Some background on us, 50 somethings with no children. The is one of the most important reasons we enjoy Holland America. My husband and I also enjoy some activity and find we miss a few things on HAL. We used to participate in the "dam dollars" program, which no longer exists. We also enjoy shuffleboard, which was so faded on the deck we didn't bother.
We flew in a day early and stayed at the Fairfield Suites on Griffin Road. The room was dirty, and the hotel had no shopping or restaurants close. It only cost about eleven dollars to take a cab to the cruise-port though.
Our cabin was #5096, a suite. The room was in a great location, mid-ship. We had a wonderful, large bathroom and a very comfortable bed. Please note, the balcony in this cabin is sliced in half. This is due to the winches and lights for the for the lifeboats. You still have the length of the cabin, but can't stretch out towards the ocean. This probably wouldn't have a been a deal breaker for me, but thought cruisers might like to know.
#5096 perfect location on ship. If you have a motion sickness problem, a great find. More storage than you can use, really! Small balcony, really narrow. You still have the full length of the room though. The lifeboats are directly under your cabin, and the workings take up your balcony space.