Check in was slow, but due to our fellow passengers- elderly and infirm, more about them later. New HAL checkin of carry on wine was onerous, but brief.

Once aboard had our first Mariner Lunch in Lido, which was fine, our cabin ready, and luggage arrived around 3pm. Our cabin was as advertised, snug, but comfortable- (we booked relatively late, verandahs were already sold out). Stewards were as always, excellent.

We had an intermittent noise, apparently transmitted up a bulkhead from engine room, that took several tries to identify and fix. I can't fault ship, just like a noise your car makes, but you can't reproduce for mechanic. Guest relations, front desk, and an engineer persevered. It recurred, we reposted, and it stopped immediately. Read more