I haven’t personally cruised with Holland America yet, but my parents recently sailed on Nieuw Statendam and stayed in the cheapest, guaranteed inside cabin. My Mum very kindly shared this review with me.
Inside cabins are usually the cheapest way onto a Holland America cruise, but does saving the money mean compromising too much?
The cabin they were allocated was number 10042, an IG grade “Large Interior Spa Stateroom” – although they felt it was the same size as other inside cabin staterooms they had had in the past.
The size is listed as approx. 143–225 sq. ft, which is around average. The layout was different, and they felt better, than in other inside cabins they had had in the past.
In most inside cabins, the bed is at the end wall, facing the door. On this ship, the bed was on the side wall.
First Impressions of the Cheapest Cabin
When they first opened the door, they were pleasantly surprised by the cabin that would be their home for the next two weeks.
The cabin looked immaculate, but they were immediately thinking, “We have stayed in an inside cabin like this before – it isn’t your standard inside cabin layout”.
This was a last-minute cruise booking. The cruiseline obviously had inside cabins to fill, and a balcony cabin would have been double or three times the price.
We assumed that, as Holland America is a more premium line, most passengers had enough money to book a balcony cabin and weren’t looking for the cheaper cabin grades.
How Big Was the Inside Cabin Really?
The Interior Spa cabins on deck ten are listed as having a “Minimum cabin size of143 sq.ft”
The cabin was towards the front of the ship on the Panorama Deck. This is close to the upper level of the main pool, with its loungers and retractable roof. (Which actually worked and was opened regularly!)
There was enough space for two people to move around freely. The only bottleneck area was by the wardrobes – as in most cabins, it was easy to come out of the bathroom and open the door into the other person getting their clothes out of the wardrobe!
The cabin wasn’t big enough for any chair or sitting area, so they just sat on the bed.
The suitcases fitted easily under the bed. There was ample storage for a couple sharing a cabin for two weeks.
Nieuw Statendam inside cabins vary in size and are found on many decks. My parents certainly felt that they got lucky with the cabin location.
The Bed Was a Big Part of the Room
Holland America uses its “Mariner’s Dream Bed” in inside cabins, with two beds that can convert into one queen-size bed.
The bed/mattress was very comfortable, and there were two different-sized pillows each.
There was enough room on each side of the bed, and a small cabinet on each side for your drink and your phone, etc.
On the wall at the end of the bed, a flat-screen TV was built into a recess, making great use of the space.
This smart TV had a range of TV and films to watch, plus you had the ability to check your onboard account, view the bow cam (very handy when you can’t see outside to check the weather), find information, research venues and opening times.
Was There Enough Storage for Two People?
There was enough wardrobe space for both of them. The wardrobe actually contained a yoga mat, which was the only clue this was a “Spa inside cabin”. They never used the mat – or went to the nearby spa!
There was a bank of drawers in the wardrobe, and another bank of drawers in the dressing table under the mirror.
The dressing table had a bag with a makeup mirror and a hairdryer in the top drawer. A hint that Holland America is a more premium cruiseline, they thought.
The bedside storage cabinets had two drawers and an open shelf at the bottom. The cabin phone sat on the bedside table nearest the bathroom.
Coats and shoes fitted easily into the wardrobe, and they never struggled to find space for things.
Holland America describes its cabins as having “ample closet and drawer storage”, and they would agree with that.
That makes sense, as Holland America seem to focus on longer journeys and more unusual voyages – so making the most of the space even in the smallest cabins is important.
The sailing before theirs was a 28-day “Scandinavian Solar Eclipse with Greenland and Scotland cruise from Rotterdam”. You would certainly have had to make the most out of the onboard laundry service if you were sailing on that trip!
What Was the Bathroom Like?
The bathroom was very good and very practical, considering its limited size.
The shower had a proper glass door and a wooden duckboard to stand on.
Holland America specifically promotes the “premium massage showerhead” in these cabins.
If the showerhead was a premium massage showerhead, they never would have known it! The water pressure was always good, and the water heated up quickly.
Shampoo, conditioner and shower gel were supplied in the shower, and hand soap was in a dispenser by the sink.
The counter surface space around the sink was a little limited, and there was a shelf with a built-in bin/trash can below it.
There were shelves on the wall to the right of the sink, but there were no drawers to put your stuff away in.
The lighting was good, and they never had any issues with the bathroom or plumbing.
6. Plugs, USB Ports and Charging
There were plenty of US 115v plug sockets in the cabin – they regularly used the ones on both sides of the bed and the two over by the desk.
USB ports are also on both sides of the bed and over by the desk.
They were never short on plug sockets, and they always pack travel adapters when they travel, so having US plug sockets, not UK plug sockets, wasn’t an issue.
7. What Else Was Included in the Cabin?
In the cabin they found:
- A flat-screen TV.
- A good-sized safe.
- A hairdryer in the drawer (but they didn’t use it)
- Also in the drawer was a make-up mirror in a bag.
- Bathrobes
- Mini-bar/fridge.
- Desk/dressing table area.
- Mirror.
- Very good air conditioning.
- (Far better than in their last cruise ship cabin on Norwegian Epic.)
- They were surprised to see that two stripey beach towels were provided in the cabin.
- Pool towels were readily available for you to pick up around the pool areas.
- There was no suggestion that you should exchange your pool towels for clean ones, or that you would be fined for not returning your towel at the end of the cruise.
- They felt that this was a mark of a more luxurious cruise line.
Why Did The Cabin Feel So Familiar?
They thought as soon as they got inside the cabin that it reminded them very much of Cunard’s newest ship, Queen Anne.
Queen Anne is another Pinnacle Class ship owned by Holland America’s and Cunard’s parent company, Carnival.
Although they are built on the same hull platform, Queen Anne is a stretched and enlarged version of the original Pinnacle design.
Queen Anne is larger at 113,000 gross tons and 322.5 metres in length, compared to Nieuw Statendam’s 99,863 gross tons and 300 metres.
Queen Anne carries significantly more people (2,996 to 3,353 passengers) than Nieuw Statendam (2,666 passengers).
My parents sailed in an inside cabin onboard Queen Anne and thought it was one of their favourite inside cabins. (In fact, they have another inside cabin trip on Queen Anne booked!)
They were very pleased to be staying in an inside cabin on another Pinnacle Class ship.
I have also stayed in an Inside cabin on Queen Anne, and was very impressed by the cabin – although not my cabin location! Have a look at that here:
My parents had their room configured as a double, but when I stayed on Queen Anne, I shared a cabin with my brother, and we had twin beds. Either configuration seems to work well in Pinnacle Class inside cabins.
If you want to sail on a particular ship, and the fares are expensive, it is often worth checking out the sister ships in the same class. You might get a much better deal on a ship that is virtually the same, but has been in service longer.
Find out more about that here:
Before You Book a Cruise, Check The Sister Ships – Here’s Why
There Is No Window. Did That Matter?
As nice as it is to have a balcony cabin where you can sit and watch sail-ins and sail-aways, the price of the balcony cabin on this sailing was prohibitive.
As they were sailing on a British Isles, Ireland and Netherlands cruise, they were very familiar with the ports of call, and didn’t think that a balcony was necessary on this occasion.
In reality, their cabin was in a brilliant position. It was towards the front of the ship, and less than 20 steps to the top level of the main pool. Here they could sit, have a drink or something to eat – and see what was going on outside.
The cabin’s darkness, excellent aircon, and very comfortable bed made it fantastic for sleeping.
They could check the weather on the TV via the bow cam, or, when docked, often get mobile data to check the next day’s weather forecast – they had no nasty surprises!
They never felt claustrophobic, and often spent the late evenings in the cabin reading or watching downloads.
They weren’t too impressed by the theatre production shows onboard, but the cabin was a comfortable place to return to.
During the daytime, they were off the ship exploring or enjoying the ship’s public spaces.
What Was It Like Waking Up in a Completely Dark Cabin?
They packed their daylight alarm clock and set it when the ship was sailing into port, and they wanted to get off.
On sea days, they just got up when they woke up.
There was a nightlight by the wardrobe area, but this was rather a nuisance, as it kept going off and lighting up the whole cabin every time they turned over in bed!
They just put a towel in front of it, and slept in the dark. They slept very well when onboard.
This is the daylight alarm clock we use when staying in an inside cabin:
Was the Cabin Quiet?
The cabin was very quiet.
There was really no need for anyone to pass by the cabin unless their own cabin was further along that corridor.
The pool area was near enough to be useful to them – but not so close to cause noise issues.
They were right next to an electrical room, so they only had neighbours on one side – whom they never heard.
One morning they were awoken by planing and banging – they assumed that the crew were doing some maintenance on the nearby lift/elevators.
There was a little rattling and vibration when the ship hit heavy seas, but mostly the ship was hugging the coastline, and there was no noise from inside or outside the cabin.
They thought this cabin was in an excellent location, and they were very pleased to have ended up there, as they did not pay extra to choose the cabin. They could have been anywhere onboard.
Did It Ever Feel Too Small for Two People?
The space was only difficult when both people wanted to get to the wardrobe at the same time, or if one was coming out of the bathroom and the other was trying to get things out of the wardrobe.
It was never a major issue, it just made them a bit more wary about opening the bathroom door. (They didn’t dare fling it open in case the other was right there behind the door!)
They shared this cabin happily for two weeks, and the close proximity to the upper tier of the pool area was a real bonus.
Inside vs Ocean View vs Balcony
The price difference between the inside cabin and a balcony or ocean view was so big that they wouldn’t have considered this cruise if they were the only cabins available. They would have ended up paying two or three times as much.
While it is lovely to have natural light or a balcony area, as they were virtually sailing in “their own backyard” they weren’t so worried about missing anything.
They can return to those cities relatively easily, either by car or a quick budget airline flight, if they ever want to.
The inside cabin itself was cosy and comfortable, and had everything they needed for the trip.
Does Booking the Cheapest Cabin Mean Getting Worse Service?
The cabin stewards were excellent and regularly checked in to make sure they had everything they needed, and that everything was good with the cabin.
The cabin was serviced twice a day, everything was spotless. On dressy nights or party nights, towel animals and chocolates were left in the cabin.
They felt the service they received from the cabin stewards could not have been better if they had had a balcony or oceanview cabin.
When you stay in an inside cabin, it is important to remember you will still have access to the same restaurants, entertainment and public areas as those in higher grade cabins.
There was no “ship within a ship” area onboard Nieuw Statendam, which means that large areas of the ship weren’t out of bounds – as they are on some MSC, Cunard or Norwegian ships.
What Did It Cost?
When they looked at this cruise ,the price of a balcony cabin was upwards of £3k/$5K per person – whereas they paid £1299/$1750 per person.
That is under my £100 a night target – and for Holland America, that is very cheap!
(There are, of course, additional service charges to be paid on Holland America cruises. At the time of writing, non-suite cabins are $18/approx £13 per person, per day.)
Unfortunately, I wasn’t available at the time to come along with them – otherwise, I would have been tempted to book an inside cabin too!
This was for the cheapest guaranteed inside cabin onboard, and was booked about three months before the sailing.
I can only assume that most Holland America customers spend more on their cruises, and inside cabins or lower-grade cabins are less appealing to them.
Who Should Book an Inside Cabin on Nieuw Statendam?
Inside cabins are probably a good choice for:
- Cruisers trying to keep the overall cost of a cruise down.
- People who spend very little time in their cabin.
- People who sleep well in complete darkness.
- Port-heavy itineraries where you are getting off the ship every day.
- Cruisers who would rather spend the upgrade money on other things – such as drinks or excursions.
Think twice if:
- You get claustrophobic.
- Natural light is important to you.
- You spend lots of time relaxing privately in your cabin.
- You love watching arrivals and sailaways from your room.
- You are travelling somewhere scenic where a balcony could add a lot to the experience.
Would My Parents Book Holland America’s Cheapest Cabin Again?
Yes – if the price was right!
They do have two other Holland America cruises booked, but they will be staying in balcony cabins on those trips.
These cruises were booked a long way in advance to secure the best deal – and both are to very scenic places, far from home, so spending the extra money seemed worth it.
The cabin they had on this United Kingdom, Scotland and Ireland cruise was genuinely very comfortable. They booked at a bargain price, knowing pretty much what they’d get. The cabin didn’t disappoint.
They didn’t regret not having a window – a cabin upgrade was never an option. If they hadn’t seen this cheap deal, they wouldn’t have booked.
If an ocean view cabin had been a few hundred pounds more expensive, they may have considered it – but they were nearly as expensive as the balcony cabins.
Looking at prices for the same cruise on the same ship a year later, you can clearly see what a bargain this cabin was.
You can also see that the more expensive stateroom types seem to sell out quickly, which leads me to believe Holland America appeals to a more affluent cruiser who wants longer sailings to exciting destinations.
This is one reason I have never sailed with Holland America. I like to cruise for a week at a time, as I also have to run my business whilst away. Holland America seems to offer very few cruises that short.
Before You Go
Nieuw Statendam is a relatively new cruise ship, launched in 2018. At what age is a ship considered old? Find out here:
What Age Is A Cruise Ship Considered Old? (It’s Younger Than You Might Think)
Find out why you shouldn’t put your essential medication in your suitcase here:
Never Put Essential Medication in Your Cruise Suitcase: Here’s Why
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