Danno's a traitor!!

[Danno]

After spending hours trying to find a reasonable 7 day cruise on X for this winter...I give up...the ships, islands and itineraries all seem to awful this season...all we want is Sun-Sun (Sat/sat would be ok but not prefered), South or East Caribbean...preferably not M class, but we're flexible on that. There used to me many choices but it's very limited now.

 

So we're looking at HAL...we've been before and know we are giving a few things...food quality being foremost, but there are other small issues.

 

I feel bad leaving X (if it happens) but the choices offered are not close.

[fllady]

Hey, ya gotta do what ya gotta do! Hopefully Celebrity will get the message and change some of their routes for us who have "been there, done that" over and over.:)

[mmp13]

Danno, Know how you feel we are actually looking at HAL or Princess for next year. Would be very interested in your feedback

[slotaddict]

Hey Danno, do what you have to do. Although Celebrity is my cruiseline of choice. I book other lines for different reasons. Like itinerary and most importantly price. Alot of people have very negative things to say about Norweigian, but I have never had a bad cruise. I don;t know if I would try HAL or not, everything I read says they are very stuffy. If you book it Danno, let us know. :D

[CruisingChick]

Danno,

 

You are not alone. Celebrity canceled the 10 night Southern Caribbean we had booked for April 13, 2007 and there is no other Celebrity cruise we can take with our son and his school schedule. So they are forcing us to go with another line. We are looking into HAL out of NYC.

[Danno]

Part of me almost wishes our last cruise on X hadn't been so good...I feel a bit of guilt, and betrayal, especially to the staff, more than anything...they have always treated us so well.

 

However, Jill and I both decided we would rather not cruise and stay on an island, if these were the only choices available from X.

 

 

This is it...one choice.

 

 

7 Night Eastern Caribbean Cruise

on board Millennium

 

Destination: Caribbean. Prices starting from 899.00 CAD on 04-Feb-2007

Cruise Ports: Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Casa De Campo, Dominican Rep, San Juan, Puerto Rico, Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, Nassau, Bahamas, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

2007 Departure Dates: Feb 04, 11, 18, 25

[dkjretired]

Part of me almost wishes our last cruise on X hadn't been so good...I feel a bit of guilt, and betrayal, especially to the staff, more than anything...they have always treated us so well.

 

However, Jill and I both decided we would rather not cruise and stay on an island, if these were the only choices available from X.

 

 

This is it...one choice.

 

 

7 Night Eastern Caribbean Cruise

on board Millennium

 

Destination: Caribbean. Prices starting from 899.00 CAD on 04-Feb-2007

Cruise Ports: Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Casa De Campo, Dominican Rep, San Juan, Puerto Rico, Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, Nassau, Bahamas, Fort Lauderdale, Florida

2007 Departure Dates: Feb 04, 11, 18, 25

 

Hi Danno:

 

Glad to hear from you, I guess you'll be getting your boat ready for winter soon, how depressing. I would say go for Millenium but the ports are all the been there done that and not very attractive. Casa was okay once and I stress once. How many times can you go to San Juan, Nassau and St. Thomas.

[CruisingChick]

I have to agree with Don. Unless you are just going for the ship and to get away from home, that itinerary is not worth it. We did it once and that was enough. It's too bad they are not offering a better itinerary.

 

I use to feel bad about "betraying" Celebrity, but they are the ones that canceled the only cruise we could take during my son's Spring Break. I do feel bad for the crew because I promised them I'd be back in 9 months and now we won't get to see them again.

[Danno]

Don

 

Exactly...I don't remember a year with so few choices, such so-so ports. I'd take a 7 day cruise, with no islands and consider it a better idea than the one choice offered.

 

Our cruise ship gets hauled the last day of Sept...I may try to charter a sailboat for a day while in Aruba...all they can say is "no".

[Sky Sweet]

After spending hours trying to find a reasonable 7 day cruise on X for this winter...I give up...the ships, islands and itineraries all seem to awful this season...all we want is Sun-Sun (Sat/sat would be ok but not prefered), South or East Caribbean...preferably not M class, but we're flexible on that. There used to me many choices but it's very limited now.

 

So we're looking at HAL...we've been before and know we are giving a few things...food quality being foremost, but there are other small issues.

 

I feel bad leaving X (if it happens) but the choices offered are not close.

 

The Constellation has a seven night cruise in late November, Monday to Monday, which includes Thanksgiving Day.

[RickT]

Dano, I feel your pain. My wife and I LOVE (note the capital LOVE) X and are devistated that they are not offering any 10 day cruises in March 2007 that work for us. The only one that comes close is the 10 day Galaxy out of San Juan but you know how difficult it is to get to San Juan from Canada... it's a nightmare.

 

Right now my wife and I have booked an 8 day on the RCCL Jewell and are considering a 10 day on the Sun Princess. After our recent X cruise we know we will be constantly comparing these choices to what might have been if X offered something that worked.

 

I'd even consider a 7 day but really cannot get excited about the ports they are scheduled to stop at. I know it's too late for 2007 but hope X sees the issue and changes routings and ports for 2008. Perhaps when the new ships arrive we'll have more options.

 

Keep the faith!

[newmexicoNita]

Hey Danno, do what you have to do. Although Celebrity is my cruiseline of choice. I book other lines for different reasons. Like itinerary and most importantly price. Alot of people have very negative things to say about Norweigian, but I have never had a bad cruise. I don;t know if I would try HAL or not, everything I read says they are very stuffy. If you book it Danno, let us know. :D

I love the word stuffy, that is what I am afraid of as well. I want to use the word snobbish, but I think Stuffy is better. We will cruise HAL in November, again timing and itinerary were our consideration. HAL was the only one that would work. I know we will have a wonderful time cause we are traveling with good friends from 40 plus years ago and they are easy going. I am still a little nervous. NMNita

[Danno]

Stuffy??....Jill and I keep to ourselves, I don't know that we would notice or care...we certainly didn't last cruise on HAL.

 

A few things we found on our last cruise on HAL...shortly after 911

 

*VERY short staffed...911?? The staff worked like mules, and couldn't keep up.

*Food was good but not to X standards

*Pax were elderly (I couldn't care less) and VERY tough on staff (that bothered me)

*great cabins

*beautiful ships

*GR was very poor...I just wanted a door key that worked...never did get one :cool: .

*interesting intineraries

*wine list was so-so

 

 

Hopefully the food has improved...I didn't know you could cook veggies to the consistancy of wallpaper paste...we'll make the assumption it was a bad head chef and things are much better now...I hope.

[usha]

Dangit, Danno, why don't you just add some days onto your vacation, and cruise Galaxy So. Carib. for 10 or 11 nights out of San Juan? Then you won't miss Celebrity's better food, AND you won't feel so guilty for being a traitor...:rolleyes:

[Ballwin Babe]

We went on our first HAL cruise last November. It was awesome! Great ship, excellent food and warm friendly staff. Our only complaint was that we requested early seating, received late seating and COULD NOT get it changed no matter what.

 

So...we ate most of our meals in casual dining. However, the food there was fantastic, and we LOVED the fresh pasta bar.

 

We have cruised on most other lines including RCCL, Celebrity, Princess, and Carnival. We can truly enjoy and have fun on any ship we're on.

 

Just wanted to put in a positive for HAL. We'd sail on them again in a heartbeat!

[ozland]

We sailed on the Zuiderdam twice and loved it both times. Even DD who is 21 had a good time. Food was great. The best part for me was the hydrotherapy pool . . . so relaxing. Don't know which ship you are considering though . . . the hydrotherapy pool is on the Westerdam, Oosterdam, and Noordam as well. Crew and staff were very friendly and didn't seem overworked.

 

We didn't find it stuffy . . . (and we are definitely not stuffy ourselves). :)

[Arubalisa]

If you love and are loyal to Celebrity, you will be just fine sailing on HAL. The clientele is a little different, but I am sure you are already well aware of that. As long as you are not sailing with children you will be just fine. Sailing with children and their clientele is a whole 'nother subject...:rolleyes: Kid's club is also not on par with Celebrity's...

[slotaddict]

I love the word stuffy, that is what I am afraid of as well. I want to use the word snobbish, but I think Stuffy is better. We will cruise HAL in November, again timing and itinerary were our consideration. HAL was the only one that would work. I know we will have a wonderful time cause we are traveling with good friends from 40 plus years ago and they are easy going. I am still a little nervous. NMNita

Make sure you come back and let us know how it was.

[slotaddict]

Danno, I not sure what exactly stuffy means, I know I read it on one of these boards. I dont know if they were referring to the ship itself and its staff or the people. I could care less what age people are that are on a cruise. Some cruisers are bothered by a crowd either to young or to old.

whatever you choose Danno I hope it suits your needs and you have a great time.

[arzz]

We have sailed HAL many times and will do our first X cruise, chosen 100% by itinerary, in a couple of weeks on the Zenith to Bermuda. HAL does not do Bermuda, and X is the best Bermuda itinerary out there, by far. We are well aware of the ship's age, and as such it may not be representative of most of the X product, but we have never had a cruise we did not enjoy.

 

We do not consider ourselves stuffy. We have met a lot of wonderful people on HAL. We do not, however, know if the people on X are different -- are they green with purple hair?:D Are we, HAL cruisers, perceived to be little old ladies with blue hair?:confused: Or by stuffy do you mean unfriendly?:mad:

 

I guess I will just have to discover myself -- I wonder, as an HAL cruiser, will my difference "show" as I walk around the Zenith?:eek:

[Sky Sweet]

I love the word stuffy, that is what I am afraid of as well. I want to use the word snobbish, but I think Stuffy is better. We will cruise HAL in November, again timing and itinerary were our consideration. HAL was the only one that would work. I know we will have a wonderful time cause we are traveling with good friends from 40 plus years ago and they are easy going. I am still a little nervous. NMNita

 

Hi NMNita :)

 

My idea of a "stuffy" person is someone who is overly concerned with formalities and decorum, while my idea of a "snob" is someone who thinks they are better than others. With that said, I know people who are somewhat "stuffy" because of the way they were raised, but aren't snobs at all. I also know "snobs" who have no concept of decorum.

[C 2 C]

Before we started cruising on X almost exclusively, we racked up over 100 days on HAL. I like HAL almost as much as Celebrity and would sail again if the price was right. I think the food varies as much by sailing date as by cruiseline. The best cruiseline food we were ever served was on HAL's Noordam three year's ago. Last November we cruised in Summit B2B and the food on the second leg was mediocre compared to the exceptional cuisine on the westward voyage.

Celebrity is not making it easy to remain faithful. The quality of food on Princess and RCL is way behind the variety offered on X and HAL.

[Andy]

The Constellation has a seven night cruise in late November, Monday to Monday, which includes Thanksgiving Day.

 

Hi Sky !

 

I am on that Constellation sailing. I booked it, because I am so tired of Millennium's 7 night itinerary. If it wasnt bad enough that Millennium's itinerary was never that great to begin with, Celebrity has chosen to keep it virtually unchanged the past few seasons. I just do not get it.

 

I am fine with Millennium doing 7 night Caribbean, but why cant they overhaul this itinerary, and do something different ?

 

Oh well, maybe in late 2008.

[Host Anne]

Danno ~ you are NOT alone. After our Zenith sailing last March where Celebrity sold out to college spring breakers, we've switched to HAL for next March. I get tired of people telling me "don't sail during spring break because it's filled with spring breakers." We should be able to cruise whenever we want and and expect to get a decent cruise. I'm somewhat confident that we'll have a relaxing and enjoyable cruise next March on HAL.

 

It's hard to really feel loyal when you don't feel like it's really a two way street.....just my two cents (and probably only worth a cent). :)

 

Good to hear from you. Hope the rest of your "real" sailing time this summer is terrific!

[Longboysfan]

But started looking at the longet trips they have.

We are on Galaxy out of Puerto Rico this February 10 days.

Friday to Monday.

And extra two days but it spans the double weekend.

Something to look into. I know some people have limited vacation time windows - as do I.