Our group of 17 had a delightful cruise aboard the Nieuw Amsterdam last week. 

The ship was very clean and well maintained. I had been on her before and knew I was a fan, and this trip confirmed it. Easy layout and just the right size. There are some places with wear, but nothing major (the old carpet in the spa area comes to mind). The ship was less than half full, and boy does this spoil you! So many empty chairs, restaurants, elevators, and spaces. I definitely feel for the bruised industry and hope it rebounds quickly, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy that aspect.

Food: The food was wonderful, and I had many in my group remark how good it was overall, the entire week. The lido was consistently good but got a little repetitive, which is the case in most ship buffets. We dined in the MDR twice (good), Pinnacle Grill twice (great), Tamarind twice (very good), and Canaletto once (outstanding). I was actually a little surprised at how good Canaletto was- my table partook in the family style method, and all 5 appetizers and 6 entrees I tasted were truly great. The only negative I found with Canaletto were the desserts: not bad, just not as good as the other specialty restaurants. Room service was solid for simple sandwiches, and NY Pizza and Dive In were both great. I never did the MDR for breakfast or lunch, so I cannot comment on that. Read more