This is the first in a series of blogs from my home for the next seven days, the ms Nieuw Amsterdam, the newest member of the Holland America Line fleet which was launched on July 4, 2010. The itinerary consists of stops at Half Moon Cay, Grand Turk, Grand Cayman and Costa Maya.
Embarkation: As was every cruise I have taken out of Port Everglades in Ft. Lauderdale, embarkation was organized and extremely quick. After dropping off our luggage, we proceed through security where there were no lines, right to the registration desk to be issued our room cards. We were on the ship in less than 10 minutes.
Once on board, we went to our suite which was located on deck 7 midship. Having traveled on Holland America’s other ships, the Westerdam and Eurodam, in the Penthouse Suite which checks in at 1,100 square feet, I was hesitant at first to see my suite which was half that size. Because I booked this cruise only a few weeks ago my suite choices were limited. I was enthralled with the suite which was very tastefully decorated with rich wood tones, leather couch, and red accents. The bathroom consisted of a powder room, a whirlpool tub with a shower and a separate shower. I will admit, that this suite is better than the Queen’s Suite I had twice on Cunard’s Queen Mary 2.
We settled in quite nicely and waited for our luggage to arrive before unpacking. We also had the mandatory lifeboat drill, which I’m happy to report no longer requires you to wear or bring your life jacket with you.
In addition to the suite, I also booked a cabana on deck 11 in an area they call the “Cabana Club.” This private area, where kids aren’t allowed, is a retreat away from the pool for those who really want to relax. We checked it out after the drill and were greeted with champagne and an assortment of fresh fruit. We enjoyed the sail away from this vantage point before returning to our suite to prepare for dinner.
Dinner the first night was in the ship’s main dining room, The Manhattan Room. The Nieuw Amsterdam has a New York theme and it’s carried out throughout the ship. The Manhattan Room had a lot of red in it. A lot, fitting for how my face would be after experiencing extremely poor service during our first night.
Once seated, we waited over 30 minutes for a waiter to come to our table to take our order and 45 minutes for a sommelier to arrive to take our drink order. After waiting long enough, I called over the head waiter to air my complaint and a sommelier made an appearance. I ordered a Pomegranate Martini and a ginger ale. After three minutes I was told they don’t have Pomegranate Martinis so I changed my order to a French Martini. Another three minutes went by and I was told they don’t have a French Martini either, so I said, “surprise me.”
The appetizers arrived before the drinks did.
One of the items on the menu that night was prime rib. I requested a large cut and was not let down. Aside from the very poor and inattentive service throughout the meal, the food was good. Not spectacular, but on par with what you would find in a regular restaurant on land.
After dinner, I retreated back to the suite as the sea sickness tablets and martinis created a match perfect for sleeping. Earlier in the day the captain announced that tonight we would experience Force 6 winds and moderate seas due to a cold front. I was awoken around 2am by the rolling seas. At one point when trying to access the bathroom, the pitching and rolling of the ship made it difficult to walk.
At 8am Monday morning, the captain made an announcement that due to 50-knot winds and 5 to 6-foot seas we would not be making our first port call at Half Moon Cay. He said that tendering operations would be too dangerous in the sea conditions, so we would enjoy a full day at sea arriving at our next port of call, Grand Turk at 8am Tuesday instead of noon.
Right now room service has arrived with my breakfast, so it’s time to start the day and enjoy the extra sea day complete with some gentle rocking and rolling as I gaze upon the white caps while scoffing down plenty of hickory smoked bacon.
Personal Day-By-Day Nieuw Amsterdam Cruise Review:
Photo Tour of the Nieuw Amsterdam:
No vacation would be complete without a ton of photos, right? For this particular cruise, I took a bunch of photos of the ship’s interior, pool areas, the stateroom itself, and more. Photos can be found in the Nieuw Amsterdam Photo Tour as well as in the day-by-day review of the cruise at the links above.