HAL vs Celebrity?

My "cruise buddy" and I want to celebrate our 33rd wedding anniversary in
January 05 w/ a Panama Canal cruise. We are frequent cruisers on HAL but are
looking at the Galaxy RT out of Galveston (convenience) as well as a HAL cruise
out of FLL to San Diego.

Couple questions--Will we miss out on the "Canal Experience" if we do the
Galaxy rather than the full passage on the HAL? We usually take a full suite
on HAL but are looking at a Sky Suite on the Galaxy. Are we going to be
disappointed? What, if any, perks come with the Sky Suite? If we take the sky
suite, is it better to be on the 10th or 12th deck? They have both available
right now. Should we look at the Royal Suite? We'd trade room size for a
larger verandah. Any help is appreciated.

TIA,
Susan in Plano Texas watching the sun come up

Susan wrote:

My "cruise buddy" and I want to celebrate our 33rd wedding anniversary in
January 05 w/ a Panama Canal cruise. We are frequent cruisers on HAL but are
looking at the Galaxy RT out of Galveston (convenience) as well as a HAL cruise
out of FLL to San Diego.

Couple questions--Will we miss out on the "Canal Experience" if we do the
Galaxy rather than the full passage on the HAL?

We've been through the Canal three times, but have never done the
partial transit, so I can't answer this part of your question.

We usually take a full suite
on HAL but are looking at a Sky Suite on the Galaxy. Are we going to be
disappointed? What, if any, perks come with the Sky Suite? If we take the sky
suite, is it better to be on the 10th or 12th deck? They have both available
right now. Should we look at the Royal Suite? We'd trade room size for a
larger verandah. Any help is appreciated.

We've been on HAL and Celebrity numerous times. We've had a full suite
on HAL and both the royal and penthouse suites on Celebrity, so I think
I'm in a good position to answer your question.

Perks with any suite on Celebrity include:

A butler (in addition to your steward, and whom you have to tip, of
course), who will bring you canapés, sweets, fruits, meals, and just
about anything else you desire in your stateroom.

Of course on HAL, you get free laundry and dry cleaning, which is very
nice on a longer cruise.

There are no Sky Suites on deck 10 of the Galaxy, but that's where you
find the royals and the penthouse. The Sky's on Deck 12 are noticeably
smaller than the full suite on HAL. They have very large balcony's but
limited privacy. As a dude who has often walked around deck 13, I have
more than once seen more skin than I care to laying out on those deck 12
sky suite verandahs.

The royal suites on Celebrity are noticeably larger than the full suites
on HAL. What's really nice, is that you get a large and totally
separate living room and dining area.. The balcony in the royal is also
very nice (smaller than that in the sky, but bigger than that in the
full suite on HAL). If you can swing the cost (or buy an on-board
upgrade, as we did), I'd go for the royal.

Finally, I should mention the penthouse on Celebrity. If there is any
way to get one of these (ore get on board upgrade, as we did), DO IT! It
is truly like having your own penthouse in Manhattan, while at sea.

Good luck with your decision, Susan.

Howie



TIA,
Susan in Plano Texas watching the sun come up

Subject: HAL vs Celebrity?

What were formerly Cat 1 suites on Deck 10 (Penthouse Deck) on Galaxy... are
now called Sky Suites. They have small balconies.

If you want a large balcony, you will need to book the Sky Suites on Deck 12
(Sky Deck). These suite numbers start with
12-- eg. 1201, 1204, etc.

The balconies of the Royal Suite and the Penthouse suite are smaller than the
balconies of the Deck 12 Sky Suites.

My preference is for inside space.. so I go with the RS or PS (if I can make a
deal).
Since you want outside space.. Deck 12 Sky Suite is for you.

Celebrity vs HAL.....comparing my last several Celebrity cruises with my recent
HAL cruise.....I'd go with HAL.. but that's my opinion.... full suite.. btw..
and you'd get to experience the Canal.

Babette

OcnGypZ wrote:

My preference is for inside space.. so I go with the RS or PS (if I can
make a deal).
Since you want outside space.. Deck 12 Sky Suite is for you.

Celebrity vs HAL.....comparing my last several Celebrity cruises with my
recent HAL cruise.....I'd go with HAL.. but that's my opinion.... full suite..
btw.. and you'd get to experience the Canal.

Babette

Were you in the full suite (Penthouse) on HAL, too? ;-)

I've been on Galaxy and HAL (Westerdam/the old one twice, and Maasdam)--
never in suites so I can't help you there. However, I highly prefer HAL. I
don't cruise so that I can party until all hours, but mostly I like HAL
because my favorite thing to do is sit in the shade on a lounge chair and
watch the sea, read or nap. I love the public area to do this, where a crew
member will stroll by with a cart full of drinks to offer. (Nope, I'm not an
octogenarian. I'm very active, in my early 50's, and when I sailed on HAL
was in my mid and late 40's.) Also I really like the crew on HAL ships.
There's something about HAL that makes it just a little notch above, as far
as I'm concerned, and last, I love Half Moon Cay.

June

"Susan" wrote in message
...
My "cruise buddy" and I want to celebrate our 33rd wedding anniversary in
January 05 w/ a Panama Canal cruise. We are frequent cruisers on HAL but
are
looking at the Galaxy RT out of Galveston (convenience) as well as a HAL
cruise
out of FLL to San Diego.

Couple questions--Will we miss out on the "Canal Experience" if we do the
Galaxy rather than the full passage on the HAL? We usually take a full
suite
on HAL but are looking at a Sky Suite on the Galaxy. Are we going to be
disappointed? What, if any, perks come with the Sky Suite? If we take
the sky
suite, is it better to be on the 10th or 12th deck? They have both
available
right now. Should we look at the Royal Suite? We'd trade room size for a
larger verandah. Any help is appreciated.

TIA,
Susan in Plano Texas watching the sun come up

(OcnGypZ) wrote in message ...
Subject: HAL vs Celebrity?

What were formerly Cat 1 suites on Deck 10 (Penthouse Deck) on Galaxy... are
now called Sky Suites. They have small balconies.

If you want a large balcony, you will need to book the Sky Suites on Deck 12
(Sky Deck). These suite numbers start with
12-- eg. 1201, 1204, etc.

The balconies of the Royal Suite and the Penthouse suite are smaller than the
balconies of the Deck 12 Sky Suites.

My preference is for inside space.. so I go with the RS or PS (if I can make a
deal).
Since you want outside space.. Deck 12 Sky Suite is for you.

Celebrity vs HAL.....comparing my last several Celebrity cruises with my recent
HAL cruise.....I'd go with HAL.. but that's my opinion.... full suite.. btw..
and you'd get to experience the Canal.


Babette,

What ship do you sail from HAL?

I don't see a huge difference, but I haven't sailed HAL in years, so
I'm not up to date. I think Celebrity at its best is closer to my
style than HAL, but both have aspects I like and fall short in some
areas.

From HAL I like the size of staterooms, flower displays, movie theater
with popcorn served before (if they still do it), comlementary Java
cafe, style of service, amount of dance floors and standards played,
piano bars, reasonably well maintained and clean ships, some of the
art onboard., passenger space ratio.

From Celebrity I like the Cova Cafe ambiance, somewhat higher degree
of service in dining room and more service details (like Celebrity
having different glasses for red vs. white wine, intermezzi, fish
knife served with fish), style of service, dining food (when done
right). I also find Celebrity's ships, up to the Millennium ships,
more varied and imaginative. Celebrity's ships seem a tad cleaner
(YMMV), good passenger space ratio, sometimes very personalized
service, a bit more vibrant.

Both feel like elevated mass market ships for me, when the clientele
respects the product, and product delivery is on, they feel premium.

Ben S.



Babette

Subject: HAL vs Celebrity?

Were you in the full suite (Penthouse) on HAL, too? ;-)

LOL... not this past trip..... standard outside cabin with a ta friend.

Babette

Subject: HAL vs Celebrity?

Ben:

My last trip on HAL.. was the Volendam in March. 10 nights. I've sailed with
HAL since the mid-50's.

Yes, popcorn is still served. On the Volendam, the Java cafe was still comp.
The quality of the food stuffs served in the dining room was much higher than
served on Celebrity. Our service was excellent and personable. Special
requests were handled cheerfully and without any problem or resistance.

Lido buffet selections were excellent and more widely varied than that found on
Celeberity's M-class ships. Oh.. dining room menus offered more entree
selections each night than Celebrity.

My only gripe about HAL ships.. is the lack of self-serve drink facilites out
by the aft pool. You have to hoof it into the Lido buffet.

The above does not apply to the new Vista-class series which I have not yet
sailed.

Babette