Cruise Ship Reviews : Holland America Line Reviews
marilina02 saw things this way:
Second time we sailed on Rotterdam; this time the cruise was not as good, April 4, 2017
Reviewer: marilina02
Pros: Excellent crew, and pretty good fare at La Fontaine restaurant.
Cons: The Lido buffet was not good. Poor variety and quality of food.
Date of cruise: March 16, 2017
Departure port: PEV
Region visited: Caribbean - Southern
Cabin number: 1872
Good for children: No
Good for teenagers: No
Our second time on this ship was pretty bad. We exclude the crew from this review because as a whole it was excellent. But the worst was the Lido buffet. Lacking in variety and quality, it was not good. Even though we could not pick our food, we managed to catch some kind of stomach virus. And we were constantly washing our hands and using Purell whenever we entered the Lido. The entertainment was not the greatest either. With the exception of the British singer who was truly exceptional. It has left us with no desire to cruise in the foreseeable future.
orracle saw things this way:
Relaxed and welcoming ship for a long cruise., January 27, 2014
Reviewer: orracle
Pros: Organized and well run excursions, calm days at sea, good food
Cons: Expensive internet, rather poor entertainment
Departure port: Civitacichia, Italy
Region visited: Transoceanic
Cabin category: Balcony
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: Yes
We took a long cruise on the Rotterdam and loved it. When we disembarked in Fort Lauderdale, we were more relaxed and unstressed than we had been in years. The cruise ran smoothly, without problems or irritations, food was consistently good - I developed an addiction for the spaghetti bolognais - and the premium dining room was a special treat.
rodash saw things this way:
Rotterdam showing its age a bit with service slipping, January 9, 2012
Reviewer: rodash
Pros: Lovely ship, refined atmosphere
Cons: Master and cruise director did not seem very involved in their jobs
Date of cruise: December 21, 2011
Departure port: San Diego
Region visited: Hawaii
Cabin category: Outside
Cabin number: 1840
Good for children: No
Good for teenagers: No
In my third cruise on Holland America in less than a year, I was surprised how much amenities had been trimmed since the previous cruise: no daily newspaper delivery to cabin, no ice sculptures, no sail-away parties, lower-cost selections on dinner menu, no trays in the Lido. No one item seems important, but put them all together and the experience has changed. The ship seemed a bit run down, with a few elevators never working, patched hallway carpets and lots of rust on the hull around the tender bay. I don't know how much is specific to the Rotterdam and how much reflects a general decline for the cruise line. Dining room stewards seemed stretched to their limit with second seating rarely starting on time. Our round table for 6 was originally set for 7, which made it so tight the chairs could not even be pulled up to the table. After we complained, one chair was removed. During the captain's daily announcement, he sounded tired or bored. The cruise director didn't have much personality either. Specific to the Hawaii itinerary, the island of Kuaui was dropped after being originally announced, allegedly because there were too many ships in port. It's not the ship's fault, but the weather was surprisingly cool, below 70F for 8 of the 14 days. For the few passengers who were new to Holland America, things must have seemed fine. But the majority of passengers who were repeaters were doing lots of grumbling over the reduced level of service and amenities.
cathybrock saw things this way:
Second wonderful sailing on this gem of HAL's fleet, October 12, 2011
Reviewer: cathybrock
Pros: Small ship feel, personal service and never feels crowded
Cons: None worth mentioning
Date of cruise: September 7, 2011
Departure port: Rotterdam
Region visited: Europe
Cabin category: Jr. Suite
Cabin number: 7070
Sailed RT Rotterdam on 9/7/11. Loads of fun to pass the old Rotterdam, now a permanent hotel, while leaving port, and hearing the "dueling whistles" as one ship hailed the other and then returned the call. This is HAL's home port and it shows in the pride with which the locals are at their balconies to wave everyone off - a first for us after this our eighth HAL cruise and the second on the Rotterdam. Northern Baltics is an excellent itinerary and St. Petersburg was most definitely the highlight of this cruise. Weather was getting snarky this late in the season, and winds kept us a day extra here, forcing us to miss Helsinki, but this is not atypical on a cruise where safety is tantamount and the captain handled it with typical HAL professionlism (there are always a few nitwits who walk around asking whether they are entitled to a full refund, and we just shake our heads when we hear this stuff). Food was excellent throughout and Pinnacle Grill was up to its usual standard. Didn't take the two-day Spa Pass because the hot tub is too small to justify the price. Enjoyed the aft Retreat even in the cold, but hear others are so dissatisfied with the space that HAL has ceased further installations and may be pulling those that are there. Enjoyed two side-by-side aft cabins (friends were in 7072)and had the partition between balconies opened - this was truly a treat, and we sat transfixed through the Stockhom archipelego, which is really amazing. These used to be SA cabins (they are now classified as "A" to avoid confusion, and I stil haven't figured out how they will be counted for Mariner status point accruals). This cabin class is still entitled to the Concierge by phone (rather than routing to the front desk, providing a slightly better level of service), but do not have access to the Neptune lounge. Copenhagen and Stockholm were just beautiful and would love to return and spend more time. Took a train ride to Rostock at Warnemunde in lieu of the 3-hour ride into Berln - not much to see or do so next time we will do Berlin. Tallinn was cute but again, not a whole lot to do. Its medieval town has been compared to Dubrovnik but we have been to both and don't think it is quite as charming, although some of the boutiques had nice enough goods. All in all this was an excellent trip and we are already planning our next HAL adventure.
reloking saw things this way:
Probably the best cruise I have taken, September 2, 2010
Reviewer: reloking
Pros: The value for the price
Cons: The necessity to fly to/from different foreign ports; gov't visa requirements
Date of cruise: April 5, 2006
Departure port: Rio de Janero
Region visited: Transoceanic
Cabin category: Outside
Cabin number: unknown
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: Yes
Everything about this cruise was excellent. The ship was spotless. Service could not have been better. The cabin was great for the price paid. Entertainment was very good for a cruise ship. There were countless other activities available. Fitness center has latest equipment.
garyd7 saw things this way:
Love the HAL experience on a smaller ship, September 1, 2010
Reviewer: garyd7
Pros: It is a "smaller" ship with the upscale service of HAL
Cons: Entertainment is sacrificed on most cruise ships including this one
Region visited: Europe
Cabin category: Outside
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: No
We have used HAL for many years and have never been let down. The service and the feel of a HAL cruise is what you would expect on a luxury liner, which is what HAL is close to being at a much better price. The staff were wonderful as were the stops.
ecandela saw things this way:
This ship is smaller than most so it is very easy to navigate., September 1, 2010
Reviewer: ecandela
Pros: The nightlife was varied with lots of choices of things to do.
Cons: The lunch buffet was too much the same every day; more variety would be nice.
Date of cruise: July 10, 2010
Departure port: Seattle
Region visited: Alaska
Cabin category: Balcony
Cabin number: 6234
The Rotterdam is a beautiful ship. It is smaller than most ships so it is very easy to learn where everything is. The dinners were wonderful and the wait staff attentive. We cruised Alaska and the ports were very nice. We would have liked more time in Ketchikan but we realize that the ship has a schedule to keep. Our balcony cabin was large. The ship had been redone within the last year so all the areas were nicely furnished.
Rotterdam reviews
Average customer rating:
4.31 / 5
4.31 / 5Average Rating based on 7 Reviews:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
4.14
4.29
3.60
4.50
4.57
4.14
4.00
4.50
4.86
4.29
3.60
4.50
4.57
4.14
4.00
4.50
4.86
marilina02 saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Staff and Service
4
4
5
4
5
4
5
4
5
Second time we sailed on Rotterdam; this time the cruise was not as good, April 4, 2017
Reviewer: marilina02
Pros: Excellent crew, and pretty good fare at La Fontaine restaurant.
Cons: The Lido buffet was not good. Poor variety and quality of food.
Date of cruise: March 16, 2017
Departure port: PEV
Region visited: Caribbean - Southern
Cabin number: 1872
Good for children: No
Good for teenagers: No
Our second time on this ship was pretty bad. We exclude the crew from this review because as a whole it was excellent. But the worst was the Lido buffet. Lacking in variety and quality, it was not good. Even though we could not pick our food, we managed to catch some kind of stomach virus. And we were constantly washing our hands and using Purell whenever we entered the Lido. The entertainment was not the greatest either. With the exception of the British singer who was truly exceptional. It has left us with no desire to cruise in the foreseeable future.
orracle saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
5
4
3
4
4
4
4
5
5
4
3
4
4
4
4
5
5
Relaxed and welcoming ship for a long cruise., January 27, 2014
Reviewer: orracle
Pros: Organized and well run excursions, calm days at sea, good food
Cons: Expensive internet, rather poor entertainment
Departure port: Civitacichia, Italy
Region visited: Transoceanic
Cabin category: Balcony
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: Yes
We took a long cruise on the Rotterdam and loved it. When we disembarked in Fort Lauderdale, we were more relaxed and unstressed than we had been in years. The cruise ran smoothly, without problems or irritations, food was consistently good - I developed an addiction for the spaghetti bolognais - and the premium dining room was a special treat.
rodash saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
4
4
2
4
4
2
3
4
4
4
2
4
4
2
3
4
4
Rotterdam showing its age a bit with service slipping, January 9, 2012
Reviewer: rodash
Pros: Lovely ship, refined atmosphere
Cons: Master and cruise director did not seem very involved in their jobs
Date of cruise: December 21, 2011
Departure port: San Diego
Region visited: Hawaii
Cabin category: Outside
Cabin number: 1840
Good for children: No
Good for teenagers: No
In my third cruise on Holland America in less than a year, I was surprised how much amenities had been trimmed since the previous cruise: no daily newspaper delivery to cabin, no ice sculptures, no sail-away parties, lower-cost selections on dinner menu, no trays in the Lido. No one item seems important, but put them all together and the experience has changed. The ship seemed a bit run down, with a few elevators never working, patched hallway carpets and lots of rust on the hull around the tender bay. I don't know how much is specific to the Rotterdam and how much reflects a general decline for the cruise line. Dining room stewards seemed stretched to their limit with second seating rarely starting on time. Our round table for 6 was originally set for 7, which made it so tight the chairs could not even be pulled up to the table. After we complained, one chair was removed. During the captain's daily announcement, he sounded tired or bored. The cruise director didn't have much personality either. Specific to the Hawaii itinerary, the island of Kuaui was dropped after being originally announced, allegedly because there were too many ships in port. It's not the ship's fault, but the weather was surprisingly cool, below 70F for 8 of the 14 days. For the few passengers who were new to Holland America, things must have seemed fine. But the majority of passengers who were repeaters were doing lots of grumbling over the reduced level of service and amenities.
cathybrock saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
5
4
5
5
4
5
5
4
5
5
4
5
5
Second wonderful sailing on this gem of HAL's fleet, October 12, 2011
Reviewer: cathybrock
Pros: Small ship feel, personal service and never feels crowded
Cons: None worth mentioning
Date of cruise: September 7, 2011
Departure port: Rotterdam
Region visited: Europe
Cabin category: Jr. Suite
Cabin number: 7070
Sailed RT Rotterdam on 9/7/11. Loads of fun to pass the old Rotterdam, now a permanent hotel, while leaving port, and hearing the "dueling whistles" as one ship hailed the other and then returned the call. This is HAL's home port and it shows in the pride with which the locals are at their balconies to wave everyone off - a first for us after this our eighth HAL cruise and the second on the Rotterdam. Northern Baltics is an excellent itinerary and St. Petersburg was most definitely the highlight of this cruise. Weather was getting snarky this late in the season, and winds kept us a day extra here, forcing us to miss Helsinki, but this is not atypical on a cruise where safety is tantamount and the captain handled it with typical HAL professionlism (there are always a few nitwits who walk around asking whether they are entitled to a full refund, and we just shake our heads when we hear this stuff). Food was excellent throughout and Pinnacle Grill was up to its usual standard. Didn't take the two-day Spa Pass because the hot tub is too small to justify the price. Enjoyed the aft Retreat even in the cold, but hear others are so dissatisfied with the space that HAL has ceased further installations and may be pulling those that are there. Enjoyed two side-by-side aft cabins (friends were in 7072)and had the partition between balconies opened - this was truly a treat, and we sat transfixed through the Stockhom archipelego, which is really amazing. These used to be SA cabins (they are now classified as "A" to avoid confusion, and I stil haven't figured out how they will be counted for Mariner status point accruals). This cabin class is still entitled to the Concierge by phone (rather than routing to the front desk, providing a slightly better level of service), but do not have access to the Neptune lounge. Copenhagen and Stockholm were just beautiful and would love to return and spend more time. Took a train ride to Rostock at Warnemunde in lieu of the 3-hour ride into Berln - not much to see or do so next time we will do Berlin. Tallinn was cute but again, not a whole lot to do. Its medieval town has been compared to Dubrovnik but we have been to both and don't think it is quite as charming, although some of the boutiques had nice enough goods. All in all this was an excellent trip and we are already planning our next HAL adventure.
reloking saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Staff and Service
5
5
4
5
5
5
5
5
4
5
5
5
5
Probably the best cruise I have taken, September 2, 2010
Reviewer: reloking
Pros: The value for the price
Cons: The necessity to fly to/from different foreign ports; gov't visa requirements
Date of cruise: April 5, 2006
Departure port: Rio de Janero
Region visited: Transoceanic
Cabin category: Outside
Cabin number: unknown
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: Yes
Everything about this cruise was excellent. The ship was spotless. Service could not have been better. The cabin was great for the price paid. Entertainment was very good for a cruise ship. There were countless other activities available. Fitness center has latest equipment.
garyd7 saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Spa
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
4
5
4
5
4
5
5
4
5
5
4
5
4
5
5
4
5
Love the HAL experience on a smaller ship, September 1, 2010
Reviewer: garyd7
Pros: It is a "smaller" ship with the upscale service of HAL
Cons: Entertainment is sacrificed on most cruise ships including this one
Region visited: Europe
Cabin category: Outside
Good for children: Yes
Good for teenagers: No
We have used HAL for many years and have never been let down. The service and the feel of a HAL cruise is what you would expect on a luxury liner, which is what HAL is close to being at a much better price. The staff were wonderful as were the stops.
ecandela saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Staff and Service
2
4
5
5
4
5
4
5
5
4
5
This ship is smaller than most so it is very easy to navigate., September 1, 2010
Reviewer: ecandela
Pros: The nightlife was varied with lots of choices of things to do.
Cons: The lunch buffet was too much the same every day; more variety would be nice.
Date of cruise: July 10, 2010
Departure port: Seattle
Region visited: Alaska
Cabin category: Balcony
Cabin number: 6234
The Rotterdam is a beautiful ship. It is smaller than most ships so it is very easy to learn where everything is. The dinners were wonderful and the wait staff attentive. We cruised Alaska and the ports were very nice. We would have liked more time in Ketchikan but we realize that the ship has a schedule to keep. Our balcony cabin was large. The ship had been redone within the last year so all the areas were nicely furnished.
