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Everything you need to know about Holland America Line’s Nieuw Statendam | Cruise | Travel

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The pool on the shop

The pool on the shop (Image: )

Holland America Line celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2023 and has 11 ships including its second newest vessel Nieuw Statendam, which launched in 2018 and is identical to 2021’s Rotterdam.

HAL was taking European immigrants to America back in 1873 but it now offers cruises to 98 countries and territories and sails to Antarctica, Australasia, Asia and South America its most popular destinations are the Caribbean, Alaska, Mexico, Canada & New England, the Panama Canal and Europe.

With its ships registered in Rotterdam, HAL retains strong links with the Netherlands and operates charity initiatives such as fund-raising walks around the ship’s exercise track in aid of causes such as Cancer Research UK.

Dining

The spectacular Dining Room is designed to look like the inside of a musical instrument and it cream and yellow décor looks fabulous at any time of the day.

It’s open for breakfast, lunch and dinner – brunch on some sea days – and you can book a table for dinner at a time to suit you or just walk in when you’re ready, although you may be sent off to wait with a buzzer at peak dining time from 7-8pm.

On the Navigator App The Dining Room, below, is described as fine dining, despite being complimentary, whereas the Lido Market, a spacious airy buffet that runs both sides of deck 9, is in the casual dining section along with Dive-In, a free burger bar next to the Lido pool, which has a retractable roof.

Also complimentary is the New York Deli & Pizza on deck 10 overlooking the Lido pool, where you can get pizzas made to order at lunch or dinner time as well as salads and deli sandwiches. It also serves a limited breakfast.

Paid-for speciality dining starts with the Italian restaurant Canaletto, a sectioned-off area of the Lido Market buffet, which costs $25 per person. The most expensive is Rudi’s Sel de Mer – an exceptional seafood brasserie that costs $55 each – with Pinnacle Grill steakhouse also excellent at $46.

The Pan-Asian restaurant Tamarind shares the same Oriental-styled space as Nami Sushi on deck 10 but while Tamarind is $35 the sushi restaurant, with a menu by master sushi chef Andy Matsuda, is a la carte.

Each restaurant adds 18 per cent service charges to the bill, so it’s worth considering HAL’s Have It All package, which for cruises 6 to 9 days long includes one speciality dining credit, $100 credit towards excursions, the Signature Beverage Package for drinks $11 or less and WiFi Surf Package for one device. This costs around $60 per person per day.

Club Orange is a private dining venue for suite guests serving breakfast and dinner, although it is possible to pay for access at $35 a day but only if you book before your cruise.

There’s also room service, which not only has some complimentary items but will also deliver speciality restaurant meals to your cabin at lower prices.

Paid-for speciality tea and coffee is available at the top deck’s Crow’s Nest and Deck 3’s Grand Dutch Café but they also serve complimentary cakes, cookies and a range of savoury snacks.

There are other opportunities to elevate your cruise, too, such as paying to use the Retreat sun deck, which has a large hot tub and is free for suite guests, and paying to eat in The Orange Room – also free for suites.

The gym is well equipped with free morning or late afternoon stretch sessions and paid-for classes, and there are free quizzes at various times plus the inevitable paid-for Bingo.

This is a family-friendly ship with a free kids’ programme to keep them entertained during the day in two age-appropriate rooms equipped with toys for the very young and screen games for teenagers. Paid-for evening babysitting may be available but there is no guarantee.

But if you are child-free on warm weather cruises there’s no nicer way to start your evening than by getting a drink at the Seaview Bar on deck 9 and watching the sun go down from the deck 10 open-air lounge above it before heading off to dinner.

Entertainment

Stroll along the Music Walk on deck 3 and you can listen and dance to the bands at BB King’s Blues Club or Rolling Stone Rock Room as well as watching the duelling piano players at Billboard Onboard lounge.

But some Nieuw Statendam itineraries will also have entertainment from classical musicians selected by New York’s Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.

These musicians previously shared the same space as BB King’s but there have been suggestions of performances in the World Stage theatre in future.

This is where you’ll see members of Step One Dance Company, described as elite dancers from around the world, as well as acts such as comedians, conjurers and musicians such as the British band The Runaround Kids, who were outstanding on our cruise.

There were no BBC Earth Concerts on our cruise, although these screenings of BBC nature footage with live music to accompany it are expected to return.

And there’s also an Orange Party during each cruise, so don’t forget to pack something orange to wear.

Fact box

Nieuw Statendam will sail several return-trip itineraries from Dover in 2025, starting with a 14-day Canary Island Enchantment with Morocco & Portugal, from £2,809, departing April 19 2025.

For details go to hollandamerica.com



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Abandoned village in Spain with incredible sea views on sale for £174k | Travel News | Travel

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An empty village is on sale in Spain for a bargain price. The property was first listed at €200,000 (around £173,860) in 2021 but according to Idealista.com, the price has now been reduced to €150,000 (around £130,395).

The village, Candelago, is perched on the Costa da Morte and it’s home to stunning sea views. The price drop has sparked new interest from buyers. It’s not a surprise to see so many people interested in the village which comes with wild landscapes and beautiful walking routes.

Candelago is home to around ten traditional stone houses, hórreos (Galician granaries used to store and preserve food), and overgrown paths. The village has faced years of abandonment after it experienced a population decline since the 1970s.

The village is not in the middle of nowhere – just a few miles away is the village of Corme, a fishing hub that is home to the historic Rocundo Lighthouse and the Museum of Contemporary Art Costa da Morte.

Today, it has big potential for a buyer. The village is located in a prime location for enjoying its natural surroundings and it’s also close to the seaside.

For buyers, it’s an ideal place to renovate and redesign into a private retreat or tourist venture.

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But it’s not the only Spanish village that’s been in this position in recent years.

Across Spain, there have been multiple small areas which offer buyers a unique opportunity to invest in a whole village for redevelopment.

Often, these villages gain the attention of international buyers who are keen to get their hands on the historic land.

The villages have appealed to young people and to investors seeking sustainable, experiential tourism opportunities.



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The ‘Ryanair’ of trains offers incredible trips through Europe for £10 | Europe | Travel

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If central European gems like Prague, Vienna, and Budapest are on your bucket list, this underrated travel option will help you interrail between legendary capitals without breaking the bank. 

This Czech travel company offers prime deals on bus and train journeys that cover everywhere from mountain escapes, capital cities, and lesser-known towns.

Ideal for urban city breaks or summer mountain getaways, RegioJet offers affordable fares to explore myriad locations in central Europe. Cheap train and bus fares cover top cities like Prague, Vienna, Bratislava, Warsaw, Gdansk, Munich, Berlin, and Budapest.

Prague is the main city from where most RegioJet trains operate. Brits flock to the Czech capital for its cheap pints of Pilsner, Baroque architecture, medieval castles, and lively night life. 

Vienna is another popular RegioJet destination, where you can visit elegant palaces, the famous St Stephen’s cathedral, and immerse yourself in the city’s classical music scene – the former home of Mozart and Beethoven.

A direct train journey from Prague to Vienna can cost you as little as €12 (£10.45), and a direct bus journey from Brno to Bratislava costs as little as €7 (£6). And for those wanting to enjoy mountain scenery, direct trains between Innsbruck and Zurich cost as little as €6 (£5.23). 

Located in the Moravian region Southeast of Prague, Brno is the lesser-known Czech city famous for its cathedral and medieval cobbled streets. Bratislava is the capital of Slovakia, famous for its historic old town, breathtaking castle with views of the Danube, and a rich bakery scene. 

Recommended provincial routes on RegioJet cover lesser-known gems such as the Beskids mountain range in Poland and the Tatra mountain, the highest range in the Carpathian mountains on the border between Slovakia and Poland. The Beskid mountains are excellent skiing hotspots in the winter. Summer highlights include treetop trails, paragliding, and visiting historic wooden churches. 

A TripAdvisor user wrote “I travelled first class from Prague to Kosice, a wonderfully scenic daytime rail journey. Comfortable seats and quiet on the usual well maintained European tracks. Refreshments were available from train staff at extremely reasonable prices”.

RegioJet trains feature four classes: low cost, standard, relax, and business. You can change or cancel an online ticket up to 15 minutes before departure and easily reserve a seat online with no extra fees. Train carriages are air conditioned with free wifi, and offer a food and drink service.



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Beautiful UK train unveils new carriage designed by Oscar-nominated director | Travel News | Travel

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A luxury train company has revealed plans for a new carriage designed by a beloved Oscar-nominated director. Belmond is working with Baz Luhrmann to create a carriage for its original 1932 British Pullman train.

Luhrmann is a director best known for William Shakespeare’s Romeo + Juliet (1996), Moulin Rouge! (2001), The Great Gatsby (2013), and Elvis (2022). He is the most commercially successful Australian director and is regarded by some as a contemporary auteur for his style and deep involvement in all his work. The director is teaming up with long-term collaborator Catherine Martin, an acclaimed costume and production designer who has been instrumental in shaping the distinctive visual style of all his films. The new carriage on the British Pullman, Celia, features its own cocktail bar, lounge, dining and entertainment area for up to 12 guests. The carriage is a celebration of London’s 1930s West End theatre scene, vintage cinema, and a homage to Shakespeare’s ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’, brought to life through British craftsmanship. 

Baz Luhrmann said: “For Catherine and I, creating Celia was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, allowing us to push the boundaries of creativity, luxury, and uniqueness. 

“Stepping inside the carriage is like being transported into another world, and one in which guests are invited to become part of the story. Celia, at its heart, is a magical mystery tour – a travelling dining experience for friends or an intimate celebration, filled with food, music, wine, laughter, and performance.

“All of this unfolds as you drift through the countryside, feeling as though you’ve stepped inside A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It’s a playful and exceptionally unique way to explore the UK, at your own pace and according to your own rhythm and story.

Catherine Martin said: “Celia gives travellers the rare opportunity to inhabit the nostalgia of another era. The carriage offers the ultimate luxury—the time and space to truly connect with the journey itself – and it allows the mind to decelerate, opening the possibility of deeper connection not only to oneself and to others, but also to new cultures, new perspectives, and different ways of seeing the world. 

“Onboard, I imagine people eating, dancing and falling in love, taking photographs, celebrating life’s great moments and adventures—all within a world that offers a pause from the chaos of everyday life. Celia offers a moment of respite. A moment of celebration. A small, luminous bubble of light and love.”

Prices for the exclusive use of the Celia carriage aboard the British Pullman, A Belmond Train, start from £15,000 and include transfers within Greater London.



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