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A HAL cruiser looks at Princess


dakrewser

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We’re just back from an 11-day Mexican Riviera cruise on the Dawn Princess. This was our first cruise on Princess and I wanted to share with you the comparisons we made with HAL. I’d done the same a bit over a year ago for our first cruise on Celebrity (the Infinity 12-day to Alaska). The specifics of the comparison are: HAL – Oosterdam 7-day Mexican Riviera (R/T San Diego); Princess – 11-day Mexican Riviera (R/T San Francisco); Celebrity – 12-day Alaska R/T San Francisco).

 

Let me start by saying that, just as on Infinity, we did have a good cruise on the Dawn Princess, and we would book on Princess again if the itinerary was desirable and the price was right. But if everything was equal, we'd choose HAL without a second thought.

 

I'll attempt to do separate posts for each area of comparison, and I might even stick to that resolution!

 

For comparison purposes, here’s some figures on the ships:

 

Oosterdam Dawn Princess Infinity

Year built 2003 1997 2001

Tonnage 85,000 77,441 90,228

Length 951 feet 856 feet 964 feet

Passengers 1848 1950 2038

Crew 800 900 997

Cabin Size 518 sq. feet 370 sq. feet 308 sq. feet

Pax/crew ratio 2.31 2.17 2.04

Space ratio 46.00 39.71 44.27

In “Pax/crew ration” smaller is better, while in “Space ratio” bigger is better. We did find service to be quite good on Princess in terms of finding people to do things yet the ship did seem more ‘crowded’ than either the O’dam or the Infinity. Those feelings appear to be a result of the ratios on the ships.

 

 

 

I'll write seperate posts to compare different aspects of the ships, beginning with the cabins.

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We were in an AC mini-suite on the Dawn Princess, an S suite on Oosterdam (Sky Suite on X). The mini-suite is more comparible to a HAL SS in size and amenities, though. The S is much bigger with a bigger verandah and a very comfortable sofa. The Dawn Princess cabin, while smaller, was much better designed, we felt. It was actually two “VA” sized cabins with the wall removed. Between the sitting area and sleeping area was a curtained archway which, effectively, made it a “real” suite. There was a sofa (more like a loveseat), armchair and coffee table in the sitting area along with a side table, desk and chair. There were a 110- and a 220-volt outlet under the desk, and a second 110-volt outlet under a shelf in the entryway (where your fruit bowl is kept). Infinity’s sky suite did have two very comfortable high backed arm chairs (lacking on HAL) along with a table which can just about handle breakfast for two but a just adequate love seat (still, more comfortable than the love seat in HAL's verandah or outside cabins). Hal's cabin chairs are less comfortable, and the coffee table won't do for dining. (but, no coffee table on X) Hal had the roomier and more comfortable sitting area, but Princess’s was perfectly adequate and relatively comfortable.

 

 

The sleeping area on Dawn Princess had a queen-sized bed, nightstand on one side and a large desk with a chair on the other. One electrical outlet, a 110-volt, was just above the desk. The biggest drawback, though, was the bed. I had said about Infinity: “While not uncomfortable, the Infinity's bed was about the quality of a better Motel 6. HAL's bed is, of course, probably the best in the cruise industry right now.” The Dawn Princess bed wasn’t as good as Infinity’s.

 

The tub (Jacuzzi equipped) and separate shower on Dawn Princess are accessed from the sleeping area. From this room there’s another door to the sink & WC. There’s also a door from the entranceway to the sink & WC, a decided bonus when one person was sleeping and the other was up. While HAL cabins have a curtain that can be drawn to separate the sleeping area from the closet/bathroom area creating a dressing space, this was unnecessary on the Dawn Princess as the two “rooms” of the suite could be separated. Nothing at all similar on X. Try to turn on a light to get some clothes and your room-mate gets a very unceremonious awakening.

 

The veranda on Dawn Princess stretched the full length of the cabin and had a sliding door entrance from both the sleeping area and the sitting area – another plus. The veranda itself, though, was only about 4 feet deep, furnished with a table, two chairs and two ottomans. It appeared crowded. Infinity had two comfortable chairs and a tiny side table. HAL's verandah had two very comfortable chairs, two ottomans and a large table with chairs which four could eat at comfortably. Big win for HAL, but I do like the sliding doors better than HAL’s swing-open ones.

 

The Dawn Princess also featured two TVs to HAL (and X’s) one.

 

For the same price, the HAL suite is more comfortable, but if the Princess mini were less, it’s a better buy. Note, though, that the HAL suite also includes access to the Neptune Lounge, no-charge laundry, etc. There are no specific amenities associated with Princess mini-suites. X, of course, has it’s butler for Sky Suites and above.

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While the Dawn Princess bathroom is a bit smaller than the Oosterdam’s, the separate rooms, separate spacious stall shower and separate entrance from the entryway all add up to a big, big win for Princess. Celebrity finishes a poor third as the Sky Suite bathroom is much smaller than an S suite's, with a single tub/shower and no jacuzzi.

 

The hair dryer on the DP is wall-mounted (like the Infinity’s) next to the desk in the sleeping area, unlike HAL's which takes up drawer space. Neither of us use the hair dryer extensively, so can't compare the power of the blower or the heat of the dryer. Both worked sufficiently for us.

 

There were a number of small hotel-sized bottles of shampoo, conditioner, body wash, etc. provided on the DP.

 

Princess easily wins the bathroom battle, in my book, with HAL a close second and the Infinity third.

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Service by the cabin attendants was excellent on all three lines. Darwin, on the Dawn Princess understood (and spoke) English better than our HAL & Infinity stewards put together. We could always, though, use the butler on X to request things normally asked of the steward. On the down-side, Darwin was much less capable, it seemed, of providing asked for items on a timely basis something we’ve never had a problem with on HAL.

 

Laundry on Princess is “by the item” (although there was a self-service Laundromat just down the hall). They do offer a “by the bag” option (as does HAL), but it was only offered on two days during our cruise which is standard, if baffling (do they fly in extra laundresses on those days???) HAL's offer of unlimited laundry in suites beats Celebrity's offer of no-charge priority service (you pay regular price but get it back faster). X also offers no laundry packages such as unlimited or "by the bag" pricing. Also, Princess (as well as X) returns items either on a hanger or in a bag. HAL's tissue wrapped delivery in a basket wins them points.

 

A big plus for HAL on laundry with Princess 2nd. Pretty much a draw on cabin service.

 

Coming next: The Dining Room.

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We were pleasantly surprised by the quality of food on the Dawn Princess. Not that there was anything I could call outstanding (although the swordfish – pesce di spada on Italian Night was really, really good!) but there was also nothing that absolutely failed. Still, the most inventive part of the dining room were the menu descriptions. For example, the word “vinaigrette” showed up almost nightly, but it appears the chef that it meant “without vinegar”! We first encountered this as a “raspberry vinaigrette” dressing for salad which was thick, pink and appeared to have a yogurt base! Quantities were generous, and (as with most cruise lines) there was no limit on what you could order. Quality was on a par with HAL but generally more bland. The selection was also more limited both overall and on any given night. There was never a night I couldn’t find something appetizing, but it was a stretch once or twice and I relied on the excellent advice of our steward, Monica, at those times. It's a general consensus that the dining room on Celebrity produces "better" food than HAL. And I'll agree with that, while ranking Princess a close third. Still, some things were better on Princess. The soups were better than Celebrity’s, almost as good as HAL’s. And the baked Alaska was fantastic – much better than any I’d ever had on a HAL ship.

 

Princess’ salads were more varied than Celebrity’s but not up to HAL’s standards.

 

To sum up, Princess offered good middle-of-the-road meals that should appeal (or at least satisfy) just about everyone. Infinity had better prepared food on balance with good imagination and preparation but HAL has a wider range of offerings in almost all categories. Celebrity faltered at Asian cuisine which, of course, HAL excels at. Princess ranked somewhere in between with those dishes.

 

I often like to order the cheese plate, rather than a dessert. While Princess’ desserts were nothing out of the ordinary, the cheese selection (which varied nightly) was much better than that offered on HAL or Celebrity.

 

For a longer cruise, the Princess menu doesn’t offer the same anticipation that HAL’s does. For a 7 day cruise, X wins hands down. Even a 10-day. At 12-days, a certain jaded sameness factor settles in. For 2 weeks or longer, I think I'd rather have HAL's less than stellar but more variable cuisine.

 

Generally, though, I’d have to rank dining room food as Infinity #1, Oosterdam #2, Dawn Princess a close #3 – but all were good.

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Princess offers both “Anytime” dining as well as two-seating traditional dining. Two identical restaurants (one a deck above the other) offer the same menu, with the choice being when you eat. Just as on Infinity, we requested a table for 2, late seating (8:00 PM). And just as on Infinity, we didn’t get it. Instead we were seated at a table for 6 with 3 ladies, a woman traveling with her sister and daughter (the daughter was our age, no kids at this table!). We opted not to protest to the Maitre d’ and ate with the ladies all but one night of the cruise. The older women were very well traveled, lived (as we do) within the SF Bay area and were excellent dinner companions. On HAL, of course, our request for a table for 2 has always been honored.

 

For the first time on a cruise, both steward and assistant steward were female. Monica, our steward, was from Romania while Ana, the asst., was from Portugal. Both spoke excellent English – better than most stewards we encountered on HAL or Celebrity ships. They were cordial, friendly, efficient and always ready to make a suggestion (asked or not!). Indeed, after a couple of nights they were almost always able to pinpoint which menu items each of us would order. I’d rate this team as better than the one we had on Infinity and on a par with the one on Oosterdam.

 

There is, though, no wine steward on Princess ships. Wine (and bar orders) are handled by the asst. steward. While Ana was certainly competent opening and pouring wine, she was able to offer any help in choosing a selection. There’s also the niggling practice of charging for espresso drinks in the dining room – something that X and HAL haven’t done as yet.

 

So what's the score? Princess & HAL tie for DR steward/asst, with X trailing. But X leads for wine steward, HAL is 2nd and the Dawn Princess is a very distant third. If wine service is important to you, Infinity/ Celebrity wins hands down. Otherwise, Princess appears to have a slight edge on HAL, if only because of the language skills of the servers.

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There are three other dining options on the Dawn Princess: the Horizon Court (like HAL’s Lido), La Scala Pizzeria and the Sterling Steakhouse. I’ll cover the buffets/cafeterias separately. The Pizzeria has no real equivalent on HAL or X ships, it’s a separate restaurant, off the beaten track, serving pizza at lunch time and adding Italian dishes (heavy on the pasta) at night. There is no cover charge, the ambiance is quite nice (checkerboard tabletops, but no cloths) and service appeared to be adequate. We didn’t eat there, but it gets high praise from those who do.

 

The Sterling Steakhouse fails miserably when compared to HAL’s Pinnacle Grill or the Infinity’s S.S. United States. Each afternoon around 3, wood & paper screens (most the worst for wear) are attached with duct tape to set off the rear of the Horizon Court. Tablecloths go on the tables (along with cloth napkins) and a limited menu is offered (4 steak entrees, 1 chicken, 1 fish). It has all the ambiance of an Altoona Holiday Inn dining room (and have eaten in that one!). We didn’t try it, and it appeared to be sparsely attended those nights we wandered by (one night, at 8 PM, there were only two tables in use).

 

HAL’s Pinnacle Grill is an old fashioned Chop House/Steak House while the S.S. Untied States is an Americanized version of a French Michelin-starred village restaurant.

 

The food in both is excellent. The service in both is top notch.

 

As in the dining room, I think HAL has the broader selection, but X has the better preparation and presentation for what it does offer. Princess simply can’t compete.

 

There was more interaction with the staff at the S.S. United States - the asst. Maitre d', the waiter and the sommelier all took time to discuss the menu, the dishes, the wines and listen to our thoughts and suggestions. The Pinnacle staff were very good, very professional and very "chop house" which I don't mean as a negative. The Sterling Steakhouse wine list was exactly the same as the dining room’s.

 

Infinity #1, HAL a close second, Princess well down the list at #99.

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The Dawn Princess wine list was not as interesting as a good chain restaurant in the US (think Olive Garden or Red Lobster). There was a fair selection of inexpensive wines (in the $20 - $30 range) but nothing “interesting” or out of the ordinary.

 

A slight plus to Infinity for having a few very good French wines (the Puligny-Montrachet, Meursault and Chablis 1ere cru we had were all outstanding). Good marks to HAL, especially for the Pinnacle Grill wine list. Princess brings up the rear, although there were certainly drinkable wines on the list.

 

I might add that there was a bar on the Dawn Princess called “Magnums”. It offered the exact same wine selection as all the other bars and lounges and had nothing that wasn’t also available by the glass in the dining room. For that matter, there was a lounge called “La Patisserie” which offered no (zero, zip, nada) pastries and the exact same drinks menu as Magnums, the Wheelhouse Bar, the Atrium Lounge and all the other watering holes!

 

Next up: The entertainment.

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Great comparisons. My only complaint about Princess is the smaller rooms, suites and mini suites being the exception. Other than that I find them to be a very pleasant cruise expirience. With Celebrity I found that the mattresses were terrible - HAL has no competion in this area.

 

On Celebrity we ate in the Normandy on the Summit and it was the best meal that I have ever had at sea. I agree with you assessment of the Steakhouse on Princess. We are off to LA on Monday for 19 days on the Regal, so I will mentally tally up the comparisons.

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Remember that the Dawn Princess was built 10 years ago, before specialty restaurants became the norm on ships. SO I guess Princess felt they had to follow the trned and create one where none existed before. Probably a poor decision. I wouldn't pay extra money to eat in a buffet restaurant, no matter what it was called.

 

The newer Princess ships, have "real" alternative dining venues. We were on the Grand Princess some years ago and she had at least 2 specialty restaurants that I can recall. we were on the Crown Princess last year and she has 2 beautiful restaurants, the Crown Grill for steak & seafood and Sabatini's for Italian.

 

By the way, when you didn't get the table size you requested did you check with the maitre'd. We now opt for anytime dining as that is our preference, but back when the only option was assigned seating, if we didn't get our requested table for 2, we asked the maitre'd to change it and our request was always granted.

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Remember that the Dawn Princess was built 10 years ago, before specialty restaurants became the norm on ships. SO I guess Princess felt they had to follow the trned and create one where none existed before. Probably a poor decision. I wouldn't pay extra money to eat in a buffet restaurant, no matter what it was called.

 

The newer Princess ships, have "real" alternative dining venues. We were on the Grand Princess some years ago and she had at least 2 specialty restaurants that I can recall. we were on the Crown Princess last year and she has 2 beautiful restaurants, the Crown Grill for steak & seafood and Sabatini's for Italian.

 

By the way, when you didn't get the table size you requested did you check with the maitre'd. We now opt for anytime dining as that is our preference, but back when the only option was assigned seating, if we didn't get our requested table for 2, we asked the maitre'd to change it and our request was always granted.

 

We opted not to whine to the maitre d' this time (although that sort of worked on Infinity - we got a table for 6 with no other diners!)

 

The surprise for us is that the La Scala pizzeria was in an ideal location for a specialty restaurant (and the closed off section of the Horizon Court could have done duty as a pizzeria). It was just one more bit of evidence of a lack of critical thinking in the planning of the layout of the ship. Like the "Patisserie" with no pastry or "Magnums" with no special wines - or the really dumb elevator layout! :rolleyes:

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Dave -- nice job. Thanks for taking the time to do this!

 

A wine question: On Princess, is it possible to pre-order dinner wine? On many ships, including HAL, dinner wine can be ordered in advance during the day. I usually don't need the help of a wine steward to select my wine, and the Princess assistant waiter serving as wine steward wouldn't be a huge problem for me, as long as the wine is waiting for me when we sit down to eat!

 

Thanks!

 

AG

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Dave -- nice job. Thanks for taking the time to do this!

 

A wine question: On Princess, is it possible to pre-order dinner wine? On many ships, including HAL, dinner wine can be ordered in advance during the day. I usually don't need the help of a wine steward to select my wine, and the Princess assistant waiter serving as wine steward wouldn't be a huge problem for me, as long as the wine is waiting for me when we sit down to eat!

 

Thanks!

 

AG

 

You could do that, yes. We didn't as one of the advantages of having beverage service from the asst. steward is that it's much speedier than waiting for the wine steward (always a problem on HAL).

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There are two venues on the Dawn Princess, the Vista Lounge (similar to Oosterdam’s Vista Lounge, but only one level – thus offering much better sight lines) and the Princess Theater, similar to the Wajang Theater on older HAL ships (but bigger) and much better than the (IMHO) poorly designed Queen’s Lounge. Production shows tended to be in the Theater, while solo acts played the Vista Lounge giving it more of a “Las Vegas” feel.

 

The resident troupe – 2 singers, 2 singer/dancers and 8 dancers were the best we’d ever seen at sea. Most could easily win spots in the national touring casts of Broadway shows, half could handle the best regional theater and there were 2 or 3 who I expect to be headliners on the Great White Way in a half dozen years or so. They did three different “revue” type shows (“The Piano Man”, “Tribute” and “Extreme Country”), all very good, with excellent costuming and choreography to boot. The house band was also excellent.

 

HAL’s ship’s companies have ranged from very poor (I could recruit a better troupe among my neighbors than the one we saw on Volendam a few years ago) to average (small town regional theater quality). The one we saw on Infinity was better than the Oosterdam’s, but no where near as good as that on the Dawn Princess.

 

The solo performers on DP ranged from two excellent comedians (Scott Wyler & Elliot Max) to a very talented juggler (can’t remember his name, but he was “Juggler of the year” for 2006), a run of the mill illusionist (we’d seen those tricks and heard those jokes way too many times), two so-so singers and an embarrassment of a banjo player. Not only did he try to “break out” and play non-traditional banjo songs (and not very well) but the band played so loud that you could hardly hear him at times (which may not have been a bad thing!).

 

The Infinity had better solo talent on the whole, HAL’s was on a par with the Dawn Princess. Based on the great performance of the ship’s cast, we give Princess the #1 place, with Infinity 2nd and HAL a poor third. But, then, nobody chooses HAL for the shows, do they?

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As I mentioned earlier, the Dawn Princess bars & lounges were remarkably cookie-cutter no matter what they were called. There was nightly entertainment in the Atrium (almost always a piano player, rarely as good as in the Ocean Bar on Oosterdam), The Wheelhouse bar (a bad duo who, essentially, were professional karaoke-ists, supplemented by a good old boy group which did, mainly, soft southern rock) and frequently on the pool deck at night. This latter usually featured a quartet called, redundantly, “Quattro by 4” – Mexican rock musicians who sang hits of the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s and maybe 80’s, all phonetically so the lyrics were amusing at times.

Both the Oosterdam and the Infinity had multiple musical experiences throughout the ship, for the most part better than the Dawn Princess.

 

Both had people playing piano and singing, the O'dam had a bad singer/piano player in the Ocean Bar, the Infinity had a bad singer/piano player in Michael's Club, the DP had a bad singer/piano player in the Atrium lounge.

 

O’dam & Infinity each had string ensembles, the O'dam's played mostly in the Explorer's Lounge, the Infinity's in the Cova Cafe. Both played in the DR on formal nights. Both were quite enjoyable. Princess had no strings, no semi-classical, no music in the dining room.

 

All three ships also had discos and DJs. We didn't partake of either on any of them.

 

In addition, the Infinity had a guitar player (folk/pop) who played in the Cova Cafe on formal nights and also boasted a harpist who entertained in the Atrium during embarkation and was featured in the S.S. United States every evening. Neither HAL nor Princess offered anything similar.

 

Infinity gets the nod because of the excellent string quartet, HAL runs 2nd and Princess finishes a very distant third.

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I'm calling this "shipboard ambiance" and it's an area HAL wins hands down.

 

Artistically arranged plastic floral pieces are no substitute for fresh flowers. HAL provided fresh flowers everywhere. Infinity had, at best, one stalk of flowers in a bud vase on our DR table about half the time. Princess never did have fresh flowers anywhere.

 

The art work displayed on Infinity is laughable, especially compared to the fascinating and fantastic paintings, sculptures, woodwork, and metalwork found on the Oosterdam. Infinity was decorated either by someone with no budget, no taste - or both! Princess, on the other hand, was tastefully decorated with art work and, while no challenge to HAL, was more pleasing to the eye than many other ships we’ve sailed on.

 

Passageways, companionways and aisles seemed narrower on both Dawn Princess and Infinity. The entrance to the dining room on the DP, in particular, was extremely tight and looped across the front of the shops.

 

The DP has no lounge at the top to rival HAL’s Crow’s Nest or Infinity’s Constellation Lounge. A pity, as it’s were we like to have a pre-dinner drink. Big plus for Oosterdam. We also like the way the O’dam’s major lounges (Ocean Bar, Piano Bar) are broken into separate areas for a more intimate arrangement.

 

Then there’s the elevator situation. There are three sets of elevators on Dawn Princess, but one set (of 6) is broken into 2 banks of three. Each bank has separate call buttons. Invariably people would press both up and down on both banks. That means (at least) three elevators stopping with no one getting on. Elevator service was slow. Those six elevators serviced decks 5 thru 14 (even though the ship goes to 15 decks – you have to walk up to the Sun Deck). Two of them (1 in each bank) go from deck 4 to deck 14. The aft bank (or three elevators) runs from deck 7 to deck 14, and the “panoramic” lifts (2 of them) in the Atrium run between decks 5 and 8. There were many confused passengers!

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Well, you certainly did make me wait, Dave. Don't you know I don't do patience? Finally---the entertainment evaluations!

To tell the truth I've enjoyed reading all of your thoughts; the organization of your report is excellent. I've enjoyed the compare/contrast format even though I'm unlikely ever to sail on either X or Princess; it made me appreciate more what I stay with.

Tell me, was there anything like a HAL Piano Bar on either the Dawn Princess or the Infinity? I mean the type of atmosphere where the entire bar becomes one party, as opposed to each group that comes in keeping to itself.

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Great thread, Dave. Thank you for all your work in sharing this with us.

Like Ruth, we are unlikely to sail either Princess or "X" again but I am enjoying your comparison.

 

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There are three other dining options on the Dawn Princess: the Horizon Court (like HAL’s Lido), La Scala Pizzeria and the Sterling Steakhouse. I’ll cover the buffets/cafeterias separately. The Pizzeria has no real equivalent on HAL or X ships, it’s a separate restaurant, off the beaten track, serving pizza at lunch time and adding Italian dishes (heavy on the pasta) at night. There is no cover charge, the ambiance is quite nice (checkerboard tabletops, but no cloths) and service appeared to be adequate. We didn’t eat there, but it gets high praise from those who do.

 

The Sterling Steakhouse fails miserably when compared to HAL’s Pinnacle Grill or the Infinity’s S.S. United States. Each afternoon around 3, wood & paper screens (most the worst for wear) are attached with duct tape to set off the rear of the Horizon Court. Tablecloths go on the tables (along with cloth napkins) and a limited menu is offered (4 steak entrees, 1 chicken, 1 fish). It has all the ambiance of an Altoona Holiday Inn dining room (and have eaten in that one!). We didn’t try it, and it appeared to be sparsely attended those nights we wandered by (one night, at 8 PM, there were only two tables in use).

 

HAL’s Pinnacle Grill is an old fashioned Chop House/Steak House while the S.S. Untied States is an Americanized version of a French Michelin-starred village restaurant.

 

The food in both is excellent. The service in both is top notch.

 

As in the dining room, I think HAL has the broader selection, but X has the better preparation and presentation for what it does offer. Princess simply can’t compete.

 

There was more interaction with the staff at the S.S. United States - the asst. Maitre d', the waiter and the sommelier all took time to discuss the menu, the dishes, the wines and listen to our thoughts and suggestions. The Pinnacle staff were very good, very professional and very "chop house" which I don't mean as a negative. The Sterling Steakhouse wine list was exactly the same as the dining room’s.

 

Infinity #1, HAL a close second, Princess well down the list at #99.

am I the only one on the Board who understands your reference to the Altoona Holiday Inn? Been there..done that..and I know EXACTLY what you mean. IHOP would be a step above! (you did mean Altoona, PA?).

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Dave, I finally had a free moment to read thru your thread. I reallly like reading your comparisons with the three. I trust your opinions and feel your like are very similiar to ours. My TA swears by Princess and does 3 to 4 a year. She has not been on HAL for about 8 years but will be going on the Noordam in May so I think she will be impressed. Your comparisons and over all ratings certainly do not surprise me and like Ruth I seriously doubt I will ever try either Princess of X. Why risk the vacation time for a product we are not sure about when we already know what we love and know where we will be happy.;)

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Well, you certainly did make me wait, Dave. Don't you know I don't do patience? Finally---the entertainment evaluations!

To tell the truth I've enjoyed reading all of your thoughts; the organization of your report is excellent. I've enjoyed the compare/contrast format even though I'm unlikely ever to sail on either X or Princess; it made me appreciate more what I stay with.

 

Tell me, was there anything like a HAL Piano Bar on either the Dawn Princess or the Infinity? I mean the type of atmosphere where the entire bar becomes one party, as opposed to each group that comes in keeping to itself.

 

Nothing like that on either other line, Ruth, I'm sorry to say. On the Dawn Princess the pianist in the Atrium Lounge had a large following, but the arrangement (with corridors from both sides of the ship coming thru, and circular stairs leading down making for lots of traffic) had the singer on a stage-like platform with the "audience" arranged almost as in a theater.

 

One real plus for Princess, though, and one I'm sure you'll appreciate is the pillow chocolates - a different one each night!

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am I the only one on the Board who understands your reference to the Altoona Holiday Inn? Been there..done that..and I know EXACTLY what you mean. IHOP would be a step above! (you did mean Altoona, PA?).

 

Yes, that is the one I meant! Although it's probably been 25 years since I was last there....:rolleyes:

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Don't write off Princess so quickly, folks. IF the itinerary were right (such as, say, leaving from San Francisco) or not offered by HAL (like Tahiti) or if the pricing for one of their small ships (smaller than Prinsendam) was good then we wouldn't hesitate to sail with them again.

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