Anything I Should Know About Nieuw Amsterdam

We really enjoyed the "little plates" in the Lido. Attractive and delicious items at breakfast and lunch.

BB Kings was great for music at night. We sorely missed the ballroom dance music of previous HAL cruises, but BB Kings was fun, and we did get to dance.

Does anyone know what time the shows are on this ship?

:DWe are sailing for the 1st time, a gift from our kids for our anniversary...just curious how I would find out in advance if there is an American Maj Jongg set on the Nieuw Amsterdam for sea days?

We will be on our first HAL cruise soon. We'll board the NA in Skagway. We received a free upgrade from inside to Oceanview so it's starting out well. We will also be on our first land trip to Alaska also so we're ready! Flying out to Anchorage Sunday. (y)

We will be on our first HAL cruise soon. We'll board the NA in Skagway. We received a free upgrade from inside to Oceanview so it's starting out well. We will also be on our first land trip to Alaska also so we're ready! Flying out to Anchorage Sunday. (y)

You picked a very nice HAL ship for your first adventure with this cruise line. She is one of the prettiest in the fleet and the cabins are nicely sized and well laid out. Be sure to have at least one dinner at the Tamarind, even though it is an extra price restaurant - lovely setting and nicely varied pan-Asian menu. Hope you have a wonderful time and be sure to report back.

You picked a very nice HAL ship for your first adventure with this cruise line. She is one of the prettiest in the fleet and the cabins are nicely sized and well laid out. Be sure to have at least one dinner at the Tamarind, even though it is an extra price restaurant - lovely setting and nicely varied pan-Asian menu. Hope you have a wonderful time and be sure to report back.

Thanks OlsSalt, that's good to hear! Yes, we've been reading reviews and we want to have a meal in the Tamarind. I hear it's a great place for sitting and viewing during the day too.

It also gives a chance to experience HAL and we're looking forward to it. I'll share our experience when we return.

Rick

Thanks OlsSalt, that's good to hear! Yes, we've been reading reviews and we want to have a meal in the Tamarind. I hear it's a great place for sitting and viewing during the day too.

It also gives a chance to experience HAL and we're looking forward to it. I'll share our experience when we return.

Rick

The views from the Silk Den lounge next to the Tamarind restaurants are blocked since it is located in the middle of the ship, but it is a very nice quiet retreat space well away from any crowds or traffic. Finding the stairs going up to the deck on top the SilkDen-Tamarind central ship "pod" is another secret and quiet outdoor retreat spot. You would get side ocean views from there.

We only went to the Tamarind at night so we did not see the views out the windows of the restaurant itself, but if it is open for lunch, I am sure those side ship views would be very nice but you are up fairly high. The lower main dining room views might be more interesting during daytime meal time.

For your best forward views you would need to go to the CrowsNest for indoor viewing or any of the forward deck access spots you can find on your ship's deck plan. Our own favorite outdoor day time viewing spot is the aft pool area of the Lido deck where you get to watch the ocean wake and really feel you are at sea.

The Tamarind is in the middle of the ship on one of the top decks. You need to take the middle bank of elevators to reach it from the inside, though you can walk outdoors I suppose if you take another elevator that goes up that high. Think of it like getting to the Crows Nest, except this is the same thing in the middle of the ship - no sweeping views but a lovely separate "pod" of its own.

Would it be difficult to get a same-day reservation for the Tamarind through the Neptune Lounge concierge? I'm thinking it might be a nice first night dinner, but I don't want to commit to it in advance.

I have found the Neptune concierges to be very helpful, but there is nothing they can do if the venue is sold out I have found.

And that's something that is generally sold out before boarding?

Does anyone know if there is a coin operated launderette on the nieuw Amsterdam

Does anyone know if there is a coin operated launderette on the nieuw Amsterdam

No coin operated laundry on the NA.

Wondering if there are any things I should know about this ship before sailing?:)

Look closely at the large mural that is outside of the Manhattan Dining Room (Across from the Explorers Lounge). It is not what it seems at first...:)

Call to see if there are still retreat cabanas available. Best money spent on a cruise hands down!

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Call to see if there are still retreat cabanas available. Best money spent on a cruise hands down!

What is a retreat cabana? Where are they located? Do you rent them and how much are they? Never heard of this - info please!

What is a retreat cabana? Where are they located? Do you rent them and how much are they? Never heard of this - info please!

Ditto question. Also, are they worth it on an Alaska cruise? Thx!

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Ditto question. Also, are they worth it on an Alaska cruise? Thx!

 

 

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We booked a Lido cabana (by the main pool with the retractable roof) for $50/day for a sea day for our Alaska cruise. There were plenty of lounge chairs available around the pool so it's not essential to get a cabana but it was very nice. We saw the retreat cabanas but they were on a higher deck (not next to a pool) and we didn't really consider them because we thought it would be too cold for us there. But we are from Florida so take our advice about "cold" with a grain of salt ;)

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Look closely at the large mural that is outside of the Manhattan Dining Room (Across from the Explorers Lounge). It is not what it seems at first...:)

I saw what you are hinting at right away but it took my DW a while to figure it out. It is one of those things that you either can see right off or need someone to help. Nice little amusement watching people study it. :confused:

The Tamarind is in the middle of the ship on one of the top decks. You need to take the middle bank of elevators to reach it from the inside, though you can walk outdoors I suppose if you take another elevator that goes up that high. Think of it like getting to the Crows Nest, except this is the same thing in the middle of the ship - no sweeping views but a lovely separate "pod" of its own.

 

Then for the next secret, is you find the stairs that go two floors up to the very private sun deck on top of the Tamarind restaurant. Few know about that too. So you have the Silk Den bar on one side and the Tamarind restaurant on the other once you get off the right elevators on the right floor, after you figure you did not end up in a high end Manhattan night club restaurant through some galactic "worm hole". Nope, you are really on a good old HAL ship after all.

About your second secret, there are 3 elevators that open to Tamarind. Are the stairs to the private sun deck across from the interior middle bank? There are several stairwells here, but it's the only one that looks like 2 flights.

The Tamarind is in the middle of the ship on one of the top decks. You need to take the middle bank of elevators to reach it from the inside, though you can walk outdoors I suppose if you take another elevator that goes up that high. Think of it like getting to the Crows Nest, except this is the same thing in the middle of the ship - no sweeping views but a lovely separate "pod" of its own.

 

Then for the next secret, is you find the stairs that go two floors up to the very private sun deck on top of the Tamarind restaurant. Few know about that too. So you have the Silk Den bar on one side and the Tamarind restaurant on the other once you get off the right elevators on the right floor, after you figure you did not end up in a high end Manhattan night club restaurant through some galactic "worm hole". Nope, you are really on a good old HAL ship after all.

Thanks for sharing.

Here is a link to my photo review of the Nieuw Amsterdam from last year:

https://www.rogerjett-photography.com/photo-reviews/ms-nieuw-amsterdam-on-board-images/

This is great, thanks