To set the stage, I haven't sailed HAL in 4 years. In that time I have sailed with Princess, Royal Caribbean, and Celebrity. I am in my mid 50s anfpd have been cruising since I was a teen. This was a Mother - Daughter cruise. My parents graciously cruised with us when we were young and now it's my turn to return the favor. Mom has limited mobility, so we did not sample all the Nieuw Amsterdam had to offer.

The ship was in very good condition. It was extremely clean. The furniture, carpets, and furniture all looked good. The public restrooms were spotless. I really liked the cloth wash cloths.

We only ate in the main dining room the first night. It was much calmer and less chaotic than the other lines we have sailed. The waiter and his assistant were excellent. They asked us our names once and spoke to us by name after that. I saw one in the Lido several days later and he remembered my name. The MDR food was very good. I had the salmon and kale, Caesar salad, and key lime pie. The food was flavorful, not bland like has been recently reported. The key lime pie was very small, but the lemon sugar free dessert looked awesome. Read more