Jilltoons Posted October 17, 2018 #1 Share Posted October 17, 2018 I have been on two Carnival cruises and have had the very best experiences. I wanted to do a Mexican cruise in 2019 so I started researching Carnival - I saw it was on the Carnival Splendor - I looked up pictures and reviews. I didn't feel excited at all. When my friend said, let's do some more research, I didn't think I would be able to afford other cruise lines. She found the Nieuw Amsterdam and at a rate we felt was very reasonable. I then started looking at pictures....and reviews - I am now SOOOOO excited! I can't wait for our cruise! We did go with an oceanview guaranteed. So who knows exactly where we will end up. But I am on this ship and it is beautiful! 🙂 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CruiseVivaLady Posted October 17, 2018 #2 Share Posted October 17, 2018 Hi Jilltoons. I think you'll enjoy the Holland brand. The ships are beautiful as you have seen and I like the food as well. Enjoy your cruise:) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0bnxshs Posted October 17, 2018 #3 Share Posted October 17, 2018 (edited) We have enjoyed Nieuw Amsterdam twice very much and are currently on Zaandam. HAL is truly our favorite and hope you find it suits you too. Edited October 17, 2018 by 0bnxshs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CherryG Posted October 17, 2018 #4 Share Posted October 17, 2018 We've been on the Nieuw Amsterdam 3 times, and will be again this November. I love this ship. Hope you do too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeeniEncinitas Posted October 17, 2018 #5 Share Posted October 17, 2018 Love love love The Nieuw!!!!! did her inaugural and 3 more times to Europe! She is a great ship and you will love the staff and crew. I have nothing negative to say. Deniae😊 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just_cruising_along Posted October 17, 2018 #6 Share Posted October 17, 2018 You should have a great time. Do you have specific questions about the ship itself or any of the ports? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare *Miss G* Posted October 17, 2018 #7 Share Posted October 17, 2018 The Nieuw Amsterdam is a beautiful ship and its crew is a happy one. You will love it! If you like Asian food you will love the Tamarind, one of the specialty restaurants onboard. Definitely have a cocktail in the Tamarind Lounge prior to dinner. Welcome to Holland America! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jilltoons Posted October 18, 2018 Author #8 Share Posted October 18, 2018 22 hours ago, just_cruising_along said: You should have a great time. Do you have specific questions about the ship itself or any of the ports? I am curious - have you been to the extra charge restaurants? I am so excited about all the variety of the restaurants. I am looking forward to Mazatlan. We are doing a best friend's girl's trip for this one....neither one of us has been to Mazatlan. Have you been there before? Thank you for your help. I can't wait until April! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlsSalt Posted October 18, 2018 #9 Share Posted October 18, 2018 (edited) 15 minutes ago, Jilltoons said: I am curious - have you been to the extra charge restaurants? I am so excited about all the variety of the restaurants. I am looking forward to Mazatlan. We are doing a best friend's girl's trip for this one....neither one of us has been to Mazatlan. Have you been there before? Thank you for your help. I can't wait until April! There are really three very diffferent sides to Mazatlan -a more modern hotel area, a remote feeling beach area and/or the restored historic center. You can get to the "Stone Island" beach and its little snack pavillions by a small little ferry close to where the ship docks. You can walk a ways to get to the very lovely, low-key historic center for, browsing, people watching, shopping and eating. Or you will need either a shore excursion or other form of transportation to get to the "Gold Coast" tourist area. We personally love the old Centro Historico and this is where we will head again on our next trip. Plot out your route on a map from the ship or take one of the open-air taxis. You have to take a shuttle inside the port to get to the street exit where you can reach either the ferry or historic district by foot.-There are also tourist items for sale at the port itself. https://mazatlantoday.net/mazatlan_centro_historico.html It you like to try local beers - Pacifico is one of the best - very light. Edited October 18, 2018 by OlsSalt 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CherryG Posted October 18, 2018 #10 Share Posted October 18, 2018 We have eaten in the Pinnacle and in Rudi's Sel de Mer. Both excellent meals. Haven't tried the others. If you love a good hamburg, you must have one from the burger place near the pool. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakridger Posted October 18, 2018 #11 Share Posted October 18, 2018 Tamarind Restaurant is my favorite (Asian Fusion) but I have enjoyed all the extra charge restaurants, including Canaletto (on the Oosterdam in February 2018). ~Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just_cruising_along Posted October 18, 2018 #12 Share Posted October 18, 2018 55 minutes ago, Jilltoons said: I am curious - have you been to the extra charge restaurants? I am so excited about all the variety of the restaurants. I am looking forward to Mazatlan. We are doing a best friend's girl's trip for this one....neither one of us has been to Mazatlan. Have you been there before? Thank you for your help. I can't wait until April! Hi. Yes been to the extra charge restaurants. We think they can be a good value for the money. If you like Asian food, you will want to go to the Tamarind. The Pinnacle is also good. We also like New York Pizza or Dive In (both free) for lunch. If you are still hungry, don't forget about 24-hour room service. :) We have not been to Mazatlan, but have been to Cabo and PV. I think a girl's trip sounds like fun and I am sure wherever you are, you are going to have a great time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a.madruga Posted October 18, 2018 #13 Share Posted October 18, 2018 j, we too got the HAL bug this year and it happened to be on NA...we believe you made a good choice...do you have kids that are going also? The service and tranquility is awesome. The musicians are great too...BTW April came around and we were back on NA celebrating mt 65th...now in December we are going to celebrate new years again with HAL but on Oosterdam...wishing you well on your cruise... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GradUT Posted October 19, 2018 #14 Share Posted October 19, 2018 The Nieuw Amsterdam has the BB King Blues Club. That’s THE best show around. Don’t miss it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Gail & Marty sailing away Posted October 19, 2018 #15 Share Posted October 19, 2018 You will enjoy Holland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jilltoons Posted October 22, 2018 Author #16 Share Posted October 22, 2018 Thank you everyone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jareds_mommytoo Posted October 28, 2018 #17 Share Posted October 28, 2018 We just booked for March. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare terrydtx Posted October 28, 2018 #18 Share Posted October 28, 2018 HAL is our favorite mass cruise line, not the big mega ships like CCL and Royal. Also not as many kids. I think HAL is just a little more sophisticated. We loved Tamarind on NA, they IMO have a better steak than the Pinnacle Grill which I found disappointing. The MDR on average does a very good dining experience. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jareds_mommytoo Posted October 28, 2018 #19 Share Posted October 28, 2018 Our last Holland America cruise had 89 teenagers, and 45 tweens I’m not sure how many younger kids Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinker's mom Posted October 28, 2018 #20 Share Posted October 28, 2018 We are on the Eurodam on November 4th. We plan on staying on the ship in a couple of the ports. We have a cabana booked. Where does one eat on the ship on port days? Is the MDR closed? How about the Dive In? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mexylopez Posted October 28, 2018 #21 Share Posted October 28, 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, Jareds_mommytoo said: Our last Holland America cruise had 89 teenagers, and 45 tweens I’m not sure how many younger kids Wow! What was the destination/time of year? I might want to avoid that... Edited October 28, 2018 by mexylopez Spelling Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RuthC Posted October 28, 2018 #22 Share Posted October 28, 2018 11 hours ago, Tinker's mom said: We are on the Eurodam on November 4th. We plan on staying on the ship in a couple of the ports. We have a cabana booked. Where does one eat on the ship on port days? Is the MDR closed? How about the Dive In? Thanks. Your cabana stewards will fetch lunch for you, and you can eat it without leaving the cabana, if you choose. The Lido is always open for lunch, and the Dive-In is open all afternoon. Sometimes the dining room is open at lunchtime; it depends on the ship, as far as I can determine. Also, the Pinnacle Grill may be open, especially of the dining room isn't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevenseasnomad Posted October 28, 2018 #23 Share Posted October 28, 2018 You've picked a lovely ship. Please understand, though, that HA is laid-back---some would say almost dead---compared to the wild party scene on Carnival ships. If you're expecting that type of atmosphere, or hoping for it, you may be sadly disappointed. What you will experience on HA is a gracious and efficient crew with superb service, a larger cabin with good storage space, decent, sometimes delicious food, interesting choices for alternative dining, and one of the two best shows at sea, BB King Blues Club and BBC Planet Earth. If you like classical, you'll enjoy Lincoln Center Stage. Even if you don't like classical, give these wonderful musicians a chance when they play their program of more modern music from film/TV. I've been on Nieuw Amsterdam a number of times. You will find many, I'd say most, passengers to be well-traveled and courteous. HA does skew to a slightly older crowd, but on shorter cruises, like yours, you'll meet all age groups. Some posters may warn you that HA is not a party ship. Passengers are tucked in bed by 11. On the longer cruises we've taken, yes, this is true, but on the shorter hops, we've witnessed the night life going into the early hours of the morning. Our son, who started cruising with HA in his early 20s, found a group who partied until 2-3 in the morning with the DJ. He's now 31 and is anticipating his sixth cruise, though he hasn't been aboard in the last 5 years due to work commitments. Be sure to enjoy the 1st lunch in the MDR which is usually open from noon until 1-1:30 p.m. It eases you into the cruise without your having to run around a crowded Lido buffet. You're also waited on, the perfect way to begin any cruise! If anything on the cruise is not to your liking, please see the Front Desk immediately. These young ladies and gents resolve problems quickly and efficiently. They're the best in the industry, IMO. If you have any more questions before your cruise, please let us know. And don't forget to post your review afterwards. Have a lovely cruise. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tinker's mom Posted October 28, 2018 #24 Share Posted October 28, 2018 Thanks RuthC and sevenseasnomad. It is very kind of you to respond. We are very quiet non partying types. lol We both love to read and watch the world go by. Hubby is a retired airline pilot for Air Canada so he has had his fill of rushing around in big cities seeing the sights compressed into half a day--so he is up for just laying back with his book, going to the hydrotherapy pool and perhaps occasional room service dinners on our balcony. I am a retired nurse and I am more chatty than hubby. I look forward to putting in my 10,000 steps twice a day on the promenade deck and trying my best to follow the keto high protein diet with lots of fish and salads with the occasional bread pudding lol. I am an early riser compared to my husband so I will likely be walking the promenade while he snoozes. We love good coffee, and I have read that might be the weakest link for us on HAL lol. I packed a cup of insulated cups so I can go up to the Explorer Cafe to get some strong coffee to start the day. Not that we love Starbucks coffee, but it will be strong enough to wake us up. I have a million things noted on my cell phone such as your comments about things being fetched for us in the cabana and eating our first lunch in the MDR on embarkation day. Very helpful to us. Once it again thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sevenseasnomad Posted October 28, 2018 #25 Share Posted October 28, 2018 4 minutes ago, Tinker's mom said: Thanks RuthC and sevenseasnomad. It is very kind of you to respond. We are very quiet non partying types. lol We both love to read and watch the world go by. Hubby is a retired airline pilot for Air Canada so he has had his fill of rushing around in big cities seeing the sights compressed into half a day--so he is up for just laying back with his book, going to the hydrotherapy pool and perhaps occasional room service dinners on our balcony. I am a retired nurse and I am more chatty than hubby. I look forward to putting in my 10,000 steps twice a day on the promenade deck and trying my best to follow the keto high protein diet with lots of fish and salads with the occasional bread pudding lol. I am an early riser compared to my husband so I will likely be walking the promenade while he snoozes. We love good coffee, and I have read that might be the weakest link for us on HAL lol. I packed a cup of insulated cups so I can go up to the Explorer Cafe to get some strong coffee to start the day. Not that we love Starbucks coffee, but it will be strong enough to wake us up. I have a million things noted on my cell phone such as your comments about things being fetched for us in the cabana and eating our first lunch in the MDR on embarkation day. Very helpful to us. Once it again thank you. You're most welcome! I know you'll have an awesome cruise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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