PHOTO REVIEW! Just off the Rotterdam to Scotland.

[shipshape sam]

We sailed HAL in March and it was our first trip on Rotterdam VII.  Not familiar with HAL, but they had a quartet (3 strings and 1 piano) on our 11 day sailing starting March 11, ending March 29.  They played in the BB King blues venue which, to my understanding, was the Lincoln Center too. The quartet also provided music for a National Geographic movie (?).  We only saw one segment which I think the quartet played at over multiple days.  I think there was signage there about the Lincoln Center too.  After our sailing, there was a 5 day sailing, then Rotterdam went to New York City as I recall, then a TA to Amsterdam.  

 

Maybe the quartet got off and was not replaced for sailings in Europe.  

 

We loved the nightly music and they still had the theater for other acts and musical groups.  We tended to sit in the Billboard Onboard side and listen to the Rock Roll band for their 45 minute set, then the 2 pianos for their set and then start over again.  We did take breaks and do other things during the evening.  I, for one, tried to donate as much money as I could in the casino, but DW saved me multiple nights.

 

We loved the walking track on deck 3 and would get a coffee from Dutch Cafe before walking our 10,000 steps.  I liked also that 3 laps were a mile vs a small oval track.

 

Really liked you review and photos.  

 

For us, we will sail Rotterdam VII again.

[PROCRUISE]

On 5/2/2023 at 11:07 AM, dalesyang said:

No Classical music?   This is not good.   I want my classical music.   Not good at all.   Lincoln Center Stage is one of the reasons I booked HAL Rotterdam as my first cruise later this month!     Not cool. 

Make your concern known! We were on the Rotterdam this past February. Most every Lincoln Center performance was packed and countless complaints about the loss of LC were placed at Guest Services but alas, the HAL bean counters didn't care.

Edited May 3, 2023 by PROCRUISE

[Bostonjetset]

3 hours ago, bandp407 said:

Thank you for this post & fabulous recap! We are considering the Rotterdam for next January in the Caribbean & glad to hear the ship is alive at night. Did you go to the BB King performances? Has HAL brought back any  bands to play pre dinner? Thank you again & enjoy the rest of your trip??

Thanks for reading. Im glad you enjoyed. Two of our travel companions went to a couple of the BB King sets and loved it. It was a little too loud for me. I think it is just the acoustics of that room and how it amplifies the music. We went to Billboard nightly though. 
 

2 hours ago, shipshape sam said:

We sailed HAL in March and it was our first trip on Rotterdam VII.  Not familiar with HAL, but they had a quartet (3 strings and 1 piano) on our 11 day sailing starting March 11, ending March 29.  They played in the BB King blues venue which, to my understanding, was the Lincoln Center too. The quartet also provided music for a National Geographic movie (?).  We only saw one segment which I think the quartet played at over multiple days.  I think there was signage there about the Lincoln Center too.  After our sailing, there was a 5 day sailing, then Rotterdam went to New York City as I recall, then a TA to Amsterdam.  

 

Maybe the quartet got off and was not replaced for sailings in Europe.  

 

We loved the nightly music and they still had the theater for other acts and musical groups.  We tended to sit in the Billboard Onboard side and listen to the Rock Roll band for their 45 minute set, then the 2 pianos for their set and then start over again.  We did take breaks and do other things during the evening.  I, for one, tried to donate as much money as I could in the casino, but DW saved me multiple nights.

 

We loved the walking track on deck 3 and would get a coffee from Dutch Cafe before walking our 10,000 steps.  I liked also that 3 laps were a mile vs a small oval track.

 

Really liked you review and photos.  

 

For us, we will sail Rotterdam VII again.

Thanks for reading!  We loved the Billboard sets as well. We also listened to Rolling Stones Rock Room from the Billboard side as we liked that seating area haha. 

[dalesyang]

1 hour ago, PROCRUISE said:

Make your concern known! We were on the Rotterdam this past February. Most every Lincoln Center performance was packed and countless complaints about the loss of LC were placed at Guest Services but alas, the HAL bean counters didn't care.

I will!    What a shame.   That's literally one of the main reasons I chose HAL as my first cruise!  I booked 2 HAL cruises this summer....  Now I hear LC is gone, bummer.