Today we checked out of our hotel and took a cab to the cruise terminal. Arrived at 11:30 AM and boarded the ship by noon. The security and registration process was very organized and efficient. Since this was our first cruise on Holland America, we were anxious to find our way around the ship. What a pleasant surprise! Very nicely laid out. Our cabins were ready right away and seating was available for lunch in the dining room. No buffet chaos! So far we are impressed. Most of the staff are from the Philippines and appear to be very friendly and hard working. Our bags came right away….we unpacked…and went on to explore the ship. One of the things we noticed right away is that the main pool area has a retractable roof. This will come in handy on cool days. Since the cruise has only one sea day, I don’t think there will be many sunbathers! We noticed that most of the passengers are somewhat elderly, but in pretty good shape. Not many wheelchairs, walkers and canes on the cruise. I suspect that the ambitious itinerary may have deterred those who were not mobile. The private cabana’s below could be rented for about a hundred bucks a day! NOT. Surprisingly, there were a few passengers who took advantage of this.
One of the selling points of this cruise, besides the timing, was that fact that Best Price Cruises offered a drink package as an incentive which would have cost $45 per person per day if we had to purchase it. Of course, we wouldn’t have, but it was a nice perk so we investigated how this benefit can be used. On Royal Caribbean and Celebrity, we have a special lounge where we can go during specific times (5 – 8:30 PM) where we can enjoy before dinner drinks and appetizers. But – this drink package allows us to have up to 15 drinks a day in any lounge at any time…even at dinner…as long as the drinks are priced at $7 or or lower. Soda, bottled water, specialty coffees, wine, and cocktails were included. Now, we’re really happy!
After our dinner in the dining room and the first night’s show, we wandered around the ship looking for something to do. We found Jim Fisher (the Piano Man) to be fantastic. A talented guy, he had everyone singing along. We also found Krista, above, who played folk guitar in the Crows Nest lounge at the very top of the ship. She was also very good, in a sleepy kind of way! 
So, we’re off to a good start! Tomorrow we’ll dock in Marseille, France.
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