Rotterdam Review

4.0 / 5.0
0 reviews

Great itinerary and enjoyed the smaller ship size.

Review for the Panama Canal & Central America Cruise on Rotterdam
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bfgood2
2-5 Cruises • Age 70s

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Additional details

Sail Date: Jan 2017
Cabin: Large Interior Stateroom
Maypole twirling acrobats on the Malecon - Puerto Vallarta
Malecon - Puerto Vallarta
Oscar Velasquez Ramirez- private tour guide extrordinaire! Huatulco, MX
Harbor view Huatulco, MX
Museum of Weaving - Huatulco - located inside a shop in Crucesita. Well wor
Weaver in Huatulco.
Rotterdam in port at Huatulco, MX
Public Square Antigua, Guatemala
Street sellers at Antigua
Ladies selling hand made handicrafts at the Jade Museum in Antigua
Active volcano - Guatemala road trip
San Jacinto Mud Pots Nicaragua
Leon Cathedral Nicaraugua
Pedal taxi - Leon, Nicaraugua
Crocodile Man Boat Tour - Puntarenas Costa Rica
Costa Rica Lunch
Pressing Sugar Cane Costa Rica
Entering Panama Canal
Rowboat tying the Rotterdam to mules at side of the canal
Miraflores lock Panama Canal
Canal viewing form the bow of the Rotterdam
Gaillard Cut (aka Culebra Cut) on the Panama Canal
inside the Gatun Locks (Atlantic side of the canal)
Port of Cartagena, Colombia
Old Cartagena street scene
Costumed woman in the square in Cartagena
Cartagena square
Wall of the Old Fort in Cartagena
Feeding almonds to macaws in the aviary just off the ship in Cartagena
View of Cartagena from La Popa

We chose this cruise for the interesting itinerary and the full transit of the Canal on a smaller ship. We were not disappointed - our 3rd HAL cruise. Food was very good, as usual, ship is spotless and beautiful and crew are outstanding. Our main disappointment would have to be the entertainment. Rotterdam dancers and singers were very good, but other entertainment only mediocre.

We enjoy the destination experts and the specials events they present, and wish they had additional destination experts besides on Mexico. We also ttok advantage of a few of the Digital Workshops.

Main dining room service was great and we only had to wait for a table a couple of nights at the beginning of the cruise. We did the open seating, rather than fixed time seating and telling the maitre d that you enjoy eating with a group of others gets you a table very soon.

Cabin Review

Large Interior Stateroom

Cabin K

First time on an upper deck like deck 7 and would definitely do that again. Very quiet and hardly traffic. Inside cabins on deck 7 are not eligble to use the Navigation Lounge, so we were told.

There is a lot of storage space in this cabin. The 2 large drawers at the foot of the bed we discovered one night during some rough seas, when the drawers started going in and out. I couldn't figure our what the noise was and got out of bed and tripped over the open drawer. Note to self: Bring and use your little flashlight!

Bathroom is well equipped and shower was great. Comfortable bed and pillows. I would definitely consider this cabin again.

Port Reviews

San Diego

We visited the USS Midway on our own - a full day to see it all. Highly recommended.

We also took a Hop On Hop Off Trolley on our second day in San Diego. We only got off twice - Coronado and Balboa Park. Get on an early trolley to see the most of San Diego - a good overview. Buy tickets to both of these online and save a few dollars.

Puerto Vallarta

We shared a taxi with another couple and I thinkit was $5 ea couple. The driver let us off at the Malecon and we should have told him Old Vallarta and then walked back to the beginning of the Malecon. You need your passport original to change money at a bank, which I recommend doing. It gived you more flexibility, as some locals do not accept US$.

Take a local blue bus (one block up from the Malecon) and if the front says WALMART. take it, and it lets you off right in front of the pier. $.50 each!

Huatulco

A beautiful clean and safe city only 30 years old. Private tour guide Oscar Velasquez Ramirez is excellent and very reasonable. A brand new van, excellent English, and a cooler with water for all. Very knowledgebale about his hometown (he is a Zapotec Indian) and has a packed itinerary with many interesting sites to see. Wish we could have stayed longer to take more tours and go to other beaches. Loved it.

Puerto Quetzal (Antigua)

Took the Antigua on Your Own Tour from HAL, which was perfect for us. Make sure you have a city map so you can find the mercado, the main plaza and the Choco Museum.

Puntarenas (Puerto Caldera)

Private tour operator here - I highly recommend Odyssey Tours. You can find them on the main street after you pass throught the port. A full day excursion in a van holding 14 people- perfect! We saw a sugar cane pressing demonstration, views of Puntarenas from a mountian top lodge, visited a historic resort area, took the Crocodile Man bird and croc, boat tour followed by a delicious included lunch. Good value for what you got.

Cartagena (Colombia)

Another private tour. Went to La Popa, tour around the modern harbor area and wnet to the old city. A beautiful place to visit. Colorful and charming.

Half Moon Cay

Gorgeous beach and did a lot of walking. Why would you need an excursion here. Nature walk ? Huh? Saw one bird. Barbeque by HAL was not so great.

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