Wow, we were delighted to be on board such a lovely ship, especially after the hours spent on Cruise Critic debating which line would be best..... I think we picked the perfect ship. To those of you who complain about the "elderly passengers" on Holland America, oh please, you're going to be there sooner than you think. Senior citizens certainly are better traveling companions than a drunk & rowdy bunch of 20 year olds on Carnival! We are active 60 year olds, & had active adventures, river tubing, sailing, & snorkeling; relaxing times by the pool & in the spa, and even quiet times, reading in the library. The ship is quite lovely, with classical art in the public rooms & a very tasteful decor throughout. Our cabin was spacious, spotless, & tended by the perfect steward. It had ample storage, a well put-together bathroom with great toiletries & fluffy towels, a bed that was much more comfortable than our one at home, and was very quiet. I only wish we had a balcony, maybe next time. The food was certainly tasty, we enjoyed Eggs Benedict & omelets for breakfast, and ample (maybe too) lunches. Our dinners were usually taken in the Lido Dining Room as we hate dressing up! The food there is the same as in the main dining room. The only meal that was not too good was a BBQ out on the deck, a somewhat poor selection & quality of dishes. Entertainment was not important to us, but we did catch a part of one show, and everyone seemed to enjoy it. Movies were offered, but they were not too interesting. The Library was lovely, full of books & magazines, comfy chairs, and a small coffee cafe. Computers were available for those who cannot live without them. The staff who oversaw these were somewhat condescending and abrupt to passengers who needed their help. In fact, that was very surprising, as the rest of the crew & staff were polite, happy, & friendly. The spa was an Arabian nights dream! An enormous whirlpool filled with bubbling hot mineral water, and the Thermal Suite was a wonderful tiled room overlooking the sea. It had tiled & heated lounge benches that one could lie on. Also available were steam & sauna rooms. I did not try a massage or other therapy as they were quite pricey. The ports were all interesting and well-chosen. One port we docked beside the Oasis of the Sea... a behemoth that is too large to even be called a ship, it made me glad I was on the Noordam! We really enjoyed our shore excursions, a good variety to suit all interests in each port, well-organized also. Embarking & disembarking were also well-organized. The Ft. Lauderdale airport was chaotic- 4 or 5 ships in at the same day, huge lines of people in such a small airport. The worst complaint I have is not the cruise itself, but the manner that you must get your boarding passes & information about the cruise. It is all done by computer, you must print your own passes & even luggage tags--- cheap on Holland America's part, & inconvienient for those who are not computer saavy.