Nieuw Amsterdam Review
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Three friends from childhood who graduated high school together in 1971 decided to take a girlfriend getaway on the beautiful Nieuw Amsterdam. I, a seasoned cruiser of 25--Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Carnival, Princess, Oceania, and Cunard--will tell the tale as I have something to compare it with.
Stayed at the Comfort Suites near the port and enjoyed the transportation both from the airport and to Port Everglades. We arrived quite early to the port and walked right up to check-in. Of course, it meant sitting in the terminal for a couple of hours, but that was kind of fun as we watched hundreds of passengers standing in the line and getting checked in. Excitement for all!
Overall impression of the ship: Just the right size, spotlessly clean, elegant understated décor. We were in a triple occupancy balcony cabin and once we found a spot for all our "stuff" (which was kind of a daunting task), we didn't feel crowded at all. Plenty of drawer space and closets. and don't forget HA provides drawers under the bed, too. Loved the bathroom with a tub, which made showering much more enjoyable than the typical tiny cruise ship showers.
Cabin Review
Deluxe Ocean-View Verandah Stateroom
Port Reviews
San Juan
Rainy! Bring sturdy shoes and a raincoat/hat. Beautiful lush vegetation and many waterfalls
Grand Turk
Only a few steps off the ship take you to the beach, shopping, and Margaritaville with it's huge swimming pool
St. Thomas
take you on the boat with several hundred people to a beach, and coming back provided a party atmosphere with steel drum band and dancing.
Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades)
easy embarkation
Half Moon Cay
A brief time riding a horse which was basically an opportunity for the tour operator to take pictures and try to sell them to you. You were not allowed to take your cameras.