Rotterdam - Dec 23, 2008-Jan 4, 2009

First time on HAL. We booked this cruise rather late so we booked an inside guarantee, as they were literally 1/3 the cost of a balcony. We were assigned two side by side cabins on deck 2, forward, 2511 and 2515. We stayed at LaQuinta Airport for $52/room using the Table Tennis code. Walked to the shopping area for dinner and then again in the morning to Kmart for last minute purchases. There is also a movie theater within walking distance.

LaQuinta provided a free shuttle to the port. We arrived around noon and waited in no lines anywhere. Went to the Lido deck for lunch, after checking our carry on luggage near the hot tubs. At 1:30 they let us go to our cabins. They are plenty spacious with a full size sofa and lots of closet space. There are locking drawers in each night stand as well as a safe which uses a key. The towels are deliciously large and the shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and lotion are lovely. The bedding was the best ever, but there is no solving the "crack down the middle" after pushing two twin beds together. I like the fact they have no bedspreads, just a top sheet over the blanket. Saves me asking them to take the bedspread off. At the head of the bed is a curtain which has back lighting and gives the illusion of a window. There are two hair dryers. One is mounted to the wall in the bathroom and blows warm air at about 1 MPH. The other is in the drawer in the vanity and worked just fine. There is a make-up mirror which magnifies every wrinkle to such detail that it is scary. No refrigerator. An order form for fruit to be replenished. Soda and water for purchase. The teenagers room was identical to ours, but I only went in it the day we arrived and the day we left. I did peek in from the hallway occasionally, but I didn't want to find myself nagging, so I avoided it and just tipped the room steward extra at the end. Read more