I write this as an upper 30s guy with more than 40 cruises under my belt. I am happy to try new cruise lines, especially when the itinerary is right. And that is exactly why I chose this cruise on Nieuw Amsterdam. It had the best Mediterranean itinerary I could find.

The first impression was not good. The Venice terminal was very hot. It was 80 degrees outside, but they did not run the AC inside. It would not have been so bad had the cruise staff supplied water and/or snacks to the waiting guests. Most cruise lines at most embarkation ports do this.

The ship was mostly pretty and very well kept. Our room, Superior Suite 6088, was very impressive. I loved the separate tub and shower and large, comfortable room. My one gripe is the lack of interactive TVs. How is it that the newest ship of a major cruise line does not have them? This meant we could not check our statement, easily order room service, or any of the other luxuries included with this system on other cruise lines. HAL is way behind the curve with this. Read more