For our recent transatlantic cruise on Holland America’s Nieuw Amsterdam, we booked a Category H obstructed ocean-view guarantee.
We were assigned to stateroom #4075, located in the center section of Deck 4, the Upper Promenade Deck. Here’s a look inside.
The first thing you notice upon entering stateroom #4075 is the lifeboat in front of the window. (NOTE: all Category H and HH staterooms on the Nieuw Amsterdam have a fully obstructed view, while Category G staterooms are considered partially obstructed.)
Prior to this cruise, we had sailed three other times on the Nieuw Amsterdam, each time in a verandah stateroom. (See Verandah Stateroom 4031 here, Spa Verandah Stateroom #10034 here, or the view from the verandah of Spa Verandah # 11007 here.)
While we were a little concerned about having no view for 13 days (which turned into 12 days due to bad weather in Barcelona), we enjoyed this stateroom.
Because we are tall, we could see above the lifeboat, and the room got sufficient light during the day. (The picture above shows the view of the port of Barcelona above the lifeboat. It also has a strange-looking reflection of our room’s bed onto the lifeboat.)
The Nieuw Amsterdam went through dry dock at the end of March, 2015. One of the upgrades was the addition of flat screen televisions with IP on-demand television and movie programming, similar to entertainment systems on some airlines.
We loved being able to watch a variety of television shows and movies on demand with this new IP system. For example, we watched Law & Order reruns, on demand, just like we were watching shows on Netflix or Amazon Prime.
There are three disadvantages of the IP system as some of the functionality is not yet working:
- you can’t watch recordings of the speakers
- you can’t check your bill
- there are menus for the specialty restaurants but no daily menus
In addition, some guests missed the DVD players.
Overall, it is a much better television, entertainment and information system. (It just needs some programming attention that appears to be held up in Holland America’s Seattle corporate office.)
Next is the desk/vanity sectional, which includes a mini-bar refrigerator. There’s a hair dryer and wine/cocktail glasses behind the diagonal door.
This stateroom has three spacious closets with ranks and hangers for hanging your clothes, or shelves that fold down for additional storage.
There is a sofa and a coffee table. The sofa mainly served as a storage area for our briefcases. Note the wire basket on the table. If you fill out the card, it will be filled with your choice of complimentary fresh fruit each day.
The bathroom is compact, like most on cruise ships.
On the Nieuw Amsterdam, all oceanview and higher category staterooms have a combination bathtub/shower.
Our bottom line on Obstructed Ocean-view Stateroom #4075 on Holland America’s Nieuw Amsterdam cruise ship:
- This mid-ship cabin is in the perfect location. You do not feel the ship’s movement. Plus, it is only one quick flight of stairs to the Promenade Deck below, for easy access to the outside wrap-around walking deck, the showroom, and the other activities on decks 3 and 2.
- The room was very quiet and peaceful.
- While the view is obstructed by a lifeboat, if you are tall, you can see above it.
Have you sailed in an obstructed ocean-view stateroom on Holland America Line? If so, what did you think? Please share your thoughts in comments below.
To take a look around other cruise ships, check out these posts:
- A Look Around the World’s Largest Cruise Ship, the Allure of the Seas
- A Look Inside Ocean-View Stateroom 700 on Holland America’s Maasdam Cruise Ship
- A Look Inside Suite 325 on the Seabourn Pride
- A Look Inside Interior Cabin #10425 on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas
- Views from the Seabourn Pride
- A Look Inside Interior Cabin B-625 on the Star Princess Cruise Ship
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