This was our very first cruise. Went to Alaska in September on the last cruise of the season. While the weather was cold and rainy, and seas were very stormy, we still enjoyed every minute of this trip. We chose HAL based on comments here on CC regarding their service and food and we were not disappointed.

I wanted to clarify one subject. Previous posters have said the ship is worn out and run down. I have to disagree. This ship is NOT run down. Everything seems to be in good condition and extremely clean. Since the ship is exposed to the sea air and it serves almost 2,000 passengers per day, naturally, the ship will have some scratches, dents, and stains. But overall, this ship was excellent. Employees can be seen constantly cleaning and maintaining the ship.

Embarkation / Disembarkation - sailed out of Seattle. All of the port personnel were very helpful and friendly. Check-in was a breeze and we were on the ship within a half hour. Once on the ship, our room was ready. Dropped off our carry on bags and ate at the Lido Buffet. We then toured the entire ship by ourselves. Luggage was on our bed well before the lifeboat drill. Disembarkation was even simpler. It was very quick and ahead of schedule. Read more