I’m classy, but I also like to be silly at times. This trip I took along my little friend T-Rex to help me with some photography and drink sampling. He had great fun on HAL’s Niew Statendam and I got a few laughs along the way too!

Non-alcoholic drinks

Make sure you stay hydrated on your cruise. You’re best friend wants you to feel your best. It easy to get dehydrated exploring those tropical destinations in the hot sun.

Whenever I was out and about on the ship I stopped by the Lido Market to grab some water or lemonade. They also offer complimentary ice tea, a wide selection of hot teas and coffee.

There is also water available in your state room for purchase or you can let the ice in your ice bucket melt overnight and voila! nice cold water ready for you in the morning.

Several places on the ship you can also purchase your favorite latte, cappuccino or americano.

Happy Hour

HAL offers an afternoon happy hour at the Billboard Onboard bar with 25% off drinks, between 3-4pm.

This is also the 150th anniversary of Holland America Lines, so on my cruise they were trying out an insanely great deal on cocktails with what I presume were 150 year old prices. Drinks were between $0.25 and $0.75. Yes, you read that right! Hard to pass up happy hour at those prices, not that it’s that hard anyway. LOL This was not something advertised anywhere. I found out about it accidently as I overheard a conversation at another table.

Just remember to tip the waitstaff a little extra. The automatic 18% service charge won’t add up to much on a 75 cent drink. We’re classy remember!

The cruise staff works incredibly long hours, for months on end and depend a lot on gratuities as cruise wages are low, so let’s remember the dedicated staff who work tirelessly to ensure you have a great vacation.

Cocktail Class

HAL offers a chance to shake up your own cocktails in the Billboard Onboard bar. Although due to the pandemic waitstaff on my cruise pre-made the cocktails for you, but I still enjoyed trying out different flavored mojitos and margaritas.

The bartender explains how to make these clever concoctions and even provides you with the recipes to take home and try your hand at them later. A fun way to spend an afternoon! T-rex seemed to approve. 🙂

Wine Tasting

A great way to be classy on a budget is to sign up for the Great Wines of the World wine tasting and try some upscale wines and hors d’oeuvres. The wine tasting is $40, but you can sample some $90 wines and Veuve Clicquot Champagne as well as indulge in shrimp, duck, unique cheeses and even a chocolate truffle. Tres fancy!

Don’t worry the sommelier will walk you through which hors d’oeuvres are enhanced by which wines. I found out about this lovely experience from my waiter at the pool bar on the first day of my cruise. He signed my friend and I up and then later we received a formal invitation delivered to our room. So classy!

This event was held in Club Orange, HAL’s private dining area for premium luxury passengers. Normally to enjoy Club Orange you would need to pay an additional $25 per person per day on cruises up to 13 days. I got to try it out, no extra charge!

Sail Away Cocktails

A great way to stay within your budget is to take advantage of HAL’s complimentary Sail Away Cocktails. I suggest being ready poolside just before you leave your last port, so you can snag one.

I opted for a fruity Bahama Mama. There were also huge glasses of beer, sangria and other cocktails. I suggest grabbing your drink and immediately heading for the elevators as it can get a bit chaotic. People go crazy for anything that’s free! Especially drinks!

High Tea

A lovely surprise offering was HAL’s High Tea on our first at sea day. I love a good high tea. It all started with my first trip to England where I tasted scones and clotted cream for the first time on the gorgeous grounds of Blenheim Palace. Nothing makes you feel classier than taking afternoon tea.

HAL offered what tasted to me like a scrumptious orange pekoe tea and brought around a three tiered tray of tea sandwiches, small pastries and scones. Hal also offered an afternoon tea on the other at sea days.

I hope you enjoyed T-Rex’s tour of the drinks available on HAL’s Niew Statemdam! Safe travels wherever you are going next!