The Oosterdam was a beautiful ship. I do recommend upgrading to a varanda suite when cruising to Alaska. My husband and I spent alot of time out on our deck watching the mountains roll by and looking for wildlife. We also used that setting to complete a few crossword puzzles together and enjoy coffee and cocktails. Great alone time! We were in suite 8072 which is mid-ship which is a location I also highly recommend. Rough waters were much more apparent at the front and back of the ship. The motion was obvious! Dinner in the MDR was delicious! The same food is also served in the Lido Market, it's just not presented like it is in the MDR. We had steak and lobster in the MDR and the proceeded to the Lido Market for more lobster.