It has been ten years since we last sailed with Holland America although we have been on over twenty-five cruises with other lines since then, predominantly Celebrity. The size of this ship was the immediate draw, having a promenade that completely encircled the ship.
Embarkation was quick until we were about to board the ship and encountered the "picture line" which had everyone standing in line at least another fifteen minutes while the ship's photographers tried to persuade each boarding passenger to have their visage immortalized.
Once on board, we had immediate access to our cabin since it was now after 1:00. After dropping off the luggage, I elected to take the ship's tour. This was conducted by a personable young man. Unfortunately, he was new to the ship himself and was a little unsure in his guidance. It was good, however, to get an overview of the ship's layout.. This is a beautiful ship, very "clubby" in feel with an oriental flair. It has two public pools, one of which is for adults only and is located on the rear of the ship where smoking is allowed. Everything is clean and well kept.