39 days on board, with 18 days at sea seemed long, but it was absolutely great. Would do it again.
Embarkation
5 out of 5
We borded in Auckland for a 2 week cruise prior to the start of the Sydney-Vancouver portion. Boarding began at noon with crowds, and we simply waited until 2 PM. absolutely zero lines, and incredibly friendly cruise staff to direct everything.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
5 out of 5
The main dining room food was outstanding every night. We tried most al dishes during our 39 days and loved everything. Even the fish dishes were incredible, and I'm not normally a fish person. Portions were nicely modest so I never felt stuffed (you could easily request multiple of any course if you were hungrier.
Onboard Activities
5 out of 5
HAL caters to an older demographic, so climbing walls, go-cart tracks, etc. But also almost no scream kids running the halls. There were many daily activities, from pickleball to bridge lessons to presentations on upcoming ports, etc. Always something interesting to do.
Entertainment
5 out of 5
The nightly stage presentations were very professional, from magic, to comedy, to dancing, etc. The lounges had outstanding piano musicians and a very good rock-type band.
Children's Programs
5 out of 5
The ship had a dedicated kids entertainment area with staff, but there were virtually no kids on board as HAL caters to an older demographic.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
You could not find a more friendly, dedicated set of staff anywhere on the seas. Staff quickly learned your name and preferences, even in the bars, something you might not find as easily on a huge mega-ship.
Ship Quality
5 out of 5
Staff was constantly polishing handrails, dusting everything, and touching up outside paint. We found the overall ship layout convenient as the ship wasn't huge (less than 2,000 guests).
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
Amazingly clean and comfortable for our 39 days on board. We had a slight AC issue near the equator, but staff quickly and efficiently addressed it.
Ship tip
If you want HAL shore excursions, book early as the best sell out. Don't hesitate to book excursions through TripAdvisor instead. We did and these were often in mini-buses instead of the HAL 50 passenger buses - much more personal. Do not book excursions as our only experience with these was they require a 14-day cancellation and you don't know if your ship will skip a port because of weather. TripAdvisor allows a 24 hour cancellation, and in one case we cancelled same day when the ship couldn't port and got a full refund.
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