Embarkation and disembarkation were pretty much the same as the three prior cruises we have taken. Don't bother getting to the pier until after noon unless you are intent on having lunch aboard ship.
The crew was outstanding. Always friendly, smiling, anxious to please. The language barrier was seldom a problem, and when it was, simply asking for a repeat solved it.
This ship has a capacity of around 2,000 passengers. I bet there were no more than 100 under the age of 65. There were literally more mobility scooters and walkers than children on the ship. That's one reason we selected HAL--a quiet, peaceful environment in which to enjoy our days at sea and meals in the dining venues.
A fine cabin. We had two problems: a slow-draining bathroom sink and a broken cabinet door. In each case I called Guest Relations, and each problem was fixed in a couple hours.
There is plenty of storage room, but we always bring an over-the-door shoe holder to hang on the bathroom door. That holds all the miscellaneous stuff that won't fit elsewhere: patent medicines, door stop, tweezers, nail clippers, jewelry, etc. We almost fill it up, and it is very easy to find things in it. I get them on Amazon for about $7 and put it in the cabin trash when we leave.