As we set out on a full circumnavigation of the globe for the second time in our lives, we have decided to stay with Holland America and their ship the Amsterdam.  It is by no means one of the largest cruise ships.   Its smaller size allows it to dock or anchor in many ports where a larger ship could not.  The third Holland America Line vessel to bear the name Amsterdam, this elegant, mid-sized ship features a three-story atrium graced by a stunning astrolabe.

GUESTS       1380

LENGTH     780 ft.

WIDTH       105.8 ft.

We were fortunate to get the same cabin as we had in 2013.  It looks out on the Promenade Deck from a large window over the head of our bed. Our cabin door exits to a hallway which is only one cabin away from the door to the open deck.  Our cabin location makes moving around the ship very easy and provides us with a sea view at all times. The bathroom is spacious and is as modern as you can get.    We also learned on the previous voyage that very little time is spent in the cabin (sleeping essentially) so a larger cabin or a cabin with more amenities seems like a waste of money.

If you look at the picture below we are on the starboard side of the ship as shown and in the cabin midway along the second lifeboat.  The lifeboats are considerably above head level and there is a deck (Promenade) which totally encircles the ship on our level.  The picture above is from our cabin and,  believe it or not, is considered  “a partially obstructed view”.

We depart Fort Lauderdale on January 22 but fly in to Fort Lauderdale on the 20th so we can avoid any last minute delays due to winter conditions back home.  One would not want to miss the boat!