Holland America Nieuw Amsterdam Review And Unique Itinerary

Embarking on a cruise is more than just a getaway; it’s an opportunity to explore new horizons. Holland America Nieuw Amsterdam offers Alaska itineraries in summer, and Cruises to the Caribbean, Hawaii, and Mexico in winter.

We booked a 14-day cruise itinerary for its unique ports and roundtrip voyage out of our home city of Vancouver.  We were surprised how many guests chose this particular cruise because of its Kodiak Island stop. Its unique itinerary is only offered by HAL twice a year.

It was Brian’s first cruise to Alaska with Holland America, although I cruised the Noordam a year before. I found many similar venues and deck layouts, even though they are different class ships. We found the mid-sized vessel easy to navigate, with great Alaska-based programs and exceptional food.

Overview Of Holland America Nieuw Amsterdam

The Nieuw Amsterdam represents Holland America Line’s commitment to elegant cruising. The ship has a traditional décor that is timeless.

Her public spaces never felt crowded, activities varied to cover most interests, and food included what we expect of Alaska – plenty of seafood.

Signature Features

This Signature Class ship debuted in July 2010 has a New York City-inspired design and thoughtful art collection. Her NYC décor is easy to spot, from the giant apple by the deck 2 atrium elevators to the New York skyline artwork. Fresh flowers are a signature feature of Holland America vessels, and this was no different on the Nieuw Amsterdam.

Guests can enjoy a full promenade deck perfect for leisurely walks or jogging while taking ocean views. This deck was used for their signature “On Deck for a Cause,” an optional walking event that raises money for a worthy cause.

The ship features multiple dining venues, both inclusive and ones that charge a fee. We tried many venues and found the service exceptional and the food well-presented with great flavors.

Entertainment options include live music performances, theatrical productions, and enrichment programs. Holland America’s music program in the Billboard Onboard and Rolling Stone Lounge was good.

Dining Experiences

The Nieuw Amsterdam offers eight distinct dining venues; some inclusive and others that charge an additional fee.

Main Dining Venues

The Dining Room on decks 2 and 3 is the primary dining spot. It offers breakfast, lunch, and dinner. One level provides a set dining time, while the other is anytime.

We had anytime dining and tables for two filled up quickly. One of the highlights of cruising with Holland America is their “Taste Alaska” program, where there are daily offers of fresh salmon and seafood.

The service, food presentation, and flavors were excellent for everything we tried. On some sea day afternoons, they offered afternoon tea. The elegant event included finger sandwiches, scones, and pastries on a classic tea tower.

An alternative to the sit-down restaurant is the Lido Market. The deck 9 buffet served a great selection of cuisine, and we liked that the food was served rather than being self-serve. Dinner hours are short, from 5:30 pm to 8 pm. Then it shuts down briefly, before offering a late dinner between 10:30 and 11:30 pm.

Since we were cruising in Alaska, a special “Seafood Broil” dinner was offered. For USD 35, it consisted of clam chowder, salmon, mussels, clams, shrimp, and triple berry crisp.

Dive-In, Explorations Café, New York Deli & Pizza, and room service provide other food options. Rooms service had two menus: one for breakfast, and the other for the rest of the day.

We were impressed with the room service menu, which included dishes from Dive-In and Pinnacle Grille. The one thing I really missed on this ship was the Grand Dutch Café, which I enjoyed on Holland America Koningsdam.

Specialty Restaurants

The Nieuw Amsterdam doesn’t have many specialty restaurants for a smaller vessel.

Pinnacle Grill – An upscale steakhouse offering premium cuts of beef and seafood dishes in an intimate setting. We ate lunch at the Pinnacle Grille on our first sea day.

The three-course meal was delicious and a bargain at just USD 25 + tax. The Jumbo Lump Crab Cakes were heavenly, and the Clothesline Candied Bacon is not to be missed.

For entrees, we chose our favorites. Brian had filet mignon, and I had lamb chops. We walked away overly full and satisfied.

Tamarind – Serves Pan-Asian cuisine with dishes representing China, Southeast Asia, and Japan. This was our favorite restaurant. We started with the satay sampler and shrimp tempura. Both were good, although the satay was a larger portion.

Thai basil Szechuan shrimp and Mongolian barbeque lamb chops followed with sides of Dungeness crab fried rice and boy choy with oyster sauce. All the dishes were good, but Brian ordered medium spice and found it had too much kick.

The mango posset and passion fruit cloud topped off our meal. Both our desserts were light and flavorful.

Morimoto By Sea – Adjacent to Tamarind, Morimoto serves sushi. Those dining in Tamarind have the option to order off the sushi bar menu too.

Canaletto – Focuses on family-style Italian dining with shareable plates and traditional favorites. It’s found in a section of the Lido Market.

Onboard Activities And Entertainment

The Nieuw Amsterdam offers diverse activities and entertainment options catering to all ages and interests. The ship has a decent-sized library for those who like to read.

Billboard Onboard And Rolling Stone Lounge

These music venues represent the heart of Nieuw Amsterdam’s nightlife, and we enjoyed both. Billboard Onboard features pianists performing chart-topping hits from across the decades.

They were a miss for us. Their voices, piano skills, and rapport didn’t match the experience on my previous Noordam Alaska cruise.

The Rolling Stone Lounge offers a more rock-oriented experience with live bands playing classic rock hits in an intimate setting. My husband couldn’t get enough of the music there. For those who love to dance, this was the spot to hit up nightly.

World Stage Shows

World Stage, the ship’s main theater, spans three decks and has plenty of seating for even popular shows. It was refreshing to arrive late and still get a seat.

It hosted a variety of productions from the Step One Dance Company and Evolution Motown to talks about Alaska. We attended many Alaska talks on wildlife spotting, the Gentle Giants, and the Alaska Up Close series. The talks on Alaska were excellent.

The Step One Dance Company performed four shows. Of the four, Musicology and Humanity were the best. Contrasting typical cruise ship production shows that feature vocals and dance moves, these only have dancing with background visuals.

Other shows included a few comedians, a magician, and Les Lankhorst, a crooner – who was a miss.

Crow’s Nest

At the bow on deck 11, the Crow’s Nest was a premium spot for Glacier Bay viewing with its large windows, comfy seating, and coffee shop.

Its games and puzzle selection impressed us, and guests were always participating. We stopped by a few times to play crib or work on an ongoing puzzle.

A room off the Crow’s Nest hosted art classes. These were surprisingly popular. Watercolor painting, origami, and other crafts took place there.

Bars And Lounges

There are 11 bars and lounges on this mid-sized vessel. The Pinnacle Bar and Ocean Bar were the most popular for our Alaska cruise. The latter hosted a happy hour, where guests could purchase drinks for 50% off.

I liked the fish-shaped bar stools at the Lido Bar, replicas of the ones on the Noordam.

Kids Club

Holland America Cruise Line doesn’t generally attract families with small children. On our cruise, the number of children was in the single digits.

However, they have a dedicated children’s area. Divided into age groups, the areas provide crafts, video games, and age-appropriate activities.

We were impressed with the “Survivor-type” games in the High Score area, which opened daily to all ages between 6 and 9:45 pm. We visited a few nights and played Skee ball, air hockey, and pinball.

Pool And Relaxation

The Nieuw Amsterdam’s Lido pool area and spa make it an ideal vessel for Alaska.

The Greenhouse Spa & Salon

The Greenhouse Spa & Salon provides a tranquil retreat, with options to purchase treatments, such as hot stone massages and pedicures.

A highlight of the spa is the thermal suite featuring a hydrotherapy pool and heated tile loungers. For our 14-day cruise, thermal passes were USD 399 for the entire cruise. Day passes were only available if the whole 100 passes weren’t sold.

Guests not wanting to buy a thermal pass can access a large complimentary sauna.

Fitness Center Facilities

Adjacent to the spa area, the fitness center provides modern equipment for maintaining workout routines at sea. My husband used the treadmills and cardiovascular machines almost daily. He was thrilled he never had to wait for equipment.

Specialized fitness and spinning classes, including yoga, Pilates, and high-intensity interval training, were available for an extra fee.

Outside of the fitness center, the wrap-around Promenade Deck is great for walking and doing the “On Deck for a Cause.” The ship also features a pickleball court—an amenity we tried but still need lots of practice.

Lido Deck Pools

The Lido Deck features two swimming pools and several hot tubs. Due to the cool weather in early May, the aft pool was never used.

The main pool was bustling on embarkation day, when the weather was warm. After we sailed out of Vancouver, the retractable roof was closed and remained that way for the balance of the voyage.

Above the Lido deck, the retreat area houses cabanas that are available to rent. Some of these were rented for our day in Glacier Bay.

Staterooms

Holland America’s Nieuw Amsterdam offers diverse accommodations designed to suit every budget. All staterooms, from cozy interiors to luxurious suites, include the signature Mariner’s Dream beds for optimal comfort.

Our Inside Cabin

We booked an Inside cabin on deck 8 or the Navigation Deck. Our windowless accommodation had ample storage, three closets, a small desk, an adjustable height table, a mini-fridge, and a flat screen TV.

We found the bed very comfortable and the pillows quite good. Beds come with one soft and one firmer pillow, which suits most passengers. Though compact and lacking a couch, we felt we had enough space without feeling cramped. Some of the highlights included:

• Under the bedside table motion sensor nightlights.
• Bathroom with premium toiletries.
• Two hanging hooks in the cabin.
• Four USB plugs – two by the bed and the others at the desk.

The bathroom is standard, with a shower (and a curtain), enough storage for two, and spa products. Women will appreciate the separate hair conditioner.

One of the biggest surprises was the extensive movie selection, including many new releases. They had so many, it took ages to browse them all, but we liked that we could find and add ones to our favorites to watch later.

Oceanview And Verandas

The Oceanview staterooms on Nieuw Amsterdam provide natural light through windows, while Veranda cabins feature private balconies perfect for enjoying ocean views.

Verandas have French doors to the outside instead of sliding doors found on the competition. Balconies include seating for two.

Suite Categories

The suite accommodations on Nieuw Amsterdam deliver premium experiences and exclusive perks. Suite benefits include priority embarkation and disembarkation, complimentary laundry, concierge service, and access to dine in Orange.

On larger vessels, Orange is a separate restaurant. On the Nieuw Amsterdam, Orange guests dined in the main dining room and had the same menu with one extra item.

The Signature Suites offer approximately 400 square feet, large verandas, and separate seating areas. Neptune Suites expand to nearly 500 square feet with additional amenities.

Our Alaska Itinerary

We chose this Alaska cruise for its roundtrip voyage from Vancouver, its longer length, and its unique ports of call. Our four sea days were divided across the itinerary.

Unique Ports

Along with regular stops, our ship visited Anchorage, Kodiak, Valdez, and Wrangell, Alaska. Initially, the itinerary included Homer but was switched to Sitka. We were most excited about our visit to Kodiak Island.

Glacier Bay National Park

The day spent scenic cruising in Glacier Bay National Park was a highlight of our Alaska experience. Park rangers boarded our ship to provide naturalist commentary throughout the day.

I visited the UNESCO World Heritage Site two weeks earlier and was astounded at the landscape changes. My previous visit saw snow flurries and coastal mountains covered in snow. While only two weeks had passed, the scenery was looking less wintery.

The Nieuw Amsterdam’s spacious viewing decks and Crow’s Nest provided ideal vantage points. During our stop at the majestic Margerie Glacier, staff handed out cups of Dutch pea soup. I always look forward to this tasty treat and never turn down seconds!

Our Shore Excursion Highlights

We decided to plan this trip differently since we visit Alaska several times a year. So, we reserved rental cars in three separate ports. It was our first time renting through Turo, and it was a great experience.

We could access Fortress of the Bear and Herring Cove Trail in Sitka, Fort Abercrombie in Kodiak, and the Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center in Anchorage by having a vehicle. Without an organized tour, we could stay as long as we liked. Plus, we could pack in other activities and stops to match our interests.

The highlight of our trip was the 6-hour cruise to Columbia Glacier in Valdez. It reminded me of the 26 Glacier Cruise I had taken the year before out of Whittier.

Scenic views, snow-capped mountains, glacier calving, and marine wildlife. Need I say more? Taking a small boat cruise to a glacier offers a contrasting experience to viewing from a cruise ship. Small vessels get closer to ice and wildlife, providing the National Geographic experience seen on TV.

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