Oosterdam Review

One change that Holland America-loyal cruisers might not be ready for is the removal of Oosterdam's library. This is part of a fleetwide trend that is replacing somewhat stuffy reading rooms by incorporating books, research materials and digital guides into a space called the EXC Lounge (EXC stands for Explorations Central), which is located on Deck 10 in the Crow's Nest. You'll still find crossword puzzles, games and novels, but also a greater focus on the ports and destinations, and what you can see and do there.

A high point on this ship is service, which is prompt and consistent. Whether the matter is room repair requests, dietary restrictions in the dining room or mingling with the talent onboard, interactions were positive and genuine. We saw the same smiling faces across different venues depending on the time of day, and we were always remembered and addressed like acquaintances. Little things like having a last-minute spa appointment accommodated or seeing the cruise director ashore, still greeting and interacting with passengers, gave the cruise the carefree vacation feeling that people crave when they board a ship. Unfortunately, one exception was in B.B. King's each night after the final set. The assistant cruise director doing the DJ-ing, refused to take requests and played music that quickly scared everyone off the dance floor.

What Holland America chooses to invest in, it succeeds at producing well. A night watching an episode of the documentary series "Planet Earth," accompanied by the Lincoln Center Stage musicians in the main theater is a treat and makes use of the cruise line's partnership with BBC Earth. Other partnership-based activities or attractions you might notice around the ship include Oprah's Book Club discussions, cooking classes with America's Test Kitchen and cocktails designed by renowned mixologist Dale DeGroff. These collaborations touch upon dining, entertainment and enrichment -- and, many times, they offer a combination.

The best part about the changes to Oosterdam, and the Holland America fleet overall, is that the concepts being introduced -- including the Music Walk -- work really well for cruisers who are already fans of the line, as well as first-time passengers. The upgrades are thoughtful and, rather than serve as a temporary jolt of energy to attract attention, the partnerships and enhancements feel more like a natural progression for a notoriously traditional line that's keeping up with the times.