DISEMBARKATION: Venice is the hardest port to arrive in, and leave from. Getting to St Mark's Square or the maritime terminal from the airport involves knowing the vaporetti system, and having Euros to spend, each of which is difficult for Americans, especially on a Sunday (ATM in the airport doesn't work). So, study before you go.

THE VEENDAM: It's showing its age, but the updates they've done really make the old gal sparkle. I especially liked the culinary addition in the movie theatre (which oddly wasn't used on our cruise, as we had our own culinary programs elsewhere) and the library/internet center. The library is just an extraordinary place to spend an at-sea day. It has books for check-out, magazines, audio tapes, puzzles on display, about 10 computers available (and, yes, it's still outrageously expensive), all in a very pleasant environment. By the way, if you bring your own laptop, the amount you spend for internet is still the same; however, you will at least have a computer when all the others are taken.

FOOD: Much better than I remember, and the food in the formal dining room had been my main gripe about Holland America, bourne of three other trips. Something has changed, and the menu is much more accessible (meaning: more American, or at least the offerings are recognizable now), and very nicely prepared. The Lido restaurant is still the Lido, and quite satisfactory. The Pinnacle Grill suffers a little in service, even though that's the point, and the price has gone up to $30/person now; I think it's worth trying, at least once. My only real complaint in the main dining room is that the sommelier is not a wine steward at all, but just another steward taking orders. When we would ask him, what wine would go with this meal, he would always reply, what kind of wine do you like? Read more