Holland America Line Nieuw Amsterdam Panama Canal Cruise Review – Day 2: November 9, 2026

Day 2 on Nieuw Amsterdam, and we’ve reached our first port of call: Half Moon Cay, Holland America’s private island in the Bahamas. If you missed yesterday’s report, it covered embarkation (and a certain security guard at Port Everglades), my obstructed oceanview stateroom and dinner at Tamarind.

My first visit to Half Moon Cay was way back in 2008. I’ve been back dozens of times since and watched the island slowly change into what it is today, but this latest transformation has been pretty remarkable.

A Quick Catch-Up on Half Moon Cay

Holland America has owned the island since 1996 and opened it to guests in December 1997. In December 2024, Carnival Cruise Line and Holland America announced a major expansion, along with a new name that put Carnival’s “RelaxAway” branding in front of Half Moon Cay. I wrote about it at the time, and I’ll say it again here: it will always be Half Moon Cay to me, no matter what Carnival wants to call it. You won’t see me using that moniker.

The Carnival side of the island opened on June 1, 2026, with Carnival Sunrise becoming the first ship to dock at the brand-new pier on the north side. That pier is a big deal for Carnival, because the island’s shallow waters had kept its larger Excel-class ships from visiting at all. Now they can tie up and guests walk right off.

Holland America ships still anchor offshore and tender guests to the original side of the island. That side got its own round of upgrades ahead of the island’s 30th anniversary, and the headliner, the new Beach Club, debuted just a couple of days ago. There are plenty of other changes, too, which I’ll get to below.

What Half Moon Cay Isn’t

Before we go any further, let’s talk about what Half Moon Cay isn’t. It isn’t water parks, giant pools, water slides or zip lines. There’s none of that here. You’ve got sports courts for pickleball and basketball, a nature trail and, of course, the beach.

This is 100% a beach day. Grab a lounger and enjoy the ocean all day long.

Tendering Ashore

Tenders ran all day today, with the first at 8 a.m. and the last at 4:30 p.m., which was also all-aboard time.

If you want to be among the first off the ship, grab a tender ticket and wait for your number to be called. If you’re on a Holland America excursion, you get priority. Four- and Five-Star Mariners get priority too: a letter shows up in your stateroom with a meeting spot for the morning. And if you’re in no hurry, just wait for the open tender call, when you don’t need a ticket at all.

I booked the new Beach Club, which I’ll cover in full a little further on. It included priority tender access at 8 a.m., but I was in no rush to get to the island that early in the day. I headed over around 11 a.m., and there was no line at all. I walked right on, waited a bit for the boat to fill and off we went.

The Carnival Side

Over on the Carnival side, guests come and go using the new pier, so there’s no tendering. The beach itself is lounge chair after lounge chair after lounge chair, crammed into nearly every square inch of sand. Looking at the sheer number of loungers and umbrellas, I want to know who the sales rep was that got the commission on that order.

There are several bars and a large food hall for the traditional island barbecue lunch, plus restrooms and lockers. You can rent open-air cabanas and clamshell loungers on this side, and the standard loungers and umbrellas are free across the entire island.

One thing that’s important to know: everyone is free to wander the entire island, but the Holland America bars only accept Holland America room keys for charging, and the bars on the Carnival side only take Carnival’s.  A tram runs from one side of the island to the other as well, as the walk is a bit long.

The Holland America Side

The Holland America side has quite a few more amenities and feels a little more upscale than Carnival’s side. One thing is the same, though: they managed to cram a whole crap ton of loungers and umbrellas in here, too, along with clamshells, open-air cabanas, daybeds and other little touches.

The most visible change on this side is the addition of more bars and a whole boatload of brand-new cabanas. It used to be hard to rent a cabana for the day here because there were so few of them. Now there’s one every few feet, tucked behind the rows of lounge chairs. They’re more modern and airy, with an outdoor shower, inside storage, fans, furniture, loungers out front and floating mats.

They run about $700 for the day and can be booked via the Navigator app, the Shore Excursions desk, or the website pre-cruise.  If you’re a family or group who used to rent one of the two-story villas, those are gone. Not a single one exists anymore. That’ll take some getting used to. Plenty of Holland America guests are still looking for the Captain Morgan pirate ship bar that was torn down a while ago, so I’m sure some will be looking for those villas, too.

Today I walked the beach on both sides, and there was absolutely no shortage of lounge chairs or umbrellas. There are literally THOUSANDS of them, and they’re EVERYWHERE.

Finally, Wi-Fi and Cell Service

Here’s another plus: the island FINALLY has Wi-Fi. If you’ve got a Wi-Fi package onboard, it works on the island. No package? You can still use the Holland America app.

Cell service? Check that one off the list, too. I spotted a cell tower on the island, so anyone with a major carrier or an international roaming plan shouldn’t have a problem, and I had 5 bars of LTE service.

Pickleball, Basketball and Everything Else

Other improvements include the four pickleball courts that were installed last year, a basketball court, a refreshed island barbecue hut and new bars throughout.

Pickleball players, take note. Holland America is running a series of pickleball Countdown Cruises this season, starting with the November 20th Nieuw Amsterdam sailing I’ll be on next, with pro meet-and-greets and a pro clinic here on the island. It all builds up to the Private Island Invitational, a professional event on these courts on March 13, 2027. I put together everything you need to know about Holland America’s pickleball cruises, including what to pack.

My Thoughts So Far

I’m not really a fan of how much “cramming in” they did. The beach is now a complete sea of loungers. That absolutely solves the problem of finding one on a crowded multi-ship day, but it makes the whole beach look like a sea of chairs.

It also affects the cabanas. They’re set back from the water, so if you rent one, your view is going to be rows of lounge chairs. The cabanas are elevated, with steps up into them, but you’ll still have people sitting right in front of you. For the price, I’d like a clear view of the beach.

Other than that, the new structures are all much nicer. They do have a very minimalist design, which seems to be the trend these days. There’s no theming at all, just that same modern, minimalist look everywhere.

The main draw of Half Moon Cay is still the beach. It’s simply beautiful, with soft white sand and clear water.

Excursions and Rentals at Half Moon Cay

If you want to do more than spend the day on the beach, you can rent water toys or book an excursion. Horseback riding in the surf is the most popular. Here’s what was on offer in the app for today’s call:

• Private Cabana Packages: $639.95 to $699.95 per party
• Island Retreat Daybed Rental: $149.95 per person
• Horseback Riding by Land & Sea: $134.95 per person, 45 minutes
• Aqua Trax Adventure: $124.95 per adult, 45 minutes
• Clamshell Sunshade Rental: $69.95 per party
• Snorkel by Boat: $64.95 per person, 1 hour
• Eco Lagoon Kayak Adventure: $59.95 per person, 1 hour
• Stingray Adventure: $54.95 per person, 45 minutes
• Eco Lagoon Cruise: $49.95 per adult, 1 hour
• Eco-Bike & Hike: $44.95 per person, 1 hour
• Guided Tour by Bicycle: $34.95 per person, 1 hour
• Calypso Island Tram: $34.95 per person, 45 minutes
• Historic Nature Walk: $29.95 per person, 1 hour 15 minutes

The New Half Moon Cay Beach Club

The Beach Club is brand new and debuted just a couple of days ago. Right now it’s a $150 per person upcharge. It’s booked under Dining rather than Shore Excursions, presumably so the shore excursion credit that comes with Holland America’s Have It All package can’t be used toward it.

Your $150 gets you a wristband that lets you into the club, which sits not far from the main entrance where the tenders dock. It’s built around a two-level restaurant.

The top level has a bunch of tables for lunch, a walk-up bar (no bar seating) and a small buffet with light bites. Today it had sushi, chips and plantains with sauces, grilled pineapple skewers and fresh fruit.

The lower level is more like the club’s front porch, with comfortable seating, a few high-top tables and a view of the beach.

Down on the sand, there are a couple of rows of loungers with umbrellas. The area is roped off, and the umbrellas are red and white instead of the yellow and white used all along the rest of the Holland America side, so it’s easy to spot.

When it’s time for lunch, you order off a menu, and it includes items from the Lobster Shack next door. That means you can have a lobster tail with rice and beans, like I did.

The Beach Club

The Beach Club is a $150pp upcharge experience at Half Moon Cay. This private area includes food, drinks, loungers, umbrellas and a reserved section of the beach.

Open all sections

Small Plates4 items

Caribbean Ceviche

mango, chili and lime

Spiced Tiger Shrimp

cherry tomato estofados

Island Squash and Bean Salad

lime, shallots, cilantro

Jerked Chicken Caesar Salad

romaine lettuce, caesar dressing, cheese, anchovies, herb crostini

From the Lobster Shack2 items

Lobster with Caribbean Beans n' Rice

Caribbean Stew and Seafood Chowder

Hot Food4 items

Wagyu Beef Island Burger

wagyu beef patty, jerk bacon, tomato chili jam, spiced mayo

Cockburn Town Chicken Breast

Caribbean coconut beans n' rice

Grilled Fresh Bahamian Grouper

fried rice, golden curry, cilantro

Let's Stack Vegan

pulled vegan chicken, rum BBQ sauce, smashed avocado, spiced jam

Desserts2 items

Pineapple Upside-Down Cake

Banana Cake

Nutella glaze

Cocktails9 items

Half Moon Cay's Blue Lagoon

Absolut Citron, Malibu Coconut, DeKuyper Blue Curacao, fresh lemon, simple syrup and a splash of pineapple juice

HMC Pina Colada

Bacardi Superior, pineapple juice, cream of coconut

HMC Strawberry Daiquiri

Bacardi Superior, strawberry puree

Miami Vice

half Pina Colada, half Strawberry Daiquiri, twice as good

The Original Bacardi Mojito

Bacardi Superior Rum, fresh mint, choice of classic lime, mango, strawberry or passion fruit

Aperol Spritz

Aperol, prosecco, club soda with a slice of fresh orange

Pusser's Painkiller

Pusser's Rum, pineapple juice, cream of coconut, orange juice and grated nutmeg

Bahama Mama

Flor de Cana rum, Malibu Caribbean rum, fresh orange and pineapple juice, grenadine

Island Margarita

Cazadores Tequila, hand-shaken or blended with classic lime, strawberry, mango, or passion fruit

Zero Proof2 items

Tropical Virgin Margarita

Melon Mint Mojito, Paradise Punch, Ginger Mango Splash, Untied Mai Tai, Sparkling Berry Lemonade, Frozen Smoothies

Refreshingly Free

Soft Drinks and More5 items

Open Water

Coca-Cola Soft Drinks

Red Bull

Cold Brew

Coco Love Coconut Water

Beer and Wine - Beer13 items

Kalik

Heineken

Heineken 0.0

Red Stripe

Corona

Stella

Blue Moon

Budweiser

Bud Light

Coors Light

Miller Lite

Michelob Ultra

Michelob Ultra Zero

Beer and Wine - Ciders and Hard Seltzer3 items

Strongbow Cider

Truly Wild Berry

Truly Pineapple

Beer and Wine - Just Enough Wines4 items

Brut Bubbles

Rose

Sauvignon Blanc

Pinot Noir

⬇ Download PDFAll Holland America Restaurant MenusAll Holland America Bar Menus

🖼️ Menu Images

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Is the Beach Club Worth $150?

Here’s where you have to do some math and think about whether it’s right for you.

The $150 per person INCLUDES all your food and drinks, alcohol included, plus a lounger and access to the clubhouse. For a couple, that’s $300. A private cabana, on the other hand, runs $639.95 to $699.95 per party and doesn’t include any food or drinks.

Drink packages aren’t valid on the island, so you’re paying for every soda and cocktail you have ashore. Some quick math: get the lobster tail for $24 and four beers at $7.75 each, and you’re at $55. If you see value in having a clubhouse to hang out in, grabbing some snacks and being steps from your lounger, the $150 may be worth it. It saves you from walking over to the food pavilion or trekking off to a bar for a beer.

On today’s visit, only a handful of us had bought it. I’d say no more than 12 people. I think $150 is going to be an issue for many, so I’ll go out on a limb and say we may see some price adjustments once Holland America gauges how popular it is.

With thousands of loungers covering nearly every square inch of beach, finding one isn’t a problem anymore. So the appeal isn’t the location or a guaranteed lounger. It comes down to whether you see value in the private clubhouse and having your food and drinks included without leaving.

So did I enjoy the Beach Club? Yes. Did I get my money’s worth? No.

I had the lobster, the shrimp appetizer, the welcome cocktail they bring you (a Bahama Mama), a few pieces of sushi, some fruit, one Truly and two Coke Zeros. That’s not $150 worth of food and drinks. I only went into the building itself to eat lunch instead of eating on my lounger.

Would I do it again? I might, on a day when there are two ships on the Holland America side, since that’s when it could get a little busy. I’ve got several more visits to Half Moon Cay coming up, so I’ll keep an eye on the pricing to see if it moves over the next few weeks.

Back to the Ship

The last tender left the island at 4:30 p.m., and everyone made it back on time. I left around 3 p.m. to avoid the last-minute rush. We sat on the tender for about 15 minutes before heading back, as they kept loading people until it was full.

I also ran into a passenger on the island I’d met on Rotterdam, who just so happened to be trying the Beach Club, too. Us Holland America loyalists tend to run into each other a lot on different ships, which is always fun!

Tonight was a casual night. On Holland America, there isn’t really a set dress code for evenings, even on dressy nights. Country club casual is pretty much what you’ll see people wear each evening. Shorts aren’t allowed in the dining room, although you’ll sometimes see people wearing them anyway, and that usually sends multiple Facebook groups completely bonkers. That and people wearing hats.

I started my evening wandering around the ship and ran into one of the crew from the shops, who knew me from Rotterdam, so we chatted for a bit.

Nieuw Amsterdam’s Casino

Then I hit up the casino for a bit, and of course had zero luck as usual.

Nieuw Amsterdam has both a nonsmoking and a smoking section. The nonsmoking area is the part of the casino right out in the walkway, sharing space with Billboard Onboard, the piano bar. The smoking section is in the space that used to be the Gallery Bar. The bar is still there, but the tables and seating that used to fill the room have been replaced with slot machines and cigarette smoke after the ship’s 2023 dry dock.

Here’s a tour of the casino. Keep in mind the games you see in the video may be different by the time you’re onboard.

After the casino, I tried to get a drink at a few different bars, and they were all full! Looking at the time, I figured plenty of people would be heading off to the second dinner seating soon, so I stayed close to the Ocean Bar. Bingo. The entire bar cleared out, and suddenly I was the only one in there. So I had a few cocktails before heading to dinner.

Dinner in the Main Dining Room

For those having dinner in the Dining Room, here’s a look at tonight’s menu.

Nieuw Amsterdam - MDR Dinner Day 2

Open all sections

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

Jamaican Beef Patty

Caribbean coleslaw (Port to Plate)

Seafood Deviled Eggs*

Smoked salmon, crab, honey-mustard dressing (gluten free)

Southern Style Black Bean and Quinoa Salad

Lime, cumin, cilantro dressing

Classic Caesar Salad

Parmesan cheese, garlic croutons, anchovies

Salmon Salad

Cucumber, tomato, avocado, bacon, beans, mustard dressing (gluten free)

French Onion Soup

Gruyère cheese crouton

Chicken and Callaloo Soup

Butternut squash, garlic, thyme, coconut (non-dairy)

Chilled Berry Soup

Mint, lemon

Mains9 items

Jerked Pork Tenderloin*

Peanuts, black beans, rice pilaf, collard greens (non-dairy, Port to Plate)

Spaghetti Aglio e Olio

Shrimp, parsley, Roma tomato

Parmesan-Crusted Chicken Breast

Basil mashed potatoes, honey-Dijon mustard

New York Strip Loin, Steak Fries*

Garlic herb butter

Jamaican Braised Oxtail

Peas n' rice, cabbage slaw

Rustic Home-Made Lasagna

Chunky tomato sauce, basil

Chili Prawns with Garlic Butter*

Wild rice, spinach

Harissa Honey Salmon*

Dill rice, roasted sweet potatoes (non-dairy)

Chile Rellenos

Poblano, Monterey Jack, green chili sauce, Mexican rice (vegetarian)

Featured4 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

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

Jamaican Bread Pudding

Warm rum vanilla sauce

Caribbean Malibu Cream

Coconut, pineapple, banana, yogurt (gluten free)

Nutella Cream Pie

Hazelnut, marshmallow crème

Blueberry Cheesecake

Graham cracker crust (no sugar added)

Artisan Cheese Selection

Provolone, pepper jack, Swiss, brie (vegetarian)

Cookies & Cream Sundae

Vanilla ice cream, chocolate cake crumbs, Oreo

Ice Cream of the Day

Vanilla, Coconut, Mint Choco Chip (no sugar added)

Cappuccino

$3.75

Espresso

$2.75

⬇ Download PDFAll Holland America Restaurant MenusAll Holland America Bar Menus

🖼️ Menu Images

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And if you’d rather keep it casual, here’s tonight’s dinner menu in the Lido Market.

Nieuw Amsterdam - Lido Dinner Day 2

Updated 11/2026

Open all sections

Wild Harvest4 items

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad

Southwest Avocado Salad

BBQ Ranch Chicken Salad

Citrus Tuna Salad*

Distant Lands Italian8 items

Cheese Tortellini with Sauteed Spinach

Baked Ziti

Mozzarella and tomato basil

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

Kalamata Olive and Feta Focaccia

Cheese, Antipasto and Cold Cuts

Salami, roast beef, bresaola, antipasto, cheddar, Monterey Jack, blue cheese

Selection of Fruits

Citrus Pasta Chicken 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

Chicken and Callaloo Soup

Jerk Pork Tenderloin

Chili Prawns with Garlic Butter

Harissa Honey Salmon*

Chile Rellenos

Vegetarian

Dutch Meatballs

New York Strip Loin (6 oz)*

Whole Roasted Chicken

Mashed Potato

Roasted Potatoes

French Fries

Ratatouille

Vegetarian

Sauteed Asparagus

Vegetarian

Selection of Fruits

Distant Lands Asia8 items

Vietnamese Lamb

Fried Rice

Steamed Rice

Vegetarian

Palak Paneer

Vegetarian

Vegetable Biryani

Vegetarian

Mutton Rogan Josh

Indian Bread and Condiments

Paratha, papadum, raita, kachumber

Mango Tapioca

Sweet Spot6 items

Berry Crisp

Caribbean Malibu Cream

Blueberry Cheesecake

No sugar added

Nutella Cream Pie

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

⬇ Download PDFAll Holland America Restaurant MenusAll Holland America Bar Menus

🖼️ Menu Images

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Holland America offers fixed traditional seating or open seating. Guests with open seating dine on Deck 2, and those with fixed times dine on Deck 3 of the two-level dining room. Open seating runs from 5:30 to 9 p.m.

I have open seating and went at 8:15 p.m. There was no wait, and I was taken to a table with a window looking out over the ship’s wake. Too bad it was dark out. I ordered a cocktail to start, and it showed up quickly.

I started with the Jamaican beef patty. Not bad.

For my main course, I went with the New York strip and steak fries. I don’t normally give main dining room steaks much credit unless they’re the upcharge cuts, but this one was cooked to my preferred medium, well seasoned and actually very good. It’s not Pinnacle Grill good, but for the main dining room, it was a great steak. I asked for extra steak fries, because why not, and they were happy to oblige.

For dessert, I had the cheese plate.

Two Sea Days Ahead

The next two days are sea days, and our next port of call isn’t until Day 5, when we arrive in Oranjestad, Aruba. Gee, wasn’t I just there last week? If you’re stopping there too, here’s my DIY Aruba walking tour from the cruise port.

More tomorrow, and as always, thanks for following along.

Nieuw Amsterdam Day 2 Daily Planner

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