Had our first HAL cruise on the Statendam in September. It was a disaster! Decided to try one more since it was the date and itinerary we wanted and my aunt loves the line (she's 85). At first brush, this was a far superior ship to the one we took to Alaska. While old, it was in good shape and seemed to be well maintained. The embarkation process was quick and efficient. We were on within 20 minutes of arriving at the dock. Room was larger than the Carnival ship we sailed to California on though it did not seem to have as much storage. As the trip progressed however, we found that the thermostat was non-functional. Room was hot at night and cooled off in early morning hours. The DVD player took three maintenance visits to fix and the room CREAKED. Honestly, any movement of the ship caused it to pop and groan like an old house. My wife woke up several nights convinced someone was in the room. We like an inside cabin because we sleep late and like the darkness. No sleeping here! At 6 AM every morning something started banging on the other side of the wall.

The food was good but not memorable. The dishes were sometimes not what was described on the menu (roasted potatoes instead of mashed, Israeli couscous in a Moroccan couscous salad, etc.). Coffee had grounds in it most nights. And forget getting a second cup.

Ordered a movie pack one night. Got the soft drinks and popcorn immediately. Three hours later called about the dvd and was informed the steward could not deliver it as our do not disturb sign was up. If it was, how did we get our snacks? Took 4 calls and 11 hours one the last night to get a bottle of Tequila that was taken from us after a shore excursion. That said, most of the staff were excellent. Entertainment was top notch. Just get to the showroom an hour before the show or you'll hear not see it. Read more