Just Returned from Rotterdam Cruise

[0106]

@Hlitner I’m no bagel expert but I think I know the difference between a good bagel and a bad one.  (Panera bad, Jewish deli in Baltimore good.) I like my bagel toasted with lox; I like avoiding the Lido for breakfast so the NY Deli worked for me.

[Hlitner]

46 minutes ago, 0106 said:

@Hlitner I’m no bagel expert but I think I know the difference between a good bagel and a bad one.  (Panera bad, Jewish deli in Baltimore good.) I like my bagel toasted with lox; I like avoiding the Lido for breakfast so the NY Deli worked for me.

Good to hear, and I many years ago we would drive over an hour to the Reistertown area just to buy the excellent bagels found in the Baltimore area :).  Lox and bagels (with a sliver of red onion) would keep me happy .

 

Since our recent cruise on the Westerdam, had no NY Deli, we cannot judge the bagels you enjoyed.  On the Westerdam the bagels and croissants were among the worst I have ever had,..anywhere!  The good news (for me) is I ate a lot less carbs and did not gain any weight on that 6 week cruise.

[seacruise9]

Hi, 

 

Thanks for your post. I am looking forward to boarding the Rotterdam on November 24. 

[john bowtie]

Did the entertainment include any classical music. The Lincoln Center Stage group was a highlight on a previous Holland America cruise and while I know that the ships no longer have this ensemble on board for the entire cruise, I was wondering what kind of replacement was on offer?

[Mikeyto]

16 hours ago, 0106 said:

Very good and never crowded. 🤫

Thank you!

[shippmates]

8 hours ago, john bowtie said:

Did the entertainment include any classical music. The Lincoln Center Stage group was a highlight on a previous Holland America cruise and while I know that the ships no longer have this ensemble on board for the entire cruise, I was wondering what kind of replacement was on offer?

I just got off the Rotterdam on Friday and there was not classical musical the entire 12 days.  From the cruise lines I have been on lately you will have to board one of the Cunard ships for classical music. The string music was great on the Queen Mary 2 in September.

[Trish Traveler]

Thanks for the  great review!  Would you happen to remember which nights were the "dressy" nights and which night was the Orange Party on your 12 night cruise?

[wandb]

Thank you for the great review and the interesting info!  We will be on the Rotterdam in July and it is great to hear from some one who enjoyed her so much. We are really looking forward to 2 weeks on board. 
I must admit that I've never thought of a pizza place for breakfast---but it sounds good!

[CNSJ]

Thanks for the nice review of your trip on the Rotterdam.  After hearing the horrible comments about the first of the Pinnacle class ships from the seasoned HAL "elite" I was worried that I would not enjoy the "big new" ships as much as I did the R class and Vista/Signatures.  I was wrong, DW and I very much enjoy the Pinnacle class.  Have now sailed on all 3 some more than once.  They are our preferred ships.

 

We love.....

a.  Plenty of amidship balconies (non-suite) that aren't cabins with tint balconies like the Deck 5 Vistas....

b.  More dining and Grand Dutch Cafe.

c.  NY Pizza and DELI!

d. Great Indoor pool area on Lido

e. Better stations in the Lido Market

f.  More entertainment spaces.... (now use them HAL!!!)

 

We do much miss the wide open Promenade decks.....but all in all.....they are just great ships.  No HAL ships feel crowded to us.  

[YourWorldWithBill]

2 hours ago, CNSJ said:

We love.....

a.  Plenty of amidship balconies (non-suite) that aren't cabins with tint balconies like the Deck 5 Vistas....

b.  More dining and Grand Dutch Cafe.

c.  NY Pizza and DELI!

d. Great Indoor pool area on Lido

e. Better stations in the Lido Market

f.  More entertainment spaces.... (now use them HAL!!!)

Great comments, and we agree with  each one!

[Djptcp]

In addition to the New York Pizza breakfast menu, the guys made me scrambled eggs or fried eggs plus bacon. Just ask for something not on the menu and they will make it if they can. DH got the Bagel and Lox with a fried egg on it. Joey and Homang were great and we tipped them a lot.

[allinthesameboat]

Hi there!

Thanks for the review of Rotterdam. I'm booked for the 2/2/25 12 day Panama Canal cruise and wonder if there were any detailed port  talks? I find those are the most educational and helpful rather than having the cruise director tell us where to shop. I'm looking for  more interesting offerings on the daily schedule and wonder if anyone knows if one can find that on the Rotterdam.

 

Cheers!

[Sir PMP]

On 11/4/2023 at 5:04 PM, Djptcp said:

DH and I had a wonderful 12-day cruise on the Rotterdam (our 5th on that ship). We went throught the new Panama Canal locks this time so have been through both old and new. Liked the new ones better - faster and they are different from the old ones. Due to political unrest in Panama, the Captain was told by the Panama Tourism Dept. not to dock in Colon for the safety of the passengers. For that reason we also did not get to cruise in Gatun Lake - we went through the locks to the lake but turned around and immediately went back through them. Colon was no big loss to us based on previous visits.

 

We are 4* Mariners and this was our 75th cruise overall (18 on Holland America). Looking forward to our Nieuw Statendam cruise in December. Love the free cruises and casino free play we receive from the casino. The casino was great the first two nights and then took a downward turn until the last day when I recouped some of my losses. As 4* Mariners we were invited to a free wine tasting and have done this before.

 

Crew was wonderful as always. The first day at Sail Away a bar steward at the Sea View Bar area remembered me from a Nieuw Amsterdam cruise last year and gave me a big hug. Funny because I don't drink much at all.

 

The food was really good as always. Only ate once in the main dining room, ate most dinners in the Lido or skipped dinners because we had too much for lunch:-) We ate at New York Pizza for breakfast every morning, had a delicious lunch in the Pinnacle Grill on one of the at sea days, and ate several times at the Canaletto and once at the Tamarind - both always good. Love the Wall Street pizza at the New York Deli for lunch or dinner.

 

Halloween evening was fun with both passengers and casino staff in costumes.

 

The Library was great and well used by us and others.

'Crew was wonderful as always. The first day at Sail Away a bar steward at the Sea View Bar area remembered me from a Nieuw Amsterdam cruise last year and gave me a big hug. Funny because I don't drink much at all.'

I've heard that before: