Had an unsatisfactory and overpriced breakfast at the restaurant of the hotel we were staying at in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and, after some effort to ensure we really were booked on one of the vans going to the cruise port, departed on the 12:45 at about 1:15. Arrived at Port Everglades Pier 19 about 1:30 p.m., dropped off our luggage outside the terminal, checked in and got our sea pass cards very quickly — it is always quicker and easier when we are paying customers than when I am booked as a lecturer — and boarded Veendam around 2 p.m. Were not greeted with a glass of champagne, either because Holland America does not do that or because we boarded after almost everyone else already had. After that, however, everything improved and we were able to start forgetting about the rigors of the previous day and our prolonged and unpleasant trip from Texas to Florida.
Went to our Ocean View stateroom on the forward port side of Deck 6 and were pleased to find it ready for us to occupy and, while there, got online and signed up for our Internet package and met our cabin steward.
We then ventured out to explore the ship a little, to include a brief tour of the fitness center, where we signed up for a thermal room package that allows us to use a special semi-private suite with steam room and hot tub for 14 days ($239). Also signed up for two eight-bottle wine packages (one from "Cellar 1" and one from "Cellar 2"), which will save us about 25% over ordering them individually. Had a light snack in the Lido Market buffet on Deck 11.
Went to mandatory safety drill at our muster stations on Deck 6 around 3:30 p.m. Then went back to the room for awhile before returning to the fitness center for a drawing where we won nothing but where my wife apprised me in detail of just how misguided it was for the manager to be wearing the stiletto heels she had on.
Set sail about 5 p.m.! Went and had another light snack at Lido Market.
Went back to the cabin again, made a dinner reservation for 7:45 p.m., and then changed into trunks and sweats and went to enjoy the dry sauna in the men's changing room at the fitness center for awhile.
Had a great dinner and about 7/8 of a bottle of wine between the two of us and then went back to the cabin and passed out about 10 p.m.
* Pros: Were very pleased to discover that the quarter-mile Promenade Deck goes all the way around the ship and will make walking laps very easy! This is something many newer ships no longer do and it is a feature that we both appreciate and make use of.
* Cons: We packed for this trip based on information on the Holland America website for this ship that said it had a self-service laundry facility and were thus very surprised and disappointed to learn this was not actually the case! Passenger-access launderettes were apparently removed during the recent renovation of the ship but this information was not reflected on the website for people getting ready to sail. We can, of course, simply pay to have our things laundered, but that is not much consolation.
Snack 1: Six sushi rolls and an Italian Moretti draft beer.
Snack 2: Three small tapas/appetizer plates, including one with pickled mushrooms and one with grilled zucchini and mozzarella cheese, followed by a cone of pistachio ice cream.
Dinner: Starter of broiled scallops, entree of sauteed cod on pearl cous cous, bottle of Estancia pinot noir, small cheese and fruit plate for desert. Wine was a bit light-bodied and tart and, while we enjoyed it well enough, probably would not order it again.
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