Second lifetime cruise for me and my 4 yr old (our first cruise was Alaska two years ago aboard the Westerdam with him, my 7 yr old and my father for his 80th birthday), first cruise for my 9 yr old daughter. My awesome wife can only handle one kid on vacation at a time, meaning our 7 yr old drew the Europe straw with her this past week, leaving me, my oldest and youngest to go exploring the western Caribbean. I went budget this time (compared to the Westerdam), reserving an ocean view cabin (instead of a verandah, or as they are termed on the Rotterdam, a suite), and choosing to sail out of Tampa - a relatively easy drive from Atlanta at any time other than the start of spring break. The kids absolutely loved the OV window, and I didn't have to stress with my four year old toddling up on a deck table to look over the balcony (as he did on the Westerdam). Two big reasons I'm a fan of HA: every ship in their fleet appears to have a basketball court on the top deck, and every ship has a teak wood deck on their promenade level, which gives them a "classic" ship feel (not unlike WWII era battleships like the USS North Carolina or Missouri). We stayed at the Barrymore Hotel the night before next to the Straz Performing Arts Center, and reserved parking at the Skyhouse Garage - $56 for the week, a half mile tops from the HA terminal. We were able to take our time visiting the Florida Aquarium the morning of the cruise and eat lunch there, before walking back to the garage, grabbing our luggage, and wandering to the terminal for boarding. I've only done this twice - in Seattle and in Tampa - and to me, Tampa seemed like a big spacious terminal, and our embarkation was incredibly fast and easy. Enjoyed sailing down the Hillsborough River. Didn't eat a single meal other than at the Lido (we did the first night dinner on the Alaska cruise when my two younger kids were 2 and 5, and it was way too long and late for them; have never eaten anywhere other than the Lido since). There's enough variety with each meal - 3-4 appetizers, 4-5 entrees, 3-4 desserts, with made to order salads and pastas - and the menus vary enough that even if you eat every single meal there, you can go an entire cruise week without eating the same thing twice. First stop was in Key West, and because I hadn't yet bothered with Club HAL (it had been a bust on the Alaska cruise with my two kids being two of only five kids in the club) and had assumed I would have to do excursions with a 9 and 4 yr old, I booked events geared to the lowest common denominator - my 4 year old. We did the Land and Sea tour - an hour on a trolley train sightseeing Key West, followed by a two hour glass bottom boat cruise - which turned out to be a hit, since my whale loving 4 year old (which ironically took root two years ago on the Westerdam) got to see a pod of 6-8 dolphins up close just goofing off - which apparently does not happen often. Key West harbor was the least charismatic of any of the ones we visited - we had to go through the Truman Naval Base to get to town and got searched on the way back in - but even the least interesting harbor visit beats the best day in an office. NCAA basketball championship was that night, but since HA doesn't get TBS, I'd resigned myself to missing it for the first time in 40 years. So, imagine my surprise when I flipped on the ESPN Internat'l Channel that the boat does carry - and hearing Dick Vitale doing color for the game (which ironically, turned out to be a dud unless you're from Philly). I always dig the "at sea" portion of cruises - much boat exploring, much time spent in the ship's well-appointed Explorations Cafe (found an encyclopedia about ships which kept my four year old entertained and quiet while I taught my daughter how to play chess), and of course much time spent in the main pool with my kids mid-ship . . . Roatan was okay - the only I thing I booked for us that day was the "Magical Flying Beach Chair" which was just a ski lift from the pier to the beach - but which kids will love. The walk would've been nice too. Spent the entire day with my kids on the beach - ample equipment for rent - snorkels and floats - but cannot claim to have done anything truly "Honduran." Santo Tomas, Guatemala was memorable. Booked the Ak-Tenamit/Livingston river cruise - long boat ride up the bay and into the river, but it was worth it. I'm not a birder, but the river was dominated by water fowl everywhere. The Ak-Tenamit settlement, which included a visit to a local school with students was a hit with my nine-year old. Had a good lunch, though if I'd known how bony the fish would be, I'd have ordered the chicken. River ride out was also good; the ride back was broken up with a stop at the town of Livingston - with two kids, I never made it past their playground by the dock. The Santo Tomas harbor is a real life working harbor, and we were mesmerized watching containers being loaded and unloaded off of 18 wheelers before sailing off. What I will always remember about Costa Maya was the water clarity. The "harbor" there, is just a concrete walkway in the shape of a "T" - when we arrived, the Norwegian Pearl and I think Rhapsody of the Seas were already backed into the dock. The port area is easily the most well furnished. Would have liked to have done a beach, but with two small kids, I ended up rewarding them with a visit to the water park - which they both loved. Sea day back was relaxing - my daughter discovered Club HAL and asked if she could go - and both my kids ended up in the 9-11:30 am and 1-4 pm sessions. It was almost weird having an unexpected day to myself like that - so I did what any kidless dude in that situation would do - went to aft deck smoking area, found a chair in the shade, and lit up a big fat stogie . . . We arrived back in Tampa early the next morning - we ordered room service for 6 am, which turned out to be the right call - even though we were slotted for an 8:15 "expedited" disembarkation, the Captain released us an hour early - we were literally on the road home by 8:15 am - we got to the Fla Turnpike and I-75 so early, that for the first time I can remember, we didn't even have to stop . . . Shout out to Teguh and Anita for keeping our cabin clean, to the tall, brunette Guest Relations officer who found my kid after he ran off exploring the ship's elevators, and to the Lido dining staff who for the most part, actually seemed to enjoy my kids. Read Less

Chose this cruise because of time of year I can vacation and amount of days that I can do. Let's start with embarkation,some of the fastest that I have ever done and have done quite a few.Room was OK but small for a handicap room (8026). Room was well taken care of and any thing we needed was handed very promptly. The one thing that did not impress me was the food ,especially in the dining room . Only ate 2 nights ,but was not impressed at all. Food was cold and when it was sent back it came back cold again but the plate was so hot but it didn't change temperature of the food.Hope they do better on the other ships .It's pretty bad when the best meal of the day is breakfast. The food in the lido deck was very good and I like that they serve you your food ,Another thing I dont' understand is why people do not use the hand sanitizer that is furnished,not 100% guaranteed to help keep illness from taking over a cruise but it doesn't hurt. Read Less

We wanted just a little getaway with some sun and beaches. Amber Cove is nothing special, we took a catamaran snorkel tour instead. Not a huge variety of fishes, but plenty came when the guide feeded them with bread. I don´t want to jugde if this is ecological correct. St. Maarten still suffers from hurrican Irma but beach was ok. Just crowded when an excursion from the Allure of the Seas came to the same beach. If we had known this before we had choses a different location. Puerto Rico (San Juan) was interesting, good to do it on your own. Half Moon Cay is beautiful but we had to leave at 2:30 pm, way to early! It was the last cruise before drydock, your could see at a few places that the ship needs some repair but it was still ok. Service war good to very good (our steward ABA fulfilled wishes before we could tell him). We booked a VH guar and got an VB Aft Cabin, very nice! Cabin and Balcony are slightly bigger than average. Entertainment was good (Mainstage and B.B. King Club). Fitness Center has up to date equipment. Read Less

My friend and I chose Holland America hoping to to avoid Spring Breakers, a lot of children and a drinking party atmosphere. We were looking for a relaxing vacation with entertainment that would appeal to us. This was a perfect choice. The guests' ages appeared to be 30's - 70's and included a few families w/ well behaved children. It was a very nice diverse group of people and the service was extraordinary. The staff is friendly, always helpful and always professional. I have sailed on two other cruise lines and there is no comparison. Holland America is a class act. The entertainment was great with different types of music offered every day; the shows were wonderful too. Embarkation and disembarkation went smoothly as well. We paid a little more to have a veranda (balcony) and loved every minute we spent there - sipping our wine from the mini bar. My favorite excursion was to HA's private island in the Bahamas.The white sand beach is absolutely beautiful. I rode a horse on land and in the ocean w/ no problem and I'm 63. (Hadn't ridden one in many yrs). If you want a wonderful vacation, choose Holland America! Only one hint/complaint..... bring a sweater to wear in the room where the shows take place. It is very chilly in there! Read Less

We took this 11 day cruise because of excellent experience on the Westerdam a few years ago. This was our "bucket list" trip through part of the Panama Canal. Unfortunately, this is one of the oldest ships in the HA fleet and most passengers complained of the motion sickness which has never bothered us on several cruises before. We observed that by the end of the trip there were at least 20 passengers wearing leg braces due to falls. Remember this cruise caters to mostly 60+ passengers. Perhaps the stabilizers were not functioning properly, but the ship constantly swayed so much that it caused the beds to actually twist while we were sleeping and the walls squeaked. This ship suffers from metal fatigue and many other shortcomings in spite of a muti-million dollar partial upgrade. Many corridors had dryers running the entire trip due to plumbing overflows. We were waiting to enter a theatre and water was dripping on us. We could not use the entire Promenade deck for a daily walk because part was always under maintenance. There have been many cutbacks since our last fabulous cruise with HA. For example, stop in Half Moon Cay was a full day now a half day, gone are the live bands on the pirate ship. No more champagne greeting when embarking except a glass of juice. Breakfast menu in the room cutback on the variety with charges for some items. Parade of staff in the dining room - gone. Lower quality of entertainment overall although we enjoined a few entertainers in the theatre very much. The 10th floor entertainment lounge gone and converted to a high pitch sales lounge for future cruises. There are many more shortcomings which are too numerous to mention. Food quality and variety was generally very good. It seems HA charges for just about everything extra. All the shops on board are boring strictly jewelry and clothing mostly for women. The Microsoft courses were excellent. I should mention we were charged $130US extra after disembarkation when we arrived home. HA accused us of taking the bath robes and towels that were left in the bathroom. It took almost 8 weeks and 3 calls before we were reimbursed. Apparently, this is not an uncommon practice these days. We recommend if you insist on taking HA cruise don't go use this ship. It should be sold off. Read Less

Wanted a relaxing cruise with family for Spring Break- got it! But very disappointed with boat and selection of activities on it. Boat is very old and needs updating. They still have bathtubs in the showers! All food is served from a buffet line, but you have to ask for them to put things on your plate, different from other ships where you can just get your own amounts of whatever you want. The main dining room was nice and servers were great, but food selection was a little unusual. If you like to eat duck and try new dishes you’ve never heard of, then the main dining room is for you. We found the food to be bland almost every night. The boat is very old, about 30 years, and does not have a huge atrium like other boats. There are a couple of little shops. The casino is very small, with only three $1 slot machines, three 25 cent slot machines, a few tables, and about 20 penny slots. The staff is very nice with all workers being very polite, but do not go above and beyond. The ship also has issues with plumbing. There were several announcements made about plumbing issues to everyone on the boat. Be prepared to have to call the front desk for a plumber to visit your room! The cruise director always says “let’s rock it until we dock it”, but not many activities are planned. Some activities included the art of flower arranging, movies, talks with port info, trivia, and art auctions. Many young people on the boat went to trivia to do something fun. We are used to having drinks of the day specials and a little send off party when we leave the port, but there was nothing like that on this boat. When we went into other ports and other cruise ships were there, they had music playing, but our ship was silent. People say that Holland America cruise line is mostly for older retired people, and we did find this to be true. So in conclusion, go on this boat if you like a nice relaxing time on a small ship, but avoid it if you are younger or traveling with family because there is not much to do. Read Less

This was our third cruise with Holland America. Previous cruises were aboard Maasdam and Noordam, smaller ships than the Nieuw Amsterdam. The ship still felt like a perfect size. We never felt crowded except for occasional moments when embarking or disembarking at ports. The recent upgrades were lovely. We love the elegance that we see on Holland America ships. Lots of people have made negative comments on the new Crow’s Nest area but I still felt there were plenty of areas for people to sit and gather. I loved the EXC lounge where the guides gave talks on ports and general interest for our cruise region. The ship was always clean and easy to navigate. The food options were great. We dined at the Pinnacle Grill our first evening and thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It wasn’t crowded so provided a romantic ambience. We ate breakfast once at the Lido Market (buffet) and it was enjoyable. All dinners were in the Dining Room. We loved the 8pm set seating. So nice to just walk in to your table and get to know the staff. Port days we ate lunch off ship but enjoyed the Dive In burger bar or New York Pizza if we were aboard. Read Less

For my wife and me, this was our 24th cruise (8th on a Holland America ship). BE FOREWARNED --- if internet access is important to you, you need to choose another cruise line or be prepared to deal with HORRIBLE (virtually non-existent) Wi-Fi service. We had also been on the Nieuw Amsterdam several years ago, and the internet access was much better even back then. Every other cruise line used by us (e.g. Royal Caribbean and Princess) has been far better at providing Wi-Fi Service. The only other practical option for internet access on this ship was to wait for a port call and go to places there that offer Wi-Fi service. In some ports you can use the $10 per day cellular service international packages (e.g. Verizon and AT&T), and get good internet access that way, and also then make any desired telephone calls. But, don’t count on anything in this regard on this ship. Since we highly rely upon internet access, we will not be cruising with Holland America again until they get this problem solved. The people at guest services were nice, and they admitted the problem. But, they said that they were unable to do anything about it. We left about 600 unused minutes (for which we prepaid and were not reimbursed) because lack of service made that available internet time totally useless. ALSO, the ship only had two computers for use by passengers --- and these are buried down across from guest services on Deck 1. Previously, the ship had a number of computers up in the Explorations Café. Those are no longer there. This factor (combined with the poor internet service) resulted in lines at those two computers the day before return as many passengers needed to print out boarding passes for their flights back home. Otherwise, our cruise was a positive experience. The ship was renovated over the winter, and this favorably shows. Virtually everything looks new. Compared to our last cruise on this ship, it seems like the crew had been given a “pep-talk” about being nicer to passengers. Every member of the crew/staff was friendly and engaging --- and they always did their utmost to assist. Here are some specifics that might be helpful: 1. Cabin --- Consider a Signature Suite. In our view, these are a bargain. There is plenty of room (with a large balcony) and the bathroom has two sinks with a whirlpool tub and separate shower. There are multiple electrical outlets with multiple separate USB ports for charging portable IT devices. There are two desk areas (one that I used as an “office” and the other that my wife used as a “vanity/make-up area”). There is so much available storage that about half of it we did not even use. The large wall-mounted LED TV screen is great compared to the desk top TV’s previously provided. We were impressed with the soundproofing of the cabin. Little, if anything, could ever be heard from other cabins (adjoining, above or below). In the past, we have had to wait until mid-afternoon to get access to our cabins. More recently, cruise lines have been providing immediate access upon boarding (which is nice). We boarded around noon, and our room was immediately available for us, with our luggage getting to our room within an hour after that. 2. Pools --- There are fresh water rather than salt water (which is a major plus in our opinion). The main pool has a retractable roof. If it is raining or too cold, the roof can be entirely or partially closed. So, the main pool is usable at just about all times. One problem concerns the deck at the main pool. It is brown vinyl that burns bare feet when the hot sun is shining on it. There were plenty of available towels on deck (without any special check out process). We really did not have much of a problem finding available lounges. However, passengers seem to be adopting a new approach to things. If someone has not used a lounge for a while, a passenger “in need” just uses it anyway and prepares himself or herself to apologetically move if the original “stakeout” user returns (which often is many hours later). The ship now has drape-surrounded “cabanas” on the main pool deck on one side of the pool, which cabana areas are rented out for a reasonable daily charge. If you have a family that wants something like that as a “home base” then those can be useful. But, there is not much ventilation in these cabanas, so they can get too hot/uncomfortable to use. Attendants did provide fans to set up in the cabanas to help make things more comfortable for those using them. 3. Dining --- We had, and like, fixed time dining at an assigned table. Being served by (and getting to better know) the same waiters prompts those waiters to do a “little more” for you. On a couple of evenings, we mixed things up and dined (later than our fixed dining time) at two of the specialty restaurants. Each (the Pinnacle Grill for steaks and Canelleto’s for Italian) were outstanding. Overall, we find that the food on Holland America ships are the best (as compared to other cruise lines that we have used). The breakfast buffet on the Lido Deck has most of the usual food choices, but also adds special stations for preparation (while you watch) of: i) omelets and eggs to order; and ii) pancakes, crepes or Belgian waffles. We never found ourselves waiting in a line of more than a few people, which is one of the special values of a mid-size ship (with less passengers) as opposed to the mega-ships. 4. Ports of Call --- Both San Juan (Puerto Rico) and St. Thomas appear to have recovered pretty well from the hurricanes of last fall. We had been to both ports on previous cruises, and we really did not notice much difference from those previous times. We like the wide array of shopping and restaurants closely available in each of these ports, as opposed to ports at smaller places. Half Moon Cay is the best private island facility of all of the cruise lines that we have used (great beach). There really is no meaningful shopping there. This cruise did not give sufficient time to really enjoy this stop. This is especially the case since the tendering process from ship to shore takes a fair amount of time. Since we had to be back on board by 2:30 p.m., most passengers were returning shortly after the lunch barbeque. Put another way, a good sunny “beach day” was wasted. At Turks and Caicos, the Margaritaville near the pier there is great (nice pool --- much bigger than the one in Falmouth, Jamaica which is also near the pier there). 5. Excursions --- We had (multiple times) previously been to each of the ports of call. There was hardly any offered shore excursion that we had not done in the past. Any of them (depending upon a person’s special interest) we could recommend. So, under the circumstances, we just went into town and casually walked/shopped, and stopped at some interesting cafes or restaurants for a drink and a snack (AND TO USE WIFI THAT WAS HORRIBLE ON THE SHIP). This made this cruise actually one of the more relaxing ones that we have had. Simply put, we did very little and enjoyed it. 6. Spa --- My wife and her sister (who accompanied us on this cruise with her husband) especially enjoyed the spa. For a reasonable weekly charge they had access to all of the facilities there (e.g. heated ceramic lounges, saunas and a hydra pool), and they used them often. Each booked a couple of treatments (for which there were special discounts), and they were pleased with them. 7. Miscellaneous ---- Walkie-talkies. As mentioned above, we had others that accompanied us on this cruise. To communicate with each other, we used small hand held walkie-talkies and found them to be quite helpful. Good ones (e.g. with better than a 10 mile point-to-point range) worked to and from just about any point on the ship, in spite of all of the metal and walls. While the ship was anchored off of Half Moon Cay, those of us on shore could easily communicate that way with others that had stayed on the ship. Hotel shuttles. If you stay at a nearby hotel the night before embarking, we would encourage you to avoid using their hotel shuttle services. First, we are finding that the hotels now use a service that charges for that service in an amount that is almost as much as taking Uber or a taxi. Second, with these outside services, you can often end up in a large van or bus like we did this time. We were the only two people going to our ship and were the last one’s off of the bus. We had to wait and wait as each other ship terminal preceded our drop off. It took us over an hour to go from the hotel to our ship terminal. Others that chose to take Uber or cabs paid only $5 to $10 more than we did, and it took them around only 10 minutes to get to the terminal. So, use Uber or a taxi rather than the companies that provide shuttle service for the hotels. Formal nights. When we started “cruising” years ago, many people dressed in tuxedos/cocktail dresses for the formal nights. That is seldom done any more. Some people wore sport coats/dresses. But, the vast majority just wore what I would label as sport casual. So, nowadays, we would suggest that you save luggage space and leave your formal attire at home. Direct Luggage. At Port Everglades (for certain participating airlines), passengers are offered the ability (at $25 per person) to have their luggage “checked-in” on the ship. After attaching certain special “tagging”, you leave your luggage outside of your cabin the night before return --- the same way as everybody else does this. But, after that, you do not see your luggage again until you pick it up from the baggage claim at your final point of destination. It is nice to not have to mess with luggage through customs or at check in at the airport. We have used this service on several cruises now, and we have been pleased with it. Mobile Passport App. Port Everglades provides for the use of the Mobile Passport App on your smart phone for going through customs. This really speeds the process at disembarkation, and passengers should download this app and use it where available. Read Less

It has been a few years since I sailed on Holland America as friends have chosen Princess and family is now happier on Disney. First, let me say that the boarding process was very good and my room was ready when I boarded right around noon. The ship was spotless and the crew was among the best I have encountered in 20+ cruises. Why does this review say "very good" instead of "Excellent"? The fact is that at age 70 I am not content to sit around and vegetate when I really want activities and participation. Both of the aforementioned cruise lines seem to be better at making things happen as opposed to letting me sit and watch things. The shows were OK, but not great. The selection of entertainment was somewhat limited compared to the bigger ships I have been on but that is not always true for ships of this size. Even the comparable ships from other lines have multiple lounges and game areas. If I want to learn to play the Ukulele, or sing in a choir or make balloon animals or fold towels or try out the water slide or glide along the zip line, it's nice to have the choice to do so as opposed to listening to lectures or performances. There was not even a good dance band that I can think of. Food in the main dining room was very good as was the lido deck fare. The Holland private island is a great place and has to be included as part of the cruise experience although it is still a tender port wasting time compared to others. In short, love the ship and the staff, while to that pleased with the opportunities to have fun. For a cruise in the Mediterranean or Asia where the ports are historic and full of culture this would be an appropriate transport. For a week in the Caribbean I'd have to look at other options closely and weigh the benefits carefully. Read Less

We thought we'd done all the right research prior to booking our cruise, obviously not. The only thing that didn't make this a completely miserable experience was the Ports and the company we traveled with. We ar grieved a little early on embarking day, no big deal to sit and wait but we waited and waited and waited...the ship wasn't ready so we waited ... 4 hours. Once onboard we made our way to the Lido deck because our lunch this far had been from vending machines at the port. I don't mind being served food, I find it safer than a bunch of people reaching in a buffet, but you had to ask 2-3 times for "more" than 10 pieces of lettuce, etc. The. To the room, it was as expected as an overview if only you could see the ocean given the dirty window! I'm not talking about some salt water, it was completely filthy. The room itself was clean, old and one power outlet (we asked for a power strip) but bed was comfortable and room stewards were great- they were the ONLY great thing about this cruise!! We were detoured prior to departure to Amber Cove vs. Cap Cana...that was fine as well, because we were getting such a late start. Amber Cove was very nice and a lot of fun actually, just no beach or any excursions to be offered. Have a drink and sit by the pool. Now, back to the ship...nothing to do, NOTHING...unless you enjoy playing chess in the library or reading a book in the corner this is not for you. There were six of us, all early Fortys and we literally went to bed at nine every night because of boredom. You can only go to the casino so many times and heaven forbid you'd want to eat past seven....they shut food stations down early every single day. So off to the room to order room service and wait an hour. Oh, and pay for food from the Dive In because it's after their hours. Can't get a drink at any of the ship bars because there's no one working. Literally NOONE WORKING during daytime hours! So be prepared to go to the crows nest in the front of the ship after four for drinks, otherwise good luck! I'm not a fan of Holland as you can tell. This was our third cruise and I've never been more disappointed. First and last time sailing with Holland! Wish I had something good to say, but I don't. If you don't want activities and like to sit in your room, book on this ship. The people and ship are all miserable. Read Less