Until this week, the closest I’d come to the inside of a cruise ship is the Titanic via a movie theater screen - which isn’t exactly what you want to associate with your cruising experience. So I wasn’t sure what to expect when I boarded Holland America’s ms Ryndam.

Now that I’ve been aboard for nearly 24 hours I’ve gotten my bearings, but it’s a little scary to think there’s no way off. I feel trapped.

The ship feels a lot like a fancy hotel - ornate fountains, quiet lounges, even a casino. The food is pretty good, the gym is nice, the staterooms are bigger than I expected, the staff are extremely friendly, and I like the library (where I’ve snagged a copy of In Defense of Food - review to follow).

First lesson learned: no reason to have packed 3 books since there are many great reads on board to borrow.

My only complaints so far - there are upcharges for just about everything, like drinks, spas, and shops. And there are so many activities - how do I decide what to do? Yesterday we went to a presentation on Holland America’s environmental policies (more on that later), entered a trivia tournament (and lost), and took a kitchen tour.

In the next few days we’re heading to Juneau and Skagway and will also be taking a tour of the water purification and waste management areas on the ship. Stay tuned!