HAL Nieuw Amsterdam Live Blog Day 7 - Half Moon Cay
Author: Bill
The last day of any cruise is a sad one, but to us, it’s a bit easier when the last day is a port day as the distraction of going ashore keeps us from dwelling on the inevitable. On the final day of our Nieuw Amsterdam sailing we found ourselves visiting Half Moon Cay, Holland America Line’s private island in the Bahamas. We enjoyed the tropical paradise, thought about how it compared to other private islands, and then went back onboard to absorb the last hours of what Nieuw Amsterdam had to offer us this cruise, including dining in the Pinnacle Grill... read more
Sometimes we cruise to enjoy the destinations, the activities, and the entertainment – other times we cruise for the sake of leaving our cares behind. Today’s sea day on Holland America Line’s Nieuw Amsterdam was one of those days we just wanted to look around and bask in the enjoyment of doing nothing. Don’t worry, we still managed to do something, or else we wouldn’t have much to write about… 
Today we woke up to the kind of sea day everyone wants while sailing the Caribbean, though everybody else started their great day a few hours earlier. After being up a bit late last night, a time-zone change, and a lack of morning-obligations we found ourselves up and moving around 11am. Despite this, we feel like we really got to enjoy the ship during the day, including a stroll, beer-tasting, a cooking class, and a beautiful start to our evening out on deck. 
Embarkation day is one of the most exciting days of any cruise - you're vacation is just starting and you've got so much ahead of you! At the same time, even when it all goes smoothly, there are logistics (unpacking for example), muster drill, and other things that make the day pass by quickly. Despite this, we had an enjoyable day, so we'll quickly recap our embarkation process, initial observations, and our first evening on Holland America Line's m/s Nieuw Amsterdam...
Saturday November 18th we'll be setting sail once again, this time on Holland America Line's ms Nieuw Amsterdam for seven nights. We're always excited to cruise, but this is particularly exciting as it will be our first time personally experiencing Holland America. In fact, while our 
Whether sipping a fruity drink by the pool or enjoying a pint at a pub, alcoholic beverages are ubiquitous with cruising. The cost of those drinks can certainly add up, but in the past 10-15 years, some cruise lines have started serving up unlimited drink packages and other options which allow you to better manage your bar tabs and even coffee expenses. The cost, benefits, and restrictions can vary by cruise line, so let’s explore the overall concept of beverages packages, and some of the things unique to the offerings on each cruise line... 
Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd (parent company to Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Azamara Club Cruises) made some big announcements this week around the technology in and on their ships. The “Sea Beyond” event was hosted this Wednesday in NYC, and RoyalCaribbeanBlog.com was there to get the scoop. Nobody covers Royal Caribbean like they do, so you should first get the whole story by checking out