Some ships, when you step aboard, elicit gasps and exclamations of "wow." This ship elicits smiles and exclamations of, "how nice." If quiet attention to detail and peaceful elegance is your cup of tea, Holland America and the Nieuw Amsterdam will suit you down to the ground. The staff is everywhere, smiling and never failing to greet you and make you feel welcome, but never hovering or intruding. Their pride in what they do and where they do it is palpable; you get the sense that they love their jobs -- a very hard thing to fake, so kudos to Holland America.

We enjoyed our first experience on HAL and the size of the ship struck us as perfect. Not cavernous or glitzy, but pretty and spacious. We loved the art tucked into every corner and surprising us around every turn. Beautiful flower arrangements too. The entertainment was astonishingly varied and excellent -- really something for everyone, and at all hours.

And the food was to die for -- even the Dive Bar by the pool, serving the humblest of fare: hamburgers, hot dogs, fries. But what hamburgers, hot dogs and fries! Delicious, fresh and perfect. Just another pleasant surprise to discover. And there were many pleasant surprises. Again, it all comes down to attention to detail. The sparkling cleanliness, the extra precautions for safety and healthfulness, the lovely teas served in the afternoon, the layout that prevented the classical musicians in one lounge from being overpowered by the ship's band in another -- how they managed to offer so many choices of entertainment without one interfering with another was masterful. There are so many things to love about this ship, we really don't know where to begin. Can't thank HAL enough for a true dream vacation.