On Holland America ships, a smartly-uniformed "chimemaster" musically tones the dinner hour. (After a few nights on board, your Pavlovian response to those chimes is the worthy subject matter for a postcard.)

Although rarely used by passengers, the elegant staircases of the two-level, 745-seat Rotterdam Dining Room add that certain majestic touch of "ocean liner" to the dining experience.

Now, to those curved staircases, add flowers, sparkling silverware, and Rosenthal china at every table, beautiful stained-glass murals, moon-lit views out every window, and the soft, lilting music of a string quartet drifting through the air. The tradition of fine dining is alive and well aboard the Statendam.

Of course, dining is not just about chimes or china. It's about food.

Dining with 744 other guests, all arriving tableside within minutes of one another, is not going to be the gourmet experience of your lifetime. But it is going to be one fancy feast. Service is prompt, cordial, and flawless. The menus are varied, typically offering at least six or seven entrees. Vegetarian and lighter, low calorie selections are always offered, so go ahead…count your calories.Then count the numbers of dessert choices on your menu.Tables accommodate two, four, six, eight or ten diners at two main seatings. Meal times in the Rotterdam Dining Room are customarily at 6:00pm and 8:00pm.

Lido Restaurant

If the Rotterdam Dining Room doesn't fit your mood or time schedule, try the Lido Restaurant. Although breakfast and lunch are strictly self-service, this is not your average high school cafeteria. Sure, it's festive and low-keyed, but those breads are fresh baked and the desserts home made. Entree choices vary day by day so there's always something new cooking in the kitchen (uh, galley).

What's more, that salad bar you've been eyeing is only a few steps from the Lido deck chair you've planted yourself in. Nora Roberts and John Grisham will hardly notice you've left for a bite. The dress code in the Lido Restaurant is always cool and casual.

The mood changes for dinner, but only slightly. It's still open seating and still casual, but you'll find the tables now draped in linen and smartly set. Waiters take your orders from a choice of four menu options.

The Lido Restaurant is also the site of the "Chocolate Extravaganza Late Show midnight buffet", offered just once during your cruise. Suffer through it.

If putting on a shirt and shorts for lunch is just too much effort, try the Terrace Grill. It's fast and it's food. For card-carrying couch potatoes, the Terrace Grill is heaven; you don't even have to get up from that lounge chair; a deck waiter will bring that burger and cola to your lap.

Fountain Terrace

The Fountain Terrace, looming above the ship's three-level atrium, offers sandwich snacks and drinks and terrific views out to sea. Most of us like to people-watch and this is one of the best places on the ship for that pastime.

Ice Cream Bar

An Ice Cream Bar (three decks up on Lido Deck…you could use the exercise) offers your basic ice cream cone or sundae for one basic price: free.

Java Cafe

Wake up and smell the coffee down at the Java Café. Smell the muffins and pastries, too. Located on the Promenade Deck right across from the Shore Excursion Desk, the café is a good spot to sit and pore over that shore excursion booklet before heading off the ship.

Pinnacle Grill

Pacific Northwest delicacies!
Fine wood accents and warm fabrics evoke an upscale Pacific Northwest atmosphere. It sets the mood for the wide selection of regional specialties that will pay a short visit to your plate! Dungeness Crab Cakes, Lamb Rack Chops, hand-selected cuts of beef, mouth-watering regional fish and Washington Spuds are favorites. Wines from the best Pacific Northwest vineyards fill the wine list