What to Know Before You Go
Thank you for booking The Big Easy Cruise, we look forward to seeing you soon to Let the Good Times Roll at Sea! Here are a few important details and dates to keep in mind as you plan your vacation.
As a charter cruise guest, you have two important numbers tied to your sailing:
- A Reservation Number from StarVista LIVE (SVL), which was assigned once your booking was confirmed, either via phone or online. You can access your SVL account any time by clicking here to manage your guest information, payments, insurance, and to purchase SVL add-ons, such as ground transportation and artist-hosted events.
- A Booking Number from Holland America Line (HAL), which has been emailed to you from the Big Easy Cruise approximately 45-60 days prior to sailing. This number is also posted in your SVL account for your convenience. If you already have a Holland America Line account, it will be listed under your bookings.
- You will need the HAL booking number to complete online check-in at hollandamerica.com no later than 72 hours prior to the cruise.
Please take a moment to familiarize yourself with some of the important details regarding the Big Easy Cruise below. We will continue to update this page as more information becomes available. There’s a handy search bar at the top of the page to help you find additional information.
Our onboard schedule of events will be available approximately 30 days prior to sailing under “Performance Schedule.”
If you have additional questions, visit our FAQs page here or email us at info@bigeasycruise.com.
IMPORTANT DATES, LOCATIONS AND TIMES
- DEPARTURE DATE: Sunday, January 5, 2025
- DEPARTURE CITY: Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- SHIP: Holland America Line Nieuw Amsterdam
- EMBARKATION/TERMINAL: Port Everglades (see port signs for terminal location)
- MANDATORY CHECK IN TIME: Terminal building closes at 3:00pm. We strongly recommend you plan to arrive no later than 2:00pm in case of traffic.
- SHIP DEPARTURE TIME: 11:00 p.m.
- RETURN DATE: Sunday, January 12, 2025
- RETURN TIME: 7:00 a.m. (all times are EST)
ONLINE CHECK-IN AND PRE-CRUISE REQUIREMENTS
- Complete Online Check in: As mentioned above, your booking number has been emailed to you from The Big Easy Cruise and is also available in your StarVista LIVE and Holland America accounts approximately 45-60 days prior to sailing. To complete online check in, go to hollandamerica.com. All guests must accept the Holland America Line Cruise Contract and complete the online check in process. Express documents will be available to print approximately 14 days from the sailing up to 72 hours before embarkation. Your boarding pass will be available on the Navigator App within 14 days of embarkation.
- Download the free Holland America Line Navigator App: This indispensable tool is essential for cruise planning. With the app, you can access boarding passes, receive embarkation updates, manage your onboard experiences, book shore excursions, view restaurant menus, check account balances and more. Learn more here.
How do I complete online check-in?
Click here to be taken to the check in page on HollandAmerica.com and then follow the instructions below.
- Deadline to check in online is close of business January 2, 2025 (EST).
- If you have a Holland America Line account, you can log in with your Mariner ID login.
- Or, on the righthand side, select “Log In with Booking Number", enter your Holland America Line Booking Number that was emailed to you. It is the 6-digit alphanumeric character code. Enter your last name, first name, and answer the validation question then click “Log In”.
- Select All guests or whichever guest you would like to check-in.
- Follow the instructions (please have your passport handy to complete this process). It will take about 10-15 minutes to fully complete your online check-in. There are a few steps you will need to fill out.
- Accept Holland America Line Cruise Contract
- Guest Information
- Passport and Safety Details
- Cruise Flight Details
- Emergency Contacts Information
- Onboard Account (Register a credit card)
- Review Summary and Boarding Pass.
- Express Docs (boarding pass and luggage tags) will be available approximately 14 days prior to sailing to print. Also you will have access to your mobile boarding pass through the Holland America Line Navigator App, under Wallet at that time. (Insider tip: take a photo of the boarding pass so it’s easy to access in the cruise terminal).
- Luggage tags can be emailed to you at completion of check in. Please DO NOT adhere to luggage before your flight in case they rip or tear off en route. Be sure to print these prior to 72 hours before sailing.
What is the Holland America Line Navigator App? Why do I need it?
This is your indispensable tool for cruise planning, boarding passes, embarkation updates, managing onboard experiences, booking shore excursions, viewing restaurant menus, checking account balances and more. Learn more here.
In addition, the Big Easy Cruise weekly program of show times and events will be posted here when you board the ship.
What time can I arrive to the terminal?
We strongly recommend you plan to arrive to the cruise terminal building no earlier than 10:00am and no later than 2:00pm. Expect heavy traffic in the Ft. Lauderdale area. Doors to the terminal building close at 3:00pm.
IMPORTANT ITEMS THAT NEED TO BE PRESENTED AT CRUISE TERMINAL
- Printed Boarding Pass or Express Docs: Please DO NOT enlarge the boarding pass when printing. The scanner cannot read the barcode if enlarged. Express Docs are on the Navigator App and will be available approximately 14 days prior to sailing to print. (Insider tip: take a photo or screenshot of the boarding pass so it’s easy to access in the cruise terminal).
- Passport, Identification & Visa documents: Holland America Line requires ALL guests to PRESENT A VALID PASSPORT BOOK from their country of origin at embarkation. There are no substitutes for this requirement. A valid passport is one that expires more than six months after the date the cruise disembarks. Since the date of disembarkation is January 12, 2025 all passports must be valid through July 12, 2025. Guests with non-US passports are responsible for obtaining whatever required visas necessary to disembark at any and all of the ports of call. Visit state.gov for identification, visa and vaccination requirements.
- We will NOT accept passport cards in place of a passport book.
- Credit card used for your onboard account when you completed your online check in.
TRANSPORTATION
TRANSPORTATION FROM AIRPORT TO THE CRUISE TERMINAL
- Holland America Line shuttle service. ($34/person from Fort Lauderdale and Miami airports, each way). Please call Holland America Line at 877-724-5425 to make these reservations or book online.
- Taxi or licensed rideshare service like Uber or Lyft from Fort Lauderdale airport (approximately $25).
- Taxi or licensed rideshare service like Uber or Lyft from Miami airport (approximately $85).
It is your responsibility to arrive to the cruise terminal building in time for the ship’s departure. It is your responsibility to secure your transportation at the end of your cruise.
TRANSPORTATION FROM AIRPORT TO AREA HOTELS
StarVista LIVE does not offer a shuttle from the area airports to any hotel prior to our cruise departure. We suggest taking a taxi, rideshare like Uber or Lyft or booking travel through your airline and/or hotel.
TRANSPORTATION FROM THE EMBASSY SUITES BY HILTON FORT LAUDERDALE 17TH STREET HOTEL TO THE TERMINAL
We provide a ground transportation and luggage service from our designated pre-cruise hotel to the cruise terminal on embarkation day for the cruise.
The $35 fee per person includes:
- One-way direct transfer from hotel pick-up location to cruise terminal.
- Luggage service* and associated gratuities from hotel curbside direct to your cabin.
*StarVista LIVE and associated vendors are not responsible for any lost or damaged luggage.
To add Hotel Transfers to your existing reservation, simply log-in to your StarVista LIVE account and add Hotel Transfers. Transfers are not included in the cost of the hotel and will be charged to the credit card on file connected to your StarVista LIVE account. For information or assistance, call us 855-923-7222.
Ground transportation representatives will also be available on-site to book last-minute reservations for this service.
Please also note this service is available to anyone sailing on this cruise. You do not need to be a hotel guest to purchase the service.
We do not provide transportation back to the hotel the day we return from the cruise. Guests will be responsible for this transportation on their own.
NOTE: You will need to bring your luggage down to the lobby and check-in with the transportation representatives before boarding the motorcoaches. They will assist you by loading your luggage into box trucks at the hotel and will deliver to the terminal.
Please make sure you DO NOT PACK your passport, boarding pass and any necessary medications or valuables in these checked bags. Your luggage will be brought to your stateroom and will not be available immediately upon boarding.
Please make sure your bags are properly tagged with Holland America luggage tags with the proper stateroom number and loaded onto the box truck before you board the motor coach.
PARKING
LONG TERM PARKING AT THE PIER
Port Everglades offers on-site covered parking for $20 per day. Please follow the signs to the midport garage.
Handicap parking is complimentary only if there are ADA modifications done to the vehicle such as: hand controls, extended pedals, wheelchair ramp, etc. Also, 100% Disabled Veterans with ADA license placard will receive complimentary parking.
For more information go to https://www.porteverglades.net/cruise/parking/
THE BIG EASY CRUISE ATTIRE
CASUAL is the word for this cruise! You can dress up as much as you want to, or not.
Daytime attire is not subject to limitations, so guests may dress in appropriate and tasteful clothing of their choosing. Coverups and footwear are required in all venues and dining areas.
For the entire cruise, the evening dress theme is “smart casual,” which means dining dress codes are relaxed with the same requirements as daytime attire. Bathing suits are not permitted. Jeans are acceptable attire for “smart casual” evenings. Should you wish to dress up, our semi-formal night is the Masquerade Ball on Monday. Our theme nights offer you a chance to dress up in theme-appropriate clothing on many nights.
PARTIES AND NIGHTLY THEMES
What are some of the parties and the theme nights?
The Big Easy Cruise will host a wide variety of gatherings and festive events. While it is not mandatory to dress in keeping with the theme, we do encourage you to have some fun and plan some outfits!
SUNDAY, JANUARY 5 | FORT LAUDERDALE
Welcome Aboard Party: Join Jon Cleary & the Absolute Monster Gentlemen on the Lido Stage, Deck 9 midship, for drinks and dancing as we get the fais do-do started.
Nightly Theme: Welcome to The Big Easy Cruise – No special outfits required. Get unpacked and settled in for the week ahead!
MONDAY, JANUARY 6 | AT SEA
Annual T-shirt Party: An afternoon of great live music and drinks at the Lido Stage, Deck 9 Midship—wear your Big Easy Cruise T-shirt for complimentary select beverages at the Anders Osborne show.
Nightly Theme: Masquerade Ball (Gala Night) - Embrace the mystique of the night at our Masquerade Ball. Behind the guise of elaborate masks and elegant costumes, indulge in an evening of allure. As you waltz through the crowd, enchantment awaits at every corner. Unmask the playful, the mischievous, and the daring as we revel the night away.
TUESDAY, JANUARY 7 | KEY WEST
Nightly Theme: Sports Jersey Night – It’s that easy… Throw on your favorite sports jersey and support your favorite team.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 8 | AT SEA
Nightly Theme: Mardi Gras Party – Let the good times roll! Throw on your rowdiest feathers, sequins, and masks because it's time to unleash your inner party animal! Join the colorful chaos, where the streets are filled with vibrant parades, dazzling floats, and an endless supply of beads. This is your chance to let loose, dance like nobody's watching, and embrace the spirit of New Orleans.
THURSDAY, JANUARY 9 | BELIZE CITY
Nightly Theme: Big Easy in Paradise – Welcome to paradise, Big Easy style! Join us for a night of beachy bliss - this is the ultimate vacation, never having to leave the dance floor. Don your best beachwear- Hawaiian shirts, sun hats and shades for that tropical vibe.
FRIDAY, JANUARY 10 | COZUMEL
Nightly Theme: Fiesta Night – ¡Arriba, arriba! It's time to fiesta like there's no mañana at our colorful and vibrant Fiesta! Dust off your sombreros, shake those maracas, and bring the fiesta spirit to life. This night is gonna be hotter than a summer night in NOLA!
SATURDAY, JANUARY 11 | AT SEA
Nightly Theme: Farewell Night – A celebration of the bittersweet feelings for the last night of a wonderful cruise. Wear whatever is still clean.
THE BIG EASY CRUISE PROGRAMMING
To help you better prepare, we will post our onboard show and events schedule here in December. We hope this enables you to better plan your days and schedule dining around the events you want to attend. Check back regularly for any updates as we fine-tune our time onboard. Once on board, you will receive daily programs with the most up-to-date schedule, or you may use the Holland America Line Navigator App to check out real-time happenings as well as plan ahead.
THE WORLD STAGE PERFORMANCES
The World Stage is our Mainstage theater and follows an open seating format as do all venues. Each event and performance onboard are set up in a festival environment. With numerous shows and activities going on at the same time with limited capacity in each venue, it is suggested that you plan in advance what events you would like to attend and arrive as early as you can.
The World Stage Show Policies and Procedures
To ensure that the entry and seating procedure is both fair and easy, we have adopted the following policies and procedures:
- There are four entrances to the World Stage, two on Deck 2 and two on Deck 3. No other entrance is available for guests.
- Doors will open for each show approximately 30 minutes before scheduled show time.
- Guests who interfere with the fair and safe entry into the World Stage may risk forfeiting their rights to attend that show or other shows. Our goal is to provide the best entertainment experience for all our guests, and we request that you treat all passengers and staff with respect. Any behavior that disrupts the enjoyment of other passengers will result in removal from the show by security staff.
- The taking of flash photos and the recording of shows violate our contracts with the performers. Since it is impossible to easily discern what type of equipment can record, no electronic equipment of any kind will be allowed in the World Stage during shows.
DINING OPTIONS
Please visit The Holland America Line website or Navigator App to view the complete Fine Dining and Casual Dining Options (included in fare) as well as Specialty Dining Options on board.
MAIN DINING ROOM INCLUDED IN CRUISE FARE
- All dining is Open Seating, meaning you can be seated between 5:30-9:30pm at your leisure. If you do not have a table preference, guests should enter the Dining Room on Deck 2 with your entire dining party.
- Guests can call our office to request table assignments. They will receive a letter in their stateroom on embarkation day with the assigned table number. These guests should enter the Upper Dining Room on Deck 3.
SPECIALTY DINING OPTIONS
- Reservations for Specialty Dining (additional cost) are recommended and can easily be made through the Holland America Line website or Navigator App once you complete your Online Check-in.
How to book specialty dining
- Go to https://www.hollandamerica.com/
- Go to "Manage My Cruise".
- Under “Build Your Experience” select the desired category.
- Use the right side of the page – “Log In With Booking Number”
- Enter your Booking Number, your last name, first name & validation question and hit “Log In”
- Once you select the location and time you wish to book, click “add to cart” and check out. Your credit card will be charged and the activity will be added to your itinerary.
- Reminder – Specialty dining can also be booked via the HAL Navigator
PACKAGES OFFERED BY HOLLAND AMERICA LINE
Enhance your Big Easy Cruise experience with the purchase of a Holland America Line package that fits your needs. Special rates are available on some packages with advance purchase on the Holland America Line website or Navigator app once you complete online check-in. Please read the FAQs found on the beverages page for full details.
BEVERAGE PACKAGES
There are many drink and beverage package selections that take you from morning’s first cup of coffee through dinner with wine to evening cocktails during all the shows. Go to Holland America Line website for all the options. Cheers!
Two special deals if booked in advance – book before November 1st, 2024 to receive extra savings!
- Pre-sale 7 Day Signature Beverage Package: $44.95/day or total $371.28 (regular price = $54.95/day or total $453.89)
- Pre-sale 7 Day Elite Package: $49.95/day or total $412.58 (regular price = $59.99/day or total $495.52)
Please note: All guests in a stateroom must purchase the same package. For more information, visit the Holland America Line website and read the FAQs.
All Beverage packages can also be purchased by contacting Holland America Line at 800-541-1576 or onboard (Days 1 and 2 only) from any Bar Team Member.
GREENHOUSE SPA & SALON SERVICES
A heavenly retreat that nurtures your well-being in between all the action onboard. Enjoy up to 30% off selected services if booked online in advance.
OTHER PACKAGES OFFERED:
Don’t Miss Out on these other packages to enhance your experiences onboard!
LAUNDRY PACKAGES
Wash or press services available if your clothes need to be freshened.
CELEBRATION PACKAGES
Wish someone special a very happy birthday, anniversary or bon voyage with flowers, balloons and onboard credit.
ONBOARD CREDIT
Not sure what to purchase for an upcoming cruise? Then buy shipboard credit. It makes a perfect gift, for yourself or someone special. Use it as credit toward shore excursions, spa treatments, beverages, and more. Available for purchase in increments of $5.
It’s easy to book beverage packages, internet plans, spa reservations and more in advance:
- Go to hollandamerica.com
- Go to "Manage My Cruise".
- Under “Build Your Experience” select the desired category.
- Use the right side of the page – “Log In With Booking Number”
- Enter your Booking Number, your last name, first name & validation question and hit “Log In”
- You may search for shore excursions, spa reservations, beverage packages, gifts and indulgences or book specialty dining reservations. Once you select the item you wish to book, click “add to cart” and check out. Your credit card will be charged, and the activity will be added to your itinerary.
- Reminder – Shore excursions, spa and specialty dining can also be booked via the HAL Navigator app.
SHORE EXCURSIONS
There is so much to explore. Go for some adventure, take a tour, shop or relax on a beach. Holland America Line’s best price guarantee ensures you’re always getting the best value. We recommend you book early for the best selections.
On the Holland America Line website, you are able to choose your tour times, book tours, and receive confirmation of your shore excursion reservations up to three days before sailing. All tour bookings are processed first come, first served. Your digital tour tickets will be available under My Account in the Navigator App.
How to book shore excursions:
- Go to hollandamerica.com
- Go to "Manage My Cruise".
- Under “Build Your Experience” select the desired category.
- Use the right side of the page – “Log In With Booking Number”
- Enter your Booking Number, your last name, first name & validation question and hit “Log In”
- You may search for shore excursions, spa reservations, beverage packages, gifts and indulgences or book specialty dining reservations. Once you select the item you wish to book, click “add to cart” and check out. Your credit card will be charged, and the activity will be added to your itinerary.
- Reminder – Shore excursions, spa and specialty dining can also be booked via the HAL Navigator
TIPPING ON BOARD
Other than Beverage and Spa service charges, all tips for servers, stateroom stewards, etc., have been pre-paid. However, please feel free to reward exemplary service with the internationally recognized sign of gratitude: “tipping.”
HOSPITALITY AND SALES AREAS
Our Hospitality Desk is located on Deck 1 Midship across from Guest Services. Our sales office is located on Deck 3 Forward in the Hudson Room. Hours will be listed in the daily program delivered to your stateroom. Please stop by to say hello! It’s always great to put a face with a voice.
T-SHIRT ONBOARD DELIVERY AND EXCHANGES
Our Hospitality Desk on Deck 1 Midship will be open for exchanges on Sunday and Monday before the T-shirt party. Hours of operation will be posted on board. Please bring your T-shirt with you and we will happily exchange it, pending availability.