I traveled as a guest of two veteran cruisers. This was my second cruise with a high school classmate/college fraternity brother pal and his wife. (She being the very soul of kindness and patience.) We had traveled almost exactly a year ago on the Emerald Princess and I was not sure anything could ever meet that standard.
I wasn't encouraged when I boarded the ship. Boarding was fairly painless but we sort of had to find our own way around whereas there was a Princess staff member every few feet pointing us the right direction the year before. It was a tad confusing but we're smart people and we managed it. And I believe that is the main point of a Holland America Cruise vis a vis a Princess Cruise. There is a sense that if you don't know you're way around on a cruise ship, you don't belong there. Similar to - if you have to ask how much...you can't afford it. This is not to say first-timers shouldn't go on HAL - on the contrary, they should.
The longer I was on the ship, the more I appreciated that Holland America doesn't treat you like you're mentally challenged, they treat you like they expect you to be - a cosmopolitan traveler. There is no patronizing or condescension. It was very refreshing to have simple, impeccable service from a professional staff that knows what it's doing. There is one exception...but later.
Big room, huge deck, plenty of closet space, nice bathroom. We were on the aft port corner.