My DH has wanted to try a transatlantic. I was skeptical by the number of sea days (8) and that I would get bored. I loaded my Kindle up with lots of books in anticipation, and I did read 6 books on the 14 day cruise. But I was never bored. My husband and I opted for a balcony cabin and an inside cabin in front as we brought along our 19 year old niece. It was great to have the balcony cabin, which was a VE category. The L inside cabin was also very roomy, with just a shower and the bathroom was quite large.

My last two cruises were on the Eurodam, and I think I prefer the furniture and decoration on the Eurodam over the Nieuw Amsterdam. The Nieuw Amsterdam has a lot of leather, which sometimes feels cold. But it was still wonderful, and what always makes a HAL cruise for me are the staff. Our cabin attendants, Bayu and Kama, were amazing. They did everything we asked with a smile and a kind word. They greeted us each morning and before we went to bed, and they kept our cabins spotless.

There were not many young people on our cruise and almost no children. Our niece mostly hung out with us. In the afternoons, she went to a quiet outdoor area on deck 10 to admire the view and listen to music on her IPOD. Read more