Our cruise was chosen for Itinerary which included Panama canal and reputation of HA for good food. However unknown to us the ship was due to go into dry dock at end of cruise. Presumably to cut time in dock and costs the crew were constantly carrying out noisy chipping / grinding of rusting paintwork, cutting / welding with debris falling down onto public areas. On one at sea day when I asked if they could possibly postpone this endless tapping until the next port call when most passengers would be on shore, i was offered ear plugs! Trailing power leads were in corridors and across doorways to decks, lifeboat launching equipment being serviced, lifeboat cradles hanging below head height on promenade deck. Health and Safety was very slack.

The food in the main dining room was inconsistent, sometimes quite good more often just OK. One excellent steak, one almost without any flavour at all, portion sizes varied from tiny to too much on two adjacent plates, some plates with all the vegetables listed on the menu, some with only one, aspargus could be only just heated or overcooked to a limp mush. The Lido buffet must prepare too far in advance as much of the food is drying out. The top surface of smoked salmon often was crusted where it had sat for so long, A steak was utterly drained of any meat juices, grapefruit halves had a dull dry top surface from dehydration. If Celebrity, Princess, Cunard etc can all offer bigger, better, fresher buffets what is HA doing wrong on this boat? We have had enough cruises to know what one should expect and this was our first HA experience - and definitely our last.