"Club HAL" is Holland America's club for children aged 3 and older.
Our daughter loved it when Gigi, one of the counselors at Club HAL, braided her hair.
Our daughter attended the club aboard the MS Eurodam during our 7-day cruise to Alaska. She was happy to mingle with other kids and to get a break from Mom and Dad. Here is her (parent-edited) review of Club HAL:
Pros
Gigi and Lily - These two counselors were fun and talkative: Our daughter especially liked it when Gigi braided her hair.
Playdates - Kids on the ship would coordinate what time their parents should drop them off at the club so that they could play together in the evening.
Arts and Crafts - Our daughter enjoyed making Native-American themed projects like a miniature totem pole and a dreamcatcher.
Screen Time - The kids enjoyed playing Just Dance (an interactive video game) and watching movies like Moana and Mr. Peabody & Sherman.
Cons
Shift Changes - Two counselors were great, according to our daughter, but the other two were mean. (We agreed that two of the counselors seemed sarcastic and disgruntled.)
Low Attendance - Not many kids showed up, especially on port days and Gala Nights, so the counselors would combine the 3- 6 year-old group with the 7-12 year olds. Our daughter was upset that her totem pole craft was destroyed by a pre-schooler.
Not Enough Activities - Our daughter was bored in Club HAL sometimes. The daily schedule of activities looks exhilarating, but many of the awesomely-named events are simple things like playing board games.
Verdict and Rating
3 out of 5 - Club HAL was a place to meet friends and spend time away from Mom and Dad, but low attendance and tired counselors could spoil a good time.
Our Notes
We appreciated that the Eurodam's fare included childcare. This made it possible to enjoy dinner-for-two and an evening show. But, this freedom wasn't without concern.
When we dropped our daughter off, sometimes the counselors would say dour things like "You might be the only one here tonight, kiddo." It wasn't a good way to part; we worried over dinner whether our daughter was having a good time. (Usually, she did.)
There was one night when our daughter wanted to leave the club. A counselor wandered the ship looking for us because there was no way to call us. After that, we called the club every few hours to check in.
Registration, Sign-In and Sign Out
We had trouble finding Club HAL on our first day. The outside of the club looks like a lounge.
Club HAL's registration process was quick and easy (no passports are required).
Children must be signed-in and out each day. Oddly, parents are also required to fill out the same waiver each day. It seemed like something that should have only been necessary once.
Teenagers between ages 13 and 17 have a dedicated lounge. They can come and go as they please, however, the teen club looked abandoned during our cruise.
Policies
Children must be completely toilet trained;
Special needs children requiring one-on-one care must have a parent present;
Staff are not permitted to store or administer any medication; and
Visibly-ill children will not be admitted.
Club HAL Schedule
These were the hours that Club HAL kept during our 7-day Alaskan cruise itinerary. Generally, the club closes around mealtimes, but lunch was available at noon on port days.
Day 1 - Seattle, Washington
12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Day 2 - At Sea
10:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
5:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Day 3 - Juneau, Alaska
9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Day 4 - Glacier Bay National Park
9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Day 5 - Sitka, Alaska
8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Day 6 - Ketchikan, Alaska
8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
Day 7 - Victoria, British Columbia
9:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m.
