Tamarind is Holland America Line's Pan-Asian specialty restaurant, open nightly for dinner at a cover charge of $39* per person plus a 20% service charge. It is a permanent venue on five ships – Eurodam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam and Rotterdam – and the menu blends Southeast Asian, Chinese and Japanese cooking: satay skewers, pork bao buns, Panang red curry chicken, wasabi-and-soy-crusted beef tenderloin and a wok-seared lobster that carries a supplement. A Morimoto by Sea sushi bar sits inside each Tamarind, priced à la carte and not included in the cover charge. Have It All package guests can spend a specialty dining night here.
The latest menu you will try is the one Holland America rolled out between April and June 2025, when Fleet Chef Ming Wong led a refresh that added more than a dozen dishes while keeping the long-running favorites. Seafood comes through the line's Global Fresh Fish Program, which sources more than 80 varieties of fish locally around the world, and the table settings and staff uniforms were updated at the same time. Below is what Tamarind costs, where to find it on each ship, the full current menu, and how the sushi bar and the Morimoto pop-ups fit around it.
Which Ships Have Tamarind?
Tamarind premiered on board Eurodam in 2008 and was repeated on her Signature-class sister Nieuw Amsterdam in 2010 before being built into all three Pinnacle-class ships. Aboard the Signature ships, it is located on an elevated position on Deck 11, the Observation Deck, midship, with panoramic windows overlooking the ocean and the Lido pool. On Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam and Rotterdam it is on Deck 10 at the back of the ship, where the full length of windows looks out over the Sea View Pool and wake – the best-positioned specialty restaurant in the fleet for a sunset sail-away.
| Ship | Class (entered service) |
Where Tamarind is |
Morimoto by Sea sushi bar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eurodam | Signature Class (2008) |
Deck 11, Observation Deck, midship, above the Lido pool |
Small sushi counter with surrounding tables, from May 10, 2025 |
| Nieuw Amsterdam | Signature Class (2010) |
Deck 11, Observation Deck, midship, next to the stand-alone Morimoto by Sea restaurant |
Sushi bar introduced with Morimoto by Sea in 2023 |
| Koningsdam | Pinnacle Class (2016) |
Deck 10 aft, over the Sea View Pool |
12-seat counter plus table seating, from April 22, 2025 |
| Nieuw Statendam | Pinnacle Class (2018) |
Deck 10 aft, over the Sea View Pool; al fresco seating |
12-seat counter plus table seating, from June 15, 2025 |
| Rotterdam | Pinnacle Class (2021) |
Deck 10 aft, over the Sea View Pool; al fresco seating |
12-seat counter plus table seating, from March 28, 2025 |
Holland America's own Tamarind page also lists Noordam, Westerdam and Volendam. Those ships don't have a Tamarind dining room; they're offering the Taste of Tamarind pop-up, which has been available on Westerdam while she was sailing Asia since October 2025, on Noordam in Australia, and on Grand Voyages and select Legendary Voyages. The pop-up has typically been offered in Pinnacle Grill on a specific night, so it's best to check out the Navigator app upon arrival rather than looking for another restaurant.
What Tamarind Costs in 2026
The cover charge is $39* per adult, and Holland America adds a 20% service charge, so budget $46.80* per person before drinks. The cover includes starters, one entrée, sides, and dessert. As at the line's other cover-charge restaurants, a second entrée is an extra charge – Holland America lists US$10* for this at Canaletto, and guests report the same at Tamarind. The wok-seared lobster is the only entrée that carries a supplement on top of the cover; the line does not publish the figure online, and it was last widely reported at $28* before the 2025 menu change, so confirm it on the printed menu. Children 12 and under pay half price or eat free if they order from the kids' menu.
Two items are found outside the cover. Sushi, sashimi, and rolls at the Morimoto by Sea counter are priced à la carte, and all the drinks: sake, Asian-inspired cocktails, wine, and beer are charged separately, unless, of course, one is the holder of a beverage package.
The price has been increased in steps: $29 in 2022, $35 in the late 2024 and 2025 refresh, and $39 today, while the automatic service charge on specialty dining rose from 18% to 20% in 2026. For context, Pinnacle Grill dinner is $52, Canaletto is $25 and the stand-alone Morimoto by Sea restaurant on Nieuw Amsterdam is about $55, all before the same 20% service charge.
*Prices are per person in USD, subject to change without notice, and exclude beverages unless noted. Confirm current pricing with Holland America or on board before booking.
The Tamarind Menu (2026)
Tamarind exists to bring people together, and the latest menu embraces that spirit even more wholeheartedly — think bao buns, tacos, and a Taste of Tamarind sharing platter that the kitchen sizes to match however many diners are seated at your table. Plant-based options aren't an afterthought here; they're woven right into the menu from the start. The items flagged as new arrived with the April 2025 update, while all the rest are beloved classics making their return.
Starters
| Dish | What is in it |
|---|---|
| Coconut Crusted Scallops (new) | Honey lime dressing |
| Jewels of the Sea | Shrimp wontons and baby bok choy in lemongrass-sesame broth |
| Pork Bao Bun (new) | Green onions, carrots, pickled cucumber, toasted sesame seeds and cilantro |
| Korean Beef Bulgogi Taco (new) | Kimchi mayo, Asian slaw, avocado and cilantro; a vegetarian version is available on request |
| Lumpiang Shanghai (new) | Ground pork in an egg roll wrap with sweet chili sauce and green papaya |
| Satay Sampler | Malaysian lamb, Indonesian chicken and Thai pork skewers with peanut sauce and ajad cucumber relish |
| Shrimp Tempura | Sweet and sour sauce and sesame noodles |
| Thai Beef Salad | Rare-seared beef, cilantro, scallions, cucumber, fresh mint and toasted peanuts in kaffir lime dressing |
| Vegan Tom Kha Thai Coconut Soup (new) | Kaffir lime, mushroom, bean sprouts and chili oil |
| Taste of Tamarind (new) | Sharing platter of shrimp tempura, Korean beef bulgogi taco, Lumpiang Shanghai and the satay sampler, sized to the table |
Entrées
| Dish | What is in it | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Crispy Duck, Ginger-Chili Glazed |
Yaki udon, grilled scallions and bean sprouts | Returning favorite |
| Mongolian Lamb Chop |
Baby bok choy, toasted sesame seeds and mirin plum sauce | New |
| Panang Red Curry Coconut Chicken |
Crispy lotus, wok-seared vegetables and roasted peanuts | Returning favorite |
| Sweet Potato Cauliflower Massaman |
Green beans, crispy onions, bean sprouts, basil and peanuts | New; plant-based |
| Teochew Fried Seabass |
Ginger, scallion and chili soy | New |
| Thai Basil Szechuan Shrimp |
Chili pepper glaze, Asian spices, mushrooms, bell peppers and scallions | New |
| Wasabi & Soy Crusted Beef Tenderloin |
Tempura onion rings and tonkatsu sauce | Returning signature |
| Vegan Singapore Mei Fun |
Eggplant katsu, rice noodles, bell peppers, bean sprouts and yu choy | New; vegan |
| Wok-Seared Lobster |
Asian greens, ginger, sweet chili and soy | Returning; supplemental fee |
Sides and Desserts
Each accompaniment arrives at the table as an integral piece of the feast: rice — jasmine or brown — steamed fresh upon request, egg fried rice, bok choy flashed in a hot pan, Asian eggplant soaking in a zesty coconut sauce, and oyster and shiitake mushrooms gently braised in sake. Come 2025, the dessert lineup received a fresh vision, steering its emphasis toward fruit and an array of textures rather than dense, indulgent pastries. Debuting on the roster is the Cherry Blossom Tart, a chocolate confection resting on a cookie base; the Mango Posset comes accompanied by a coconut macaroon, passion fruit jelly, and mango sorbet; the Passion Fruit Cloud (also a newcomer) is an airy egg-white soufflé matched with passion fruit sorbet; and the Vegan Pineapple Coconut Tapioca (new as well) is finished with lemongrass foam and a sesame tuile. The sorbets, everyone crafted in-house, rotate through flavors of lemon-basil, yuzu, and lychee.
Morimoto by Sea Sushi (À la Carte)
| Item | What is in it |
|---|---|
| Chef's Combination |
Chef-selected sushi or sashimi featuring premium fish and seasonal specialties |
| Shrimp Tempura Roll |
Tempura shrimp, avocado and gochujang aioli |
| Lobster Tempura Roll |
Tempura lobster, tobiko, cucumber and scallion |
| Spicy Tuna Roll | Fresh tuna, scallion and the house spicy sauce |
| Tuna Pizza | Thinly sliced tuna, anchovy aioli, olives and jalapeño – Morimoto's signature |
The sushi menu also runs to nigiri and sashimi by the piece, poke bowls and Morimoto plates such as sticky ribs with hoisin sweet chili sauce. All of it is priced per item on top of the Tamarind cover, and Holland America's sample menus carry the usual caveat that dishes vary by ship and itinerary.
Morimoto by Sea, the Pop-Up and Tamarind
Chef Masaharu Morimoto is Holland America's Global Fresh Fish Ambassador, and his name now appears in three different ways around Tamarind. First, the sushi counter inside every Tamarind became a Morimoto by Sea sushi bar in 2025, replacing the old Nami Sushi: Rotterdam on March 28, Koningsdam on April 22, Eurodam on May 10, Nieuw Amsterdam on May 25 and Nieuw Statendam on June 15. On the Pinnacle ships it is a 12-seat counter with table seating around it; Eurodam has a smaller preparation counter with surrounding tables. Everything is à la carte, and seats can be reserved before the cruise or on board.
Second, on every ship except Nieuw Amsterdam, a Morimoto by Sea pop-up takes over Tamarind or Pinnacle Grill at least once per cruise, serving a fixed-price menu of his signatures – tuna pizza, ishiyaki buri bop cooked tableside, angry lobster pad Thai – for roughly $55* per person. Have It All Dining Nights cannot be used for it. Third, Nieuw Amsterdam alone has a stand-alone Morimoto by Sea restaurant, a 60-seat room adjacent to Tamarind on Deck 11 that opened on December 16, 2023. Morimoto announced a refreshed fleetwide menu in September 2026 – Tan Tan Noodles, Popcorn Shrimp, Miso Lamb Chop, Butter Poached Lobster Tail and an updated Sushi Mori – so expect the sushi list inside Tamarind to shift through late 2026.
The Tamarind Bar
Every Tamarind has a cocktail bar attached. Holland America's renamed it the Tamarind Bar for the fleet, but long-time guests of the Eurodam and Nieuw Amsterdam will still remember it as the Silk Den. It serves sakétinis and a sake list to match, with views of the open ocean from every angle, past menus have included lychee and wasabi cocktails, and it is most popular in the hour before dinner. You don't need a Tamarind reservation to have a drink, and on the Pinnacle ships, it's one of the best places to quietly sip a pre-dinner libation over the aft pool.
Have It All and Tamarind
Holland America's Have It All package bundles specialty dining with drinks, Wi-Fi and shore excursion credit, and Tamarind is one of the venues where you can use it. On 4- to 9-day cruises you receive one specialty dining night at Pinnacle Grill, Canaletto or Tamarind. On 10- to 20-day cruises you receive two: one at Pinnacle Grill and one at Canaletto or Tamarind. On cruises of 21 days or more, excluding Grand Voyages, you receive three – one night each. If your ship has no Tamarind, the credit shifts to Pinnacle Grill and Canaletto. Special dining events such as Sel de Mer, A Taste of De Librije, the Cellar Master Dinner and the Morimoto pop-up are excluded. On the night that is a choice between Canaletto and Tamarind, Tamarind is the more valuable use of the credit; on a short cruise Pinnacle Grill is worth more on paper ($52* versus $39*), so the choice comes down to steakhouse or Pan-Asian.
Reservations, Hours and Dress Code
Tamarind only serves dinner, as the complimentary sea-day lunch Signature-class ships once offered has long since vanished. Reservations are recommended but not obligatory, and you can book ahead of your sailing using the online cruise planner or the Navigator app as soon as dining reservations open for your booking, or on board at the restaurant itself. The demand is highest on the Pinnacle-class ships, and also on the first and last nights, so a window seat is not to be missed. Smart casual in restaurants is the uniform – no dinner shorts or poolside wear, while on the ship's dressier nights the evening dress code applies here as in the dining room.
Is Tamarind Worth the Cover Charge?
At $46.80* all-in, Tamarind sits between Canaletto ($30* with the service charge) and Pinnacle Grill ($62.40*), and it is consistently among the best-reviewed specialty venues in the fleet; Holland America's own marketing leans on a Condé Nast Traveler line about the cuisine rivaling top restaurants on land. The value is in the breadth: nine entrées including two plant-based options, a dedicated sharing platter, and desserts and sorbets made in-house. Order the Taste of Tamarind for the table, then split the Wasabi & Soy Crusted Beef Tenderloin and the Crispy Duck, and the cover has done its job. The budget trap is the sushi counter, where every roll is billed on top of the cover, so decide before you sit down whether tonight is a Tamarind night or a sushi night.
