We have been on another Holland America cruise ship that went to Alaska and liked it so much we decided to take the Nieuw Amsterdam through the Panama Canal. It was exciting because this was the maiden voyage for the ship to pass through the canal! The service and staff was excellent. Our cabin steward was very attentive to us and took exceptional care to make us feel special. Our room was clean and comfortable. Holland America has this figured out to a "t". Their services think of everything we might need. We took numerous excursions and they were all well coordinated and informative. We were concerned about a 90 minutes bus ride to see the Mayan site, but it enabled us to see the countryside and culture of Guatamala. Our guide, Cora, was exceptional. She was open to our questions and was very knowledgeable. All of the other excursions were well worth the money we paid. We will definitely travel again with Holland America. Being a person who loves to learn about new cultures, this was an A Ticket ride!