Highly recommend! For an ol' school and classy cruise HAL can't be beat!
Embarkation
5 out of 5
There was a line as expected but it was handled quickly and confidently by very friendly staff. Of which there were many.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
The food in the Lido Buffet was served by the staff instead of helping yourselves which I thought was a good idea to ensure the health of passengers and staff. There was always something different each day in the Lido so there wasn't any need for concern that there wasn't enough variety.
The Dining room's food was exceptional. It was like dining in a four star restaurant whether it was for breakfast or dinner. If you have anytime seating you should book your table in advance for each day of your trip.
The Afternoon Tea was a disappointment. We were expecting at least a service similar to What we experienced on the Ruby Princess which was excellent. On this trip we were seated and then a tri-level tray was just plunked down in front of us whereas on Princess each item was served individually by white-gloved servers. It was a much more personalized service than the Eurodam's. HAL would do well to initiate a more formal tea as did Princess.
Onboard Activities
4 out of 5
We highly recommend reserving a poolside cabana for the entirety of your voyage. You'll be treated like royalty. We were part of the 900 guests onboard who were part of the Max Lucado/ Matthew West conference so most of our activities revolved around that.
Lido Cabana
5 out of 5
Amazing and great service and views
Entertainment
4 out of 5
Other than the Matthew West concerts we only attended the Magician Show and comedian. Both were very good
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
Cannot say enough about how well treated we were by all staff members at every turn. A shout out goes to our Cabana attendants Radim and Roberson who made us feel like we were the King and Queen of The Netherlands. Our Cabin attendants deserve special recognition. Thanks Soli and Sai!
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Easy to navigate and to find the various areas of the ship. And spotless. What a great job by the cleaning staff!
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Lots of room to move about, the storage was more than ample, and the bathroom was a cut above Princess. The shower was large as it was a combination with a tub.
Ship tip
Book your evening dinner table on the first day for the entire voyage if you have anytime dining. Especially, if you're a couple as tables for two are hard to get. Rent a pool cabana. It was amazing!
It was a day at sea and since we live on the west coast the scenery wasn't anything different than what we're used to seeing on a ferry ride from Vancouver to Victoria.
Wow! Now this is where it gets interesting. It was like floating on Lake Louise in the Canadian Rockies because of the incredibly blue glacier water. The glacier was a site to behold and was by far the highlight of the cruise. And the weather was clear, sunny and beautiful. An amazing experience and worth the price of the cruise.
There was something very comforting and familiar about Sitka that put my wife and I both in a very relaxed state. My favorite port by far. Be sure to visit the Russian Orthodox Church.
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