RCCL or HAL

[mmp13]

We normally sail celebrity but are looking at RCCL Granduer of the Seas for 9 days to the Carribean or HAL"s Noordam for 11 days to the carribearn Hoping fellow celebrity cruisers can give us some input. thanks in advance! :)

[lkb125]

I have never sailed on HAL but I really like RCC. I think they go out of there way to make you happy. I think the food is very good also. Lorelle

[Tatka]

What are the itineraries?

 

 

HAL has larger standard accomodations, better food (I liked buffets more than on X), great variety of fresh juices , better PAX/space ratio, better bedding (even better than on X).

 

We didn't have very good service (both in DR and our room) on sister ship Zuiderdam in 2004, but after reading later posts I think this has been improved in recent years.

[reklawr]

HI Peg!:D

 

11 days at sea are better than 9 days at sea. I'd have to go with the HAL cruise.

[kelmac]

After 24 cruises, we have settle into cruising Celebrity and Holland America. RCL ships are beautiful, and they have great entertainment, but the food is mediocre. RCL ships are more crowded, and the staff is stretched a bit thin.

Holland America does draw an older crowd, but the food and service are much closer to what you get with Celebrity. In addition, HAL offers some really great itineraries.

 

Good luck!:)

Kel

[Tatka]

After 24 cruises, we have settle into cruising Celebrity and Holland America. RCL ships are beautiful, and they have great entertainment, but the food is mediocre. RCL ships are more crowded, and the staff is stretched a bit thin.

Holland America does draw an older crowd, but the food and service are much closer to what you get with Celebrity. In addition, HAL offers some really great itineraries.

 

Good luck!:)

Kel

 

Crowd isn't that old on Vista ships. ;)

[mmp13]

thanks for the responses.

 

Roy, I tend to agree. For us, longer is better and there are a few new stops on the Hal Cruise.

 

My dad returned today from a RCCl cruise on Explorer and he said the food has gone down hill since his cruise a year ago.

 

Personally, we are leaning towards HAL. Heck, I like old people. I am getting closer to being one of them everyday!

[SheilaNC]

While we've not sailed HAL, we did do Grandeur last year. Nice ship, good service, but food was not at all up to X standard. While we found plenty to eat (and that's NOT a big priority for us), we did not have a single meal that we remember with fondness. I'd like to try HAL after we make Elite on X....maybe in a year or so.... :)

[hammybee]

I sail all 3, HAL, X and RCCL, plus occasioanlly NCL.

 

Hands down, HAL gets my vote compared to RCCL and the experience will be more like that of X.

 

Food is sujective. Hal owns the soup. X owns the salad. X usually does meat better. Both are capable of destroying a vergetable. I don't do deserts. HAL's look better. X does a nicer presentation. HAL's Lido dining is better.

 

I like the new beds on HAL. I also think the overall service is more consistent and genuine on HAL. Perception has all to do with a cruiser's expectations.

 

Age is far more a function of when and how long you cruise than what you cruise nowdays. If you sail while school is in session, the age of passengers is higher. Same goes for longer cruises which are voyges.

 

At 53, I have felt more of the older group on some HAL sailings in the Caribbean and Alaska. Other times not. I guess I am a tweener. Who cares?

 

Noordam is new and fabulous and 11 days can't be beat. And lastly, there is just so much of the RCCL "get out there" propoganda than one person can take. See you on HAL, real soon.

[momofmeg]

We normally sail celebrity but are looking at RCCL Granduer of the Seas for 9 days to the Carribean or HAL"s Noordam for 11 days to the carribearn Hoping fellow celebrity cruisers can give us some input. thanks in advance! :)

 

HAL is very "classy" like Celebrity but my limited experience-(one HAL cruise and one Celebrity cruise) is HAL is much more subdued and seems to attract a much older crowd and I mean over 65-not over 40. On our celebrity cruise the comedian made a joke about an 80 year old man taking his father on a HAL cruise and I had to laugh because that was so true of our one HAL cruise.

 

But Royal Caribbean does not have the great food and all the nice little extras that Celebrity does and especially Grandeur of the seas. That is an older ship and not so nice anymore.

[reklawr]

Roy, I tend to agree. For us, longer is better and there are a few new stops on the Hal Cruise.

 

Personally, we are leaning towards HAL. Heck, I like old people. I am getting closer to being one of them everyday!

 

I think the HALs have won!

On our Southern Caribbean cruise coming up in March, we'll be visiting 6 islands that we have never been to before.

[Fang]

Being on many X cruises and recently went to RCI for a seven day cruise this summer, I would try HAL before RCI again. Food was very hit and miss. Some items very good, but some were very, very poor.

 

Hopefully, X will be having more seven day cruises in the Caribbean during the summer, but have to hope and wait for that.

[tprime76]

I think it also matters which ships you are talking about. For example, the food and service on Jewel of the Seas was better than we experienced on Explorer of the Seas. Grandeur is even older yet so you might see a further downgrade from there.

[Longboysfan]

Crowd isn't that old on Vista ships. ;)

 

You will on an extended day voyage.

[newmexicoNita]

thanks for the responses.

 

Roy, I tend to agree. For us, longer is better and there are a few new stops on the Hal Cruise.

 

My dad returned today from a RCCl cruise on Explorer and he said the food has gone down hill since his cruise a year ago.

 

Personally, we are leaning towards HAL. Heck, I like old people. I am getting closer to being one of them everyday!

I too would probably choose HAL but as for food. I don't care what board you read the comment is the same: food has gone downhill. Someone just reported they had to pay extra for Shrimp cocktail on HAL. I am getting this from someone else we don't hold me to it. NMnita

[mmp13]

Thanks for all the input. Someone asked about itinerary

 

Granduer sails from Baltimore to Puerto Rice, St thomas, Samana Dominica and Labadee.

 

Noordam sails from New York to tortola. Saint thomas, Saint maarten, Roseau dominica, Barbados, and Labadee

 

You CC people are the best:)

[momofmeg]

I think it also matters which ships you are talking about. For example, the food and service on Jewel of the Seas was better than we experienced on Explorer of the Seas. Grandeur is even older yet so you might see a further downgrade from there.

 

But the JOS is RCCL's top of the line ship-people think the voyager clas are-but no those are their "family ships" where the radience class is more for childless couples or empty nesters like Celebrity. What I have been told is it is like a notch below Celebrity but several notches above the usal Royal Caribbean ship.

 

The Granduer of the Seas is at least 10 years old-so not even as nice as the voyager class ships. Unlike Celebrity, Royal Caribbean's older ships are just not as nice.

[caviargal]

But the JOS is RCCL's top of the line ship-people think the voyager clas are-but no those are their "family ships" where the radience class is more for childless couples or empty nesters like Celebrity. What I have been told is it is like a notch below Celebrity but several notches above the usal Royal Caribbean ship.

 

The Granduer of the Seas is at least 10 years old-so not even as nice as the voyager class ships. Unlike Celebrity, Royal Caribbean's older ships are just not as nice.

 

I agree that Radiance class tends to attract fewer families and has a more upscale ambiance than Voyager class. Insofar as RCI, IMO they are the best of the bunch.

 

Personally, I have found that RCI maintains their older ships well, and was disappointed in the condition of X's Mercury last year which I felt was not well maintained.

 

If you are looking for quality food and service, IMO you will not find it on Granduer. Noordam is a new ship and I was very pleased by the service on my recent HAL cruise on ZUI. I would definitely choose HAL of these two options.

[C 2 C]

RCL ships are more crowded, and the staff is stretched a bit thin.

Holland America does draw an older crowd, but the food and service are much closer to what you get with Celebrity. In addition, HAL offers some really great itineraries

I would agree. HAL offers a product very similar to X' treatment. If I was travelling with children or grandchildren, RCL would be a better choice.

 

Noordam sails out of New York so you would be closer to the port.... but if sailing in the winter time those days at sea will be quite cool.:cool: