Heidi BucoloHolland America’s newest ship, Rotterdam, is now sailing the Caribbean! As the third Pinnacle Class ship, Rotterdam features many familiar favorites for the brand in addition to a few new features of her own. Weighing in at nearly 100K gross tons, there is plenty to do, see, and eat onboard this new HAL vessel. In this post, we give you our picks for the best things to do on Holland America Line’s Rotterdam.
LEARN ALL THE THINGS TO DO ON HOLLAND AMERICA ROTTERDAM IN OUR LATEST VIDEO REVIEW!
Indulge at the Grand Dutch Café
Inspired by the cruise line’s Dutch heritage, this upscale bar and café located on the Promenade deck is the perfect spot to enjoy a specialty coffee, alcoholic beverage, or a snack any time of day.
The venue serves the brand’s signature Rotterdam 1873 coffee blend, draught beers and signature liquors, sweet treats, and other Dutch specialties like pea soup.
While the food items are complimentary, the beverages will cost extra money. Still, it’s a nice quiet spot to relax and people watch.
The Explorations Café located at the top of the ship is an equally impressive space to enjoy some coffee or cocktails along with great forward-facing views.
EXCLUSIVE SAVINGS: Get Deals on Your Rotterdam Cruise Now!
Dine at a Specialty Restaurant
While the main dining room offers plenty of satisfying and complimentary menu options, we suggest sampling some of the specialty dining during your cruise on Holland America Line’s Rotterdam.
With a culinary focus and renowned chef partnerships, the brand delivers exceptional specialty dining. Rotterdam features the Pinnacle Grill, Rudi’s Sel de Mer, Taramind, and Canaletto.
The Pinnacle Grill is Holland America Line’s specialty steakhouse. The menu features signature cuts of beef and innovative recipes from chef David Burke like the exclusive clothesline candied bacon.
Rudi’s Sel de Mer is an intimate seafood restaurant. This venue features classic French and seafood dishes created by Master Chef Rudi Sodamin with artful presentation.
Tamarind is Holland America Line’s Pan Asian restaurant with a menu that features classic Asian dishes with an upscale twist. Guests can also sample a large selection of sushi at Nami Sushi. This specialty restaurant is a favorite among frequent HAL cruisers.
Finally, there is Canaletto, the brand’s specialty Italian restaurant. This venue serves all the Italian classics in a casual atmosphere.
Rock Out in the Rolling Stone Rock Room
Located on the Music Walk on Rotterdam is the Rolling Stone Rock Room. Only found on HAL’s Pinnacle Class ships, this venue was our favorite nighttime spot.
The Rock Room features a live band playing all your favorite rock hits every evening. The talented band with lead singer, Mr. McMillan, knocked it out of the park.
Along with great music, you can also find a signature drink menu.
Now, no matter your music preferences, there is always a spot for you to rock out on this new ship. Do be sure to get to this venue early as it’s often standing room only.
Sing Along at Billboard Onboard
If rock music is not your thing, you can head immediately across the way to Billboard Onboard. This venue is another one of the four popular entertainment spaces found on the Music Walk.
Billboard Onboard hosts trivia and other activities during the day, then turns it up a notch in the evenings with live piano music from a duo of musicians.
With chart-topping hits, a lively atmosphere, and equally delightful cocktails from the signature menu, you might find yourself spending quite a bit of time here.
Billboard Onboard features 45-minute sets covering several music genres and even “All Request” hour.
Spend the Evening in B.B. King’s
Yet another stop on the Music Walk is the B.B. King’s Blues Club. This venue brings the best of Memphis to the high seas, pairing soulful musical performances with great signature cocktails.
With a menu that includes musically inspired drinks like the Rhythm and Blues, you will definitely want to sample these signature cocktails while enjoying the nightly performances.
This venue also doubles as the comedy club and the Lincoln Center Stage. So, even if Blues is not your musical preference, you will probably still find yourself in this venue.
Lincoln Center Stage boasts a phenomenal orchestra quartet that also plays 45-minute sets throughout the cruise.
Related Post: Guide to Holland America Drink Packages
Make Your Own Bar Crawl
When it comes to enjoying a drink, Holland America Line offers cruisers a variety of bars and lounges. In addition to the aforementioned entertainment spaces on the Music Walk, other bars on the ship also offer specialty cocktail menus.
With so many signature drinks to try, why not plan your own bar crawl?
Each venue has its own unique design and décor, so you will need to check out them all to find your favorite.
From the brand new Half Moon Bar to the outdoor Sea View Bar and the Asian-inspired Tamarind Bar, each menu offers handcrafted cocktails that you are sure to love.
We recommend sampling the craft cocktails at the Half Moon Bar. Not only are they delicious, but you can’t find them on any other ship in the Holland America fleet.
Our new bar guide has all the menus to help you decide which drinks to order first.
Catch a Show on the World Stage
It wouldn’t be a cruise if there wasn’t nightly entertainment in the main theater. Besides the popular Billboard Onboard, B.B. King’s Blues Club, and Rolling Stone Rock Room, guests can also watch production shows on the World Stage.
This two-story theater features a 270-degree wraparound LED screen that immerses the audience and brings the productions to life.
Our cruise featured four signature productions from the StepONE dance company with Humanity being our favorite. Cruisers can also head to the World Stage for the moving Origin Story represented by the Cruise and Travel Director. This production tells the story of the brand’s 150 year history and should not be missed.
We also really enjoyed the BBC Earth in Concert that took place in the World Stage. This production features captivating BBC footage and storytelling paired with a soundtrack from the Lincoln Center Stage musicians.
Get Active
While Holland America Line’s Rotterdam might not feature all the bells and whistles of Royal Caribbean or Norwegian Cruise Line ships, there are still plenty of ways to keep active during your cruise.
The Sports Court on deck 11 hosts a variety of free play and pick-up competitions including shuffleboard, soccer, basketball, cornhole, pickleball, and more.
There is also an outdoor jogging track located on the same deck if you’d prefer to go for a leisurely walk or run instead. Further, the Promenade Deck (deck 3) has a full outside walking space that encircles the entire deck.
Of course, there is also the fitness center which hosts some complimentary (and for-fee) classes, along with other cardio and strength training equipment.
Related Post: What’s Included on Holland America Line
Make It a Pool Day
If your idea of vacation is pure relaxation, you can do that too on Holland America Line’s Rotterdam. This new ship features the Lido Pool and the Sea View Pool, each with its own vibe.
The Lido Pool is the midship pool with a retractable roof that lets you take a dip without worrying about the weather outside. The Sea View pool is the adults-only pool located at the aft of the ship.
Both pools have plenty of loungers, but the prime seats do fill up quickly especially on Caribbean cruises.
The Lido Pool is even a great place to spend an evening. With a large movie screen showing popular flicks, and movie night snacks from the New York Deli like pretzels, popcorn, sliders, and chicken wings, how could you not want to pull up a seat?
Rejuvenate at the Spa and Thermal Suite
If you don’t mind paying for a little pampering on your vacation, then you should check out the Greenhouse Spa.
The spa on HAL ships offers a variety of treatments including massages, nail services, teeth whitening, hair services, facials, and more.
There is also a thermal suite with heated loungers, steam and sauna grottos, and a Thalassotherapy Pool. Week-long thermal suite passes can be purchased per individual or for a couple at a reduced rate.
Find Your Own Quiet Nook
Holland America Line’s Rotterdam offers plenty of space for cruisers looking to find their own quiet nook on the ship.
Outdoors, the Sun Deck is an aft located space that is perfect for sun worshippers who would rather relax away from the often crowded pool areas.
Indoors, cruisers have a couple of options. The Explorations Café is located at the top of the ship with great views, comfy furniture, and even a separate space for board games and puzzles.
Additionally, new on Rotterdam is the Library. This book store-esque space offers a wide variety of books and even some comfy reading nooks.
Enjoy a Day at Half Moon Cay
If you are sailing on Holland America Line’s Rotterdam in the Caribbean, then you have the bonus of visiting Half Moon Cay. This secluded oasis in the Bahamas is consistently rated as one of the best cruise line private islands.
Privately owned by Carnival Corp., this island is reserved exclusively for guests cruising with these brands.
Here, you will find stretches of soft, sandy beach and crystal clear water perfect for relaxing and swimming. There are also a variety of shore excursions offered, including the popular horseback riding.
Of course, there’s also food, drinks, and a Straw Market for shopping. Unfortunately though, your drink package will not work ashore on the island.
After one visit to Half Moon Cay, you will likely be saying, “I wish I could stay here forever”!
BOOK NOW: Exclusive Savings on Holland America Rotterdam Cruises!
Comments
Do you agree with our list of the Best Things to Do on Holland America Line’s Rotterdam? Do you have plans to sail on this new Holland America cruise ship? Drop us an anchor below to share what you love about this cruise line.
2 comments
Henry Gibson
Holland America Line’s Rotterdam Cruise Ship offers a wide variety of activities and amenities for passengers to enjoy. Whether you’re looking to relax and unwind or stay active and entertained, there’s something for everyone on this ship. The Rotterdam features a variety of entertainment options, including live music, stage shows, and movies. Enjoy a night out and take in a show or concert. Now I will have to read https://www.collegebasics.com/blog/dissertation-writing-services/ article which is going to lead me to the best dissertation writing service that I would hire to get assistance with my research paper about this topic.
EM
It would be really nice to see a photo / copy of the daily activities offered. We’re pretty active and on some cruises we found zumba (but then it overlapped with dance lessons, d’oh!). And then there were stretches with only bingo & trivia, so don’t want too much of that.