Each evening we had dinner in the main dining room. I can't call a five-course meal "supper."
The waiter unfolds your napkin and places it in your lap, then while you snack on fresh baked bread, he brings the menu and records your choices. Everything is prepared and served to your liking and after an hour and a half, you somehow rise and waddle out to the elevators.

We were given the "second seating," which means that dinner begins at 8:15 and ends in time for the evening show at 10:15. The theatre is at the other end of the ship, and there is a different show every night. Most of this is standard procedure on all cruise ships. Shows include lots of singin' an' dancin' plus such acts as jugglers, magicians, and comics. This cruise even had a banjo picker who claimed to be the fastest picker in the world.

Lots of things go on almost all around the clock. There is always food in two dining rooms and various snack bars around the pool deck. You can have hamburgers, tacos, pizza and such. Cruise ships have one or more pools and hot tubs. The Veendam is a medium sized ship and has two pools. Also there are several lounges which include a bar and musical entertainment. You can enjoy the music without being expected to buy drinks. In fact, I never spent a dime for anything after I got on the ship. My favorite spot is the big lounge high in the front, actually higher than the bridge*, where you can sit and watch the waves go by. There is a casino for those who like to throw away money, a library, a card room, and internet cafe', and a movie theater (free) with two shows daily. Popcorn is complimentary, as are ice cream, coffee, lemonaide, etc.

The cabins range from small and cramped to big and fancy with a balcony. Ours was medium with a window.

Each cabin has a cabin stewart. These amazing people are usually invisible. They read your mind to see how long you will be out of your cabin and then they slip in and make beds, clean the bathroom, vacuum and tidy up far beyond what you would expect in a hotel. They can arrange room service (no bill), supply fresh towels, or dance a jig for you, while being friendly and smiling. I made up the part about dancing a jig. While you are having dinner and a show they materalize in your room and turn back the bed, leaving (you guessed it!) a chocolate on the pillow.

All day long, day in and day out, they spoil you rotten. Massages and beauty treatments cost extra, I think. I have never tried them because the bubbles in the hot tub do a good massage, and beauty treatments would be futile. Next up, part four.
Howard

*The bridge is where the driver** sits. Not to be confused with the bridge across the bay.

**Modern ships are steered by a computer, but a helmsman, a captain, a navigator, and assorted other officers stand around on the bridge in case the computer melts down. Mostly, they don't have much to do.
H