Nieuw Amsterdam - Alaska Glacier Adventure
Witness Alaska's untamed wilderness aboard Nieuw Amsterdam, with visits to Glacier Bay National Park, charming port towns, and opportunities to see humpback whales, bears, and eagles.
Price Range
$$
Mid-Range
*Prices vary by cabin type, sailing date, and availability. Confirm rates with Holland America Line before booking.
Ship Details — Nieuw Amsterdam
View full Nieuw Amsterdam details
Year Built
2010
Tonnage
86,700 GT
Passengers
2,106
Crew
929
Decks
12
Class
Signature
Itinerary & Route Map
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Where this cruise calls, day by day
6 ports and 2 sea days over 7 Nights.
- Day 1Vancouver, BC port guide: where ships dock and what to do ashore
Vancouver, BC
CanadaDepart Day 2 · At sea
- Day 3Juneau port guide: where ships dock and what to do ashore
Juneau
United StatesPort - Day 4
Glacier Bay (Scenic Cruising)
United StatesPortA full day of scenic cruising inside Glacier Bay National Park, with no landing anywhere - the ship is the only way to see it. Access is tightly rationed: the Park Service permits just two cruise ships per day in season, so a berth here is a genuine itinerary feature rather than a filler sea day. Rangers board from a small boat near the mouth and stay aboard for the whole transit.
- Margerie Glacier at the head of Tarr Inlet, the usual turnaround point where ships hold position and calving is likeliest
- The dark, rubble-streaked face of Grand Pacific Glacier alongside it
- Johns Hopkins Inlet, closed to vessels in May and June to protect unweaned harbour seal pups
- Ranger commentary on deck, plus talks and a Junior Ranger programme in the ship's theatre
- Getting ashore
- Scenic cruising only - the ship never berths and no one goes ashore; Park Service rangers board by tender and disembark as you leave the bay.
- Best months
- May-Sep (Jun-Aug clearest; Johns Hopkins Inlet is off limits May-Jun)
- Day 5
Sitka
United StatesPortSitka is the one Southeast Alaska call that faces the open Pacific rather than the Inside Passage, and it was the capital of Russian America until 1867 - St Michael's Cathedral still stands in the middle of the main street. The volcanic cone of Mount Edgecumbe sits across the sound. Its history is also the hardest of any Alaskan port: the Tlingit fought and lost a battle here in 1804, on ground that is now a national park.
- Sitka National Historical Park, with a totem trail through the 1804 battlefield
- St Michael's Cathedral and the Russian Bishop's House
- Alaska Raptor Center's flight training centre for injured eagles
- Wildlife boat tours into Sitka Sound for sea otters, puffins and whales
- Getting ashore
- Larger ships use the Old Sitka Dock about five miles north with a paid shuttle; smaller ships still tender straight into the downtown harbour.
- Best months
- May-Sep (Jun-Aug best; Sitka is exposed to Pacific weather and can be rough at the shoulders)
- Day 6Ketchikan port guide: where ships dock and what to do ashore
Ketchikan
United StatesPort Day 7 · At sea
- Day 8Vancouver, BC port guide: where ships dock and what to do ashore
Vancouver, BC
CanadaArrive
Onboard Amenities
Cruise Highlights
About the Ship
What Travelers Say About Nieuw Amsterdam
Reviews of the ship itself — the same for every Nieuw Amsterdam sailing. Distilled from 85 traveler threads, passenger reviews and travel blogs.
Nieuw Amsterdam is a 2010 Signature-class, midsize Holland America ship carrying around 2,100 guests at double occupancy. It punches above its size on dining - widely regarded as one of the best-fed fleets in its segment - and on service, with a refined, traditional and unhurried vibe that skews toward an older, sophisticated crowd.
What People Love
- Among the best dining in the Holland America fleet, with strong specialty venues including Pinnacle Grill, Tamarind, Canaletto and the Morimoto by Sea added in 2024
- Midsize ship at around 2,100 guests, so venues rarely feel crowded and the atmosphere stays relaxed and uncrowded
- Outstanding for Alaska - the bow opens to passengers for excellent glacier and wildlife viewing
Common Complaints
- Cabins feel dated and small by modern standards, with worn decor and compact bathrooms cited as in need of refurbishment
- Skews heavily older, with an average passenger in their early sixties and programming aimed at a 55-plus crowd
- Mobility traffic - scooters and walkers in narrow hallways are noted by some guests