This was our second cruise with HAL and our second cruise all around. We went to Alaska last year and loved it so much that we had to go back. We chose the Rotterdam because of the small more intimate size, the Lanai cabins and because there was laundrettes available for the passenger use.

We arrived in Seattle early on Friday (only flight out was really early) with a Saturday sailing. The hotel was still trying to process their checkouts so our room wasn't ready. The desk clerk (Mike at the Holiday Inn on Dexter Avenue)was very helpful in storing our bags and providing us with several flyers on Seattle excursions. We got lucky and were able to join us with a group that wasn't completely full, and had a very extensive tour of the city. The highlight of the tour was a 45 minute stop at the locks between Lake Union and Puget Sound. Highly recommend it to all. For less than $20.00 we were able to take the shuttle from the hotel directly to the pier.

A recommendation for all cruise critic members. Be sure to check the Roll Call Section under the board postings. We had a small sailing day get together at the Bar At The Retreat. We got to meet a few people from all over and were able to start the cruise with friends. That makes any cruise much more enjoyable and this one was no exception. Another tip - if you travel with youngsters, purchase a soda card. For about $20.00 you can have 20 sodas and if you like specialty coffees, purchase an "Explorations Cafe" card for about the same price and get 10 cups of specialty coffee or teas. Read more