Nieuw Amsterdam Review
4.5 / 5.0
Excellent service. Great food. Lovely cabin. Terrific ports!
Review for the Southern Caribbean Cruise on Nieuw Amsterdam
russianrex
6-10 Cruises • Age 50s
Rating by category
Cabin
Value for Money
Embarkation
Dining
Public Rooms
Entertainment
Fitness & Recreation
Service
Additional details
Sail Date: Jan 2017
Cabin: Deluxe Ocean-View Verandah Stateroom
We (a 48 year old couple) have recently returned from our second HAL cruise (the first being on 22 day Mediterranean cruise 18 months ago). This current cruise was a “Collector’s Voyage consisting of an 11 night & 10 night back to back cruise.
We have cruised primarily with Royal Caribbean (6 cruises), but also Princess (1) and Celebrity (1).
The service on HAL is a class above most of the other cruise lines we have experienced. They seem to have a higher staff ratio when it comes to dining and bar staff, and the service is also fast and efficient.
Cabin Review
Deluxe Ocean-View Verandah Stateroom
Cabin VB
We stayed in an Aft Balcony cabin (7143) which was brilliant. Due to its positioning on the ship, the cabin is approximately 2 metres longer than standard, and the balcony is also oversized. As always, the room was spotlessly clean, spacious and had more than adequate storage. Our 2 large suitcases were easily stowed under the bed, and the hanging and cupboard space was far more than we ever required.
The location of the cabin was perfect for us as it had a great view of the ships wake, and there was little noise or movement. The oversized balcony was very much appreciated.
Our cabin steward Dhana was wonderful. He was always there with a hello and a smile, and nothing was ever too much trouble – so warm and friendly.
Port Reviews
St. Maarten
Walked to Great Bay Beach. (10 mins from ship). Hired a beach umbrella, loungers for $25 which included 5 beers and free wifi. Nice beach, and plenty of local shops/market stalls close by.
St. Lucia
Caught a taxi to Pigeon Island ($40 return trip) for a great day of scenic walking and then a swim at the beach. Lovely spot.
Barbados
Caught a $5pp mini bus to The Boatyard at Carlisle Bay. $20 entrance fee includes sun loungers, umbrella, free drink, wifi, snorkel tour, swing ropes etc, and return ship transfer. We snorkelled with countless turtles right off the beach!!!! AMAZING SPOT!
Martinique
Just walked around the town
Antigua
Caught a $6 pp taxi to Dickenson Bay Beach. Lovely water. Nice beach.
St. Thomas
Caught a ferry ($15 pp round trip) from Crown Bay Marina to Honeymoon Beach, Water Island. This beach is STUNNING! Plenty of turtles feeding on the sea grasses. Free use of loungers and umbrellas at Dingy's Bar when you purchase food/drinks.
Postcard perfect!
Half Moon Cay
AMAZING beach! WOW! This has to be one of the most beautiful beaches we have ever experienced! Amazing turquoise waters, powdery white sand, expansive shoreline. Just breathtaking!!!
Grand Turk
Lovely beach (Sun Ray beach) right at the dock. Free sun loungers and umbrellas provided. Turquoise water. Very pretty.
Amber Cove (Puerto Plata)
We booked a private excursion to the 27 Waterfalls through Iguana Mamas. Amazing day for the adventurous jumping off waterfalls and swimming through canyons! Fantastic!
Bonaire
Caught the water taxi ($15pp round trip) to Klein Bonaire. A great day of sun, sand and snorkelling. Not many people and a lovely spot.
Curacao
Lovely architecture. We wandered around the town exploring shops and markets. The bridge is unique and was worthy of a few photos when opening. Looked beautiful by night.
Aruba
Caught the local bus ($5pp round trip) up to the Lighthouse. Swam and snorkelled at the beach just next to this. Lovely spot, and far less crowded than Eagle and Palm Beach. Amazing water/beaches in Aruba!!
Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades)
We just caught an Uber to do some shopping on our turnaround day before reboarding the ship for the next half of the cruise.
7 Helpful Votes
Find a Nieuw Amsterdam Cruise from $323
Get special cruise deals, expert advice, insider tips and more.By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.