you’re going to have a great time!!

[lstrong]

2 minutes ago, leo72976 said:

Definitely looking forward to the music crawl I have read about!

 

Is there a specialty restaurant you recommend?  

Love the tamarind. 

[Cruising-along]

35 minutes ago, leo72976 said:

Definitely looking forward to the music crawl I have read about!

 

Is there a specialty restaurant you recommend?  

A second vote for the Tamarind. I wish it was on all the ships but you're lucky, it's on the Koningsdam 🙂  

[YourWorldWithBill]

2 hours ago, leo72976 said:

We just booked our first cruise with Holland America for later this month (Koningsdam Vancouver to San Diego). 

If you have not signed up for Club Orange, it's worth considering, especially since CO has a separate dining room on the Pinnacle class ships, such as the Koningsdam. I won't go into the various benefits of CO, and choosing it for you might depend on several factors. The upgrade within the category pays for CO, but many others things go with it; we loved the dining room on the Rotterdam.

 

We also liked the Tamarind, but on a lighter note don't miss the lunch venues such as the Dine In and NY Deli and Pizza.

[jaapie]

We have sailed 7 different cruise lines for about 40 cruises. In recent years most of our cruises have been on Celebrity, also quite a few NCL. Thirteen years ago (when we were in our late 50s) we sailed once on HAL but decided we were too young for HAL. Now that we are in our 70s, three weeks ago we went on HAL again and enjoyed it much more than when we were younger. The food was definitely better on HAL than the two Celebrity cruises we took earlier this year. So depending on your age you may or may not prefer HAL.

[ISLANDFAN]

My wife and I recently sailed on the Rotterdam which was our first sailing on Holland America in 20 years. With over 40 cruises on RCCL, Celebrity, and Princess, like you, we were a little apprehensive on sailing Holland America. However we were very pleased with our cruise. I will share our thoughts on the difference between RCCL, Celebrity, and Princess verses Holland America. A few highlights:

Level of service a notch above

Food presentation and flavor in dining room was outstanding

Dive In and NY Pizza were excellent as our food was made to order

Music venues were incredible. Enjoyed all three rooms. 

Stateroom attendants were efficient and friendly

Veranda stateroom was one of the best we have had.

 

We are now focused on cruising on Holland America verses our past lines as we have become disenchanted with them post pandemic. We believe you will enjoy your cruise on Koningsdam.  

[terrydtx]

We are Elite with Celebrity and 3 star with HAL and up to now have liked both lines equally. Last year we did a Celebrity cruise on the Reflection from Rome followed by a HAL cruise on the Oosterdam from Venice. There were 4 in our group and our consensus was that the MDR food quality on the Oosterdam was by far superior to the Reflection MDR and Retreat Luminae. We were very disappointed with both the Roof Top Grill and Tuscan Grill specialty restaurants on the Reflection. The Pinnacle Grill on the Oosterdam was outstanding and cost 40% less than the Tuscan Grill on X. Entertainment on Celebrity is a plus over the more lame offerings with HAL. 14 nights on the Oosterdam and not one magician or comedian show, which we prefer to singers and dancers.

 

We board the Koingsdam next month and have Club Orange that got us upgraded to an Aft facing Veranda that more than paid for the CO cost. We already have booked Tamarind which is our favorite specialty restaurant of any cruise line we have sailed with.

[ncgolferette]

Food is so subjective and so are experiences.  I was on the Oosterdam last October and thought the food was mediocre at best. One night in the Pinnacle they brought me  the mint jelly for my lamb in the Polander jelly jar and scooped it on my plate in front of my face.  I thought so much for fine dinning.  Another night three of us ordered fruit tarts with ice cream.  No ice cream on our plates but the waiter did bring an ice cream dish with two scoops and put it in the middle of the table for three if us to share. The food from breakfast room service was horrible.  Runny eggs if you could call them that. Unripe fruit.   Amazing how people can be on the same ship within a short period of time and have different experiences.

[Ken the cruiser]

If I might ask as we’re also trying HAL again in 2025. In the various lounges on the Music Walk, are there dance floors in each venue for folks that would like to get up and dance, especially in the rock and roll one?

[Cruising-along]

56 minutes ago, Ken the cruiser said:

If I might ask as we’re also trying HAL again in 2025. In the various lounges on the Music Walk, are there dance floors in each venue for folks that would like to get up and dance, especially in the rock and roll one?

Yes there are.