Once you find what You Like ........

[HeatherInFlorida]

[quote name='lipoppop']Now if HAL would let me take our small dog on board I could book more and more!!![/QUOTE][font=Comic Sans MS]We're sure with you on this one!!! Molly has been begging us to take her along. I think "pets at sea" is a great idea:D. But we'd have to train them to use the bathroom![/font]

[font=Comic Sans MS]Jean, to each his own. I recommend Carnival to lots of people. I just know it's not for us. Doesn't mean there's anything wrong with it:D ![/font]

[iluvcruzin]

I'm no longer a loyalist. I like the variety of trying different cruiselines and there's not one I would say I wouldn't sail again (except Premier because it's out of business). I've got too many years ahead of me to experience all there is out there as far as iteneraries and ships. Repetition would bore me after a while.

[Lois R]

Hi:) Well, I have been very loyal (over the last 16 months) to Celebrity...and I feel like I am "home" on their ships.
As most of you know, I am sailing HAL for the first time next month. I still feel abit odd about it, (just being honest)......but I am hoping to have a wonderful week.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Both DH and I are creatures of HABIT. Once we find something we like we really do not change much. We really feel "At Home" on HAL. Like Orcrone if we were offered a free cruise we certainly would not pass it up. Maybe some day we might try Celebrity. Of course Radisson or Crystal might not be bad either:p but for right now we are concentrating our money for cruises toward HAL:D

[kryos]

[quote name='sail7seas'] Once you have found a cruiseline (HAL ?) that suits you in almost all ways, almost all the time, are you more apt to stay with HAL (or other line) and sail them pretty much exclusively? [/QUOTE]
So far, I've only sailed the Rotterdam, but am leaving in a few weeks for a b2b on the Zuiderdam.

I am hoping I like the Zuiderdam since it is a much bigger ship, but I would not be adverse to trying out some other lines as well.

I am not a big party person ... in fact, I like to be tucked in bed by no later than 11:00, so I think I'm always going to prefer those ships that have an older group of passengers (read NO spring break crowd) ... :)

I'm happy with good food, interesting activities such as lectures and neat shore excursions. I'm not big on wacky pool games, or the loud, blaring disco crowd. But that certainly doesn't rule out other lines besides HAL. In fact, I have two more cruises booked ... one for January on Princess (which I will probably have to change due to a scheduling problem that has cropped up), and another on the Statendam next October to Hawaii.

I guess it's gonna takes years for me to see if there is one line I prefer to sail with. I just don't have enough cruises under my belt to say that I will never sail on any other line but HAL.

Blue skies ...

--rita

[HeatherInFlorida]

[quote name='Lois R']Hi:) Well, I have been very loyal (over the last 16 months) to Celebrity...and I feel like I am "home" on their ships.
As most of you know, I am sailing HAL for the first time next month. I still feel abit odd about it, (just being honest)......but I am hoping to have a wonderful week.[/QUOTE][font=Comic Sans MS]Lois, I can almost guarantee you that once onboard a HAL ship, you won't feel odd at all. If you love Celebrity, you'll love HAL. Personally (and many disagree with me) the only place Celebrity stands above HAL is the food. My cruise in November on the Oosterdam could change that; we'll have to see.[/font]

[font=Comic Sans MS]But for me, getting on a Holland America ship is like coming home even if you've never sailed HAL before. Let us know when you get back!!!:) [/font]

[Krazy Kruizers]

:)

[font=Comic Sans MS][color=red]Having sailed on Princess and NCL, we have chosen HAL not because of itineraries in recent years (been there - done that) - but because we love the larger suites and the amenities that HAL has to offer.[/color][/font]
[font=Comic Sans MS][color=#ff0000][/color][/font]
:)

[Lois R]

Heather, thanks for the encouraging words......I would love to sail with you one day:) :D

[localady]

[font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=blue]I agree that most of my choices have been Itinerary-based. I have previously cruised with Disney, RCCL, and Celebrity as well as HAL. [/color][/size][/font]

[font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=blue] Fact is we keep coming back to HAL as we prefer the size of the S-class ships, and like the classic cruising experience with HAL!:cool: If HAL doesn't sometime do an Australia/NZ itinerary under 30 days though, we may be looking at Princess or others for a cruise "Down Under" in 2006![/color][/size][/font]

[cactuslady]

I've been sticking with HAL so far because I've learned that I like the lap of luxury, dressing up (no snob flames, please -- I never even owned a long black dress before booking my first cruise), shipboard traditions, and smaller ships (although still larger than that 24-foot sailboat with the pump faucet and toilet). Will continue to love HAL as long as those characteristics remain.

However, giving those "likes," DH and I are mulling over the possibility of Radisson and doing the calculations on how much more it really costs if we get one of their 2 for 1 deals, knowing that tips and wine, etc. are included. So far, I've noticed that, unlike the HAL board, it seems that [I]nobody [/I] on the Radisson board [I]ever [/I] complains.

[ASM]

Plan to stick with HAL but not unwilling to try another line. NOT Carnival ( don't like carnivals!) unless it's free, of course!

[iluvcruzin]

Sorry this is off topic.. Localady.. I really like your avatar. I love Nemo.:D

[Orcrone]

[quote name='elmorejj']Orcrone, you got it!! and one of them that I wouldn`t sail on is not Carnival..I`ve enjoyed a couple of good cruises on that line with some of the best food I`ve ever had aboard ship....jean[/QUOTE][font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=#0000ff]Jean,[/color][/size][/font]
[font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=#0000ff][/color][/size][/font]
[font=Comic Sans MS][size=3][color=#0000ff]Which cruise lines won't you sail, even for free? You know I had to ask.:D [/color][/size][/font]

[Tricia724]

After sailing HAL exclusively the last five years, we sailed Celebrity in Alaska this summer. HAL had a sailing we liked, but I just couldn't justify the cost. For us, Celebrity was the best value overall, and I thought it was time to try another line. I enjoyed the cruise and would have no hesitation booking another Celebrity cruise. I would also like to try Princess at some time and maybe even RCI.

I didn't expect to like the Vista ships, but I enjoyed the Oosterdam this year and would like to try the Westerdam. I expect to enjoy more HAL cruises in the future, but I'm open to anything interesting.

[Peggy Sue]

we don't have enough cruise experience to say we will only sail xxx line...

we really enjoyed our HAL experience on the zuiderdam. looking ahead, we're considering the panama canal .. HAL may not work for us due to limited number of offerings and cruise length being greater than 14 days due to work schedules etc.

I don't think we want to try Carnival..but, who knows. For now, we really research the line to see if it will fit our likes/dislikes..our vacation time is too limited to risk a bad experience! But, some day when we retire, we can be more adventuresome and give cruise lines a try that we wouldn't even consider right now.

Peggy Sue

[xsnowman99]

DH and I have sailed Wind Surf (2 x's) and Maasdam. Prefer the Wind Surf due to size. Size is what we look at first (we like the smaller size ships), then itinerary, then price. We did, however, enjoy our Maasdam cruise and would probably go on her again. But, I DO miss the quaintness of Wind Surf.

[jazzsea]

Given my choice I would sail all the time on Wind Star. Not that I don't love Holland America Line, but I really, really love Wind Star.

 

I love the Rotterdam, Zaandam and Maasdam and really enjoyed Oosterdam last March.

 

I like long cruises with lots of sea days so a transatlantic is great for me. If I wasn't so afraid of getting sea sick I would book a transatlantic on Wind Star.

 

I liked sailing on Radisson, but didn't like sailing on Princess, RCCL or Celebrity. I don't like the really big ships.

 

Radisson was nice but we thought it was a little stuffy for us.

 

So, when I can't book Wind Star I book Holland America.

[jazzsea]

Localady...... Holland America has 4 - 14 day Sydney to Auckland cruises scheduled for 2006. The first one is January 7, 2006 the last is ends in Sydney on March 4, 2006 on the Statendam.

 

The March 4, 2006 cruise is a 15 day Sydney to Hong Kong. (3/4 - 3/20)

[xpcdoojk]

I am a platinum member of RCI, and yet I booked a cruise for next year on HAL. Why? Because of the itinerary. I go on vacations to go to places I haven't been before or places I want to go to. I don't take a cruise vacation to be on a particular ship. HAL had the superior South America itinerary and price appeared to be a good value. If I had a bad or great experience the cruiseline will move up or down in the list and at the margin all things being equal that is why I would pick one cruiseline over another. I have enjoyed Celebrity so far the most, but I really like the activities on the RCI ships. Carnival was an average experience and due to their limited itinerary destinations I have felt no need to return to them. We had a good time on our Carnival cruise, but it didn't compare at the time to either RCI or Celebrity. Still I cruise to go places not to be on a ship.

 

jc

[HeatherInFlorida]

Given my choice I would sail all the time on Wind Star. Not that I don't love Holland America Line, but I really, really love Wind Star..........

 

So, when I can't book Wind Star I book Holland America.

My favorite line as well. But in actuality, Windstar Cruises is Holland America. In fact when you call Ship Services, it's the same number for both.

[BADBUOY]

Some people like to stay put with a cruiseline if they feel most of the line's criteria and value for the dollar meet their needs.

 

On occasion one must take a step back and re-evaluate what you may have once believed to be the best value. I personally think it's a great benchmarking tool to cruise with a variety of lines and ships to compare what is most important to you as a ticket buyer.

 

Cruiselines do change with time...both good and bad. I've read reviews from people who have stated that the food quality, service and entertainment on certain lines have deteriorated over time.

 

Also, surcharges for products or services that were once included in your ticket price are apparently now commonplace.

 

 

Buddy