Welcome to the MS Rotterdam, Holland America cruise line’s newest ship. Traveling as a guest of Holland America Line, I sailed with on board the MS Rotterdam on a 7-day cruise to the Norwegian fjords. Our journey started and ended in the city Rotterdam, the Netherlands, with stops en route in Copenhagen, Oslo, Kristiansand, and Stavanger.

I didn’t really know what to expect from a cruise, and I was a little nervous before we set sail. I needn’t have worried: the top-class entertainment, excursions, and service ensured we enjoyed a wonderful experience throughout the journey. 

Read on to explore the MS Rotterdam, learn about the amenities and activities available, and find out why I’d recommend a Holland America cruise.

The MS Rotterdam

I sailed on the MS Rotterdam, the third and newest Pinnacle-class ship in the Holland America fleet. The Rotterdam launched on 1st September 2021, and is a sister ship to the Koningsdam and Nieuw Statendam.

The Rotterdam is a midsize cruise ship that can carry up to 2,668 passengers in 1,340 passenger cabins on 12 passenger decks. It offers luxurious staterooms, an excellent choice of dining venues, and a wide variety of entertainment and activities.

The Pinnacle Class ships all launched in 2016 or later. They’re the newest ships and largest Holland America ships, meaning you’ll enjoy a wider choice of amenities and more modern facilities. 

If you’d like to learn more about the MS Rotterdam during your cruise, behind-the-scenes ship tours offer an insider look at areas that are usually off-limits to passengers. 

Signing up for one of these fascinating tours will give you expert insights from the ship’s crew in locations like the bridge, engine control room, and galley. You’ll also receive a commemorative certificate, a unique ship-specific lanyard, and a collection of souvenir photos. 

Initial Impressions

This was my first cruise, and I was far more impressed by the MS Rotterdam than I thought I would be. It’s the newest of the HAL ships, so everything is still fresh and new-looking, but any of the initial problems with a new ship have been ironed out.

People often describe the Rotterdam as a midsize cruise liner, but to me it felt very large, and I found navigating around the ship a little tricky at first. 

The decor in the staterooms on board the Rotterdam is pretty neutral and looks modern. However, I thought the styling in the public spaces and restaurants looked a little dated, especially for such a new ship.

That might be an intentional design choice to appeal to an older demographic, as many of the passengers on my cruise were in their 60s or older. The design was separate from the quality, though – everything was exceptionally clean and well-maintained on board.

Overall, the facilities and cleanliness on board the Rotterdam were excellent and this ship is stunning.

Here are a few more close-ups of the exterior – it was a delight to be on board!

Amenities 

It feels like there’s an endless number of things to do on the Rotterdam, and you’d have to try pretty hard to be bored. Some of the activities are included in the cost of your cruise but there are additional charges for some others.

If you like organized activities, you’ll find a packed calendar of classes, tournaments, and competitions, from pickleball to mahjong. On the other hand, if you prefer to do your own thing, there are plenty of tables around the ship where you can play board games, do jigsaws, or play a game of chess. 

The ship has several bars and lounges where you can relax with a drink, a library with over 1700 books, a large spa and fitness center, two pools, and courts for shuffleboard, pickleball, and basketball.

Let’s take a look at some of the amenities in a little more detail.

Spa

The Greenhouse Spa & Salon is the perfect place to relax or get ready for one of the “dressy nights” on board the Rotterdam. 

The spa offers a wide range of services, including massages, facials, hairstyling, and manicures. There’s also a thermal suite with a hydrotherapy pool, saunas, steam rooms, and heated lounge chairs. Salon services include hair coloring and styling, manicures and pedicures, plus men’s grooming services.

You can buy a day pass to the spa or opt for a full cruise package that gives you access to the facilities throughout your cruise (treatments not included). Advance booking is advisable, and you can book appointments online before your cruise or at the spa once you’re on board. Discounts are often available for appointments on port days as there’s less demand when most people have gone ashore. 

My Greenhouse Spa experience

I booked in for a 75-minute Swedish massage during my cruise on board the Rotterdam. The massage itself was pretty good, but the service before and after wasn’t up to the same standard. 

Every other time I’ve had a massage, there’s been a waiting area where you can sit after you’ve changed into your robe. At the Greenhouse Spa, I was left to sit fully clothed in the waiting area, which felt confusing because the other person in the room was wearing a robe.

I eventually bent back to the check in desk and asked where I should change into my robe. The reception staff told me that the locks in the locker room were not functioning, so I could change in the treatment room if I had any valuable items with me. 

After the massage, which was good, I really felt like the masseuse was being pretty pushy about upselling products. I had already made it clear that I only wanted the massage without any add-ons, so I politely said, “No, thank you.” 

Right away, I felt her demeanor change entirely, and she became pretty brusque.

I’m sure I can’t be the only passenger who didn’t want to buy products after a massage, but it left a bad taste in my mouth. It’s a shame that this is the lasting memory I have of my time in the spa, but I heard good things from the other people in my group.

Gym and fitness facilities

You have plenty of options for staying active on the ship, including a well-equipped gym, a range of fitness classes, and opportunities to play other sports.

I was impressed by the gym, which has a good selection of weight machines, free weights, and cardio equipment. It also has a beautiful view out over the sea, making it a really nice place to work out. 

You can choose from a range of fitness classes, including spin classes, yoga, pilates, and other stretching sessions. These seemed to be mainly aimed at the older passengers, so might not be suitable if you’re a regular gym user at home.

The ship also has a small jogging track, a fully-enclosed pickleball/basketball court, an outdoor shuffleboard court, and some outdoor fitness equipment like you often see in parks. 

Enrichment classes

The enrichment classes are an area that worked brilliantly on my Holland America Line North Sea cruise. 

I highly recommend attending the City on the Sea presentation. This is an opportunity to hear from crew members about how the different areas of the ship function together, the logistics of managing a cruise ship, and how Holland America Line builds sustainability into their cruises. 

It might not sound like a fun presentation, but I found it absolutely fascinating and learned so much. 

Other interesting options included a conversation with the cruise director about each of the stops along the voyage, and a presentation about how the cruise incorporated the Norwegian way of finding joy.

You can also take classes in calligraphy, origami, or watercolor painting, and even learn how to make the fun, folded towel animals they leave on your bed! There were line dancing and ballroom dancing classes. The options really were endless.

In fact, there are so many onboard classes and activities that I felt a touch of FOMO: If I do that watercolor class, I can’t do the origami class. Oh, but I don’t want to miss out on the afternoon tea!

I would definitely recommend doing some of the classes, but remember to leave some time for relaxation too! Read my full guide to entertainment and enrichment on Holland America Line.

Casino

The ship’s casino is a fun place to spend a few hours enjoying roulette, table games, or slot machines. You can take part in a slot tournament, or join in the ship’s bingo game with a snowball jackpot that one passenger must win before the end of the cruise. 

Shopping

Duty-free shopping is available on the Rotterdam with shops selling jewelry, fine art, and other gifts and souvenirs. You can also take part in an art auction or make your own photo souvenirs in the Wonder Photo Shop.

Save money on board and bring everything you need. Here’s my cruise essentials packing list.

Pools

There are two pools on the Rotterdam: the Lido Pool, which is open to all passengers, and the adults-only Sea View Pool.

The Lido pool is located mid-ship on the Lido Deck. It’s open to kids and adults, and its retractable roof means you can use it in bad weather. However, closing the glass roof can make the indoor pool feel a little stuffy, like you’re swimming in a greenhouse. 

The Lido pool is pretty small, but there were more than enough lounge chairs arranged around it. In fact, there were enough loungers for far more people than you could ever fit in the pool, which is more suitable for a quick dip or cooling off than for swimming laps.

There are also three hot tubs, but those are also comically small for a ship with 2700 passengers. I was relaxing in one of the tubs in the outdoor pool area and a couple got in just after me, which felt a little too crowded. 

The adults-only outdoor pool is located at the aft of the ship, and also has two small hot tubs set above it. This pool is also pretty small, and the water was quite cold, so I’m not sure swimming there would be comfortable outside the main summer months. 

The pool is also surrounded by a lot of lounge chairs, but a lot of the people sitting there weren’t in swimsuits. They were just sitting around chatting, playing games, or eating a snack, which left me feeling a little exposed and uncomfortable in a bathing suit. 

So, I guess you can tick the ‘does the ship have a pool?’ box, but neither is a particularly large pool, and I’m not sure you’d want to spend much time swimming in them.

Library

If you like relaxing with a good book on vacation, you’ll love the Rotterdam’s well-stocked library. It has hundreds of books covering a range of genres, along with comfortable chairs and recliners, making it the ideal place to relax with your latest read. 

The library also has some large tables where you can play a board game or complete a crossword. The “take a book, leave a book” exchange section allows you to swap a book you’ve brought from home for one left by another passenger.

The library carries multiple copies of popular titles, but it’s best to visit early in your cruise to be sure you’ll find the best selection. It’s also worth packing your Kindle or e-reader as a backup. 

Kids club

Although our cruise mainly attracted older passengers, each Holland America Line ship offers a Kids Club suitable for kids and teens aged 3-17. 

Kids aged 3-6 can enjoy themed parties, crafts, and activities, while tweens aged 7-11 can get involved with sporting events and gaming tournaments. Teens aged 12-17 can take part in games and sporting challenges during the day, and there’s a range of exclusive teen events like poker games and gaming tournaments available in the evenings. 

All Kids Club activities are run by professionally trained staff. They’re very popular, and so you should reserve your child’s place as soon as possible, especially if your cruise has lots of families on board. 

Kids Clubs aren’t available on longer cruises of 25+ days, such as the Holland America Line world cruises. A selection of Kid-friendly activities will be provided on these voyages if requested.

On Board Art

Rotterdam is home to an impressive art collection. Ship stewards change it out regularly, which keeps the ship feeling fresh and interesting. Art tends to be curated around architecture, animals, and music.

Entertainment

On top of all the activities and enrichment classes, Holland America Line cruises also offer a full program of entertainment in the evenings. I was seriously impressed by the quality of the entertainment during our cruise. The standard of all the performers was excellent.

Pinnacle Class cruise ships like the Rotterdam have an entertainment area with three main live music venues. The Billboard Onboard venue features a live pianist playing chart-toppers. The Rolling Stone Rock Room has a small dance floor and a live band playing classic rock tunes. You can enjoy Memphis-style rhythm and blues at the B.B. King’s Blues Club, which also has a larger wooden dance floor. 

There are plenty of other entertainment options on board the Rotterdam. The World Stage, which has a two-story wraparound LCD screen, hosts a variety of entertainment, including theatrical performances, talks by local experts, and magic and comedy shows.

The Lincoln Center Stage is the venue for classical music recitals during the day and chamber music performances by night. These are ideal if you’d like a more relaxed vibe during sea days.

You can also watch movies projected poolside by the Lido Pool, or enjoy cocktails and dancing with a sea view in the Ocean Bar.

Orange Party

One night on each cruise, Holland America Line’s Dutch heritage is celebrated in the ship’s Orange Party. The party takes inspiration from the traditional color of the Netherlands and the national King’s Day celebrations. 

The Orange Party is a fun event that attracts a lot of passengers. The crowd at our party definitely skewed a little older, so there were a lot of classic Dutch songs and older English hits playing in the three main music locations. 

Orange drinks, Dutch-inspired snacks, and sweet treats are served, and all guests are asked to wear orange clothes and accessories. So remember to pack your orange feather boas, hats, or wigs for this celebration!

Dining

One of the advantages of a cruise vacation is the wide choice of dining options. The Rotterdam offers a choice of 23 different places to eat, some included in your cruise price and some available for an additional fee.

Before your cruise begins, you will be asked to choose between traditional set seating and flexible As You Wish dining.

If you opt for traditional seated dining, you will be assigned a table in the main dining room and a dedicated wait staff for the entire cruise. You can choose between the early dining session, around 5 pm, or dine later, around 7:30 pm.

If you prefer more flexible options, you can book “As You Wish” dining. This lets you choose where and when to eat, as you go. For example, you could opt for a casual buffet-style meal in the Lido Market one day, a multi-course dinner in the two-tier Dining Room the next evening, or order room service in your stateroom. 

Other favorites on board Rotterdam include the Pinnacle Grill and the Grand Dutch Cafe, which serves delicious Dutch specialties and sweet treats. The ship also has exciting specialty restaurants, including Tamarind, serving vibrant Pan-Asian cuisine, Rudi’s Sel de Mer Mediterranean restaurant, and the Canaletto Italian restaurant, which offers classic cuisine in a relaxed setting.

I’d also recommend checking out The Crow’s Nest at the top of the ship, where you can relax with a drink and enjoy the panoramic views.

I thought the food on board the Rotterdam was excellent, especially in the specialty dining restaurants. I break down reviews of every restaurant in my guide to Food and Drink on board the Rotterdam. 

Staterooms

The Rotterdam has 13 different types of cabins and suites, including cabins designed for families or solo travelers. They range from the Standard Interior Stateroom, which makes clever use of space and light to avoid feeling cramped, to the ultra-luxurious Pinnacle and Neptune Suites. These suites have floor-to-ceiling windows and passengers enjoy exclusive access to the Neptune lounge and a personal concierge service. 

All cabins have daily housekeeping and amenities like plush bathrobes, TV with On Demand movies, fresh fruit upon request, and complimentary Elemis Aromapure toiletries. Around two-thirds of the cabins have balconies.

A Verandah stateroom on the Rotterdam

My friend and I shared a Verandah stateroom on board the Rotterdam. Verandah staterooms have approximately 228-405 square feet of floor space, including the balcony, and I was a little nervous that it might feel too cramped. However, the large windows, clever design, and airy decor made the room feel spacious enough for two adults.

The Verandah stateroom has light, modern decor as you’d expect on board a pretty new cruise ship. It has two comfortable Mariner’s Dream™ beds, which can be converted to one queen-size bed, a small seating area indoors, and a balcony with lounge chairs.

The room has a lockable door that opens into the adjoining stateroom. If you opt for interconnecting staterooms, you can remove the partition between their two balconies.

I loved sipping my morning coffee on the balcony while I enjoyed the fresh air and stunning sea views.

All the guides I read before our cruise said that you never get enough hangers on board a cruise ship. To that end, I purchased and packed folding hangers. Well, there was plenty of storage space and more than enough hangers on the Rotterdam. 

The room design makes great use of the space available to give more than enough storage for two people. Our suitcases slipped easily under our beds, so they weren’t taking up closet space. 

There’s also a desk with USB ports and three drawers where I could store my electrical gadgets and chargers. 

The small ensuite bathroom had a powerful walk-in shower and complimentary Elemis toiletries. It was a little cramped, and there wasn’t too much counter space for storing toiletries, but that was my only criticism. 

Settling in to your stateroom

Your luggage will be brought up to your cabin after the ship has left port, but it may not all arrive at the same time.

My friend had turned in her luggage before me, and her cases were already in the room before we got there. However, my smaller suitcase didn’t arrive until 30 minutes after my larger case, even though I turned them in together. 

It’s worth carrying a few essential items in a bag with you, just in case there’s a delay on your luggage’s arrival. Be sure to always keep any medications in your personal bag and do not leave them in your checked luggage.

You’ll be assigned a stateroom steward who will be responsible for cleaning and tidying your room daily, handling requests, and providing other services like bringing fresh towels or ice. Our steward came by shortly after we had set sail to introduce himself and make sure we were comfortable in our room. 

Shore Excursions

My seven-day cruise started in Rotterdam with ports of call in the Danish capital, Copenhagen, along with the cities of Oslo, Kristiansand, and Stavanger in Norway.

Each port day offers a range of excursions, including tours of each port city’s highlights and guided hikes through scenic landscapes. Remember to pack your hiking boots and waterproofs if you plan to go hiking during your cruise!

Holland America cruises also offer a special first-of-their-kind selection of excursions curated with The HISTORY Channel. These allow you to learn more about your destination’s history and also experience it for yourself. 

On my cruise, the HISTORY Channel excursions included the Kings & Vikings tour in Copenhagen, which takes you to the Viking Ship Museum and the Roskilde Cathedral UNESCO World Heritage Site, or the Stavanger Old & New tour that explores centuries of Norwegian history through stone circles, ancient monuments, and fascinating museums.

You can find out more in my guide to Holland America Cruise Excursions.

Service and staff

Overall, I found the Holland America cruise experience to be excellent. The ship was spotlessly clean throughout, and the staff did a fantastic job of managing so many passengers.

Apart from the massage therapist I mentioned earlier, everyone I encountered was very friendly, helpful, and kind. It wasn’t just that they provided great service – they really got to know you by face, if not by name, and kept everything running smoothly. 

The only minor improvement I would suggest is some additional communication about how things work, especially for passengers embarking on their first cruise. At the start of my cruise, I would have liked to know more about the logistics for getting on and off the ship for excursions. At the end of the cruise, more support for disembarkation would have been helpful.

But generally, the attentive service on the MS Rotterdam was first class!

The Wrap-up

I had a great experience throughout my 7-day Holland America Line cruise. The ship’s excellent facilities made my journey very comfortable and, with very few exceptions, the service I received was impeccable. 

If you’re setting sail on your first cruise, traveling on board the MS Rotterdam is a fantastic introduction to this fantastic type of vacation. You’ll love the wide range of dining options, impressive entertainment, and exciting excursions and activities available. The crew are incredibly helpful, which makes finding your sea legs much easier.

And if you’re a more experienced sailor, you’ll enjoy exploring everything this modern cruise liner has to offer.

This was my first Holland America Line cruise but I’m sure it won’t be my last!