Would we like HAL?

[SusieV]

I've been doing some lurking on the HAL board but I'm not sure if my husband and I would enjoy the HAL experience or not.

 

We're considering either the 7 or 14 night Canada/NE cruise on Maasdam (if prices drop before the cruise- we won't be early bookers given the recent price trends).

 

We're in our mid twenties and experienced travellers (if you're interested, visit our blog). On Celebrity, the things we appreciate the most are: excellent service, good food (especially the specialty restaurants), wine & wine service (does HAL have sommeliers?), ability to get a table for 2 at traditional dining, and a live dealer poker table in the casino.

 

I should mention that we best enjoyed the Millennium class ships on Celebrity although we did like the Galaxy. We missed some of the amenities found on the larger ships and never felt crowded.

 

The itinerary looks interesting and we love actually having the ability to drive to a port for once! The flight back from Florida is fairly inexpensive.

 

Would we enjoy HAL, based on our criteria? If so, are there any "special" cabins like there are on Celebrity, either larger in cabin size or veranda? We're not sure yet if we'd book an inside, outside, or veranda- it'll depend on the price as it gets closer.

 

I am under the impression that pricing for HAL cruises is not fixed the way RCI cruises are- is this correct?

 

Thanks for any comments!

[NevadaHiRoller]

Celebrity is better than HAL, but HAL is very nice. However, the general crowd is truly much older than any other line. So if you don't mind lots of nice old folks, go for it. You will have no problem with food and service compared to Celebrity. Celebrity is much more modern than HAL.

[Ine]

I donot agree with the posting above. We like Celebrity and HAL both and have sailed on various ships on both lines.

Maasdam is ons of the older ships and not that big. The ship is well maintained. Service and food are as good as (maybe even a little better) then Celebrity.

Officers are dutch ( with a few british), crew is a mix of Philipino and indonesian.

yes they have traditional dining and also as you wish (for which you can make reservations). of course they have tables for 2, sommeliers etc.

On HAL you will find many fresh flowers, an art collection etc.

Daily you can have fresh fruits in your cabin etc.

Bedding is much better and cabins are a little roomier and (apart from the insides) have bathtubs and showers.

Maasdam does have regular balcony cabins and suites, which are really big. (On the newer HAL ships you will find more bvalconies then on this type of ship).

Midships si the pool that can be covered, there also is an outdoor aftpool.

 

In general the passengersare often older then on Celebrity.

[Bouff]

We too have cruised with both HAL (twice) and Celebrity (once). There is very little to choose between them although our preference is HAL but that maybe because it was our first ever cruising experience. I would agree that the age demographic is probably slightly older on HAL but as we are in our 50's that doesn't worry us!

[eh2zed]

Both lines are marketed as premium cruise lines by their parent cruise company. They spend about the same pre passenger per day. Food is relatively close. Demographic is older on HAL. HAL ships are smaller which some like. Can't go wrong with either. Pick by itinerary or price.

[woody14h]

We love both HAL and X. The timing and destinations determine the cruise line. We've taken 14 HAL and 8 X cruises. Food is or was slightly better with X but we have had no complaints with HAL. Specialty restaurant were comparable and outstanding. HAL is more of a traditional feel. Service is great on both. Don't hesitate to try HAL. We just came off the Solstice and are booked on HAL Westerdam for Nov 09. No one should make a general statement that one line is no good or another the best. It is a subjective and the reader must take all with a grain of salt. The old adage " Is the glass half full or half empty?" Pessimists and optimists abound.

[lcmslady]

I haven't sailed on Celebrity yet (but that changes this weekend!) but I have sailed on HAL. The demographics is definitely older and there wasn't much nightlife besides the piano bar on the ship I was on but if you're looking for a relaxing, non-hectic cruise, I would recommend HAL

[NevadaHiRoller]

I haven't sailed on Celebrity yet (but that changes this weekend!) but I have sailed on HAL. The demographics is definitely older and there wasn't much nightlife besides the piano bar on the ship I was on but if you're looking for a relaxing, non-hectic cruise, I would recommend HAL

 

Agreed. You will also find Celebrity to be a lot more modern, the food a little bit better and the service to be very personable and comprehable as HAL. I have always had the best of service on Celebrity, HAL is a close 2nd. Definitely an older group and less lively on HAL. You are correct. HAL has great beds though.

[GeriatricNurse]

We love both HAL and X. The timing and destinations determine the cruise line. We've taken 14 HAL and 8 X cruises. Food is or was slightly better with X but we have had no complaints with HAL. Specialty restaurant were comparable and outstanding. HAL is more of a traditional feel. Service is great on both. Don't hesitate to try HAL. We just came off the Solstice and are booked on HAL Westerdam for Nov 09. No one should make a general statement that one line is no good or another the best. It is a subjective and the reader must take all with a grain of salt. The old adage " Is the glass half full or half empty?" Pessimists and optimists abound.

 

 

Were you aware that, apparantly, HAL is gradually eliminating the trays in their Lido dining venue, one ship at a time AND it has already started with the Westerdam?

So, no doubt, you will probably be making several trips back and forth to the line in order to obtain the balance of the food and drink items that you may have been unable to carry in one trip, (with NO TRAY on which to place your various bowls, plates, drinks and cutlery)! Supposedly, this is all being in the name of eliminating food waste and therefor (saving) money for HAL!

[our turn]

We have sailed on both lines and give a slight edge to X. While we don't mind sailing with the older demographic on HAL, there were so many rude older folks on our last cruise. Service was comparable in most areas on both lines.

 

Food is always a very subjective topic but this is our opinion. The main dining room on X is far and away better than we found on HAL. On our Eurodam cruise we were unable to get fixed dining and tried the new AS You Wish feature. For us, it was a fiasco. I do not like having to make reservations every day and we were often unable to secure the time or table size we wanted. We also missed having the same servers each night and building that connection with them. The food was mediocre and the service disorganized.

 

We have always been very satisfied with the food, presentation, and service in the main dining room on X and the specialty restaurant was over the top. However, on HAL our dining room experience was so bad, we ate in the Pinnacle of Tamarind 4 out of the 7 nights. Those meals were fabulous, but I don't think you should have to book and pay extra to avoid the dining room. We liked that suite guests could have breakfast in the Pinnacle for no extra charge.

 

Cabins are comfortable on both lines but the beds on HAL are wonderful. I like all the fresh flowers on HAL as well. We loved the butler on X as opposed to the concierge lounge on HAL. We enjoyed the entertainment on both lines as well as the pool areas.

 

Whatever you decide, have a great cruise!

[rolfecms]

Here's a great day-by-day review from Tuggers (Gail, a frequent =X= cruiser) on her recent 14 Caribbean cruise on Maasdam where she also compares Hal to =X=. I've never been on Hal but the MDR menus sound pretty darn good to me:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=864117

 

Hope this helps you decide.

[kelmac]

Susie,

 

My wife and I pretty much just alternate between Celebirty and Holland America -- both companies offer a "premium" cruise at great prices. We will make our third visit to the Maasdam this May for that New England/Canada cruise intinerary. The Maasdam is our favorite HAL ship so far. Mid-size ship (55,000 tons). We have Celebrity cruise number 13 coming up a week from today on the Constellation. We are cruising the Solstice in March.

 

Here is my quick look comparison of these two great cruise lines:

 

Celebrity:

--better dining room cuisine

--better alternative restaurants

--modern European feel

--great, formal service

--fixed dining only!:)

--will reduce cruise fare even after final payment

--Millennium class ships are the best "bang for the buck" at sea

 

Holland America:

--better Lido (buffet area)

--dark traditional decor

--Asian staff (attentive and warm)

--Wrap around promenade deck:)

--Nice in cabin movies and movie theatre

--better itineraries

--mix of fixed and open seating:(

 

You can't go wrong with either of these great cruise lines.

Kel:D

[woodofpine]

If you're really an experienced traveler then you're in possession of an open mind... If you want to be an experienced cruiser as well as traveler you're not going to narrow your experience to a single line.

 

Personally, itinerary comes first with me... otherwise I don't mind going on different lines - just for the experience of it.

 

HAL and X are so close really you'd have a hard time distinguishing them if they removed all the logos and sailed "blind". But then I think all the big lines are far more similar than dissimilar.

[mmp13]

Hal definitely wins in the stateroom catagory but we found their service and food to be not quite as good as Celebrity's. We would probably sail on hal again if the price was right but if we could find the same itinerary on Celebrity at a similar price we would go with Celebrity

[cruisencarol]

I really think you need to try each line yourself at least once.

[usha]

Hi SusieV!

Although I still love Celebrity a little more than HAL, I would heartily recommend a HAL cruise to you.

Who knows? You might even love HAL a little MORE than Celebrity.

I agree with pretty much everything Kelmac says about the two lines.

As a matter of fact, I think he stole my post before I had a chance to post it.;)

[Rouge Wave]

I've been doing some lurking on the HAL board but I'm not sure if my husband and I would enjoy the HAL experience or not.

 

We're considering either the 7 or 14 night Canada/NE cruise on Maasdam (if prices drop before the cruise- we won't be early bookers given the recent price trends).

 

We're in our mid twenties and experienced travellers (if you're interested, visit our blog). On Celebrity, the things we appreciate the most are: excellent service, good food (especially the specialty restaurants), wine & wine service (does HAL have sommeliers?), ability to get a table for 2 at traditional dining, and a live dealer poker table in the casino.

 

I should mention that we best enjoyed the Millennium class ships on Celebrity although we did like the Galaxy. We missed some of the amenities found on the larger ships and never felt crowded.

 

The itinerary looks interesting and we love actually having the ability to drive to a port for once! The flight back from Florida is fairly inexpensive.

 

Would we enjoy HAL, based on our criteria? If so, are there any "special" cabins like there are on Celebrity, either larger in cabin size or veranda? We're not sure yet if we'd book an inside, outside, or veranda- it'll depend on the price as it gets closer.

 

I am under the impression that pricing for HAL cruises is not fixed the way RCI cruises are- is this correct?

 

Thanks for any comments!

I am not sure how one could get "older" then what you find on Celebrity or HAL and still find the Pax in question have a beating heart and breathing.....

For the most part, contrary to what many on this board whom only sail Celebrity will tell you, HAL, Celebrity and Princess are for the most part interchangeable. HAL right now has the better itineraries. All have their pluses all have their minuses. I think you should look at Princess, still an outstanding line with a somewhat younger demographic.

Oh course, much to the chagrin and ridicule on others on this board I suspect, I think since you are in your 20’s you should give Carnival a try. Bang for the buck, it’s hard to beat Carnival.

<<Not a cheerleader for ANY cruise line….. Just like the weather, my wants and needs change. Itinerary First, then let the rest sort itself out.

[Spot]

We have cruised on both lines (HAL more than Celebrity) and we can attest to the fact that HAL cruisers are traditionally older although I'd like to add that the itinerary and the length of the cruise make this pretty universal.

Much depends on what you look for in a cruise. I would give food a wee bit of a tip in Celebrity's corner but in the cabin corner it would definitely be HAL.

[SusieV]

Does anyone know if there are special cabins on Maasdam like there are on Celebrity's ships? How much smaller is Maasdam than Galaxy?

 

woodofpine, I get the idea of what you're saying but I think there's much more to having an open mind than cruising different lines :) I've done a lot of land vacations and enjoy sampling different cultures but I don't think it's the same idea. For example, I know my husband and I would hate an NCL cruise (please let's not turn this into a bash thread though!). I'm not going to try that in the interest of being open minded.

 

I would consider Princess except that we have a strong preference for traditional dining and since we plan to book last minute, I don't expect that we would be accommodated. The age of the other passengers doesn't really matter to us anyway- we're bridge players so many of our acquaintances are in their 50s and 60s.

 

Any comments on the casino? Do they have live poker on Maasdam?

 

Rouge Wave- thanks, but Carnival isn't our style. We aren't into lots of announcements, hairy leg contests, and wild drunkfests. We also love formal nights and Carnival really seems to have dumbed those down. Not to mention crowded ships and garish decor. I know they're cheap... but I'd rather pay a little more for the type of experience we prefer.

 

Thanks for all the comments... looks like I'll be keeping an eye on the price of this trip!

[kelmac]

Does anyone know if there are special cabins on Maasdam like there are on Celebrity's ships? How much smaller is Maasdam than Galaxy

 

The Galaxy is 77,000 tons and the Maasdam is 55,000 tons. I think the Galaxy holds about 400 more people. The Maasdam does have an alternative restaurant and of course the Galaxy does not yet have one.

The Galaxy has better deck spaces for the Caribbean, but the Maasdam does have an outside aft pool which is also nice.

If you do decide on any HAL ship make sure you can get into Fixed Dining -- they are really pushing the open stuff.

 

Good Luck,

Kel:)

[jerseygirl3]

Does anyone know if there are special cabins on Maasdam like there are on Celebrity's ships? How much smaller is Maasdam than Galaxy?

 

woodofpine, I get the idea of what you're saying but I think there's much more to having an open mind than cruising different lines :) I've done a lot of land vacations and enjoy sampling different cultures but I don't think it's the same idea. For example, I know my husband and I would hate an NCL cruise (please let's not turn this into a bash thread though!). I'm not going to try that in the interest of being open minded.

 

I would consider Princess except that we have a strong preference for traditional dining and since we plan to book last minute, I don't expect that we would be accommodated. The age of the other passengers doesn't really matter to us anyway- we're bridge players so many of our acquaintances are in their 50s and 60s.

 

Any comments on the casino? Do they have live poker on Maasdam?

 

Rouge Wave- thanks, but Carnival isn't our style. We aren't into lots of announcements, hairy leg contests, and wild drunkfests. We also love formal nights and Carnival really seems to have dumbed those down. Not to mention crowded ships and garish decor. I know they're cheap... but I'd rather pay a little more for the type of experience we prefer.

 

Thanks for all the comments... looks like I'll be keeping an eye on the price of this trip!

 

We've cruised both lines and found them to be very comparable. Service on HAL is outstanding, whereas we've found service on Celebrity to be good, but spotty. HAL was the only line where we were recognized and called out by our first names when we sailed the same ship for the second time one year later. Their staff are absolutely wonderful. Not to take anything away from Celebrity. Our cruises on Celebrity have been outstanding and service, especially most recently on Constellation, was terrific.

 

One really great thing about HAL is that you can bring onboard as much wine as you like. We sailed with my sister and BIL last year and carried on 3 cases of wine. You are charged $15 corkage fee (compared to $25 on Celebrity) when the wine is consumed in the dining room, but often times we weren't even charged. We got to know the sommolier very well and shared our wine with her each night. We didn't bring along our own wine to necessarily save $$$, but my sister is very picky and liked having her own selection.

 

Given your specifics, I think you'll really enjoy HAL. On the Vista class ships, there are a couple of cabins (specifically 4164 and 4166) that have larger balconies than other standard balcony cabins, but I can't speak for Maasdam.

 

Good luck!