This was my 7th or 8th cruise and my 4th on HAL. We sailed Princess last year to Alaska, but the ship was huge, the service impersonal, and food was mediocre. HAL reminded me that sticking with them is the best plan
We arrived in Dover tired from our flight and early for boarding. After just a bit of a wait boarded to a much needed lunch on the LIDO. The first of many and just the beginning of what would become one of our favorite places to be. This became so fun for us because of the very friendly crew that service the area. They knew our names and our party and we could always find each other because they were always looking out for us. They even knew what we liked after a few days. This is what HAL does best.
Our first day was a welcome day at sea, which for us end up being busy. We had sailed with this particular cruise director before and he is a delight. We played team trivia, checked out the fitness area, rested, and ate. We were soon to discover that no matter where you go to eat, you will get a great meal. The Tamarind and Pinnacle grill were exceptional and we ate there frequently. The only negative was that with open seating we tended to get poor tables in the Rembrandt. Once they realized we were 'back to backers', staying on the ship for two sailings, our table seemed to improve - maybe just luck of the draw.