Nothing against kids but that's what Carnival is for...as well as some other lines. One time I was on Royal Caribbean in the casino at a slot machine on a lazy day at sea in the afternoon. I had a beer in one hand and an evil cigarette in the other. A thirty-something mom comes into the casino up to the machine next to me with a kid in a stroller which, as we all know, is not allowed and she knew it...or should have, duh, common sense she did not have but nerve she did. Of course, she starts waving her hand around, gave me a dirty look and TOLD me to put my cigarette out as it bothered her and her kid. I smiled at her, called the casino manager over and nodded in her direction. She was asked/told to get her kid out of the casino and, of course, she did not like it. My point: you don't see that on HAL very much if at all. There is a time and place for everything and over-indulgent parents need to take their kids on Carnival, Disney or to Disney Land/World or all four.
So bring on the tacky paint job on Zuiderdam, serve me the food that some of these reviewers who book cabins in steerage do not approve of, keep the beer cold, the slot machines hot and leave the kids at home...perfect cruise.