Holland America Rotterdam

Pros: Excellent service, very good food, "ship-like" in feeling, unlike some other cruise ships
Cons: Constant announcements from "Jackpot Jennifer, Queen of Bingo"

The M.S. Rotterdam VI proudly bears the name of her five forbears. There has been a ship bearing this name since 1878, the latest of the line being the present Rotterdam VI, christened in 1997. My family and I recently traveled on the ...

Pros: Very good service; excellent food; elegant decor; spacious cabin; interesting programs; accommodating personnel.
Cons: Too many formal nights; pesky photographers all over the place trying to sell photos

The M.S. Rotterdam VI was built in 1997 and is considered a medium size cruise ship by today's standards. My wife and I recently took a trip to the eastern Caribbean on the Rotterdam for 10 days. My review of this trip and the ship will follow, but ...

Pros: Size of cabins, laid back atmosphere of crew.
Cons: Cabins near the stern can be noisy.

I just returned this morning from a wonderful cruise, December 30, 2001 - January 6, 2002 aboard Holland America's ms Rotterdam.

We arrived at Port Everglades on December 30, 2001. We gave our luggage to the porter and went into the pier to...

Pros: Nice friendly staff, great entertainment and wonderful food.
Cons: Paying for candy and pop!!!

Well, I normally write movie reviews, but I thought I would take a chance at something else!

My friends called me in September of 2000 and asked me if I would like to go on a cruise with them for 2 weeks in December. I almost said "no"...

Pros: Diverse itinerary, including Russia. Some excellent and original shore excursions, worth their cost. Excellent food; a variety of good entertainment choices. A fine youth program.
Cons: Unreasonable "nickel-and-dime" charges; occasional lapses in customer service; frequent ports of call keep the passenger more busy than relaxed (your choice, of course!)

My wife, our two daughters (12+ and 7+) and I recently returned (August 2000) from a 12 day cruise upon the MS Rotterdam, referred to as the "Russian Rhapsody" in Holland America's promotional literature. Although not a "family...

Pros: Classy, old-world service, efficient, clean as can be, selection and space!
Cons: Often over-airconditioned, wish we could go every spring!

I hesitate to recommend cruising Holland America simply because I don't want more people on my ship! Still, in the interest of humanity and retiring boomers I must confess. Cruising on a classy ship (run by tall, handsome Dutchmen who love...

Pros: Wonderful service, big beautiful cabin, nice small touches
Cons: Crowd much older than us, but we had fun!

Rotterdam (Holland America) - Trans-Atlantic (4/99) - NY to Lisbon

We just got back from our 9 day voyage from NYC to Lisbon on Holland America’s Rotterdam. We had a great time and liked the ship very much, but there are some minor criticisms...

Pros: Food - Service - Entertainment
Cons: Not great for kids. The passengers tend to be a bit old.

My family and I have taken a lot of cruises over the past five years (7). We have enjoyed all of them, but our cruise on the Rotterdam VI was the best. The food and service was like no other ship we have ever been on, and the stateroom was larger than...

Pros: Length of cruise and Ports of Call
Cons: Weather could have been better but it was November.

Last fall my wife and I sailed on the Rotterdam from Rome to Ft. Lauderdale. The cruise was 22 days in length and we were a little anxious about the length of the cruise. Our longest cruise prior to this one was thru the Panama Canal and the trip was...

Pros: Service of staff, Old time ambiance
Cons: Fierce competition of "newer" ships

As a Travel Consultant for 17 years, I have had the opportunity to sale on this lovely lady 3 times. The service and attentiveness of the Holland America staff makes you feel like a Queen.

I find it rare in these days of Cruise Lines trying to...

Pros: good food, alternate dining room
Cons: shore excursion tend to be pricey

I have been on at least six different Holland America ships and the new Rotterdam is one of the best. I boarded this cruise last May out of Rome and sailed for 14days and visited ports in Greece, Turkey, Romania, Bulgaria, and the Ukraine.

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Pros: Beautiful cabins with pillowtop mattressed beds and flat screen tvs.
Cons: Ship was dead by midnight each night.

We thoroughly enjoyed our vacation but won't likely opt to take a cruise to European ports until we're at an age where mobility is an issue. The happiest times were spent far away from the ship where we felt isolated from anything remotely reminding us ...