Holland America, one of the oldest cruise lines in the world, continues to evolve and expand both its fleet and its itineraries. The Rotterdam is Holland America’s newest ship, christened in 2021 and she is a beauty! From end to end, this ship is designed for an elegant and fun experience.
We boarded the Rotterdam for our 11 day Southern Carribean cruise in Ft. Lauderdale. It was the easiest onboarding experience we have had on any cruiseline. We took a taxi from the airport after dropping off our rental car, entered the port building and were on the ship in less than one hour. When you plan your trip, be sure to check your boarding time and arrive as close as possible to that time to avoid waiting.
Once aboard, we discovered that our cabin was ready and waiting for us. Our key cards were in the slot next to the door. Our luggage arrived shortly after. It was a quick and efficient process. The cabin is similar to most veranda cabins. We were located on deck seven forward, close to a bank of elevators and a staircase. Great location with easy access to everything. The biggest surprise in our cabin on this brand new ship was the size of the shower. They are often quite small, but this shower was anything but. Great size, great water pressure and a wonderful upgrade from older ships. The bed was comfy, great linens and pillows, but like most standard cabins, it is quite small. The other surprise was that there were enough hangers for both of us.
Dining on the Rotterdam is by far the biggest highlight. The food in every venue was terrific. The Lido Market, the ship’s buffet, was well staffed with mostly served rather than self-serve food options. The food was fresh and plentiful with lots of choices for even picky eaters like Neal. He loved the tacos and the Asian selections. I enjoyed a fresh salad everyday for lunch.
The Dining Room is very pretty with grand light fixtures on both levels. You can choose anytime dining or a fixed time for meals. Be sure to check your dining schedule, we were not the only ones who had some confusion around that. Once it was resolved, we had a permanent table with the same waitstaff each evening and it was delightful. The menu changes daily but there is always something for everyone. Neal mostly enjoyed the beef options, I was excited to try different fish and seafood selections. You can also enjoy breakfast and lunch in the main dining room.
The premium dinner options include the Pinnacle Grille, Tamarind and Rudi’s. There is also a sushi bar located in Tamarind. We tried Pinnacle and Tamarind, and Tamarind was truly one of the best meals we have ever had on a cruise ship. The restaurant is in a secluded part of the ship, it is serene and quiet with great staff and a beautiful view. Everyone we talked to agreed, don’t miss your opportunity to dine at Tamarind. The other dining venue is the Dutch Cafe. Try the pea soup, it’s a must!
The pool area on the Rotterdam can get a bit crowded. Like most cruise ships, there is an issue around reserving pool chairs, especially on sea days. The staff tries to manage it, but it happens all the time. Staff will help you secure a chair if none appear available. Once you settle in around the pool and three hot tubs, you will find ample opportunity to eat and drink throughout the day. There is a bar with lots of tables and chairs, the Dive In serving amazing burgers, dogs and fries and upstairs is the New York Deli. The Deli serves pizza, sandwiches and salads. Don’t miss the pizza, it is surprisingly good.
Holland America does a great job with music! There is the BB King Lounge, the BillBoard and the Rolling Stone venues, all providing amazing live music every night. You can dance til dawn on the Rotterdam. Blues, pop and rock fill the hallways and there is even a classical Lincoln Center Live performance most evenings. There is music for everyone throughout the ship. The main stage is a beautiful venue as well. HAL doesn’t have the big Broadway style productions that other lines offer, but there are comedians, magicians and dancers to entertain those people who prefer that.
Holland America’s Have it All package is a great deal. It includes premium dining, a drink package and an internet package. The scope of the package depends on your cabin and Mariner level. Since this was our first HAL cruise and we stayed in a standard veranda cabin, we had one premium dining experience, the drink package and a one device internet plan. We chose to pay for two additional dining experiences, very affordable and certainly worth the money. The drink package covers up to fifteen drinks per day up to $11/drink. If the cost of the drink is over $11, you only pay the difference. That’s new for Holland America. We found that most drinks and wine were $11 or less. The package also includes sodas, canned water and specialty coffees. The internet worked well for our needs. You can only use one device at a time. The trick is to be sure you log off of that device so, if you have another device, you can access the service.
On this 11 day cruise to the southern Carribean, we visited St. Maarten, St. Lucia, Martinique, Barbados, St Kitts, St. Thomas and Half Moon Cay, HAL’s private island. We were seeking sunshine, warm temperatures and warm water and we found it all and more. If you love the peaceful island vibe, or if you have never experienced it, this is a grand way to see it all. Choose the beach breakaway excursions if sand and sunshine are your goal. The panaramic tours are often bus trips around the island. We focused on beach time this trip. One of the best excursions we experienced was a dolphin encounter. We were in the water with the dolphins, working with a trainer to interact with them. Amazing!
Overall, Holland America Rotterdam is a great way to travel. It provide everything you could possibly need for a wonderful vacation. Great itineraries, wonderful food, terrific music, lots of space to relax and rejuvenate, and most of all, great people to share your journey with.
For more information about this and any other vacation, contact us at Footloose Travels. Be Footloose and Fancy Free!