This was my 4th time cruising on the Nieuw Amsterdam, my 3rd back-to back on this ship, and my 21st cruise overall, 6 of which have been on HAL. I've also cruised on Royal Caribbean, Princess and NCL. I am certainly a big fan now of HAL and the Nieuw Amsterdam. Here's why:

Embarkation: Quick and easy. We arrived at the port at 10:30 a.m. and were on the ship at 11:30 a.m. Our room was clean and ready to access immediately upon boarding.

Our room: Category HH with a fully obstructed view. We have always booked a balcony or a suite, so, we were quite worried about booking this last minute obstructed view room. Much to our surprise, it was located in an excellent area of the ship with easy access to everything. We could see over the lifeboat which allowed a partial view of the ocean and the sky. We were so happy with the natural light and partial view, as this room was listed as "fully obstructed". We had plenty of storage and were able to put all of our suitcases under the bed. Our room steward kept our room very clean. Also, he was always smiling and willing to provide anything we needed. I laughed so hard when I read someone's review saying they would be "poisoned" if they were to put milk in the room's mini-refrigerator. OMG - - get your drinks and milk from the buffet or bar - - relax, you're on vacation. The room's refrigerator is really only there to provide another way for them to sell more booze. I simply ignore the fact that it's even in my room. Read more