candiosheill Cruise Review on Nieuw Amsterdam on Feb 17, 2019

Did you have kids with you onboard

@kellie5150, HAL is just short for Holland America.

We were on Nieuw Amsterdam last March. Loved it. We went during school vacation in Florida so there was a mixture of ages, but it is geared to older folks. We are in that category so we loved it. There’s not a lot to do during the day on the ship but that’s what the ports are for. My brother and his wife came with us so we played a lot of cards. (Phase 10, a great card game.) Our cabin steward was terrific. He called us by name every time he saw us and asked how the port days were and if we liked them. Our cabin was always spotless and we never had to ask for anything . The first day we told him we liked ice in our room and we had it everyday and night. We also had a problem with the toilet the first day. They came right away to fix it and never had another problem with it the rest of the cruise. The buffet staff were fantastic. Always smiling and friendly and ready to help. And loved the buffet. They also serve you and hardly any lines.The food in buffet and MDR was absolutely delicious. No need for specialty dining. We did have a problem with the dining room service being very slow between courses but not sure if it was because of my time dining. We always got in right away but then it took 2 hours or more for dinner. One night they didn’t have any tables available so they brought us to the set time dining room. Service was much faster. But the food was the same and just as delicious! Also don’t miss The Dive-In, it’s out by the pool. Hotdogs, hamburgs and French fries. Best hamburgs you’ll ever have. Also the pizza place is on the other side of the pool. Pizza made to order, and you get the whole pizza, not just a slice. They also have great Caesar salad. Oh, and out by the pool area there are no loud bands or DJ’s, just piped in music. So nice and relaxing. We loved it. We will definitely go back on Nieuw Amsterdam.

What is “HAL”? Looking forward to our first cruise next month!

Sounds like you had an amazing time.😊 I'm sailing on the Nieuw Amsterdam next month, first time with HAL, and am happy to hear how nice the ship was!