QuattroRomeo

By the exit there is the door to outside where the cabanas are- The Retreat. Actually doors on both port and starboard:

Since we are looking on deck 12 for the Explorations Cafe, opposite it now is the Shore Excursions area, It used to be a nice sitting area with chairs by the unobstructed windows- ideal for scenic viewing like that in Glacier Bay. To the right used to be the very small library. It seems like a poor place for shore excursion information and booking- not very convenient. 

Explorations Cafe deck 12 forward.-starboard.

There were times that the Dutch Cafe was painfully slow. I found Ewelina to be the best server there but she couldn't do everything! When the lineup went down the hall to the Photo Gallery and I needed my latte, I hoofed it up to Explorations Cafe instead! This is deck 12 forward, so you need to get to the forward elevator. This cafe has faster service but limited offerings as far as food goes, usually just a few biscotti. They do have coffees in regular and large sizes, though, whereas the Dutch only offers regular. (Can you tell I like coffee)? The showcase up there has tinned water and pop for sale, and Tazo tea. Explorations Cafe does not have the "1873 coffee" though, the signature HAL brand that the Dutch Cafe makes the excellent drip coffee from. (Also made in the Pinnacle Grill but only if you eat there).

One thing that they advertise but don't actually sell is the lb. Bag of 1873 coffee. I asked Ewelina and she said they don't have it programmed to ring in...!  ☕️

I love the little houses under glass at the bar stool tables next to the Dutch Cafe:

Views of Dutch Cafe from the atrium, and the Cafe bump out room, that overlooks the promenade deck:

Sorry to hear that, Sue! It's always a disappointment to be ill on vacation. Glad they took care of you! I see many of your cruises are on non-Pinnacle ships. Do you enjoy them as much ? Or is it difficult to compare with the circumstances of this last one?!

Occasionally, Dutch Cafe has palmier cookies and almond cookies with marzipan filling, usually displayed in a jar instead of the showcase. The items in the showcase and these cookies, are free. The specialty coffees and liquor have a charge. There are a few packaged items, like licorice, that have a charge, but are clearly marked.

of course, the bossche bol- 

Roaming around the ship a bit, to the atrium on Deck 3, which leads us to the popular Dutch Cafe!!

My favourite at NY Deli- reuben sandwich and salad. I also like the Central Park Pizza but managed not to double up this time!.. This restaurant does not charge extra fees. Water, iced tea and lemonade are also available gratis: 

New York Deli - deck 10 midship: 

A few ship photos on embarkation day in Vancouver:

1 hour ago, NewCruiser-2023 said:

Thank you for your post. I appreciate the details and the pictures of the paperwork. Good to know what room service breakfast options are, and having a heads-up about laundry costs and procedures is very helpful. Also appreciate the tip to use the bathroom before beginning the pre-boarding waiting game. This is invaluable to first-time cruisers. Forgive my newbie questions, but I take it Club Orange is exclusive access to extra dining options and the bypassing of various waits.
Does the cost to upgrade to CO vary or is it a set price? And can I ask how much?
What is Family OV?

And the Delft tiles...they look like coasters. Are those for use in the cabin, a purchase option, or a gift from HAL? (Sorry - really showing my naivete!)

Welcome to CruiseCritic and to cruising! Glad that these things are helpful. Club Orange is an add-on that you can purchase pre-cruise, if it is still available. On 3 certain HAL ships, called Pinnacle Class, there is a separate small dining room and you can go there instead of the much bigger MDR (Main Dining Room).The menu is the same as MDR plus another entree choice. There are a few other features, the biggest being a cabin upgrade in the same category. The price is $25 pp/day up to 13 day cruises, and $15 pp/day on longer cruises. There are many threads on CruiseCritic about it so I will find one and link you to it later. Family OV is a larger Oceanview cabin. It has a big window and 1.5 bathrooms. I will post some photos. The tiles are indeed coasters-they have cork on the back. They are gifts from HAL once you get Mariner status (after 1 cruise). 

I wish!! But no. Technically, they offered me something- it was an identical inside on a higher deck. Not something we consider an upgrade, but they do. 

Once on board, we made our way to the stateroom to drop off our carry-on bags. The doors were still closed at our end of the hallway but we were able to open them, found our room was ready and keycards waiting. So we watched the safety video, unpacked a little, and headed out to scan our cards at the muster station. It was too early. Had to return around 12:30 for that. So I took a few photos and then we headed up to deck 10 for a visit to New York Deli- our first food stop of the cruise. 

I'll backtrack a little to describe embarkation. We took the ship transfer from the airport (YVR) to the port. We had decided to cancel the transfer bus and just take a cab, but apparently it was too late to cancel without forfeiting the payment. So we kept it. Worked out okay though. We were able to catch the first bus at 10 am. Being a Saturday, the traffic was light and we made good time. As you may know, the bus parks in the underground parking and there is a short walk to the terminal. As you walk alongside the terminal, you go past the signs for Crew Entrance, In Transit Entrance, and then the ship entrances (there were 2 that day, Koningsdam and Princess Something). On the left, before you enter, there are washrooms. If you don't have Priority boarding, use them! Use them now!! 

Once inside, there was already a long snaking line for general boarding. The Priority boarding line was empty, save for us. After that there was the line for Customs. No priority there. Both ships combined for that one. Then off to the waiting area, except for Priority. We were able to walk on board shortly after 11:00. Probably the earliest we have ever embarked. Thank you, CO!

I had made 3 reservations for specialty dining before we got Club Orange, but decided to cancel them so as to enjoy CO on such a short cruise. Used the credit to purchase future cruise deposits! 

We ate breakfast every day but one, in CO. All dinners were in CO, 2 lunches in Pinnacle Grill, and the rest in New York Deli and Dive-In. With snacks from Dutch Cafe of course..

I have to ask if anyone else thinks that the beds on HAL are smaller than they used to be? Or is it unique to the Pinnacle class, and the older ships have larger cabins and beds? They call them 2 "twins" but together that would be a king, and we sure did not have a king on Kdam or Rdam! Am I misremembering? We found them too narrow, and sloped down on one side. 

We did receive a Club Orange bag, and a couple of towel animals with chocolates on the dressy nights. Later in the cruise, the Delft tiles appeared.

P.S. I have washed a previous orange bag successfully on delicate setting, in case anyone wonders about them!

😉 Thanks, Nancy, I do try to pay attention!! 

I took photos on a camera and 2 different devices, so I have some sorting and downloading to do. But food there is!

In some other threads, posters ask about the night lighting in the rooms. It is pretty good, actually. There is a nightlight on just outside the bathroom. And floor lighting under the drawers that comes on when you walk by: 

We did like the view from the big window.