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I sailed this exact cruise on the Rotterdam in October and loved it. I too feared that 12 days would be too long, but it wasn’t. I found it fun and relaxing. I’m 54 and felt the ship experience is what you make it. I enjoyed dancing in the BB King Blues club in the evening. The food was truly the highlight. I did not have a bad meal anywhere on the ship! Thanks for your review!
The BB King Blues club, the Billboard music and the other, sound like the perfect mix of music and entertainment. Having exciting ports by day, and the music venues by night, are two important options I look for. It sounds like the Rotterdam has an increasingly bigger selection, to keep you entertained. I'll be booking that cruise, and heading to the Panana Canal, for the 1st time. Thank you for both confirming what a ideal cruise this is.
My husband and I did a 14 cruise on the Rotterdam through the Panama Canal. We loved it. It was bittersweet for me as it was a bucket list item for him. The crew was so caring and made it a pleasure to sail with them.
We have booked a veranda cabin on the New Amsterdam for October. It's 23 days with 13 ports including the full transit of the Panama Canal. We have watched just about every video you have done. I've purchased the Ultimate Cruise Planner and I absolutely LOVE it!!! I have used it so much already. I know it is early to be doing so much but this is going to be the best planned cruise we have ever done. Plannin is so much fun! It is for our 50th anniversary so it is quite special! Thank you Ilana for all these videos. I've learned so much that my head can hardly hold it all! Thank goodness for post it notes and notebook paper!!! By the way this is cruise #12 for us. Debbie
I primarily cruise Princess but feel that Holland is right up my alley. The Panama Canal cruise is definitely on my radar so your video is perfect timing. Thank you!
I can’t believe your 12 day cruise is over already!!! Yes, I would love to see additional footage you have on this sailing, including the specialty restaurant, was it Cafe Orange? Did they offer a speciality package for the restaurants you’ll selected? I’m excited just thinking of sailing for 12 days one year, plus being retired, and in that average age group, it’s a cruise for me!!!! 🛳️🛳️
I was on that cruise, too. The Have It All package was 1/2 off, so was then $50/day [now half off is $55] and included basic wifi, $200 shore excursion credit and two specialty dining experiences in addition to the beverage package. It was a cool deal!
I have my first cruise ever in Novemeber with Celebrity in retreat. Your videos have been an absolute blessing. You deserve the RU-vid gold plaquard! 🎉
The local sellers in Cartagena were the most aggressive toward me that I've ever seen, in any city. I usually look and dress like a broke tourist, so I don't normally get much attention. But the vendors saw through that.
I was on an excursion in Cartagena. Our guide was very good and schooled us in "non, gracias," first thing, but it was definitely getting old before the end of the tour. I was trying to decide if it was my worst experience with the vendors. I don't know: the vendors in Bethlehem were pretty aggressive. It seemed like one of them even got on the tour bus trying to hawk his wares.
Yes! Would love to hear more about Club Orange! We are Celebrity cruisers, but the Holland cruiseline looks like it might be more up our alley as we are foodies and would enjoy a less crowded ship like the Rotterdam. Thank you! 🥰
I am scheduled for a Panama cruise with HA in April, would like to know info on your clothing choices. Also please talk about club orange and spa packages. Love your channel. Always great info
We cruised the Rotterdam in Norway in 2023 and will be back on it in late Mar/early April 2023 for Southern Caribbean. Love this ship and HAL crew takes the best care of their passengers.....
Would love to see a video on Club Orange! Not a whole lot of information out there on it. Have heard that it’s the private dining venue for suite guests but also that you can buy in limited quantity through your cruise agent.
I was on this cruise, as well. It was my first time in Costa Rica so I have nothing to compare. I was impressed with their non-smoking environment. Our guide told us that public smoking yielded 7 days in jail. I viewed the Panama Canal from the Crow's Nest. It was wonderful. I was disappointed that we couldn't disembark the ship for the excursion at Gatun Lake, but safety was a priority with the demonstrations in Colon. I absolutely loved the downtime of all those sea days.
We are sailing on Rotterdam's sister ship, the Koningsdam in February on a 35-day Hawaii/South Pacific/Marquesas Island cruise. This will be our longest cruise but love the itinerary so felt we had to do it. Having been dedicated Celebrity cruisers, we felt in our last 3 cruises, the food was lacking in quality and choice. HAL's food reviews and the Music Walk were determining factors for us. I'm assuming that this cruise will attract the older demographic, but although we're in our 70s, we love to dance, enjoy great food & see the world. We've purchased the Have It All package so will enjoy 3 specialty dining venues and added Rudi's Sel de Mer. Thank you so much for yet another great review!
We are 5star mariners with Holland America and have sailed on 3 different Rotterdam shps. Rotterdam 5.6 and your reviewed newest 7. In 2022 we visited the Rotterdam 5 hotel/museum. Wow that really brought back memories of the cruises past. I would recommend a visit when in Rotterdam. We have not tried Club Orange and would like you to provide more information on the experience. Especially the venue because it seems to have a fishbowl atmosphere with the placement on the new ships. Thank you for your informative videos. I enjoy them all.
Beautifully informative as always, Ilana. You've become one of my touchstone cruise-info channels. I am going to ask a question which might seem silly, but I find this strange: Why do people want lounge chairs by the pool, facing in? Wouldn't it be nicer to be somewhere you can look out over the water?
You (Ilana and Ashleys) both raise good points. I've never been one to watch people, which is probably why that reason didn't occur to me. Thank you, for the explanations and for (grabby hands) the water-watching lounges!
We have done this trip and truly enjoyed it! However one thing to keep in mind with your time in Costa Rica...there are no alligators there. It is likely you saw central american Caimen.
We did 21 days in Norway on this ship and absolutely loved all of it. Norway is so beautiful. Our next HAL cruise will be on the much smaller and older Volendam for 24 days this summer to New England, Canada, Iceland and Greenland. We loved the Grend Dutch cafe and their enormous cream puff on the Rotterdam so disappointed the it is not available on the smaller ships. We love the longer cruises which have much more time to relax. I do think 24 days will be the max my husband will agree to though. We did a 12 day British isles cruise on Princess last summer which was wonderful but very port intensive and tiring with only 2 sea days. We loved all the ports but wish it was a little longer with more sea days.
we did the cruise that goes via Iceland and Greenland. The excursions were mostly good but avoid the Lunenburg and Peggy's Cove one as it is nothing but a tour of tourist traps with not long enough anywhere to see anything worthwhile. If you are going to Nanortalik, make sure you walk down to the "museum". It is actually a series of old thick brick cottages and each one has a different theme. For a few $$ entry, it is excellent value and really educational. Iceland is, as always, amazing. All the excursions are great.
Thanks for this. We were on the following 12 day cruise and have been waiting to see your comments. In general, I do agree with you but want to differ in 2 areas with our main dining room experiences. First, the staff of the any time dining always seemed very hurried and most were very impersonal as a result. Secondly, the menu itself. I admit, our last cruise was on Celebrity, 21 days as they were just starting back from Covid, but the HAL menu this time was a complete downgrade. First, the old soup and salad listings have been combined and drastically reduced. Completely gone were any listing of cold soups that I just loved. Secondly, was the elimination of the separate dissert menu, with is now just printed on the main one to be ordered before your meal with everything else. Where in days gone by, the traditional 2 page menu had the fixed offerings on the left side and the nightly ones on the right, their new one had a suggested wine list taking up a bit more than the top half of the left page, followed by a combined small soup/salad offering called, I think, Small plates. The right page started with the 4 or 5 choices of entrees, followed by the list of entrees available for up charge and completed with the choice of deserts. I guess this is just how cruising is changing. With my wife in a wheel chair, this latest experience will probably be the tipping point to make our last cruise.
I've been thinking more about the comments I made above. When I wrote them, I was a bit confused in that you had no thoughts about the main dining (except for your "dress code" violations). However, I think I now understand. You had Cloud Orange and most likely had very few meals in the MDR. That being the case you would also have missed the down grades I noticed in the buffet area as well. Cheers
Yes, please, more information on the Orange Club and the Orange Party. We will be sailing HAL Eurodam in April. It's probably too late to book the O Club this time but maybe next cruise.
Longest cruise I’ve done is 21 days with HAL when I was in my early twenties - it would be considered one of their older ships now. I loooved it. Some of the entertainment “restarted” after 14 days, but there was always something else to do and it was great just relaxing instead of rushing to watch show after show.
I sailed on the Rotterdam VI back in 2019. It was my first and only sailing with HAL so far. The ship was all right. I thought HAL was all right. I don't feel the need to rush back with so many other cruising options.
LOVE Old Town, yes Carthaginian the vendors can be "pushy". Saw that you never EVER pull out big amounts of cash, small bills separate. Been Costa Rico twice, really do like it, mostly because it's not built up and commercialized. We've done a partial transit as well as a reposition from Seattle to Miami. Would love to reverse that. "Journey" cruises are so laid back and relaxing.
Excellent video! Your presentation was excellent, and I really liked the content. I sailed on the Rotterdam in November 2022 (Southern Caribbean), and was very impressed. The ship was wonderful. The crew and officers were gracious, helpful and professional. The food was amazing, as was the entertainment. I would highly recommend all cruisers try HAL and one of the Pinnacle Class ships. Thanks again for your video.
My husband and I sailed on Rotterdam this past September to Norway and LOVED our cruise. We also did Club Orange and thought it really elevated our experience and have agreed that we will always do Club Orange. We also had an aft view cabin and truly felt it was something we would continue to do as well. It made sailing in the fjords absolutely amazing AND we saw the Northern Lights on that cruise as well. I honestly don't know how we will ever top that experience. We agree that the food in Club Orange was so good that we did not need to do any specialty restaurants and were even slightly disappointed by the two specialty restaurants compared to the food in Club Orange. We are booked for a Mediterranean cruise on Oosterdam Sept 2025 and I am hoping the experience will be just as good but I know it is a Vista Class ship so we will have to see.
You've given a fair review of the Rotterdam. We've sailed on it as well as all of the other ships in the current HAL fleet as well as most of those in the retired fleet. As for us, 12 days is a short cruise and we just returned from a 22 day South America cruise which was preceded by a 73 day Grand South America cruise. Both were on smaller HAL ships and we loved both of them. For us, it really doesn't matter which ship we're on as its the itinerary that's #1. You hit the proverbial nail on the head when you said that cruising on the Rotterdam was for those who like a traditional feel and don't need the waterslides, etc.
Did river cruise in Jamaica. I found the excrsion to be aggressive with demanding tips. Some man insisted on helping us on the raft and then demanded a tip. Man who did the tour would not raft until we let this man "help" us. This was not needed as we were young. When we return, a group of young men were told they needed to give more than $25 for a tip. The man would not get out of their face. Now I understand why cruisers don't want to get off in Jamaica. It is a beautiful island though.
Going on Beyond in March, with excursions (small group-10) by Celebrity in Cartagena and Panama. Should we feel comfortable taking since there is a travel advisory from the US?
We have sailed on the Rotterdam for 21 days and loved it. We are going to the Panama canal in February and to Norway for two cruise to the Fjords in May/June. Both will be on the Rotterdam. We love it.
Just got off the Rotterdam on an excursion to the ABC islands. Had a wonderful, relaxed time and enjoyed most of the cruise. We were wowed by Curacao and very disappointed by Aruba. The food on the ship was excellent, the best dining room food I've had on a cruise ship. We did wish for more activities through the day that weren't directed toward the cruise line's pocket books, but we met so many new friends it provided us the opportunity to meet up for drinks and conversation. And the Crow's Nest is wonderful!
My husband and I went on the Panama cruise last year. Seeing your video brought back great memories. We love to sail on Holland America because the ships are not too big, but provides all the cruising amenities we need. On our cruise they deleted Cartagena but gave some ship board credits in exchange for. Loved your video!!
Yes pretty please do a video focused on your experience with Club Orange. I have yet to find any real first person content and I am very curious. Thanks!
We also found the street vendors in Cartagena very pushy (on a Princess full transit cruise) even continuing to approach you when in a tour group and when your tour guide was explaining things. It is unfortunately my lasting memory of that port rather than the beautiful buildings etc.
I was on the inaugural Rotterdam cruise in October 2021. It was a transatlantic cruise from Amsterdam to Ft Lauderdale. I loved the ship and especially the music walk. HAL is my favorite cruise line. Your review was right on point. Great food, relaxed atmosphere, and a little older crowd.
I’m on the Rotterdam in March for 21 days and looking forward to it. Late November i did a 9 day on the Rotterdam and I LOVE everything about it. I have cruised with many other cruise lines, but HA is my favourite.
Great video! I was on this ship in November 2023. Only thing I would add is it was the BEST THERMAL SPA I've experienced at sea. Better than Celebrity, Princess and Carnival. Very relaxing, highly recommend!
We sailed a three week cruise on the Rotterdam in 2023 to the Baltics and Norwegian fjords. Great cruise/itinerary and the Rotterdam was the perfect ship for this itinerary.
Great video - so glad for the details because it's a bucket list item for me, too! I also had a chuckle at your husband and son posing in a funny way in front of the lighthouse - glad to know I am not the only one doing that stuff!
Good or bad Holland America is the only cruise line that we have used. We just completed our 20th cruise with them, and it just so happened to be on the Rotterdam. We love the pinnacle class ships, especially with a separate Club Orange. At first I didn't think that I would enjoy being in the "fishbowl", but we absolutely love it. The services is impeccable, and the food is delicious. We like the fact that we don't have to wait in a line to get our meal, as we witnessed many times while going down the stairs by the MDR. So, in my opinion, I really think that club orange is worth every penny. Another little perk is not having to get a tender ticket. You just show up at the tender line and they let you in. Anyway, we absolutely love Holland America. Maybe, just maybe someday we will try something else..
We're sailing on the same cruise next Sunday and your video made us look forward to it even more. Like you, we've never been on a 12-day cruise before and wonder what it will be like. Also had two port changes. Aruba and Key West were replaced with Falmouth, Jamaica and Georgetown in the Cayman Islands. Not happy about that, but no matter where it takes us, the food and the Music Walk always makes a HAL cruise worthwhile. That's why we've sailed the CA Coast on the Koningsdam for the last two years and we'll be doing it again in November.
I've been to Aruba exactly once in my life and I never understood why so many people love it. It turns out I'd taken a tour to the northern part of the island (many years ago), which I didn't realize until watching this video. Suddenly everything makes sense. The natural bridge was beautiful, but now I want to go back and see what everyone else is talking about.
We have over 200 sea days with HAL. A repositioning from Athens is coming next fall followed by Antartica next winter. Older clientele but well travelled. HAL offers long itineraries like 50 + days South Pacific, did it twice. Service is wonderful.
My husband and I just got off the Rotterdam 3 days ago. 7 days with our adult children. We get a Veranda and the ‘Have it All’ and feel it’s fine. No club Orange. The Dining Room food is amazing and the room service is free. We book our specialty dining and excursions before we go so no need for ‘priority’ anything. I don’t think the perks of Club Orange are worth the cost. Love HAL! 4th cruise with them. 🎉
I cruise Princess more than any other cruise line (taking a group of 25 in February) but you’ve given me pause to consider Holland! Great video Ilana! Thanks!
We are mostly Princess cruisers but Picked the HAL Norway cruise because we saw it on “Mighty Cruise Ships” during the pandemic and just had to go. While on that cruise we were introduced to the New England, Canada, Iceland and Greenland itinerary round trip out of Boston and fell in love with that. We leave in July. It is on the Volendam which is a pretty small ship so that will be a new experience too.
We have cruised both lines several times and will be on the Sky Princess later this month. We really like Princess, but Holland America is our favorite. The cabins are roomier, the food is top-notch, the little extras (free room service, etc) are delightful, but most of all we appreciate the crew's hospitality and very kind, attentive service. We do love the mid-sized ships too, which feel so much less crowded and easy to negotiate. Haven't been on either ship, but we'd love to cruise the Rotterdam and Koningsdam sometime soon. Thanks Ilana, this was a great review.
Love watching your videos! I’m wondering about the upgrades. How much $$$ does someone have to offer in order to get upgraded to a better room? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated 🤞🏻
@@LifeWellCruised you gave me the cruising bug after watching all of your videos. I appreciate your quick response 🙏 I’ll be going on my first cruise in September and cannot wait! I am a newbie, and not sure exactly how to proceed with the bidding on an upgrade. Would you happen to have any other suggestions on approximately how much of a percentage I should bid?
My wife and I went on a 13 day Panama Canal trip last year. While the 2 sea days going were fine, the return trip was a bit trying. We were both ready to leave. The sea days on the way back were long at times. You start to feel the confinement. We really did enjoy the trip though and we learned our endurance limit for cruising.
We like to bounce around diiferent cruise ships, so that it is not the 'same-same'. We had Club Orange included with a Neptune suite for our Fjord cuise in June 2023. It was well worth it and we never ate in the MDR. The staff in Club Orange was the best. So attentive to details and requests. We are looking at 2026 Asia cruises with HAL
Sailed 16 days on the Koningsdam, Vancouver to Hawaii. Activities there were great related to Hawaii. Very few things to do on the way back. Worst buffet at sea for us….had to go so early to get a seat at the buffet. My husband ate breakfast at the deli every morning. The live music was great but the shows in the theatre were not good. We enjoyed all the trivia, especially the happy hour music trivia.
We will be on this ship in April for 22 days from Fort Lauderdale to British Columbia Canada. It's on of my bucket list trips for years. Thanks for your heads up info.
Hi Ilana, we are booked on the Rotterdam for a 14 day Norwegian Fjords cruise in late May. We can’t wait to experience HAL. We primarily sail with Princess, but couldn’t find a similar itinerary, so we’re trying HAL. My best friend is currently on the Rotterdam, doing a Southern Caribbean cruise. She’s reporting on how beautiful the ship is, how enjoyable the entertainment on the music walk has been, and that the food is excellent. We previously did a partial Panama Canal cruise thru the historic locks a year ago on the Island Princess. A wonderful cruise, very restful for 10 nights. The itinerary was very similar to your trip, and we also was disappointed in our Costa Rico port visit. Oh boy are you right about the vendors in Cartagena, you’ve gotta be awake visiting that city. Thanks for your videos, I never miss one.🥰
We were on the Rotterdam last year, and echo everything you say in the video with one exception: the piano players at Billboard on Board were not very good. I'm glad to hear they have replaced them.
We sailed on the Rotterdam to the southern Caribbean in February of 2023 and again in December to eastern caribbean. The cruise was very nice. I miss the Lincoln Center Live music which we had in the Feb cruise but not in recent one.
We loved the Club Orange dining room.we were on Rotterdam as well. The staff were wonderful. We Idid the 14 day Norwegian Fjord cruise back in September, so got to know them. Club Orange absolutely worth it.
Glad you enjoyed the Canal. As I mentioned awhile back, we were on the Zaandam in Feb 23 for the cruise from Fl to San Diego. We walked away saying we spent a lot of money for a bad experience. Stayed in Neptune suite so not cheap for 14 days. We love HAL and as always, the crew is awesome. It was the age of the ship and lack of entertainment. Plus they took a port away from us and did nothing to make up for it. Thanks for sharing and safe sailing.
Hey Ilana! I think you've summarised this trip really well - I thought the sellers on Cartagena were, quite frankly, ridiculous! I've never seen that degree of up-selling before - unbelievable! Your Costa Rica canoe trip looks awesome - I couldn't believe how much wildlife I managed to see that day, and we were in a motorboat! Awesome video, as always!
I love cruising HAL and enjoyed an 11-day partial transit of the Panama Canal on the Zuiderdam in 2018. I would be interested in hearing more about Club Orange in an upcoming video. Thanks again, Ilana, for another wonderful video!
![Our Panama Canal Cruise Wasn't What We Expected. Here's Why [Holland America Rotterdam review]](/img/logo.svg){kind=logo}
