KKZ1923

I’m on the Zuiderdam. Sweet potato fries aren’t listed on the Dive-In menu, but they are available. I had some a few days ago.

We love the Retreat and rented a cabana in Alaska for the entire trip a year ago. While we had a fantastic view of the scenery, it was really too cold and wet to use most of the week. You could always wait till you're onboard and reserve one if you have a day with nice, dry weather.

I was very impressed with Gus’ candor. And stamina.

Thanks for organizing the Panama City day tour, Rich. It was perfectly organized with a great guide. We thought it was one of the best tours we’ve ever taken.

I have done this cruise many times as I'm married to an entertainer. It's more expensive than a non-charter cruise, but it's a great time. Everyone on board is there because they love traditional country music. The entertainment is top notch. It always sells out, btw.

In the Neptune this year the flowers were indeed for the whole week. Fruit was by request. As mentioned, the robes are silkier on the outside and lined with terry. The variety and quantity of the Elemis products were reduced as compared to pre-COVID days. The coffee machine is a knock-off Nespresso (Moco Coffee) that uses the small capsules. There are mild and strong versions, but they are really both espressos. Our cabin stewards had to be asked for refills--they didn't automatically re-stock them. There is a bluetooth speaker although it was a little fiddly compared to what I use at home. There are binoculars, but they are not great quality. Like always with HAL, the Neptune experience--while absolutely fine still -- is a little less grand than before. We used to only cruise in Neptunes, but now we do a signature or veranda and rent the Retreat for the cruise (unless we're on a Pinnacle class ship with a dedicated Club Orange, which we love).

Every time I cruise on HAL, some service related item has been cut. It doesn't matter if it has been two months or two weeks since my previous cruise. The changes are generally small, but over time they add up to a diminished cruise experience. We still love HAL, but we are increasingly considering giving our business to a higher end line. I dutifully fill out our post cruise surveys, but I wonder if there are more effective ways to communicate with HAL. A direct letter to its CEO? A petition?