If you’ve never been on a cruise before but want to know what all the hype is about, Holland America’s seven-day Eastern Caribbean Cruise might be the perfect introduction to what, according to a recent study, is becoming an increasingly popular way to holiday. Travelling on the Nieuw Amsterdam and departing from Fort Lauderdale, Miami (which in itself is a great place to explore) we got to see some of the some of the region’s most beautiful scenery as the route stops at Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands; Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas; San Juan, Puerto Rico; and Holland America’s own private island, Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas. While it’s virtually impossible to be bored on board, it’s also an incredibly fun and easy way to strike the perfect balance between adventure and relaxation. READ MORE: ‘I had a cooking class with Marco Pierre White on a cruise – this chopping trick is a game-changer’ READ MORE: ‘I flew to Canada to binge on lobsters with 700 people – and made friends for life’
The ship stops at four destinations around the Caribbean
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Eating and drinking The two largest eateries on board, included in every package, are The Lido Market and The Dining Room. The Lido is a buffet-style restaurant serving every type of food you could want, with a lot of it (including the top-notch salads and the pancakes) to order. The Dining Room, which also does breakfast, lunch and dinner, has an à la carte menu so it has more of a ‘restaurant’ feel, and it made a nice change from the huge amount of choice at The Lido.
The ship has a huge array of places to eat – including Italian restaurant Canaletto
If you’re happy to pay extra for meals, there’s the Italian restaurant Canaletto, Morimoto by the Sea and Nami Sushi for fish lovers, and the Pinnacle Grill where we gave our steak 10 out of 10. We also thought Tamarind, which gives Southeast Asian cuisine a modern twist, offered the best ‘off ship’ vibe, and was perfect as a treat.
Holland American Easter Caribbean cruise: How to book
How to book
Holland America’s Eastern Caribbean cruise sets sail from Miami and calls at Turks and Caicos Islands, St Thomas, Puerto Rico and Holland America’s own private island, Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas.
From £1,724pp
Holland America
Book here
Stepping off the ship Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands This is very much a ‘cruise destination’ port, which means there’s not a huge amount to do other than enjoy the scenery, sand and sea. We booked an ‘ultimate snorkelling adventure’, but more relaxing options include beach house rental and a golf cart tour.
The waters in Turks and Caicos are often crystal clear
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Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas Located on St Thomas, Charlotte Amalie is actually the capital of the US Virgin Islands, and has some interesting parts to explore. We booked the Skyride aerial tram, which took us up to Paradise Point at the highest point on the island. There are a few shops and food options at the top but the reward was most definitely the views. For food, we scouted out Gladys’ Cafe, which is a bit of an institution in the town and worth visiting for the jerk chicken and spiced lobster.
Gladys’ Cafe is a bit of an institution in Charlotte Amalie, St Thomas
San Juan, Puerto Rico San Juan is by far the most rewarding on-shore destination if you want to experience some genuine Caribbean culture. There are plenty of excursions available, but it’s also very easy to do your own thing and enjoy this incredible city alone. We booked the History & Cuisine of San Juan on Foot (from $109.95), a guided tour that visits San Juan Gate, Princess Pathway and Prison and the beautiful San Juan Cathedral. It finished off with a hands-on Mofongo & Mojito experience, coupled with a talk on the history of the island’s famous rum. There was also plenty of time left in the day for us to wander by ourselves and enjoy another mojito (or two)!
San Juan gives you a chance to wander a truly traditional Caribbean destination
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Half Moon Cay, Bahamas This is the only tendered shore day, which means you take a boat from the ship to the island. There’s not a huge amount to do here – which is part of its charm. There’s a huge stretch of sandy beach with shallow, calm waters and you can either lounge on a free sunbed or hire a clamshell covering for shade. There’s a buffet-style lunch prepped for all guests. Activities include horse riding on the beach, a stingray adventure, a nature walk, a guided bicycle tour and kayaking. But for us, simply enjoying the relaxing vibes and stunning view of the ocean was enough.
Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas is a private island owned by Holland America
Time on the ship Daily activities on the ship included everything from origami lessons, Mahjong games and quizzes to line-dancing lessons and fitness classes. Most of the activities are free and the programmes change every day, so if you’re not stepping off the ship on a port day, you certainly won’t be bored. We picked our activities and added them to an app with reminders. The art lesson and music quiz were particularly fun. One of our favourite parts of the ship was the Crow’s Nest on the very top deck. It had a brilliant stack of board and card games, and a bar serving soft and alcoholic drinks. It was the perfect place to admire the views while enjoying a game of Yahtzee. There’s also a spa, and while the treatment list was a tad expensive for us (a 75-minute Swedish massage was US$199), the day pass we bought was money well spent. At $49 each, it gave us access to the thermal suites, saunas and hydropool, and we could come and go as often as we liked on the day.
If the views and tranquillity isn’t enough for you, there’s plenty to do on the ship
(Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)
Top tips There are a lot of packages available on board and the drinks package is very much a personal choice. The one we thought was worth it was the laundry package. It was $59.50 for seven-day unlimited laundry and pressing, or $25 per bag – handy if you pack light. Also, magnetic hooks that hang on the cabin walls worked brilliantly well at keeping all our belongings (especially jewellery and sunhats) organised in a small space. How to book Holland America Line’s seven-day Eastern Caribbean cruise on board the Nieuw Amsterdam costs from £1,724pp based on departure on 16 March 2025. Price includes all meals, afternoon tea, theatre shows, onboard gym and children’s clubs plus the ‘Have It All’ package, which includes shore excursion credit, a signature beverage package, speciality dining, crew appreciation and Wi-Fi. Story SavedYou can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.
