ALASKA
ms Nieuw Amsterdam
July 2023
The ship I'm cruising on is Nieuw Amsterdam on Holland America Line, commonly referred to as HAL. This is the fourth Holland America ship to bear the name Nieuw Amsterdam. (Nieuw Amsterdam II was used as a backdrop in the 1954 film “On the Waterfront” starring Marlon Brando.) The ship is 936 feet long, 105 feet wide, and has a capacity of just over 2100 passengers. It's a mid-sized cruise ship. There are 1053 passenger cabins and almost 70% of the cabins have private balconies.
Holland America has been cruising in Alaska for over 75 years. In 2023, Holland America is celebrating its 150th anniversary having been founded in 1873 as Netherlands-American Steamship Company. Holland America is now based in Seattle, Washington and is owned by the parent company Carnival Corporation.
In 2022, Holland America Line became the first and (so far) only cruise line certified sustainable for Alaska Seafood by Responsible Fisheries Management. The menus on the ship feature sustainable Alaskan seafood. The beer menus also feature Alaskan beers.
Boat nerd stuff. Ship statistics: 86,700 gross tonnage (which is a measurement of interior volume not weight), 26 foot draft, speed 23.9 knots max - 21.8 knots service, 11 passenger decks, 2106 passenger capacity, 929 crew. The ship is powered by six diesel-electric engines - four 12-cylinder and two 8-cylinder gensets - that produce 64,000 kW of power providing all the ship's electrical requirements as well as the ship's propulsion. The ship is propelled by two Azipod propulsors and has a dynamic positioning system allowing it to stay in one place without deploying anchors.
The ship (and the entire Holland America fleet) has a traditional "ocean liner" style with the hull being painted a dark blue with the upper structure being painted white. Holland America ships are also more laid back than some other cruise lines. There are no wave pools or climbing walls or roller coasters on these ships. The itinerary and port stops are the real attractions especially on an Alaska cruise.
I'm staying in cabin 6149 which is on the starboard side in the aft third of the ship on Deck 6. My private balcony outside the cabin is covered by the balcony above, so I can go outside and enjoy the view even if it is raining (which happens a lot in the summer is southeast Alaska). The balcony is large with two chairs that recline (each with an ottoman) and a small table. The balcony railing is glass and the doors leading to the balcony are floor to ceiling glass, so the view of the scenery is unobstructed. Blankets are provided in the cabin to bundle up with while out on the balcony.
My cabin has a queen size bed, loveseat, small table, desk, large flat screen television, large bathroom with a tub and shower, and a ton of storage space (although cruise ship cabins are, in general, a lot smaller than hotel rooms). The interactive TV system displays ship information including the ship's live location, weather, dining menus, educational programming about the cruise destinations, and even webcams with live views overlooking the bow and the stern. The TV also has complimentary on-demand movies, television shows, and news channels.
Deck 1 contains the main level of the central atrium as well as the Guest Services and Future Cruises areas and a small lounge area in the mid-ship area. Otherwise, it's all passenger cabins until you get to the bow of the ship.
The Mainstage Theater is located on Decks 1, 2, and 3 in the bow of the ship. This theater is the location for production shows as well as educational programs. Holland America does a lot of educational enrichment programs especially during Alaska cruises.
Just behind the Mainstage Theater, Deck 2 also contains the ship's casino which is relatively small but was recently expanded and has all the typical casino games like roulette, blackjack, and craps, as well as, many slot machines.
Deck 2 also contains other music venues including Billboard Onboard which has two pianos and plays hit music and BB King's Blues Club which in addition to the music and comedy performances in the evenings has educational programs during the day. Just aft of this area is the Pinnacle Grill restaurant which is the ship's specialty steakhouse. The menu contains a variety of steaks as well as grilled seafood.
The aft part of Deck 2 contains the lower level of the Main Dining Room. (The upper level of the Main Dining Room is directly above on Deck 3.) The Main Dining Room is the traditional, sit-down dining venue. Holland America offers traditional pre-set seating and dining times for dinner (this means that you eat dinner at the same time and at the same table with the same servers each night) as well as open dining that allows you to eat at whatever time you wish during the times the dining room is open for dinner. The Main Dining Room is also open for breakfast each day and for lunch on sea days with open seating.
Deck 3 contains a full promenade deck with teak decking that circles the entire ship. You can walk (no jogging is allowed) a full loop all the way around the ship with all of it being covered from the weather (although it is definitely outside and exposed to the ambient temperatures). Three laps around the deck is a mile. The deck provides great views of the water and surrounding scenery including the stern view. There are benches and chairs (including lounge chairs) in various places around the deck. This is also the deck that contains the lifeboats just overhead.
Inside the ship on Deck 3 is where the various shops are located. You can purchase a wide variety of items in the shops from apparel to souvenirs to perfumes to jewelry to watches to liquor to gifts. All tax free. The shops are closed when the ship is in port. There are also meeting rooms that are used for various programs and classes. On a recent refurbishment, they converted one of the meeting rooms into a well appointed library with a wide variety of books to read.
On Deck 3, there's also music by a band named Third Avenue West in the Ocean Bar in the center atrium. The band is a contemporary trio (composed of a pianist, a bass player, and a guitarist) playing pop arrangements from the 60s to today for ambience and dancing. Third Avenue West is also the street where Holland America's headquarters is located in Seattle.
Decks 4 through 8 only contain passenger cabins except Deck 8 also contains the bridge in the forward part of the ship. The bridge has a wing on either side of the ship with large windows on all sides and glass floor allowing the Captain and his assistants to clearly see the piers as the ship is docking.
Deck 9, the Lido Deck, contains the ship's two pools: the Lido Pool and the Sea View Pool (which is adults only). It might seem strange to have pools on an Alaska cruise, but the Lido Pool is covered by a retractable glass roof, so the whole area, which includes lounge chairs as well as tables and chairs that can be used for dining, is climate controlled and protected from the weather. (Also, Nieuw Amsterdam spends the winter cruising from Fort Lauderdale to the Caribbean.) The roof was open we embarked in Vancouver.
The Lido Pool is mid-ship while the Sea View Pool is in the open air and overlooks the stern of the ship. The deck surrounding the Sea View Pool is a great place to view scenery. The ship's naturalist provides wildlife sighting tips on this deck during certain parts of the voyage.
The Lido Market (which is the main casual dining restaurant) is in between the pools. The Lido Market is a buffet but most of the food is served by the ship's crew rather than being self-serve. It was this way on Holland America ships even before the pandemic. There's also a pizza place near the Sea View pool and a burger and hotdog grill restaurant by the Lido pool. These are the complimentary dining options in addition to the Main Dining Room and 24/7 room service.
Adjacent to the Lido Market is Canaletto which is the specialty restaurant serving Italian cuisine. It serves fresh made pasta along with Italian entrees. Dining is available during dinner for an additional charge.
Holland America is known for having very good food on its ships.
The spa and the fitness center are located in the forward section of the ship on Deck 9. The treadmills overlook the bow providing great views. As you can imagine from all this, a lot of things happen on Deck 9.
Deck 10 has a walking/running track that circles about two thirds (the middle section) of the ship. It is in the open air and not covered. You can see the glass roof covering the Lido pool area from the walking track. Four laps equals one mile. Deck 10 also has the kids area with special activities for both younger kids and teens. From Deck 10, you can also access the sports court which is located on Deck 11 via an outdoor staircase. The sports courts has basketball hoops and can also be set up for pickleball.
In addition to the sports court, Deck 11 has the Tamarind Restaurant (which is Asian Fusion) and Bar. And in a separate section in the forward part of the ship (accessible from inside the ship), Deck 11 contains the Explorations Central area which has big, interactive computer screen tables that you can use to learn about the ports and areas we will be visiting. Deck 11 also has 10 passenger cabins adjacent to the Explorations Central area.
Adjacent to the Explorations Central area is a big area with comfortable seating called the Crow's Nest. This area has HUGE panoramic windows that overlook the bow of the ship and provide amazing views of the scenery. There's also a specialty coffee bar here. Explorations Central also has a library of books you can take and read during the cruise. Many of the books cover Alaskan subjects. There's also a large collection of board games and puzzles that you can play on board.
Above the Crow's Nest (and not shown on any of the published deck plans) is the forward outdoor observation deck technically on Deck 12. You can access this area through a somewhat hidden (it's behind a door marked Emergency Exit) staircase inside the Explorations Central or via two sets of stairs outside on Deck 10 and 11.
There are banks of elevators in the ship's interior in the forward, mid-ship, and aft areas providing access in between all the decks. There are also staircases (decorated with beautiful artwork) connecting each deck. In addition to the regular interior elevators, there are glass walled elevators on either side of the ship on the outside walls that are located mid-ship. They are a super cool way to move between the decks and have a great view of the scenery while doing so.
There are 8 bars and lounges on the ship. They are beautifully decorated with artwork, comfortable seating, and other furnishings. Many of them provide a lovely quiet place to sit during the day.
The decor of Nieuw Amsterdam celebrates New York City. The Dutch, of course, have long historical connections to New York. (New Amsterdam was a 17th-century Dutch settlement established at the southern tip of Manhattan Island.) The furnishings and details inside the ship hearken back to the metropolis and its elegant style. At the top of the center atrium of the ship, which is three stories tall (from Deck 1 to Deck 3), there is a lighted, glass sculpture of the New York skyline hanging from the ceiling. There also is artwork of a "Nieuw Amsterdam" streetscape. Speaking of artwork, the ship has an art collection displayed throughout the ship that is valued at $3 million.
Each day in the elevators, they change out the carpet insert which has the day of the week woven into the fibers so you always know what day it is on the ship.
