10 Little-Known Fun Secrets in a Cruise on Rotterdam

Crew of Rotterdam welcomes us aboard--Photo by Wallace Immen

The crew was out in force at the gangway to cheer guests boarding Holland America Line’s new flagship Rotterdam for a cruise to sunny Caribbean beaches. Everyone is excited to finally have guests enjoy the fresh new ship that’s just arrived in Florida from its namesake port in Holland.

If you’re a fan of Holland America’s Pinnacle Class of ships, you’ll instantly feel at home on Rotterdam, as the layout and even the names of the decks are the same as on the three previous sister ships in the Dam-ship fleet. But there are some places and little-known features that even seasoned cruisers might like to know about.

The Rotterdam we knew in the 1960s–Photo by Wallace Immen

1) It’s really the seventh Rotterdam

Holland America’s 150th birthday is coming up in 2023 and Rotterdam was the name of the first ship in the fleet. The original Rotterdam sailed its 15-day maiden voyage from its namesake port to New York City on October 15, 1872.  Over the years, as one Rotterdam has been retired, another takes its place as the flagship of the fleet and this is the seventh in the dynasty. They’ve never used numbers or Roman numerals to differentiate the generations, but this new version is definitely not your grandfather’s Rotterdam.

Throughout the ship you can find paintings and original ship models rescued from many of the previous generations. They’re a fascinating look at how the ships have grown in size to provide more spacious cabins and ever larger amounts of public space.

Fun fact: to kick off the anniversary year, Rotterdam is doing a 15-day transatlantic sailing starting Oct. 15, 2022 that traces the route from Rotterdam to Le Havre to New York. It then sails on to Fort Lauderdale, which was little more than an outpost in the Everglades 150 years ago. My how times have changed. Spaces for that gala voyage are still available, but selling fast.

The new seventh generation Rotterdam–Photo courtesy Holland America

2) Virtual safety drills 

A big change that makes embarkation day much less hectic is the move away from the need to get all guests together on deck or in a lounge and review how to put on a life jacket and what do when an alarm sounds. The new procedure is to play a video in your room while you unpack. It goes over all those details and safety procedures (no cheating) and then at your leisure you can head to the assigned muster station and have your key card scanned to acknowledge that you know the drill.

Hand washing before lunch at the Lido Marketplace–photo by Wallace Immen

3) There’s a mask for that

Even though we’re all required to be fully vaccinated and everyone needs to present a negative covid test taken less than 48 hours before boarding, in an abundance of caution, we still need to wear masks for boarding the ship and moving around in public areas. Once seated in restaurants and bars, you can take off the mask and converse normally with table mates. A souvenir set of masks featuring Holland America’s logo is provided in the cabin.

4) Easy fitness on deck

A pleasant and more scenic alternative to the gym on a sunny day is to head up to Sun Deck 11 and try out Danish-designed Norwell Outdoor Fitness equipment while you look out over the waves. Leg and arm machines, pull downs, ellipticals and even the dreaded sit ups seem easier here than in the gym. A bonus is you can take off your mask because you’re in the open air and socially distanced. Take a circuit of the track between sets if you feel ambitious.

Danish tech workout stations on the sun deck–Photo by Wallace Immen

5) Spa compression is rejuvenating

Fatigued after a day of exploring or just looking to add a little more spring in your step? The Greenhouse Spa offers a circulation booster for legs using equipment that makes you feel like an astronaut. Called Normatec boots, the inflatable leggings compress and massage legs. The compression sessions aren’t promoted as much as the massages and facials in the spa, but they’re becoming popular. Treatments cost $39 for 30 minutes.

Brahms at the Lincoln Center Stage after lunch–Photo by Wallace Immen

6) Afternoon concert with the masters

The Lincoln Center Stage on Music Walk is a must visit place in the evening, but less known are the after lunch concerts offered during sea days. For those who could pull themselves away from the Broncos vs Colts game being aired on the big screen in the Lido, today’s Masterworks by Brahms selections played by the talented musicians from New York’s famed Julliard School provided an uplifting alternative. The acoustics and sightlines on two levels around the intimate stage are ideal.

7) Going Dutch on a pub crawl

You may have fallen for the foamy cappuccinos and the diet-defying Dutch chocolate pastries like Bossche bol filled with Chantilly cream in the Dutch Café. But have you discovered their menu of Dutch draft and exotic bottled brews? The latest addition is Heineken in an exclusive bottle featuring a stylized ship and the HAL logo. Take one home as a souvenir and some day it might even become a collectors’ item.

Ready to smoke a cocktail at Ocean Bar-photo by Wallace Immen

8) Smoked cocktails on ice balls 

It’s not evident what that red hookah-looking pipe on the Ocean Bar is for, but it’s not just for show. To add a smoky tone to drinks, they’ll fire it up using a spoonful of wheat husks and the smoke goes through a tube into a crystal decanter along with your cocktail A few swirls and it’s ready to pour into a tumbler over a perfect sphere of ice that’s the size of a tennis ball. Definitely exotic.

9) EXC specials at dinner

A long running partnership between Holland America Line and Food & Wine magazine offers shore excursions that feature cooking classes and culinary tastings ashore. The chefs make their own versions of the shoreside dishes that get rave reviews and offer them as intriguing EXC dinner and appetizer specials on menus in the dining room and Club Orange. Look for them in the top corners of the appetizer and entrée sections of the daily menu.

Crew at the New York Pizza and Deli on deck 10–photo by Wallace Immen

10) Chicken wings for a Lido movie night

The New York Pizza and Deli stretches its menu in the evening for movie night. Sure you can get buttered popcorn and pretzels and almond crunch, but wait, there’s much more. Nachos, natch. But also short rib sliders, buffalo chicken wings and Korean BBQ fried chicken.  Snacks after dinner in one of the restaurants may not be essential, but once people catch on, the wings disappear fast.

About Wallace Immen 749 Articles
Wallace Immen is Executive Editor of The Cruisington Times, the Best in Cruising, Travel, Food and Fun. He's sailed on all of the world's seas to ports in over 100 countries and travelled on every continent.