I'm not sure just how many trips I've taken on HAL over the past 15 years, but lots, and always in Neptune Suites. Prior to this one I have always been pleased, and more often than not, very pleased. In fact, along with Celebrity, HAL has been my line of preference.

All that changed with this unfortunate seven day sailing from Seattle to Alaska. I won't swing to the extreme and term it a total disappointment, but it certainly was WELL below what my past HAL experiences have been. In fact, after a week on the Amsterdam, my least favorite lines don't seem quite so lacking.

The ship clearly is not being maintained as it once was; evidence of wear and tear (that could be easily corrected) is common. We had problems with sewage odors. We had multiple incidents of poor dining room service that could only be attributed to understaffing. The food was at best average. "Nickel and diming" tactics seemed far more prevalent than is the case for premium suite guests on other lines. Read more