My wife and I have been on numerous cruises (23+) throughout the world on various cruise lines over the years. This was our fifth cruise with Holland America. The 7-day Fort Lauderdale to Fort Lauderdale cruise started on November 24, 2019. The ship was the Nieuw Statendam.

This cruise included our children and their spouses ... 6 of us.

Boarding the ship was very easy. The long boarding line looked horrible but it moved fast and the Boarding staff were very efficient. Our room was towards the rear of the ship on deck 8, room 8187. This was a good location as we were near the primary sources of food on decks 2/3 and 9. This was a bad location if you wanted to go to the front of the ship. Most points of interest are on decks 2 and 3. The ship was one year old and was nice; very clean. The staff was great and the included food was excellent. There are many specialty restaurants and coffee bars that charge for their services. Read more