Holland American -Zaaddam or Celebrity mercury?

Question

Am planning a cruise to Hawaii next year departing from San Diego.These are the only cruise ships to choose from.Would appreciate any personal preferances.I'm wanting something not terribly sedate .I will be travelling solo and mingleing with others would be nice.. sugestion appreciated.Laurie

Answer 1

Both cruise lines target a slightly "older" group, and because it is a longer cruise, with many sea days- older will be a factor. Average age, 50?

We went in our early 30's on Holland America to Alaska. We were the "babies" on board, but we had a great time. Conversation is great with different people, so is was fine...

I HATE CELEBRITY- we tried them twice (including Mercury) and even the kids noticed lousy attitude and service.  NEVER again. Holland America, the opposite--- always wonderful. If a 10 year old can see bad service, you know it is really bad....

Check cruiselinefans.com and cruisecritic.com for more reviews....

Answer 2

ask here too

your invited.Join the hottest cruise group on yahoo..

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Cruiseaddi...

Answer 3

I love Celebrity.  I have cruised with them 6 times.  I find the service, food and ship layouts to be top notch.  Never tried Holland American but have tried Norwegian and Royal Carribean...not nearly as nice at Celebrity.

Answer 4

Holland America does attract an older crowd, and the average age goes up on the longer cruises.  I was on the Zuiderdam (Vista class) in Nov to the Caribbean, and at 40 I felt fairly young.  7 days or less and Caribbean brings the ave age to 50 or so.  Hawaii may be more like 70.  But the ship was beautiful, great service, great waiter for our dinner, and never had a bad meal.

I haven't been on Celebrity, but I hear it's about the same level as HAL.

For great info, go to www.cruisecritic.com.  I was solo on my cruise and I met a great group on this site who was on my ship.  We had fun meeting at a few different meet and greets, I snorkeled and did wine tasting with one couple, hung at the bar with 2 other couples.  I suggest you read the messages for both ships, ask questions, and then if you decide on a ship, look for your "roll call" and chat with the folks who will be sailing with you.

www.cruisemates.com is pretty good too, but cruisecritic is a lot more active.

And have fun!!

Answer 5

Well first one correction.  I/we are going on a cruise to Hawaii out of San Diego this September but its on a Royal Caribbean ship, the Radiance of the Seas.  So my bet is that if you mean that your cruise will be sometime in 2009, rather than later this year, then Royal Caribbean may also be an option for you.   They have their 2008 cruises to Hawaii listed but not their 2009 ones yet.  I/we have been on the sister ship to the Radiance and its a lovely ship, actually my favorite of all of the ships I have ever been on.

Since you plan to travel solo you need to be concerned about the fact that all cruise cabins are sold as double occupancy.  If you take a cabin by yourself you will essentially pay a double fare for it.  

Now there is one cruise line that you may want to investigate going solo on and that is one of your choices already, Holland America.  That line has a program for solo cruisers which it will match you with another solo cruiser of the same s*x.  Therefore you can get the double occupancy rate rather than the single supplement rate.  AND, if they fail to find a cabin mate for you you get the cabin at the double occupancy rate anyway.  Here's the web link for the Single Partners Program program:  http://www.hollandamerica.com/onboard/si...

I have not been on either ship you mentioned but I have been on one Celebrity cruise and it was very very nice and I do plan to do another Celebrity cruise soon.