Which cruise line do you use ?

[Major]

I have recently booked a 14 night cruise from SYD on the Holland America "ms Oosterdam". This is our 2nd cruise with this line after an Alaskan inside passage trip a couple of years ago, which we thoroughly enjoyed.

I know there are AFF members who prefer other cruise lines such as Silverseas but which is your preferred line and why ?

 

[Fifa]

My preferred cruise line is the one with the best itinerary at a time that suits me .

 

[erkpod]

I cruised Royal Caribbean earlier this year & the staff were awesome. It was my first multi day cruise. I'm doing the same cruise next year.

It was, however, somewhat of a private charter. It was a cruise called 70000 Tons of Metal where 40 heavy metal bands & 2000 metal fans had a great time - I know it's not for everyone.

I am tempted to do an Australian domestic cruise but haven't decided. Pacific islands don't interest me at the moment.

 

[Flying Fox]

I also vote for Royal Caribbean.

Did them around the Caribbean and they were great in terms of service and staff. Meals were top class and all very professionally organised.

Did Holland America around Hawaii and found them disorganised, sloppy with service and meals were much more casual.

Would do Royal Caribbean again for sure!

 

[ftm]

I also vote for Royal Caribbean.

Did them around the Caribbean and they were great in terms of service and staff. Meals were top class and all very professionally organised.

Did Holland America around Hawaii and found them disorganised, sloppy with service and meals were much more casual.

Would do Royal Caribbean again for sure!

Are you sure it was Holland America? They don't normally do Hawaii and almost everyone would out their standard above Royal Caribbean. Are you think of Norwegian Cruise Line? Their ship, Pride of America is the normal one in Hawaii.

To the OP - you should enjoy Oosterdam - it's one of HALs newer ships. Not sure which one you sailed on in Alaska, but typically they are the older ships on those itineraries.

Ships are a personal thing. Depends what you want you experience to be. Get one that doesn't match your style and it won't nearly be as good!

 

[Flying Fox]

Are you sure it was Holland America? They don't normally do Hawaii and almost everyone would out their standard above Royal Caribbean. Are you think of Norwegian Cruise Line? Their ship, Pride of America is the normal one in Hawaii.

Ah I stand corrected. Now that you say NCL and Pride of America, all the memories come flooding back. Yes I did the Hawaiian Island hopping on this ship.

But my heart will always belong to Royal Caribbean

 

[casanovawa]

I'm booked on a Royal Caribbean 4 night cruise from Orlando to the Bahamas and back in about a months time, first cruise, so will be interesting to see how that goes...

 

[Major]

To the OP - you should enjoy Oosterdam - it's one of HALs newer ships. Not sure which one you sailed on in Alaska, but typically they are the older ships on those itineraries.

Ships are a personal thing. Depends what you want you experience to be. Get one that doesn't match your style and it won't nearly be as good!

It was the Ryndam...looking forward to the Oosterdam

 

[Pushka]

I've purchased Carnival Shares (USA stock) that gives up to $300 OBC depending on length of cruise, so I am a fan of that group. HAL, Princess, Cunard are all part of the Carnival group.

Last year we did a fabulous 7 night med cruise on RCL's Liberty of the Seas which is a brilliant itinerary and beautiful ship. My next cruise is just a four nighter in Australia (Sydney - Hobart - Melbourne) on Princess Dawn as a trip with my mother, then in March next year 23 nights Adelaide to Hong Kong on QM2.

Not sure about NCL - just something that doesn't click for me. We saw the Norwegian Epic in Civitavecchia (Rome) - my she's a big ship, and um, kinda ugly. She's just a little bit bigger than the Liberty.

 

[Timtammi]

I've done Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Cunard (QM2, QE and QV), Oceania and HAL's Oosterdam. I did the Oosterdam earlier this year on a South Pacific cruise. It was a fantastically good deal and we booked it last minute and so my expectations were low but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. If the OP has any specific questions about the Oosterdam I would be happy to try and answer them.

cheers

Timmi

 

[Kolo]

We've done 3 Holland America cruises and are about to book a 4th. We've been on the Ryndam, Noordam and Niew Amsterdam. I think one should choose the cruise line that reflects your needs. For us HAL does not particularly promote children's activities so there tends to be very few families. We enjoy the dining and relaxed, perhaps refined, atmosphere. The clientele is older but we keep to ourselves and do our own thing. There's plenty to do, or not do. We think HAL gives excellent service at great value.

 

[ksthommo]

Been on 3, Star Cruises (out of Singapore 1998), Carnival (Alaska Cruise 2012) & Celebrity (Sydney/Noumea/Tahiti/Hawaii April 2013).
Vote is for Celebrity, more relaxed then Carnival, not trying the hard sell with drinks. Also the smoking on the Carnival Cruise put me off.
Clogged up the Casino area which you had to work through.

Off again on the Celebrity Solstice in 3 weeks, 12 night Auckland/Sydney.

 

[thegurio]

Our first one was Royal Caribbean (legend of the seas) and it by far the best... It's good was excellent, even in the mess halls, and the service was attentive without being overbearing and very good value for money.

The last one we went on was Holland America (nieuw Amsterdam) and I found that even though it was a new ship, it was quite tatty in parts, and the service was awful, the food was horrendous (they couldn't even boil an egg! (And I'm not fussy by food standards, just enjoy a nice meal)) The one good part was that we had a balcony and that was brilliant. All in all I'd put RC at the top of the tree, by a long shot. Ymmv

 

[zig]

I have cruised Regent, Seabourn and Silversea. There are some things I prefer about one over another, but it is impossible to get absolutely everything you want in one cruise line. I would be happy to cruise any of them and the choice would be dependent on the itinerary.

 

[Rooburger]

As most postings have said, depends on style,children?,size etc. Loved Holland America and also Carnival fun. At the end of the day price and itineraries are up there in importance.
Cruise Critic is good at what they do.

 

[drron]

As many know we are Silverseas cruisers.But mainly the Expedition ship the Explorer.It is the destinations and expedition cruising in comfort that we go for.So 6 cruises on silverseas-3 on the Explorer.5 more booked in the next 2 years-4 on the Explorer.
On their main line ships we have cruised the Black Sea,Korea to Anchorage via Russia and the Aleutians and the Amazon.Our one in the future is the Norwegian fjords to Archangel.
Also have a Burma river cruise for Xmas,NYE in 2014.
Have also had 2 cruises on the Orion-Kimberleys and Antarctica.

Doubt that we will be on any cruise where the passengers number in the thousands.But because they really cant go to smaller out of the way places.

 

[Mur@no70]

Princess with the kids was great and if we go without them we love expedition cruising with Orion

 

[Magpie10]

My vote goes to Oceania cruises have done two cruises with them, have done a Holland America and recently on the QM2, Oceania wins on all levels. Food superb, open dining which appeals to us no set meal times, no formal nights. The other two lines pretty even, but really for us itinerary plays a large part on who we cruise with. May give Dawn Princess a try in January, I don't think it will compare with the other cruise lines, but the itinerary to NZ looks great. Anyone been on the a Dawn Princess of recent times.

 

[Pushka]

My vote goes to Oceania cruises have done two cruises with them, have done a Holland America and recently on the QM2, Oceania wins on all levels. Food superb, open dining which appeals to us no set meal times, no formal nights. The other two lines pretty even, but really for us itinerary plays a large part on who we cruise with. May give Dawn Princess a try in January, I don't think it will compare with the other cruise lines, but the itinerary to NZ looks great. Anyone been on the a Dawn Princess of recent times.

I will be on Dawn Princess in three weeks time. Just a four nighter Sydney - Hobart - Melbourne. I'll let you know. Cruise has been booked out for a few weeks now.

 

[DontGetMeStarted]

Have only done one cruise this year and that was with Royal Caribbean out of Fort Lauderdale, Allure of the Seas, great service and people no issues at all...we paid $100 deposit while we were on that cruise and that can be used as a $200 credit on our next cruise with them. We are looking at a med cruise out of Venice next June with RC.