We decided to return to Holland America after an absence of a few years. We booked early and got a good deal on an outside cabin, and then got it upgraded to a Veranda by special invitation. We flew Jet Blue out of Long Beach, arriving at 1pm and were on the boat by a little after 2pm. Embarkation was a breeze.

The ship and this design is one of my favorites. It is aesthetically pleasing, has a great deal of public space, and feels warm and inviting. We were on her sister ship the Oosterdam a couple of times. Love both of them. Get a day pass to the Thermal Suite and check out the Hydropool. That is a blast!

Food was just okay. Dining Room fair on most cruise lines used to be 5 star luxury. Now, it's pretty bland and not that exciting. All cruise lines these days seem to be cutting back on that department. The only exceptions are the luxury lines like Oceania and Crystal, where the food is INSANELY good in all areas. Maybe we were spoiled in the past and on our recent trips with those two lines. The Pinnacle LUNCH was great. I really enjoyed the Nathans hot dogs by the pool area. Poppy seed roll, sauerkraut and bacon. Hold the special sauce and put on some deli mustard instead. Note: Coffee in the buffet area is better on HAL than Celebrity, but the specialty coffees are better on Celebrity. Read more