Cruising with Holland America on the Rotterdam
As a rule, I don’t write cruise reviews, or even say much about ships we’ve been on. I guess you have to really separate Caribbean cruises from other types. They seem to be in a class all their own (you can decide if that’s good of bad).
When we’ve cruised, we have selected the trips based on itineraries and they are usually far from the Caribbean. I prefer smaller, casual ships and the ability to have unusual experiences (like flying into another country for a special experience such as touring the Valley of the Kings in Egypt). No costume parties, pool games, or midnight buffets for us.
Because we live in Miami, getting on a Caribbean cruise is easy. Other factors become important, such as the entertainment options on the ship or seeing an innovative new feature on board. We choose to take this trip on the Holland America (HAL) Rotterdam, due to the line’s new entertainment concept of a Music Walk, featuring the venues: BB Kings Blues & Motown, Rolling Stone Club, and Billboard twin pianos playing top 100 and Broadway hits. They also have a string quartet with some creative programming on board as well as shows featuring dancers, singers, and comedians. The dancers were the best I’ve ever seen on a cruise ship (or anywhere, for that matter) and performed a series of unique, thematic shows. It’s been nice to see the various music venues crowded late at night with enthusiastic fans of all ages. I think Holland America may be trying to lower the average age of their passengers, and this concept is definitely helping (although the walkers were still stacked up outside the main dining room).
The dining options were all very good and we enjoyed them. Overall, the ship’s ambiance, specialty restaurants, creative food options, and terrific evening entertainment made the trip a lot of fun.
For any foodie-cruisers: we enjoyed dinners at the Pinnacle Grill steakhouse, Italian-themed Canaletto, Asian-inspired Tamarind, and wonderful French/seafood spot – Rudi’s Sel de Mar. The Dutch Cafe as well as the pool-side NY Deli and Dive-in restaurants offered excellent casual menus. If you get tired of the dining and musical options, you can always spend time in one of the last remaining fine libraries at sea.
Kudos to HAL.
Ha! So funny you mentioned the walkers lined up! I did several Holland America cruises with my sister a good 12-15 years ago and it was definitely a cruise line that appealed to the 75+ age group. My sister is ten years older than me and she felt more comfortable with the ages of most passengers while I felt like the whipper snapper onboard! Good to hear they are trying to appeal to a younger demographic.
My sister really loved cruises and since her husband didn’t like to travel (or cruise), I went along with her. Unfortunately her health is such that she’s no longer able to travel. But, I’m with you in that I much prefer a smaller, more intimate ship, especially river boat cruises. Uniworld is my favorite with typically smaller capacities around 120-130 guests.
Love Uniworld, such a great company. Headed back with them in the fall.
Lulu: “Our Dada’s parents have been on the Rotterdam a few times! Our Dada, on the other hand, doesn’t do boats, so he’s unlikely ever to set foot on a cruise ship …”