Nieuw Amsterdam Review

4.5 / 5.0
964 reviews

Impressed with HAL

Review for the Southern Caribbean Cruise on Nieuw Amsterdam
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daisy-mae
6-10 Cruises • Age 70s

Rating by category

Cabin
Value for Money
Embarkation
Dining
Public Rooms
Entertainment
Fitness & Recreation
Service

Additional details

Sail Date: Jan 2017
Cabin: Deluxe Ocean-View Verandah Stateroom

We chose this cruise mainly for the itinerary; it was our first experience with Holland America, and we were pleasantly surprised. In our opinion, the Niew Amsterdam is just the right size, free of all the gimmicks that have become almost ubiquitous on other cruise lines. There are no climbing walls, no surf-riders, no indoor malls. Just a quiet, refined atmosphere (although perhaps a little more subdued than we would have liked at times).

Our fellow passengers were on the "mature" side -- which does not mean that they were unable to enjoy themselves. With "As You Wish" dining we had the opportunity to meet a number of lovely people, and their positive attitude was reflected in most of our other encounters on board and in port.

The crew were unfailingly polite and willing to help; the few minor issues that we had were dealt with in a pleasant and professional manner.

Cabin Review

Deluxe Ocean-View Verandah Stateroom

Cabin VB

We loved this cabin, specially because of the extra-deep balcony which provides a totally unobstructed view. Despite being close to the elevators, there was no hallway noise. The retractable clothesline over the bathtub was handy for hanging wet bathing suits and small clothing items. The aft location is a bit of a hike to the dining room -- good for working up an appetite before, and for aiding digestion afterwards.

There were two irritants with this particular stateroom -- the removable sofa-bed cushion slides forward, making for uncomfortable seating. The wind when at sea causes the partition between the two balconies (4045/4047) to vibrate almost constantly and very noisily. I managed to dampen the noise somewhat by pushing the small, heavy patio table against it. The issue was reported, so perhaps it will be corrected during the next re-fit.

Port Reviews

Half Moon Cay

A lovely place to relax; we enjoyed the buffet lunch.

Grand Turk

Not our favorite port -- an "artificial" atmosphere, and swimming within shouting distance of cruise ships.

Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades)

Not a port of call for us, but an embarkation point; very busy place, lots of traffic.

Amber Cove (Puerto Plata)

A pleasant surprise -- nice shops, lovely pool and bar area. Be aware that there is a charge for the pool umbrellas...

Bonaire

Pretty little island; small craft market in the square. Lots of tour operators just outside the gate provide a variety of options.

Curacao

Interesting port area -- a little upscale, with a casino. A good place to access free wi-fi.

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