New Cruise Review: Holland America Line's Nieuw Amsterdam

The "Nieuw-est" Ship in the Holland America Line Fleet bears a name you may recognize. The fourth vessel to be named Nieuw Amsterdam is the second to launch in Holland America Line's Signature-class.Cruise Diva recently sailed on a one-week Eastern Caribbean cruise aboard the new Nieuw Amsterdam and is pleased to share a profile of this beautiful and gracious ship.

Exhibit Commemorating NASA’s Mercury Space Program Opens at Grand Turk Cruise Center

When Holland America Line’s Nieuw Amsterdam docked at Grand Turk last Friday her passengers were among the first to view a brand-new unique exhibit at the Grand Turk Cruise Center that commemorates the National Aeronautics & Space Administration’s (NASA) Mercury space program and the historic 1962 splashdown of the Friendship 7 capsule off the coast of Grand Turk. “Splashdown Grand Turk” is a

Dine Aboard Nieuw Amsterdam

Variety is the spice of life and here aboard Nieuw Amsterdam the dining options are certainly varied. Naturally there is the Manhattan Dining Room and Lido Restaurant, but the feast doesn’t stop there.Long a staple on Holland America Line ships, the Pinnacle Grill on Nieuw Amsterdam now offers new options in specialty dining—one evening during our cruise the Master Chef’s Table was set to include

Learn New Skills Aboard Nieuw Amsterdam

While Bingo, trivia contests, and the casino are all drawing crowds here on Nieuw Amsterdam, two of the most popular centers of activities on board are the Digital Workshop and Culinary Arts Center.Digital WorkshopIntroduced several years ago by Holland America, the Digital Workshop, which focuses on using Microsoft Windows programs, offers classes in everything from selecting the right computer

The Art of a Nieuw Amsterdam Cruise

Every ship in the Holland America Line fleet is graced with a priceless art collection and Nieuw Amsterdam is no different, with artwork honoring the historic glamour of New York City, which was originally named Nieuw Amsterdam by its Dutch founders.Upon boarding, one of the first things we noticed overhead in the lobby was the lighted, rotating sculpture of the New York skyline. From the decks

Nieuw Amsterdam at Sea

The day began like any other with a discussion of our planned activites over breakfast from room service. Mel would head for the gym and I had a few things to take care of before going to a cooking demonstration in the Culinary Arts Center. Very soon things began to fall apart when Mel returned to the cabin holding his hand in his bloody tee-shirt. He had experienced a close encounter with a

Nieuw Amsterdam at Half Moon Cay

Of all the ports of call Holland America Line ships visit, I’d venture to guess that their private island Half Moon Cay is one of their guests’ favorites. It’s always a highlight of my cruise and I wouldn’t miss going ashore there for any reason. That was why I didn’t hesitate to head to Nieuw Amsterdam’s tender station even though the morning looked gloomy and there was talk of a brief tropical

Where’s Cruise Diva? Aboard Nieuw Amsterdam

Embarking upon a Holland America Ship is like coming home and, in this case, it’s a new home—the newest Signature-Class ship in the fleet, ms Nieuw Amsterdam, which debuted last July. Her highly stylized interior designs and multi-million dollar art collection reflect the glamour and history of the city that was once called Nieuw Amsterdam and is now New York City. In a nod to a tradition that is

You're Invited To Attend Holland America Line’s Nieuw Amsterdam Christening

Holland America Line is honored to have Her Royal Highness Princess Máxima of the Netherlands serve as godmother to ms Nieuw Amsterdam and you’re invited to join in the celebration. TheNieuw Amsterdam’s dedication ceremony will be webcast live from Venice, Italy, at 9 am Eastern Time, Sunday, July 4. To see it, visit the Holland America dedication website.Nieuw Amsterdam will debut the intimate

Holland America Line Set To Launch Nieuw Amsterdam

The launch of Holland America Line's newest ship Nieuw Amsterdam is only a week away and the line has been counting down the days on the Holland America Line Blog.If you're a fan like I am, you've followed the 100 Days--100 Reasons to Sail blog entries and anxiously awaited photos, such as those sent in from the shipyard by Nieuw Amsterdam’s 3rd Engineer, Rob Matthews, of the impressive