Will HAL changes discourage regular HAL cruisers?
We've taken 7 HAL cruises so far (should have been 8 but had to cancel last year for health reasons) and have cruised with several other lines, including some which consider themselves to be 5*+.
HAL suits us well. DH is ex-Royal Navy and appreciates that the line is a well run professional outfit. We've seen changes over the years, but keep coming back to the DAM ships. Of course, we've noticed cut-backs in the restaurants, but an imaginative chef can still produce delicious food from slightly cheaper ingredients. Many cruise lines boast that they provide 'fine dining', but how can that be achieved when mass catering is involved?
We like the introduction of BB Kings and Rolling Stone Rock Room bands and would miss them if we ever went back to the older, smaller ships. (The evening entertainment was always pretty ordinary, but has certainly improved of late - in our opinion - We're not bothered about production shows and don't need entertaining during the day, although a few interesting lectures wouldn't go amiss.)
We know HAL isn't perfect, but it meets our requirements. The next cruise is in May and time will tell if it lives up to expectations. Glass half full etc...... Can't wait.