It would need to be an exceptional itinerary for me to consider HAL again - passengers were too old and infirm and there is a constant "upsell" philosophy on board with the staff. I did have occasion to use the medical centre (asthma attack) and they were excellent.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
Excellent - we arrived earlier than scheduled and were still processed very promptly and on board early.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
3 out of 5
On several occasions we were not able to book in the main dining room for some reason and were told to queue. Pinnacle and Canaletto were both very good with excellent staff. Lido staff were always very pleasant. Juices and food were very salty and repetitive - having said that, the range of food options was huge. Happy hour/s generally were good although the staff are clearly working on a commission basis and are more interested in selling orders than delivering them - I waited over 30minutes for my happy hour drinks.
Onboard Activities
1 out of 5
Only used the Promenade deck for regular walking.
Entertainment
2 out of 5
Too difficult to get in to the World Stage - The two pianos (Duelling) were just awful and cringeworthy. Tha saving grace for this cruise was the BB King showband which was superb. Quiz shows were fun.
Billboard Onboard
2 out of 5
Decor great - service great - entertainment woeful.
Children's Programs
1 out of 5
N/A
Service and Staff
3 out of 5
Some of the staff were amazing - Rohmat, Satryani, Enrico (all from Lido) Iwan (from Lido Pool) Bhika and Agus (Room Stewards) and the Pinnacle and Canaletto staff.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Cabin / Stateroom
4 out of 5
Travelled with other family in the next door cabin so had the balcony door opened all the time - great. Cabin size was okay but I would probably book a suite for future cruises. Cabin was cleaned wonderfully well every day. This cabin is forward and is very quiet.
Ship tip
This is a large passenger ship and seems to cater to mainly VERY old people who are slow and/or infirm. You need to bear this in mind. It can be trying.
Best of Knossos Palace & Heraklion Town - much too crowded again - not enjoyable at all - might be different at another time of the year but disappointing because of the crowds. This was an excursion I was particularly looking forward to.
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