The characterization of a cruise ship as a small city in miniature is no exaggeration. In addition to preparing approximately 5000 meals each day, providing electrical power, propulsion, and communications, providing security (there’s actually a brig on the ship, so behave) the ship boasts two pools, 9 restaurants and cafés plus 24-hour room service, a fitness center, a spa, a beauty salon, shops, a photo studio, a library, private cabañas, an art studio, child and youth activity programs, pickleball courts, a theater, two musical performance venues, a casino, multiple bars and lounges, and much, much more.
In the cruise industry, the Nieuw Amsterdam is considered at the high end of mid-sized ships or the low end of large ships. While it lacks some features of the newer mega-ships, it also lacks the crowds and lines you’ll find on them. You won't find a rock-climbing wall or an ice skating rink (yes, those are real venues on some ships), but you actually have the possibility of running into someone you met the previous day. The ambience of the Nieuw Amsterdam is decidedly more intimate and "cozy" than the larger ships.
This also means that more has gone into some of the other features that make Holland America Line ships special including fresh flowers everywhere, the ship’s amazing art collection, and the refined and elegant atmosphere throughout.
The Nieuw Amsterdam has six decks of passenger staterooms (plus additional decks of crew cabins) and six decks of public spaces. You can inspect the official Nieuw Amsterdam Deck Plans HERE.
The Nieuw Amsterdam has 1053 staterooms ranging in size from 141 square feet to 1,357 square feet and can accommodate 2,106 passengers (or 2,546 passengers at maximum capacity). There are verandahs (balconies) in 718 of the cabins.
There are six major categories of staterooms. Those sailing on the Great Alaska Explorer Cruise will be in Signature Suites or Neptune Suites.
The ship carries 929 officers and crew.
Learn more specifics about the Nieuw Amsterdam's staterooms HERE
The Nieuw Amsterdam has two major restaurants included with the basic cruise fare, four extra-cost specialty restaurants, a cafe with specialty coffees, a burger joint, a pizza spot plus 24-hour complementary room service.
Learn about each of those restaurants HERE
There are nine different bars and Lounges on the Nieuw Amsterdam. Each of them has its own unique ambience and features.
We describe each of them HERE
There are several spots on the ship where you may need to obtain assistance from the ship’s staff. These include Guest Services (midships port side Deck 1 - Main Deck) which is open 24 hours a day to assist you with any problems. Across the Atrium from it on the port side is the Future Cruises Desk where you can book your next cruise (usually with a discounted deposit plus onboard credits of up to $400 per cabin).
The two sites in the paragraph above adjoin The Atrium. The Atrium runs from Deck 1 - Main Deck up to Deck 3 - Promenade Deck with a grand staircase spanning all three decks.
Forward starboard side on Deck 11 - Observation Deck in the Crow's Nest, you'll find the Shore Excursions Office where you can get information or book excursions.
Finally, if you get sick or otherwise need some medical attention, the Medical Center is found forward port side on Deck A (the deck BELOW Main Deck), only reachable by the forward elevators.
All the Nieuw Amsterdam's services plus The Atrium are fully described HERE
With ninteen days spent on this cruise, you'll want to know what activities (besides eating six times a day - see above) the Nieuw Amsterdam's Cruise Staff is organizing to help you occupy all that time.
See some of the activities in store on the Nieuw Amsterdam HERE
With all the opportunities to eat wonderful food (coffee and Danish from Room Service, full breakfast in The Dining Room, mid-morning coffee and pastries in the Crow's Nest, lunch in the Lido Market, afternoon tea, dinner in a specialty restaurant, and a late-night snack from Room Service), you may be thinking about ways to keep from needing to be rolled of the ship in a wheelbarrow at the end of the cruise.
With that in mind, you'll want to know what facilities the Nieuw Amsterdam offers to help you try and keep in shape. Check it out HERE
The Nieuw Amsterdam has a myriad of spots where you can have fun or take it easy. But there are a few such spots that don't fit neatly into the other categories on this web page. So we gather them together here.
Such features include The Retreat (forward Deck 11 - Observation Deck) which offers private cabañas (for an additional fee) where you can relax outside, sheltered from the sun and enjoy some peace and quiet outdoors with wonderful sea views.
The Library (forward starboard Deck 3 - Promenade Deck) is a place to read and relax with hundreds of books available.
On Deck 11 - Observation Deck, two venues fall into this category. The Art Studio (forward port side) is a venue for crafts and painting. The Game Room (forward starboard side) is a spot for playing cards or board games or doing jigsaw puzzles.
Finally, forward port side Deck 3 - Promenade Deck are three meeting rooms, the Hudson Room, the Half Moon Room, and the Stuyvasent Room. These spots are used for the popular daily bridge games and other public and private special events and meetings.
All the details on these miscellaneous locales that the Nieuw Amsterdam offers for recreation and relaxation can be found right HERE
The Nieuw Amsterdam's main theater is the World Stage on Decks 1, 2, and 3. The smaller Rolling Stone Lounge on Deck 2 has musical entertainment and is used for showing recent feature movies in the afternoons along with other presentations. And Billboard Onboard offers entertainment and sing-alongs on twin pianos on Deck 2.
Learn about these entertainment venues HERE
The Greenhouse Spa and Salon on the Lido Deck offers massages, aromatherapy, a thermal suite and more along with a full-service beauty salon with hair styling, manicures, and pedicures.
See and read about the Greenhouse Spa and Salon HERE
The Casino (which is only open once the ship is at sea and in international waters) offers slot machines and a variety of table games including Blackjack, Poker, Craps, and Roulette.
See The Casino and learn more about it HERE
The Nieuw Amsterdam offers a variety of shops carrying photos taken by the Konigsdam's photographer (as well as cameras, photo accessories, and frames), clothing, souvenirs, jewelry, watches, perfume, cosmetics, sundries, and liquor.
See details about The Shops, Effy Jewelry, and the Photo Shop HERE
The Kid’s Club serves kids, tweens, and teens with separate venues and programs during the day.
More about the Kids’ Club and its programs is HERE
The ship has a gross tonnage (GRT) of 86,700.
(Gross Registered Tonnage isn't about weight, it's actually a term used to calculate the volume inside a ship. It's a measure of cubic capacity. Therefore, the the larger the GRT, the more space available for passengers, cargo, etc.)
It is 936 feet long with a beam (width) of 106 feet.
The Nieuw Amsterdam is powered by six diesel generators creating 64 Megawatts and propelled by Azipod® propulsion technology. This gives the ship a maximum speed of 23.9 knots (27.5 miles per hour).
The Nieuw Amsterdam was built by Fincantiere Canteri Navali Italiana SpA at Marghera, Italy. The keel was laid on July 15, 2008. It was launched on October 30, 2009 and was christened on July 4, 2010. It is considered part of the Signature Class of ships. The ms Eurodam-2008 is also part of the Signature Class
A "class" in cruise industry terms is made of ships that were constructed around the same time and follow the same basic design. Other current Holland America ship classes include the Rotterdam Class (ms Zaandam-2000 and ms Volendam-1999), Vista Class (ms Noordam-2006, ms Westerdam-2004, ms Oosterdam-2003, and ms Zuiderdam-2002), and the Pinnacle Class (ms Konigsdam-2016, ms Nieuw Statendam-2018, and ms Rotterdam-2021).
The Ship was christened by Princess Maxima of the Netherlands in Venice, Italy on July 4, 2010 before embarking on its maiden voyage from Venice on
July 5, 2010.
In accordance with its name, the Nieuw Amsterdam's decor and much of its art is reflective of its namesake, New York City.
Its most recent major renovation took place in 2017 as part of a $300 million fleet-wide refurbishment program. This refurbishment included new carpets, furniture, wall covers, quartz desk-tops, USB outlets, a make-up/vanity area, coffee (espresso) machines, new televisions, and more.
The ship is registered in Rotterdam, The Netherlands.
Holland America Line’s room stewards and dining-room waiters are Indonesian. Bar staff and other crew members are Filipino.
Holland America maintains its own schools in Indonesia and The Philippines to train its staff in English and all the skills needed to work on the ship.
One thing that almost everyone who has ever sailed on a HAL ship agrees on is the excellence of the service provided by the Indonesian and Filipino crew. From my personal experience getting to know some crew members off the ship, it’s clear that they share a culture of intensely wanting to please and serve their passengers, to the point that they habitually will do anything within their power to meet your needs and wants.