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Item: Nieuw Statendam
Rating: 4.7
Author: GiftOfTheSea

Nieuw Statendam Cruise Review to Caribbean - Southern

GiftOfTheSea

Contributor Level: Third Mate

29 Days Till Next Cruise

Cruises: 2-3 cruises

Reviews: 3

Helpful Votes: 44

Overall rating:

4.7 out of 5

7 Night Southern Caribbean (Ft. Lauderdale Roundtrip)

Sail date: November 12, 2022

Ship: Nieuw Statendam

Cabin type: Suite

Cabin number: 4110

Traveled as: Couple

Reviewed: 1 year ago

Review summary

We had previously sailed with Princess, and while we had a great time, we knew there must be a cruise line that felt like a slightly better fit. We loved Holland America! It was a cut above Princess for us with food, entertainment, and enrichment programs. We appreciated the focus on the destinations over bingo and trivia. We loved connecting with like minded travelers, too. We’ve found our cruise line!

Embarkation

4 out of 5

Slightly disorganized. We were in Club Orange, and no real signs about priority embarkation. Had to ask, but eventually got settled.

Ship experiences

Food and Dining

5 out of 5

Honestly outstanding. Pinnacle Grill served the best Filet Mignon I’ve eaten in my 43 years. Tamarind also provided one of the most memorable and delicious meals of my life with their Crispy Duck. The Club Orange restaurant was wonderful, too, as were Grand Dutch, NY Deli and Pizza, and Dive-In. We did not try the buffet.

Grand Dutch Cafe

5 out of 5

One of our favorite places on board. Get the Apple Bacon Pannekoekk!

Club Orange

5 out of 5

Loved the smaller atmosphere for breakfast and dinner. Outstanding service and food.

Tamarind

5 out of 5

Such a memorable and delicious meal!

Pinnacle Grill

5 out of 5

Food was divine! Best filet mignon of my life.

New York Deli & Pizza

5 out of 5

One of the ships best kept secrets. Sandwiches are small, but wonderful. Pizza is very, very good, too!

Gelato

5 out of 5

Try the pistachio!!!

Explorations Cafe

5 out of 5

Really lovely venue for a coffee or drink with a view.

Dive In at the Terrace Grill

5 out of 5

Great burgers, fries, and hot dogs!

Onboard Activities

5 out of 5

We loved the EXC talks, and we also appreciated the quiet pools without blaring movies or music. Loved it.

Guest Services

5 out of 5

The guest services staff are truly wonderful. So kind and friendly.

Greenhouse Spa and Salon

3 out of 5

The spa seemed to be having some management issues on our cruise. Lots of confusion with scheduling and such.

Entertainment

5 out of 5

The music on board was outstanding. Particularly loved Lincoln Center Stage and the BB King Blues Club. The Planet Earth show was fantastic, as were the Step One shows. This was much more our style than the production shows we’ve seen on other lines.

World Stage

5 out of 5

Perfect size and design!

Lincoln Center Stage

5 out of 5

One of our favorite parts of cruising with HAL! Loved it.

B.B. King's Blues Club

5 out of 5

Fanatic performers and fun venue!

BBC Earth in Concert

5 out of 5

Loved it! Must do on HAL.

Children's Programs

We don’t have kids, and while we have nothing against them, we love that HAL is mainly kid-free for our vacation. There were very few children on our ship.

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

Outstanding service. Even when there’s a hiccup, they are a cut above.

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

Loved Nieuw Statendam. The crew obviously take great pride in the ship, and it shows. Wonderful layout and design that honors HAL’s heritage, but is still modern and fresh.

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5

This Vista Suite was very well laid out and we appreciated the extra space. The bathroom is on the small side overall, but the shower is wonderful with the glass doors. The balcony is very spacious, and made for a wonderful space to enjoy the ocean. Our only minor complaint is the firm mattress. By night five, we had backaches, and we asked our cabin steward for a mattress topper. He put an egg crate topper on, and it was perfect. Will ask for it on embarkation day next time!

Ship tip

The Nieuw Statendam is a gorgeous ship. Be sure to explore the upper decks. The New York Deli and Grand Dutch are fantastic casual venues. The Apple Bacon Pannekoekk at Grand Dutch is divine!

Thumbs up

Ports of call

Ft. Lauderdale (Port Everglades), Florida

4 out of 5

Half Moon Cay, Bahamas (Private Island)

5 out of 5

Oranjestad, Aruba

4 out of 5

Willemstad, Curacao

5 out of 5

Disembarkation

2 out of 5

This was NOT the cruise line’s fault, but rather Port Everglades’. The jet bridge/gangway was not working properly and could not be connected to the ship. The ship had to set up an alternate gangway from the A Deck, and it was not a pleasant experience. Port Everglades should have tested their equipment better before we docked.

2 Comments

Other reviews of this sailing

Great reunion cruise

The trip was fine but not great.

We will not be back