Travel to San Diego: We flew from Seattle to San Diego. The airport in SD is just a few minutes from the dock. Friends picked up us at the airport and we parked right across the street from the ship. Embarkation was a breeze; HAL was very well organized. All was explained in the packet of information we received several weeks prior to our trip.

Cabin: We had a main deck cabin with a window and unobstructed view. Very nice and worth the extra to upgrade from an inside stateroom. Room steward was excellent and kept our room spotless and well-supplied. Plenty of closet space and a nice if small bathroom.

Crew and ship cleanliness: All the staff was friendly and the ship was immaculate. The ship has lots of polished brass, chrome and glass in the decor and it was kept gleaming by round the clock housekeeping. There were hand sanitizer dispensers located throughout the ship and the crew was dispensing it as you came on board after a port of call, and before meals. There were reminders all over the ship about handwashing and the restrooms were also kept very clean. Read more