Nieuw Statendam Review

4.5 / 5.0
269 reviews

Beautiful ship but not for us

Review for Transatlantic Cruise on Nieuw Statendam
User Avatar
Nlmmack
10+ Cruises • Age 70s

Rating by category

Cabin
Value for Money
Embarkation
Dining
Public Rooms
Entertainment
Fitness & Recreation
Service

Additional details

Sail Date: Oct 2019
Cabin: Neptune Suite with Verandah

We chose this cruise to finish our two month itinerary of 4 cruise ships, on 4 different cruise lines, from NYC to England, Europe, and the Mediterranean. We did not want jet lag so the final cruise was a crossing after a few stops in Spain and the Azores. The ship is new and beautiful. The crew and staff were efficient, friendly and wonderful. The captain did a great job dodging bad weather and keeping us informed. The Neptune Suite was fabulous. It was large, great extended balcony around the back of the ship. The stewards were wonderful. They did a great job. The Neptune Lounge was great and the concierge did a great job. The Club Orange dining room with it’s own chef was a highlight. We had five star dining every night. The servers in there were excellent along with the wine steward. We had the premium beverage package which was expensive but necessary since almost every drink was an extra, latte, bottled water, etc. here’s the downside for us personally. It’s just too many people. Sooooo many scooters and walkers. The pools were crowded with rude, demanding guests who pushed and shoved their way through this ship for 14 days. The ship constantly charged for everything, gelato, pizza, etc. there was very little to do if you don’t gamble in the casino, buy overpriced jewelry, or drink continually. The music walk area was really good. We loved the Lincoln Center Stage area. The performers were wonderful. The BB King, Rolling Stone, dueling pianos were all good. The large theater was a disappointment. No big shows just small groups, pianist who was great, ladies group, ok, the rest comedians, so so, and magician, ok. The six sea days were so boring. There were two lectures that were good and a cooking lesson most days. Maybe crossings are supposed to be boring and it was. We enjoyed our balcony, read, and slept for the most part. We used room service occasionally that was good and the Neptune Lounge to avoid the obnoxious herds in the pools and lido deck. The elevators were sooo overcrowded. The bar service was terrible. Bad drinks, bad service. Getting on the ship was a breeze in Civitavecchia but getting off in Ft. Lauderdale was awful. We have Global Entry but it still took almost 2 hours to get through immigration. It must have taken the regular lines hours to disembark. People were passing out in line. Not sure that was the fault of the cruise line due to immigration people were just slow and few lines. So, no more ft. Lauderdale in and out for us. We talked to several couples who feel the same way we do. It’s too bad Holland America is being turned into a dressed up Carnival situation. For 14k for two weeks we can do better on Viking, crystal and other smaller ships. It was apparent they slashed their fare at some point and got a low end demographic passenger on this cruise. That sounds rude but when we spend that type of money we don’t expect this type of experience. Too bad because it’s a great ship with great staff. Goodbye Holland America!

Cabin Review

Neptune Suite with Verandah

Great

5 Helpful Votes
previous reviewnext review

Find a Nieuw Statendam Cruise from $384

Any Month

Get special cruise deals, expert advice, insider tips and more.By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

© 1995—2024, The Independent Traveler, Inc.