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 a.m.
So far, the weather hasn’t been bad for this cruise, as rain has pretty much stayed away, and temperatures have been in the high 80s. That all changes today as we start heading back to Florida, where a cold front is bringing the lowest temperatures of the season to the Sunshine State. While the morning started off sunny and nice, showers rolled in during the afternoon, and temperatures quickly dropped into the low 70s.
Lido Market Breakfast and Sea Day Brunch
Breakfast this morning was served in the Lido Market and the ship’s main dining room, where a special Sea Day Brunch replaced the traditional breakfast. Here’s a peek at both of those menus:
With the sun out this morning, the outer decks quickly filled with people taking advantage of the good weather. The main Lido Pool was where most people were hanging out since it’s close to the buffet and the Dive-In (so you don’t have to go far to get a burger at lunchtime). It also offers plenty of shaded areas, including cabanas on the lido deck that you can rent for the day or the week.
There are only a few lido cabanas, and these are perfect if you want to be close to the pool and have a spot where you can keep your stuff for the day without anyone bothering it. They include a daybed, a small table and chairs, and butler service. They are separated from each other by a curtain.
For those looking for a more private experience, one deck up are the Retreat Cabanas, which cost more and can be booked by the day or week. The Retreat Cabanas are in their own private area and come with loungers, a table and chairs, butler service, and a private sun deck with additional lounge chairs.
Lido Market Lunch
For lunch today, it’s the usual spots, except for the dining room, which isn’t offering lunch due to the Sea Day Brunch. Here’s what’s on the lunch menu for the Lido Market:
Let’s take a look at some of the activities scheduled for the day.
Morning Highlights
- Mass
- Tai Chi by the pool
- Coloring for Adults
- Origami
- Pickleball tournament
Afternoon Highlights
- Deal or No Deal Game Show
- Ping Pong tournament
- Watercolor lessons
- Bingo
- Team trivia
Evening Highlights
- Shabbat Service
- Music trivia
- The main production show, HUMANITY, in the ship’s theater
- Officers vs. Guests trivia
- The Nieuw Amsterdam Orange Party Bar Hop
- Line dance lessons
- The Orange Party
Tonight is the night to celebrate all things Dutch. After all, Holland America Line’s Dutch history goes back more than 150 years, so it’s definitely something to celebrate!
Dutch Themed Dinner Menus
Both the main dining room and the Lido Market have a special Dutch-themed dinner menu for this evening. Take a look:
Dinner at Canaletto
For me, I decided to have dinner in the ship’s Italian restaurant, Canaletto. At $25 per person (+18%), Canaletto is located in a special section carved out of the Lido Market and uses the same kitchen to prepare its dishes.
Having experienced it on other HAL ships, the food is always great and a tremendous value. I didn’t make a reservation but headed up around 8:30 p.m. and was seated immediately.
I started with the antipasto and the burrata salad, which were both delicious, especially the creamy homemade burrata.
For my entrée, I went with the veal Osso Buco, which was huge, to say the least, and fork-tender. I paired that with some spaghetti on the side and ended my dinner with gelato.
The food was fantastic, and the service was spot on. Even though there were only a few tables in the restaurant, I wasn’t rushed, and everything was paced appropriately.
After dinner, it was downstairs for the big event of the cruise: The Orange Party! Things kicked off at 8:30 p.m. with a $25 per person bar crawl, where those who were part of the crawl visited several bars throughout the ship and were given a pre-batched cocktail. The crawl ended at 9:30 p.m. when The Orange Party officially began.
Held in the Rolling Stone Lounge, the venue was transformed into a sea of orange with decorations everywhere. Guests dressed in their best orange outfits, and it turned into one big dance party with special themed cocktails.
At previous Orange Parties, accessories like orange wigs, hats, feather boas, and beads were sold in the gift shop. I headed down, and there were just a few things left, all on clearance. I’m not sure if they’re discontinuing these items, but I picked up an orange bucket hat for just $2.77.
The lounge was packed with guests and officers as the band played and drinks flowed. The Orange Party is definitely the big event on a Holland America Line cruise, so don’t forget to pack your orange—and don’t miss it!
Once the party wrapped up, I headed back to my room and called it a night. We’re sailing toward our final port of call, Half Moon Cay, where a lot of construction work is underway. I’m looking forward to seeing the progress since my last visit a few months ago.
As always, thanks for following along!
Personal Day-By-Day Holland America Nieuw Amsterdam Cruise Review: