As a self-proclaimed Holland America superfan, I was absolutely thrilled to hear that the cruise line is bringing back one of their most beloved traditions: cooking demonstrations! If you’ve ever sailed with Holland America in the past, you might remember their Culinary Arts Center, a space where the ship’s chefs…

Carnival Cruise Line is no stranger to controversy. The brand seems to thrive on sparking conversation, whether it’s over changes to their pizza hours or a fresh set of banned items. Recently, Carnival made waves by reducing the closing time of its beloved pizza station, Pirate Pizza, from 2:30 AM…

The final day of this 7-day Western Caribbean cruise has arrived, and Holland America Line’s Nieuw Amsterdam is anchored in the Bahamas at its beautiful private island, Half Moon Cay. Originally known as Little San Salvador Island, this 2,400-acre paradise was purchased by Holland America Line in 1996. Since then,…

We’re spending the day at sea today as we wind down this 7-day western Caribbean cruise on Holland America Line’s Nieuw Amsterdam. We’re heading to our third and final port of call, Holland’s private island in the Bahamas, Half Moon Cay, where we’re scheduled to arrive Saturday morning at 8…

The next port of call on this 7-day Western Caribbean cruise is Ocho Rios, Jamaica, and Holland America Line’s Nieuw Amsterdam arrived in port this morning at 8 a.m., on schedule. When cruising Jamaica, there are two possible locations you could visit: Falmouth or Ocho Rios. All the times I’ve…

After our unexpected day at sea yesterday, Holland America Line’s Nieuw Amsterdam has arrived at her first port of call for this 7-day western Caribbean cruise, Georgetown, Grand Cayman. Since we skipped Costa Maya, Mexico yesterday due to sea conditions, our original 11am arrival time in Grand Cayman was moved…

I’m now three days into this 7-day Western Caribbean cruise on the beautiful Holland America Line Nieuw Amsterdam, and as I mentioned in yesterday’s report, we had some rough seas that made their appearance late in the day on Monday. As we sailed to our first port of call, Costa…

Carnival Cruise Line passengers have always had certain expectations—endless entertainment, relaxing vibes, and food options around the clock. Among the most beloved traditions on board? Grabbing a fresh, made-to-order slice of New York-style pizza at Pizza Pirate or Pizzeria del Capitano at 3:30 in the morning after a night of…

We’re sailing towards our first port of call on this 7-day Western Caribbean cruise on the beautiful Holland America Nieuw Amsterdam, and the day is being spent at sea. As I mentioned in yesterday’s report, Holland America Line ships, except for the Rotterdam, carry far fewer passengers than the mega…

Fresh off a week onboard Carnival Celebration, I’m back at sea, this time cruising on Holland America Line’s Nieuw Amsterdam, a ship I sailed on back in 2010 during her inaugural Caribbean season. Part of Holland America Line’s Signature Class, she’s a mid-sized ship that blends modern comfort with the…