GAZING at the White Cliffs of Dover it was impossible not to start humming Vera Lynn’s classic wartime song. From the deck of the cruise ship as we slowly sailed out of Dover, they looked simply stunning bathed in autumn sunshine. 4 The Verandah Neptune Suite on the Nieuw Statendam Credit: Holland America 4 Relax on the beaches in the Canaries Credit: Getty It was wonderful to find ourselves aboard Holland America’s Nieuw Statendam cruise ship, barely 90 minutes after leaving London.
The train whisked us through the Kent countryside from St Pancras in just over an hour. Then a taxi from Dover Station had us portside in five minutes. No two-hour check-in at the airport, no lengthy wait in crowded departure halls before squashing into economy seats.
Read More on Travel MAGIC KINGDOM Disneyland Paris unveils brand new Lion King attraction with log flume TAKE FLIGHT One of the world’s best airlines to launch more flights from top UK airport Holland America will be operating an exciting range of cruises from Dover throughout 2025, taking in the British Isles, with adventurous chilly sailings up to the Arctic Circle and warm sunny sojourns to the Mediterranean and beyond. And this ship, launched in 2018, is well prepared for all. The main swimming pool is covered by a huge glass roof which slides completely open to let passengers soak up the sunshine or glides back into place if the weather’s not playing ball.
The Lido deck has comfy cushioned relaxers all around the main pool surrounded above by another deck with sheer white curtains creating comfy cabanas, each with a couple of sunloungers facing out to sea. Most read in Cruise PLAIN SAILING Win one of 15 cruises for two in our Fred. Olsen competition worth £35k There’s also lots of huge squashy sofas to lie on.
Quiet, more privacy, delightfully, luxuriously relaxing! Cruising is not only about relaxing though, as there are so many activities to get involved in. The brand new £1billion cruise ship with its own private island and waterpark I enjoyed the mixology class, despite dropping ice, spoon and shaker before even taking a sip! So I can mix up a Trader Vic’s Mai Tai and an Old fashioned at home in a flash. Still nicer to be served, though.
Service and food in the elegant main restaurant was very good for both quality and variety. I feared those huge American portions, but this was refined dining. Quality not quantity.
Having said that, I couldn’t finish any main course so bigger appetites should be satisfied. There are a variety of speciality restaurants, for a premium. At the Pinnacle Grill, the steak was the softest I have ever tasted.
There are seafood options too, for lovers of Surf and Turf. It’s £36 extra to dine here at night and the intimate luxurious surroundings and top quality beef make for a memorable night out but I also think the lunchtime menu, costing from just £15pp is good value. We tried the Italian Canaletto which is near the Lido Marketplace buffet and while the spaghetti vongole was super-tasty with fresh clams, I felt the setting wasn’t special enough to warrant the £23 supplement.
Rudi’s Sel de Mer seafood brasserie was a lovely romantic setting and served up fresh fish as well as other classic French dishes for a supplement of £43, with a fresh fish of the day selection. Talking of healthy options, I did intend to do the yoga and Tai Chi classes poolside. 4 Travel by tram in Lisbon Credit: Getty 4 Tuck into a sizzling steak in the Dining Room However, the lure of breakfasting on our balcony while watching the sea, flat like a millpond, was irresistible.
For most of our cruise to the Med, including the Bay of Biscay, the sea was flat calm and we couldn’t feel any movement at all. I can’t say that about the dance floor at BB King’s Blues Club, it was heaving with dancers most nights. The Rolling Stone Rock Room, was smaller but lively and the music tempted younger guests as well as ageing rockers like us.
I also liked the quieter areas, piano tinkling, and conversation. Our ports of call were easy to explore on our own. We enjoyed the tram in Lisbon but the queue for São Jorge Castle was snaking back far down the hill.
Disappointed, we spotted a lady making a traditional cod fishcake in the Casa Portuguesa do Pastel de Bacalhau just by the entrance to the castle. We were delighted to see our ship lying below, framed beautifully by the crenellated battlements These are salt cod fritters filled with cheese and are absolutely delicious. Freshly fried and served with a glass of wine or beer, they go down a treat.
They set us up brilliantly for the much shorter queue when we’d finished. From this 11th century Moorish castle there are fabulous views. We were delighted to see our ship lying below, framed beautifully by the crenellated battlements.
With a trio of Canary Island calls we strolled along sun-drenched promenades in Gran Canaria’s Las Palmas and had lazy coffee stops after wanders in Lanzarote’s Arrecife and Tenerife’s Santa Cruz. Read more on the Scottish Sun TOP THAT Shoppers in frenzy over £10 Sainsbury's top ‘ticking the box for so many trends’ LIFE'S A BEACH Inside Aberdeen's £80m new stadium plan as Dons told 'it's still on table' Sailing to and from Dover meant a stress-free experience enhanced by Holland America’s relaxed, quiet luxury onboard. The perfect recipe for cruise success.
GO: Cruise from Dover SAILING THERE: Around The Iberian Peninsula is a 14-day all-inclusive cruise, departing Dover on September 6, 2025, and calling at Amsterdam, Portland, Bilbao, Coruna, Porto, Lisbon, Malaga, Alicante, Valencia and Barcelona. It costs from £2,919pp including all meals, signature drinks package, speciality dining, tips, wifi and entertainment. The Canary Island Enchantment With Portugal itinerary departs Dover on April 17, 2026 with fares from £2,664 all-inclusive.
It calls at Rotterdam, Agadir, Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, Tenerife and Lisbon. See hollandamerica.com or call 0344 338 8607.
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