Rotterdam

My first impression of ms Rotterdam as she towered over the Albert Docks in the heart of Liverpool was: “She is bigger than I thought!”

At just under 60,000 Gross Tons, ms Rotterdam is a mid-sized ship, but is an imposing sight. Her distinctive twin funnels and blue hull gleamed in the Mersey sunlight, and despite a wicked wind attempting to dislodge everybody from the quayside, she was a very impressive addition to the dockside!

I boarded on the lower deck, and decided to head to the top deck and work my way down. Stepping into the lift, I noticed that the carpet told the day of the week and bore the legend “Tuesday”; a nice touch! The lift itself was spotless and quickly took me up to the Lido deck. Before beginning my exploration of ms Rotterdam I headed to the Lido Restaurant for a quick breakfast of pastries and coffee, a Continental way to start the day in a very English port!

The ms Rotterdam is spotlessly clean, with little features making outstanding contributions to the impression of elegance and sophistication: wicker sun-loungers in the Lido Pool area, superbly presented food, smiling and attentive staff and much more.

One of the outstanding features was The Oasis, an outdoor Teens-only area, which featured hammocks, chairs, artificial palm-trees and a waterfall! Of all the areas designated for younger passengers that I have seen, this is by far one of the most impressive – a chilled out zone pitched perfectly at teenagers, with enough space to provide time away from parents but still supervised. Simply fantastic.

Other kids areas were Club HAL (for younger passengers) and The Loft, which provides an indoor area for older teens. The Sports Deck includes a decent area of deck space for relaxation, plus the Crow’s Nest bar, which will provide excellent views when at sea and is one of the nicest bar areas I have been in on a cruise ship, sophisticated & elegant.

Directly below the Crow’s Nest is the Fitness Centre and Beauty Salon. The Fitness Centre is well equipped with free weights, bikes, running machines and much more. Just outside this area the Lido Pool and Whirlpools looked very inviting in the sunlight. One of the best features of ms Rotterdam is, for me, the sliding dome cover for the Lido Pool. In warm weather this will retract to become a sun-bather’s paradise, in cold it covers over and it will be possible to relax in warmth beneath it’s glass cover.

The Lido Terrace leads down to the Sea View Pool and Bar area at the rear of the ship, and on Upper Promenade deck, below are yet more fantastic features. Explorations Café offers a full library of fiction, reference and biographical books along with a coffee bar, where you will be able to relax with a thriller and a latte! There's also games and internet access(charged to your cabin account), ensuring you can keep in touch with everyone back home!

On the same deck are the Explorer’s and Ambassador’s Lounges, stylish lounge / bar areas perfect for relaxing times and good conversation. Just down the way is the Casino, equipped with enough slot machines, roulette, poker and blackjack tables to keep the most dedicated gambler happy well into the wee small hours. Upper Promenade Deck also accommodates some great shops, featuring Holland America memorabilia as well as fine designed jewellery and much more.

The Atrium spans three decks, and is centred around an impressively sculptured clock, which makes a perfect focal point for all ship-board adventures. A final feature is the Queens Lounge, a two tier theatre with superbly comfortable seats, all of which supply an excellent view down onto the stage below.

Making my way down to Promenade Deck I found the Pinnacle Grill fine dining restaurant. Graceful and well-designed, this is the perfect treat for that special occasion, and with a menu boasting the finest Sterling Silver beef plus the best of Bvlgari China, Riedel stemwear and Frette linens, the atmosphere is guaranteed.

Next to the Pinnacle Grill is the Wajang Theatre, where a selection of fantastic movies can be seen, all accompanied by freshly popped popcorn!

Winding my way back to the rear of the ship we entered the La Fontaine Dining Room. The experience of Fine Dining is central to a good cruise – frequently the quality of the dining area and food served therein can make or break a cruise holiday: if presentation alone were enough, La Fontaine would be first class immediately. With two tiers, on Promenade and Upper Promenade deck, the dining area is imposing and stylish, with gleaming cutlery, well proportioned tables and an area on the Upper level for a piano player to entertain diners.

Two words recurred several times when writing this piece: elegance & sophistication. The ms Rotterdam is indeed one of the most elegant and sophisticated ships that I have had the pleasure of stepping onboard. Every feature is designed showcase the best of Holland America from service to quality of food, décor and atmosphere.

The ms Rotterdam is a beautiful ship and I can honestly state that I would be happy to cruise on her for any length of time to anywhere in the world. The elegance and sophistication of ms Rotterdam, if repeated across the Holland America fleet, should make this cruise line a firm favourite with many.