Although we are not "seasoned cruisers" and this is my first review for CC, we have now cruised 6 times in the last 4 years. For comparison we have been on the RCL Explorer (Eastern Caribbean), Crown Princess (Canada & New England), RCL Splendour (Greece), Carnival Spirit (Mexico) and NCL Pearl (Western Caribbean).  We were newbies to Alaska and HAL, but I suspect we will be back to both in the coming years.We chose the Vancouver round trip to get the most scenic views (more time along the inside passage), more ports, as well as both Tracy Arm and Glacier National Park. I am very happy with the route and talking to others onboard I think the "full inside passage" is much better than the west of Vancouver Island route with a short Victoria stop that you often get with Seattle departures.As a quick overview, before diving into details, we had a positive experience on the Volendam, with a friendly and helpful crew, good food and entertainment, nice rooms and a little less of a pushy environment than other ships. We had a few minor complaints and you can read on to see them, but HAL and the MS Volendam will stay on our list to sail again. Alaska is mind-boggling; the scenery is huge, amazing, and constant, it was everything everyone had said it would be. My advice; don't miss it.Pre-Cruise Vancouver. (2 days)The airport was very open and well designed, but customs line was 45 minutes, so just beware. Taxi is $35CAD from airport to hotel We stayed at La Soleil, very nice hotel and convenient, the service was fantastic. HOHO trolley was fun and easy. Ate in Chinatown at Jade Garderns and was EXCELLENT. Also on corner of Hornby and Dinsmeer was Kegs, excellent Fish and Chips and Tim Horton's had great donuts for breakfast next to the Hyatt. Walked around Gastown and had dinner at Steamboat Brewhouse. On a Tuesday, the area closed pretty early (7PM), was a little surprised so beware.Embarkation. The pier was only a $5 taxi from our downtown hotel and we arrived around 12:30 PM. It was one of the smoothest boarding processes we have ever experienced. We completed Security, Customs and registration in less than 25 minutes.  Smooth as silk. Although the Lido lunch buffet was closed at 2PM, the sandwich and salad stations were open until 3PM.Cabin Accommodations:  We had the Verandah Suite (not the Deluxe) and as promised in the brochure, it was larger than other ships balcony stateroom. It was comparable to a Princess mini suite (just slightly smaller) and larger than the NCL/RCL/ Carnival balcony room, as it included a nice sized sitting area. What I especially appreciated was the larger depth of the balcony. There was a full-size chaise, another chair, a table, and there was still plenty of room still to walk around. Inside there was adequate storage, but it was scattered about, so it took a bit more planning of where to put things. A full set of 6 pillows (2 firm, 2 medium and 2 soft), and excellent bedding were really appreciated. The bathroom was more than adequate, although the tub was a bit small for most adults. We were happy with our accommodations and the cabin staff were all very helpful and friendly.  My one complaint was the engine noise inside our room. We were actually on one of the higher decks (6), but right across from the engine smokestack. Our room category was AB (the highest of the basic Veranda rooms), but the noise was noticeable enough at night that I used earplugs.  If you are sensitive to noise, be sure and either check the location of your room compared to the smokestack (avoid 6176-6190) or bring earplugs.Food:  Some previous reviews commented on the fact that you had to wait in line at the Lido buffet, no longer so. In fact all the announcements emphasized that you were supposed to go right to the station you wanted, order and then move on. Maybe HAL reads CC reviews! That said, the Lido Buffet was not our favorite. Choices were more limited than we were used to at lunch and dinner, the food varied from "just ok" to "good"; but never "excellent".  The exception was the Lido breakfast, lots of tasty hot dish choices, unfortunately it often closed by 10:00 or 10:30. We like to sleep in and have "brunch" but that didn't work on the Volendam, a disappointment for us.  Like most ships, the buffet seating was inadequate for peak times. We ate most of our dinners in the main dining room, using the "anytime option". We had no problem getting seated when we wanted as long as our group of 6 was willing to share a larger table with others. Menus had a reasonable variety and the food was good; slightly above average from our experiences. Service on our first night was a bit slow (draggy to be more honest), although our other nights were fine. Be aware that they do away with the "any time dining" on the last night and insist you are seated at a fixed time, to facilitate a wait staff show during dinner. Cute, but I prefer to eat when I want and not at a buffet, that's why I choose "anytime dining"Due to the early close of the Lido breakfast, this is the first cruise we took advantage of room service, ordering breakfast the night before. We also ordered dinner in twice. The service was good although one dinner was delivered lukewarm, not hot. Overall we were happy with room service and will use it on future cruises.Public Rooms: This was a smaller ship than we had previously experienced. It was nice to be able to get from one end to the other more quickly, but there was a slightly more closed-in feeling than ships that have open atriums and areas with high ceilings.  The ship dEcor also shows its age with duller colors and a lived in feeling, with some items being slightly worn. The MS Volendam could use a "brightening up". The showroom was on the small side, but we were always able to find a seat at the last minute. The balcony fills first, so if you are late, head for the sides of the main floor. The Crow's Nest was a beautiful place atop the ship with a forward view and we enjoyed just sitting in the different bars, with little nooks and sitting areas. I frequent the gym on all my cruises and this one was nice, but with a quirky layout.  It is located at the bow, affording nice views. Although not huge, the size was adequate and all the basic equipment was there.  When I went (afternoons), there was never an availability issue. The locker room was around a few corners and it was small with 2 showers and enough room for only 1- 2 at a time to change. The dry sauna (separate men's and women's) was across a public spa hallway and the steam room was coed and only available with a $100/week pass. I would have preferred a slightly larger locker room with a steam room inside.Entertainment: The main shows were nice and included the usual; production shows, a comedian, a guitar player and a juggler. Quality was fine, we weren't blown away, but everyone worked hard and we enjoyed the shows. If production shows are your thing, the smaller stage meant fewer performers and less fancy props; for us it was still entertaining, but less glitz and dazzle than other ships.The piano player (Frankie) was not the best singer, but a real hoot of a guy to joke around with, lots of personality and the HALCats in the Crow's Nest did a nice job.On-board activities: A fairly standard selection was offered including, trivia, bingo, passenger participation games, shopping/excursion talks and art auctions. A culinary stadium that featured chef-led cooking classes and demonstrations was unique and they also had an Alaskan native giving talks about the history and culture. One nice positive was the lower level of "selling" of every art auction, spa service or shop item. They were all there, but the pushing by the crew was much less than my experience on other lines. In addition, the photographer was around but not constantly taking your picture, which I always find annoying. Thanks HAL. On-board Internet was down this week for repair. I don't use it anyway because like all cruise ships, it's $$ and slow, which = annoying.Our shore excursions:Day 1- Inside Passage at Sea: Once we moved out into the open water, we definitely noticed a little rock and roll (not the music kind). Typical day at sea.Day 2 -Tracy Arm/ Juneau. I was really looking forward to cruising the Tracy Arm and Seward Glacier, but unfortunately Mother Nature placed an iceberg in the middle of the narrow entrance and we were unable to proceed. The Captain was very apologetic, but there was nothing he could do. Apparently this is common in May/June cruises. The good news, however, was that the weather cleared enough after our arrival in Juneau for us to proceed with our helicopter/dog-sledding adventure. We booked directly with TEMSCO and saved ~ $100 pp. It's an expensive outing, but if you want a splurge, this is it. It was everything we hoped for and more.  The ride up, the dogs, the riding through the snow and learning more about dog-sledding were all fantastic. The part of Juneau that is near the ship is just one tourist shop after another. We did find a wonderful place for lunch behind the Harley-Davison store called Paradise Cafe. More of a locals place and the sandwiches and bakery items were just amazing. Give it a try for a change from shipboard food.Day 3-Skagway. We booked a bus/rail trip directly with Chilkoot tours. Although it seems that most people book the 7.5-hour tour into the Yukon (its only a few dollars more and includes lunch), the shorter tour worked fine for us and gave us time for a walk around town before re-boarding. The train ride was beautiful, even with some cloud cover, and the drive up with a few stops and a lesson on the history of Skagway was nice, in spite of morning rain showers.  Unfortunately, after yesterday's dog-sledding, I doubt anything will compare. We had another nice lunch in town; this time fresh halibut sandwiches or fish and chips at the Sweet Tooth on Broadway.Day 4-Glacier Bay National Park. WOW. The weather cooperated and we had sunny blue skies as we cruised this beautiful place. The ongoing ranger narration was a bit "over the top" (corny), but informative and the views of the glaciers, included three up-close ones was excellent. I am glad we chose a cruise with GNP.Day 5-Ketchikan. Thanks to reviews on CC, we booked a private "Ketchikantaxicabtour" with David and Kat Freeman. Our custom itinerary included a little wildlife viewing, visiting two totem pole areas and a quick town tour. The best part was that even with four ships in port, we arrived at all the places when no one else was there- no crowds. We left enough time for lunch in town at Cape Fox Lodge, chosen for its nice view, but be sure and arrive before 2PM for lunch or you have to eat in the bar with no view, like us.Day 6-Inside Passage at Sea. A typical day at sea; games, contents, bingo, etc.Day 7 Disembark, We had arranged our own travel to the airport, with flights around 1PM. We were one of the last off the ship at ~ 9:20 AM and were at the airport by 10:30 AM. Taxicab to Vancouver airport was 25 minutes and ~ $35. Even though it was Canada Day, no problem getting a taxi. Either Vancouver Port and HAL have this down pat, or maybe it's a combination of both. One final comment on excursions: Alaskan ports can be very busy with 4-6 cruise ships in port at a time.  It was nice for us that at both Juneau and Skagway the crowds were less than normal. There was only one other ship in Juneau and we were the only ship in Skagway that day.  The upsides were that most tours were not filled and we could decide at the last minute, towns were less crowded and shopping was easier.  The downside is on quiet days, not all the tours run and as a result I wasn't able to arrange a fishing tour in Skagway and had to take a morning train tour instead of my preferred afternoon one. This is worth checking on if you are planning to book with independent tour operators. You can find out what other ships are in port the same day as yours by going to http://tinyurl.com/l5roejOverall, we had a great time enjoying both Alaska and the MS Volendam. I would definitely consider HAL again, but would ensure my cabin location was away from the engine stack and I certainly hope they exte