Wanted to celebrate a special birthday the Holland America way. There was no celebration! No song. No cake No card. Service was mostly adequate, but slow. There was a decided lack of vegetables available, and I really tried to order extra veggies at dinner but they never came. Mariner ceremony was a big, flat nothing. We used to go to the dining room for a special lunch after. This time…nothing. Almost all of the touches that made HAL what it was were gone. Could not believe the service charges for shuttles to the ports. No port info nor maps readily available. The Navigator is of very little value and difficult to use. Internet is extremely poor, yet very expensive. Activities are scarce and poorly scheduled. I personally don’t care for the (new) music venues. They are loud and obtrusive. I’ve sailed on HAL multiple times and have never been so disappointed.

The highlight was Canaletto! The food and service were outstanding!