Holland America Line Nieuw Amsterdam Panama Canal Cruise Review – Day 7: November 14, 2026

Day 7 on Nieuw Amsterdam, and after yesterday’s sunny sea day, we’ve got another port of call: Cartagena, Colombia. This was a short one. We arrived at 7 a.m. and all aboard was 1:30 p.m., so if you booked a shore excursion or wanted to do anything on your own, you had to get your day started early to make it back to the ship in time.

The weather didn’t help. When we pulled in this morning, it was thundering and pouring rain, and I was definitely one of those people who wasn’t about to head out that early to deal with it.

If you’ve never been here, the first thing to know is that the Cartagena cruise port is basically an industrial port. You’re docking in a working cargo terminal that just so happens to have a cruise pier, so the view from your balcony is container cranes, freighters and tugboats rather than palm trees.

The good news is that the port has its own little oasis tucked inside, and that’s where I spent my time today. More on that in a minute.

Getting to the Walled City (and Staying Safe)

The big draw in Cartagena is the Walled City, the historic old town the Spanish surrounded with coral stone walls during the colonial era. Inside you’ve got cobblestone streets, colorful colonial buildings with flower-covered balconies, plazas full of cafés and the cathedral, and the whole area is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Here’s the thing, though. To get to the Walled City or downtown Cartagena, you absolutely, 100% need to take a taxi or book an excursion. Holland America offered several excursions into the Walled City today, and that’s the easiest way to do it.

Why not walk? Two reasons. First, it’s not safe to leave the cruise port and walk around the neighborhood outside. Second, the old city is roughly two miles away, so you’d spend most of your short day just getting there. I learned that one the hard way on my last visit, when I started walking and turned around once I got into a neighborhood I didn’t like the looks of. I don’t recommend doing any walking outside the port here.

As soon as you exit the cruise terminal, you’ll find a crowd of taxi drivers and tour operators, and they’re all there to take you into the city. They can be very aggressive, much like Jamaica, and the vendors inside the old city are just as persistent. If you go the independent route, here’s what I’d keep in mind:

• Settle the price before you get in the car, including whether it’s per person or per car, whether it covers the ride back, and whether it’s in U.S. dollars or Colombian pesos.
• Tell the driver exactly what you want. No souvenir shop stops, no “special” jewelry store visits.
• Pay at the end, not up front, and carry small bills so you’re not waiting on change.
• Set your return time with a real buffer. On my last visit, I headed back around 12:15 p.m. for the same 1:30 p.m. all aboard.
• Leave the flashy jewelry on the ship and keep your phone and wallet in a front pocket.
• Turn on location sharing with a friend or family member before you leave the port.

The last time I was here, on my Rotterdam cruise in March, I hired a local driver to take me to the Walled City, walk around with me and keep the vendors away so I could explore without saying “no thank you” every 30 seconds. It was worth every peso. That post covers what you can see and do inside the walls, including Umbrella Street and the cathedral, so give it a read before you go. I’ve also got more general advice in my top 10 cruise port safety tips.

And remember, with an all aboard this early, the ship isn’t going to wait if traffic gets ugly. Here’s what happens if you miss your cruise ship.

Top 5 Things to Do in Cartagena

1. Wander the Walled City. Start at Plaza de los Coches, one of the main entrances, and get lost in the side streets.
2. Walk Umbrella Street. The colorful umbrellas overhead make it one of the most photographed spots in town.
3. See the Cathedral. Its dome and yellow tower are one of the city’s best-known landmarks.
4. Grab a drink in a plaza. The squares are lined with outdoor cafés that are perfect for people watching.
5. Visit Port Oasis. If you don’t want to leave the port at all, the birds and gardens right at the pier are a great way to spend 30 to 45 minutes.

Port Oasis: Birds, Coffee and a Rain-Soaked Walk

As I was heading out, I talked to some folks coming back to the ship, and they said a lot of the streets were flooded. The couple of streets they walked down had over a foot of water in them, so I really didn’t want to get into all that. Instead, I stayed right at the cruise port and walked around for about half an hour.

The neat thing about this port is the little oasis area, which is full of animals, mainly birds. There are flamingos, macaws and parrots, plus a small aviary you can walk into, and peacocks free-roam all over the place.

A few of the macaws and parrots hang out on the railings right along the walkway, picking at trays of papaya and watermelon. Even soaking wet, they were happy to pose.

You can easily kill 30 to 45 minutes here meandering around, taking pictures of the birds and grabbing a Colombian coffee at one of the couple of spots right in the port. There’s also a duty-free shop, and unlike a lot of ports, you aren’t forced to walk through it to exit or get back to the ship. That’s a plus.

If you want to see it for yourself, here’s my walk-around of the cruise port. You can also find it on my video page.

The whole time I was out, there was a light rain and drizzle. I was half thinking the weather would turn and I’d grab a quick taxi into downtown, but I decided to forget that idea and headed back to the ship instead.

Most people were back on board around 11 a.m., and there wasn’t much traffic coming back up the gangway after that. The rain finally stopped around lunchtime, but the clouds never let up, so it stayed gloomy all day. It was a pretty chill day in Cartagena. Sailaway was right on time at 1:30 p.m.

Dining Room & Lido Market Dinner Menus

For those having dinner in the Dining Room or the Lido Market, here’s a look at tonight’s menus:

Nieuw Amsterdam - MDR Dinner Day 7

Updated Nov 2026

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Drinks8 items

Dutch 75

$11.00

De Lijn Gin, sparkling wine, fresh lemon juice

Bahama Mama

$12.00

Flor De Cana Rum, Malibu Rum, orange juice, pineapple juice, grenadine

Harvey Wallbanger

$12.00

Skky Vodka, orange juice, Galliano with orange slice

El Presidente

$13.00

Planteray 3 Star, Vermouth blanc, dashes of orange curaçao and grenadine

PNW Penicillin

$17.00

Westland Flagship single malt, fresh lemon juice, ginger & honey syrup, float of Westland Peated Single Barrel Select

Featured Beer

$7.75

Bud Light

Featured White Wine

$16.00 / $64.00

Conundrum White (glass / bottle)

Featured Red Wine

$18.00 / $72.00

Oberon Cabernet Sauvignon (glass / bottle)

Appetizers8 items

Caribbean Pepper Pot

Beef, pork, scotch bonnet (Port to Plate)

Roasted Oyster Mushroom Salad

Hummus, za'atar spices, pita chips

Smoked Chicken Chorizo, Pickled Carrots

Lime-yellow beet emulsion

Seafood Spring Roll

Sweet chili sauce (non-dairy)

Classic Caesar Salad

Parmesan cheese, garlic croutons, anchovies

Gourmet Greens

Toasted pecans, cherry tomatoes, orange segments

French Onion Soup

Gruyère cheese crouton

Chilled Carrot, Orange Cumin Soup

Honey, lemongrass

Mains9 items

Ginger Mango Chicken

Reggae potatoes, creamy yogurt & lime sauce (Port to Plate)

Penne Basil Pesto, Eggplant

Mozzarella, olive oil

Garlic-Herb Crusted Lamb Rump*

Sweet potato mash, zucchini, peas and mint

Crispy Porchetta

Sage buttered potatoes, roasted vegetables (gluten free)

New York Strip Loin, Steak Fries*

Garlic herb butter

Rustic Home-Made Lasagna

Chunky tomato sauce, basil

Mustard Crusted Tuna, Onion Rings*

Tomato-shrimp vinaigrette, glazed corn (non-dairy)

Crispy Bang Bang Salmon Bites*

Brown rice, shiitake mushrooms, peas

Parmesan Baked Zucchini

Basil, spaghetti, garlic, sauteed spinach (vegetarian)

Featured5 items

5 oz Filet Mignon & Lobster*

$18.00

Grilled asparagus, baked potato, garlic butter

12 oz Pinnacle Grill Strip Loin Steak*

$20.00

Baked potato, creamed spinach

Fresh Stone Crab*

$49.00

Mustard dipping sauce, frisée, lime

Grilled Nigerian Jumbo Prawn

$25.00

Morimoto E'pice, seasonal vegetables (by Global Fresh Fish Ambassador Chef Morimoto)

Broiled Lobster Tails

$25.00

Yuzu butter, roasted garlic mashed potatoes (by Global Fresh Fish Ambassador Chef Morimoto)

Desserts9 items

Chocolate Hazelnut Bread Pudding

Warm rum vanilla sauce

Mango Coconut Slice

Graham crackers, whipped cream

Caramel Macchiato Layered Bliss

Cappuccino & salted caramel mousse

Pear Strudel

Whipped cream, vanilla sauce (no sugar added)

Artisan Cheese Selection

Provolone, pepper jack, Swiss, brie (vegetarian)

Black Forest Sundae

Vanilla ice cream, chocolate sponge, cherry compote

Ice Cream of the Day

Vanilla Ice Cream, Mint Chocolate Chip, Strawberry (no sugar added)

Cappuccino

$3.75

Espresso

$2.75

All Holland America Restaurant MenusAll Holland America Bar Menus

Nieuw Amsterdam - Lido Dinner Day 7

Updated Nov 2026

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Wild Harvest4 items

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

Southwest Avocado Salad

BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad

Citrus Tuna Salad*

Distant Lands Italian8 items

Rigatoni with Italian Sausage

Tomato and oregano

Baked Penne alla Vodka

Meat Lasagna

Create Your Own Pasta

Bucatini or rigatoni with marinara (vegetarian), bolognese, alfredo (vegetarian) or basil pesto (vegetarian)

Rustic Ciabatta Wheel

Mixed Herb and Pecorino Focaccia

Garlic Scrolls

Italian Fruit Salad

Chopped fruits, citrus sugar syrup, mint

Bread Board6 items

Cherry Tomato, Oregano, Basil, Feta and Mozzarella Focaccia

Cheese, Antipasto and Cold Cuts

Salami, coppa, mortadella, antipasto, Gruyère, Monterey Jack, blue cheese

Selection of Fruits

Eggplant, Couscous, Greek Yogurt Salad

Caribbean Roasted Pork Sandwich

Cumin, allspice, mayonnaise, chipotle mayo, lime zest, ciabatta roll, lettuce, tomatoes

Caribbean Accompaniments

Six kinds of hot sauce, salsas, jalapeno, cornbread, fried plantains

Homestead14 items

Caribbean Pepper Pot

Irish Lamb Stew

Mustard Crusted Tuna, Onion Rings*

Crispy Bang Bang Salmon Bites*

Parmesan Baked Zucchini

Vegetarian

Crispy Porchetta

New York Strip Loin (6 oz)*

Whole Roasted Chicken

Mashed Potato

Roasted Potatoes

French Fries

Sauteed Broccoli

Vegetarian

Sauteed Cauliflower

Vegetarian

Selection of Fruits

Distant Lands Asia8 items

Red Curry Seafood

Steamed Rice

Vegetarian

Vegetable Jalfrezi

Vegetarian

Dal

Vegetarian

Tandoori Prawns Masala

Ghee Rice

Vegetarian

Indian Bread and Condiments

Paratha, papadum, raita, kachumber

Almond & Lychee Jelly

Sweet Spot6 items

Blueberry Croissant Pudding

Mango Coconut Slice

Pear Strudel

No sugar added

Caramel Macchiato Layered Bliss

Ice Cream

Vanilla, chocolate with chocolate, mango, berry or butterscotch sauce and assorted cookies

Crepes Made to Order

Rum butter caramel sauce with choice of fresh fruit toppings

All Holland America Restaurant MenusAll Holland America Bar Menus

Dinner in the Dining Room

I had dinner in the Dining Room tonight and went a little earlier than usual, arriving around 8 p.m., about half an hour before I normally go, because I had a special event to get to afterward.

I was seated at a table by the window, and my server, who I’ve had before, offered up some suggestions for the evening. For my starter, I went with the smoked chicken chorizo with pickled carrots. I was curious what that description would turn out to be, and it was a cold, chorizo-spiced chicken breast with carrots. An interesting starter.

For the main course, he absolutely recommended the garlic-herb crusted lamb, so that’s what I got. I asked for some onion rings on top, which aren’t part of the dish (they come with the tuna), and they were happy to do it. The lamb was absolutely delicious, the sauce was great and the mash was just glorious: nice, thick and rich. I could have done without the peas.

I finished up with the Black Forest sundae.

Once again, I’ve got to give Holland America credit for the great food I’ve had in the Dining Room so far, with the exception of speed. Tonight was a big improvement on that front. Dinner took roughly 50 minutes, and I usually like about an hour, so this was much better than the 30-minute in-and-out on Day 5 that felt like going through the Chick-fil-A drive-thru. I never felt rushed tonight.

Bourbon Tasting in the Explorer’s Lounge

From the Dining Room, I headed over to the Explorer’s Lounge for tonight’s bourbon tasting, the one I mentioned yesterday was still on my list. It’s put on by one of the bartenders from the Ocean Bar along with one of the Ocean Bar’s bar servers, and it runs about an hour.

We started with the difference between bourbon and whiskey. The short version: all bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon. To earn the name, it has to be made in the U.S. from a mash that’s at least 51% corn and aged in new charred oak barrels.

Then we got to tasting. First up was Angel’s Envy, followed by Jefferson’s Ocean, has a bit of a connection to the ship. Holland America has partnered with Jefferson’s to put a barrel of Jefferson’s Ocean on every ship in the fleet to age at sea, and Nieuw Amsterdam was actually the first ship to take one on. Our bartender explained how the temperature swings and the constant rolling of the ship keep the bourbon moving in and out of the charred wood, and how that motion, along with the salt air, shapes the flavor in a way a barrel sitting still in a Kentucky warehouse can’t. The bottle we sampled was one of the selections from Jefferson’s Aged at Sea program. The barrels on the ships won’t be bottled and poured on board until 2027, so I’ll be keeping an eye out for that. I wrote more about this trend in cruise lines getting serious about bourbon at sea.

From there, we moved on to Uncle Nearest 1884 and wrapped things up with Blanton’s.

The tasting is $39 per person plus the 20% service charge. There were about 20 of us, it was a lot of fun, and it was a nice way to end the night.

We’re currently sailing toward the Panama Canal, and I’ll have a lot to share about that tomorrow. More tomorrow, and as always, thanks for following along.

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