Nieuw Amsterdam is beginning to show its age. The ship and crew were great, but the programs and entertainment were not well planned. One evening the entertainment on the main stage was Top Gun Maverick! Shown twice! That movie is playing on the pool deck of other cruise lines. If you are looking for a sedate vacation--this is the cruise for you. If you want excitement and a variety of nightlife opportunities, look elsewhere. If you like country music--avoid this cruise.
Embarkation
4 out of 5
Generally good. The line to get through security was excessively long and there were delays in actually getting up the gangway to the ship. It could be smoother with less standing around and waiting.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
4 out of 5
The main dining room and the bars were great. Mostly efficient and quick as meeting the needs for adult beverages. The bars usually had sufficient wait staff for the tables. The Lido Deck dining area is the only one open during embarkation and it was grossly overloaded. We ate at the Pinnacle Grill one night and it is not worth the extra money. The service was slow and there seemed to be an up-charge for almost everything.
Onboard Activities
2 out of 5
The pools are just basic pools--nothing special. There aren no rock climbing walls or wave riders. The fitness center is a basic fitness center--adequate but nothing really special except for the fantastic view.
Entertainment
2 out of 5
The BB King Club has the best musicians. There were no stage shows. The guest comedian, Orlando Brown, was very good, but the pianists apparently were classical musicians trying to play pop and rock songs and they just played the songs.
Children's Programs
We did not travel with children.
Service and Staff
5 out of 5
The service was excellent from every area. The room stewards were attentive and did a great job. Our table waiters were excellent and rapidly learned our dining desires in terms of flow and timing for the courses and the wines. I especially was impressed with the sommeliers aboard how made excellent wine pairing recommendations and conducted two fantastic wine tastings. Room service was solid with only a few miscues, but they were quickly corrected. Communication from the Captain and Cruise Director was excellent!
Ship Quality
4 out of 5
Very clean and easy to navigate the ship. There are plenty of elevators and the maps near every elevator bank make it easy to get around the ship.
Cabin / Stateroom
5 out of 5
It was a typical ship stateroom. Tight, but there was enough room for everything. The balcony was great. The room was always clean. Being near the elevators was actually very nice, unlike on some other ships upon which we have sailed.
Ship tip
Everyone on the crew always had a smile and a greeting , but If you are looking for shows and vibrant nightlife, this is NOT the ship for you.
A nice day on the beach in the sun. There are a lot of activities but be prepared, nearly everything has an uncharge and the drink package does not apply on the island. Did not do an excursion.
We did the horse riding excursion in the Caribbean Sea. Had a great time. Shopping was good. It was a very nice stop and we were off the ship for nearly the entire port call.
We went to Cemetery Beach, part of the Seven Mile Beach. We found adequate snorkeling and enjoyed the beach life. Cemetery Beach, however, does not have any amenities and that means no chairs, umbrellas, or food.
Cozumel is a classic cruise port town. There were five other cruise ships in port the day we were there. We did not go on an excursion, but did enjoy lunch at Margaritaville, which we highly recommend.
The best ever. Once our number was called we never stopped moving forward until we had cleared customs and boarded our ride to get our car. Smooth and efficient.
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