Holland America Westerdam Cruise: Expert Review (2023)

The ship offers something for most everyone in those age brackets. Music lovers have three amazing choices from classical (including modern hits in classical style) at Lincoln Center Stage to have-to-dance blues and rock ‘n roll in B.B. King’s to sing-along sessions of your favorite radio hits at Billboard Onboard. While you’re not going to find any raucous early-morning parties on Westerdam, the entertainment onboard keeps the boat rocking until a bit past midnight. This is particularly true on the ship’s European itineraries, which bring in a more global — and younger — group of passengers.

Foodies will love the America’s Test Kitchen theater, with its step-by-step cooking demonstrations (recipe cards with simple directions included), as well as the two pop-up gourmet restaurants, each providing epicurean feasts at reasonable prices.

Those looking for enrichment during their travels will find computer and camera classes in the Digital Workshop, as well as destination lectures from the Explorations Central (EXC) experts. Plus, the neat interactive touch tables in the Explorations Central lounge have a variety of information about many of the ports of call on every itinerary. We loved stopping by the Question of the Day display each day to give our answer to questions like, “Which country could you visit over and over and never get tired of?”

With all that’s on the daily schedule, along with the spaces that are still perfect for relaxation — the Crow’s Nest section of Explorations Central, the King’s Room library — Westerdam is a perfectly calculated mixture of energy and tranquility.

But with all that’s new, Westerdam has not lost Holland American staples like an emphasis on service (though on our cruise, service had the occasional bump, particularly in the restaurants) and delicious food in all venues.