The sun dipped low over the Caribbean horizon as the Nieuw Statendam ship moved across the turquoise water. For travelers seeking relaxation and memory-making, Holland American Line promises exactly that. Let’s dive into whether the experience is truly worth the price of admission.
Personally, I enjoyed the cruise itinerary regarding the ports we stopped at. The first stop of the 7-day trip was at Holland America’s private island called Half Moon Cay. This island, located in the Bahamas, was simply paradise. Everything from the color of the flowers to the white beach was truly one of a kind. I had a buffet-style lunch on the island after spending the majority of the time playing sand volleyball with other teenagers.
The next port was on the island of Grand Turk, in the Turks and Caicos. My family and I rented a golf cart for $200 to travel the island. At first, driving a golf cart on the road with locals passing us up was scary. Not only this, but seeing stray dogs and the aftermath of a hurricane that had recently hit reminded me how good I have it. I did enjoy Grand Turk because of the exploration aspect. We found secret beaches that other travelers had yet to discover. My brother and I went snorkeling and saw colorful fish and coral reefs.
Another port we went to was Amber Cove, located in the Dominican Republic. For this stop, my family and I went on a shore excursion that involved getting on a bus and being driven to a beach club. At the beach club, it was really just a beach with an outdoor bar. We had food served by a humble local man. My dad made sure to tip him well for not only his efforts towards us, but also for the other tourists.
The final destination was back in the United States. This destination was Key West. I have been to Key West probably 10 times already, but it is always fun to walk on Duval Street.
To learn more about the cruise and everything it offers, I interviewed my parents, who are experienced cruise goers. My parents have been on many different cruise lines, so they had some ideas to offer. Throughout the interview, we covered numerous topics and features that make a cruise ship special. From food and dining to entertainment and activities, we covered what makes Holland America a superior cruise line.
“I first off wanted to say how the food quality was superior in taste to a Disney Cruise,” my dad said. “For breakfast, I found the Lido Deck buffet offered a wide variety of fruits, pastries, and meats. I was inclined to eat the smoked salmon, eggs, and bacon.” “I would wake up at 7:00, eat breakfast, then enjoy the sunrise on the top deck. Those mornings were picture perfect,” he said.
“The lunch setup was different than how breakfast was set up,” my mom said. “The meal I had most trouble getting was lunch. When lunch was served on sea days, it was pure chaos. The line to get a burger out near the pool seemed endless. The days when we had lunch at the port stop were an interesting experience. The menus at the restaurants we ate at in Grand Turk and the Dominican Republic were definitely Caribbean styled,” she said.
“Dinner was the best meal by far. We had dinner in the main dining room. Reservations had to be made in advance, and there was a mandatory dress code,” my dad said. “Every night featured a different menu. There was always a meat or a fish featured along with various salad options. You could always pay for an extra main course if you were still hungry. I was excited when I saw the desert options. There were multiple types of cheesecake and sundaes to choose from. Those were some hard decisions,” he said.
“The entertainment scene is what impressed me the most,” my mom said. “The theatre at 8:00 PM would feature a play being performed, a comedian, or a magician. Every one of the entertainers did a fantastic job. My favorite entertainer was an Irish comedian. He was so funny, he just about flipped the whole audience upside down,” she said. “Then, after an hour in the theatre, it was time for the live music. Nieuw Statendam has two different areas for live music. The first one is the BB King Blues Lounge. This featured an amazing jazz band from Memphis, Tennessee called the All-Stars. The second area is known as the Rolling Stones Lounge, which featured various rock bands.
I enjoyed the BB King Blues Lounge the most. I’ll never forget being on the dance floor with strangers dancing at midnight to “Sugar Pie Honey Bunch.” The All-Stars band was truly impressive. From the pianist to the lead singer, the band was phenomenal. I want them to perform at my wedding someday; I always tell my parents. I would often see them during the day, too. They were nothing but humble and gracious for my compliments and admiration.
During the Sea Days, there were a variety of activities. The Holland America app gave a time and location for all of these events and activities, so no one would miss out. For example, my brother and I would compete in the pickleball tournament. Yes, I said pickleball tournament. They have a sports deck on the top of the ship that features a basketball court, but also has roll-out nets for pickleball. Unfortunately, we could only call ourselves the second-best pickleball players on the cruise. We would continuously lose in the finals to two other brothers.
I would also work out in the fitness center. The gym featured every type of gym equipment one would ever need. The first day on the cruise, I woke up at 6:00 AM to work out, but it was still too late. The gym was swarmed with other nut jobs like me. From then on, I’d work out during the day when the gym was less crowded. Compared to most gyms, this gym was constantly being cleaned by workers. Workers would put equipment away that was left out by people. While I lifted, I had a great view of the Atlantic Ocean. Outside of the gym, there was a spa and sauna for passengers to partake in.
The trip would not have been what it was without the hospitality and professionalism of the crew on board. “The room stewards were nothing but outstanding,” my dad said. “They really made the experience stress-free.” My mom said she was “amazed by the wait staff.” Every night for dinner, we kept the same two waiters. “They were truly some of the kindest and hardworking people I’ve ever met,” she said.
My favorite experiences on the cruise were “Orange Night” and New Year’s Eve. On “Orange Night,” every passenger will wear orange attire, and the whole night is a non-stop party. I remember dancing the night away with people I had just met earlier that day. The music kept going, and the passengers kept going.
New Year’s Eve night was a fun occasion too. Instead of the music being inside the BB King Blues Lounge, it was out near the pool. The DJ and the bands were all performing music to the lead-up to 12:00. I remember watching the adults sipping champagne, and watching workers carry out an ice carving spelling out 2024 and 2025. When the clock hit midnight, the workers replaced the 24 in 2024 with a 25 to signify the new year. I will never forget the memories I made that night.
A unique feature of the cruise was an area known as the “Crow’s Nest.” This location, on the 12th floor, is a quiet place to play cards and enjoy the views from up high. Many passengers don’t know about this area at all.
Overall, would I go on a Holland America Cruise again? Absolutely. I thoroughly enjoyed my 7 days aboard the ship. Before the cruise, I had my concerns about how it would turn out. Let me tell you this: no matter how much money that dream vacation costs, the memories you’ll make and the joy you’ll feel will be worth more than the money lost. I will leave you with this quote from Andy Dufresne from the movie The Shawshank Redemption: “I guess it comes down to a simple choice, really. Get busy living or get busy dying.”
