Will have more photos when I have time to edit. This cruise for us was about rest and relaxation and overall HAL made that happen.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Super fast, super easy... we were like 12th on ship. HAL could have not been SELLING at the waiting area, but it's how they make their extra $$$.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
Mixed answer here. The Tamarind is the Shining Star of the restaurants on HAL. The Pinnacle for dinner is great as well, both worth the extra spend. The main dining hall was OK a 6 out of 10 for comparing most cruises. The selections were fine, and the food was always cooked well. The Lido Marketplace was sub-par and the food with rare exception was not very good, a 3 out of 10. Also closed at various times, and sometimes limited sections were open causing long lines and steam table food. By day 5 the bread was hard and stale, could have used them for crutons. We avoided the Lido, and only went 3 times for snacks when we missed meals due to events or excusions (when open). Usually just grabbed something from the Neptune Lounge.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
We did not do a lot of onboard activities, this was a rest/relaxation cruise. We did do a Couples Massage. They were running late and they insisted on an upsell or we will NOT get what we paid for, so it cost us $30 more. The automatically get a $50 tip on top of the package and were pressuring us for cash, that felt odd. My wife used the hot tub an gym a couple times. This ship does not have rock walls or slides, etc.
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Limited choices on this ship. BB King All Stars was the highlight of the cruise, never disappointed. The female lead was the best. Comedian was horrible to be kind, and the magician was so-so. The dancers were good, and Humanity was worth seeing. The Billboard Lounge was ok for a late night drink.
Children's Programs
No Kids
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Staff was great throughout. The Concierge ladies were exceptional and I can't imagine not doing a Neptune Suite on our next HAL cruise. They make our lives super easy. The room stewards were great, and the room was kept perfect. Throughout the ship, the staff was exceptional. Also a big shout out to those who do the laundry and dry cleaning, exceptional work and FAST.
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Ship is showing its age, patches, rough carpet, mismatched paint, dings, etc. Could use another facelift. the common bathrooms were exceptionally clean and they must be cleaning them every 10-15 min. Love the fact they use washable hand towels in the bathroom.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Neptune Suite #7059 by the glass elevators, close to the Neptune Lounge, class SA. I would certainly get the room again, regardless of it showing age. The carpet, the couch, the particle board covered furniture needs an upgrade, but I am still giving it 5-stars. The room was great, tons of storage, we only used about 10% of it. The bed was solid and firm, the sheets were clean and crisp and the pillows were a nice selection (2 soft / 2 med / 2 firm) etc. The added amenities were nice, water, fruit, flowers, towel animals, etc. A+ all around.
Ship tip
This is a more mature ship, so if you're looking for Water Slides and Rock Walls, go with another ship line. If you're looking to have some good dining choices, and quality mixed drinks and hang out, this is a good ship for you!
We live close, so not going to say much from a "cruise" point of view. Its' a great city if you're coming to see it from OOS. Visit the Needle, Pike's Market and enjoy the great food selection.
Juneau was great, but we did not get to see a lot of it. We had a Harv/Marv whale watch tour which was super. They did drive us around before the tour to see the site and update us on the area. Would certainly go back. We did have about 1.5 hours to kill before the tour and walked around the down. Of course most are "gift shops" but still was fun to see.
Our favorite part of the cruise, was just stunning. The Captain made sure to stop and let us see all the sites. The guides over the PA system certainly helped to explain what we were seeing. Great photo ops from the verandah. We did not get into Glacier Bay on prior cruises, but glad we did this time.
Sitka is a great little town, amazing history. You dock far from the city, but a free bus takes you back and forth. Great history on the early settlement by Russia. We just walked around for a few hours and went back to the ship. Next time we may go to see the Raptors or Bears.
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