Holland America Global Fresh Fish Program: High-End Cuisine on the High Seas
Dining has alway been an important attraction to contributors John and Sandra Nowlan, who have been sailing and reviewing cruise ship for over twenty years. So it’s not surprising they were enthusiastic to board Nieuw Statendam and experience the Holland America Global Fresh Fish Program.
We are no strangers to Holland America Line’s innovative dining options. We enjoyed the line’s port-to-table dining on prior cruises.
However, the line’s newest culinary offering is the first of its kind. The Holland America Global Fresh Fish Program is built on sourcing fresh, sustainable fish in 60 ports worldwide, with 80 species available for guests, depending on the region. Holland America is also the first global cruise line to earn Responsible Fisheries Management certification.
Iron Chef Masaharu Morimoto, recently named Global Fresh Fish Ambassador for Holland America Line (HAL), played a key role in the cruise line’s seafood upgrade.
Several ships in the Holland America fleet already include a Morimoto Sushi Bar featuring his signature sushi, sashimi, rolls, and smaller dishes. Once each cruise, the Asian-themed Tamarind restaurant becomes Morimoto by Sea, a fresh fish pop-up restaurant with several seafood dishes created under Chef Morimoto’s supervision.
Holland America Global Fresh Fish Program Commitment to Fresh Fish
In addition to Morimoto by Sea, Nieuw Statendam has several other extra-cost specialty restaurants featuring fresh fish on an enhanced menu. We were keen to try them all. But the ship’s main dining room is impressive for its seafood dishes (Pan-Fried Sea Bass, Red Miso Snapper, Thyme-Coated Salmon) in addition to traditional cruise fare.
We interviewed New Statendam’s Executive Chef, Noel Lontoc, who told us that HAL’s commitment to fresh fish has changed how his galley and its 140 chefs and cooks operate. Our fish was loaded in Fort Lauderdale and designated as “fresh” on the menu for the first 48 hours of our seven-day cruise.
Because we visited only small, remote Caribbean ports, the remaining seafood had been flash-frozen and later thawed on the ship. We were initially skeptical but found that the fresh or flash-frozen fish was excellent.
Fish and More at Breakfast on Holland America
Breakfast can often be boring, but in Nieuw Statendam’s main dining room, international variety is the norm, enhanced by white tablecloths and attentive service. We enjoyed trying British kippers, English back bacon with pork bangers, and Asian congee. Fresh-squeezed orange juice was an extra cost ($4.50) but worth the splurge.
The regular coffee served on the ship was just fair. Much better brews and superb complimentary pastries were available at the Royal Dutch Café. We had the Quench, a non-alcoholic beverage package, for the entire week for $297 for the two of us. It allowed us 15 drinks per day each (specialty coffees, soda, Perrier, juices), but we never approached that number and felt it may not have been worth the cost.
Best At Sea Specialty Restaurants
In our decades of cruising, Holland America’s extra-cost specialty restaurants have always stood out as among the best at sea. Our favorite is Tamarind ($US 35), with exquisite Pan-Asian cuisine and thoughtful, efficient service.
On this cruise, we enjoyed its Satay Sampler, Giant Shrimp Tempura, Lobster and Shrimp Potstickers, and tender Mongolian BBQ Lamb Chops.
Rudi’s Sel de Mer ($US 55), featuring Escargot, Foie Gras Torchon, Seafood Cioppino, Snapper with White Wine, and Mahi Mahi with Chipotle Mayo, and the Canaletto Italian Restaurant ($US 25), were both superb.
At Canaletto, we enjoyed an appetizer of Veal Meatballs followed by Seared Sea Bass and Ossobuco. We were less thrilled with our dinner at Pinnacle Grill ($US 52), the ship’s steakhouse. Its Clothesline Candied Bacon appetizer was imaginative and tasty.
But the eight-ounce medium-rare Filet Mignon was tough to chew, and the Wagyu Beef Striploin (an additional $ 28) was not melt-in-the-mouth, as expected. Our traditional Baked Alaska dessert was outstanding.
Holland American Global Fresh Fish Program includes a Morimoto Pop-Up and a Cooking Show
The new Morimoto by Sea pop-up specialty restaurant (once per cruise in Tamarind, $US 55) deserves accolades. The Fresh Tuna Pizza appetizer was colorful and had just the right crunch in its crust, while the Sushi Plate included several of Chef Morimoto’s unique creations.
Our main courses were Crispy-Fried Whole Sea Bass (ugly but tasty) and Shiyaki Buri Pop (Pacific Yellowtail cooked tableside). Our opulent dessert was the Chocolate Sphere. Our server, Dal, poured hot salted caramel sauce over a dome of rich chocolate, quickly melting it and dramatically revealing marshmallow cream and chocolate gelato.
Executive Chef Lontoc also presides over a cooking show in the main theatre highlighting regional specialties. The dish we saw created was a Bahamian Grouper with Bacon Grits. It was later offered as a featured dish in the main dining room.
Onboard Spaces & Activities
Holland America cuisine, particularly its seafood, was our main draw on this Nieuw Statendam cruise, but we were also impressed in other ways.
The ship, dedicated in January 2019, has a passenger capacity of 2,666 and 1,036 crew members. It is always kept sparkling clean and never seems crowded, except occasionally in the Lido buffet. Boarding and disembarking in Fort Lauderdale was effortless and well organized.
The library, often our first stop on a cruise ship, was large and comfortable.
Our Well-Designed Verandah Stateroom
Our Verandah Stateroom on Deck 5 was small but well-designed. It had plenty of storage space and included bathrobes, excellent lighting, a safe, convenient power and charging outlets, and fresh fruit.
The comfortable bed had a queen-sized mattress, but the tiny bedside table could barely hold the telephone. The bathroom was also well designed with Elemis toiletries and an excellent shower stall (no bathtub), but it lacked bar soap, providing only liquid dispensers. We’ve learned to always carry bar soap when cruising.
Entertainment on Nieuw Statendam
The entertainment on our cruise was sometimes a letdown. Holland America Line attracts many older guests who enjoy the attentive service and fine cuisine (the average age on our cruise was in the 65-70 range).
The shows we saw in the main theatre featured a talented song and dance troupe with imaginative technical effects. However, the canned music was very loud, and the modern song selections were geared towards a young crowd rather than retirees.
On four of the seven evenings, the main theatre had entertainment from two stand-up comedians (different jokes for each of their two nights). More variety would have been appreciated.
On previous Holland America cruises, we were big fans of the Lincoln Center Stage concerts featuring young, up-and-coming classical musicians, usually an extraordinary string quartet. Sadly, the contract with Lincoln Center in New York ended two years ago, but the line would have been wise to hire a string duo or even solo violin or cello performers to fill the gap. We were told that on longer Grand Voyages, a resident Chamber Trio is aboard.
New-To-Us Caribbean Shore Excursions
Many guests like us had previously visited several of our Caribbean ports, but we found a couple of new tours that proved fascinating.
Donkeys on Grand Turk Island
Grand Turk is a British Overseas Territory, one of 40 islands in the Turks and Caicos archipelago. Our guide pointed out its British heritage (cars drive on the left). At the same time, the official currency is the U.S. dollar, and all the banks are Canadian-controlled.
We noticed a number of donkeys wandering freely on the roads, in backyards, and on several beaches. The driver said there were 300 wild donkeys on Grand Turk. They’re descendants of the donkeys who used to pull carts of sea salt from evaporation ponds across the island, a major industry for more than 200 years. The donkeys seemed to be enjoying their freedom.
Coffee Plantation in Puerto Plata
Guests use soil, pots, and seeds on the Dominican Coffee Tour (credit: John and Sandra Nowlan)Near Puerto Plata in the Dominican Republic, a wonderful tour called “Dominican Coffee” took us high into the nearby mountains to the Tubagua Plantation Eco Village.
Owned by a Canadian expat, it offers six comfortable rooms for rent, excellent food, and a hands-on coffee tour for guests and visitors. A host demonstrated how to put soil in tiny pots and then plant coffee beans that will develop into seedlings for use by farmers in the area.
Local residents then showed us the traditional process of cleaning and roasting the green beans before grinding them and brewing cups of strong coffee for us to enjoy. A typical Dominican lunch completed an exceptional tour.
Day-Pass in Nassau
Busy Nassau, Bahamas, was our final port. It’s always filled with five or six cruise ships, and we were tempted to stay onboard. But we wanted an ocean swim, so we arranged for day passes at the Margaritaville Resort, just a 15-minute walk from the ship. A pass ($US 79 + tax for adults; $ 30 for children) includes beach towels, lounge chairs, Wi-Fi, and use of its water park with slides and a lazy river.
Experiencing the Global Fish Program on a Nieuw Statendam Caribbean Cruise
Holland America’s Nieuw Statendam provides great value and outstanding cuisine.
The mid-size ship is especially attractive for older cruisers who want a relaxed, informal atmosphere with comfortable rooms and excellent service. The elegant main dining room offers consistently good meals, kicked up a notch by the Holland America Global Fresh Fish Program. Guests should also consider a splurge on the specialty restaurants that offer some of the best culinary creations at sea, especially its seafood.
Disclosure: John and Sandra Nowlan were guests of Holland America Line but any opinions expressed in this post are their own.
Save to Pinterest!!
