Rotterdam Review
Rating by category
Additional details
This cruise was our fourth with Holland America and was a more relaxed experience than on other of their ships. This may well have been because the Rotterdam was well below capacity (900 instead of 1400) presumably because the itinerary was changed with three ports of call being changed/modified because of the ebola situation in west Africa (We still have never been officially notified by HAL of the change and only found out by noticing a credit card refund for pre-booked shore excursions in cancelled ports of call).
The change to the itinerary meant at one stage of the cruise there was a seven day stretch of sea days.
But, with smaller capacity, finding a table in the Lido buffet was never a problem. And that the waiting staff were not as pressured and rushed and were themselves more relaxed and able to spend time chatting with us as they served our meals. Certainly there was not the feel exhibited by the staff we experienced in other HAL ships of having to rate well to get another contract.
Cabin Review
Vista Suite
Avoid this and other staterooms nearby on deck seven (Navigation deck) like the plague. It was directly under the smoking section on the lido deck immediately above. Every and any time a table or chair was moved it scraped and could be heard in our stateroom below. And being where it was this happened at all hours day and night. This was particularly annoying late evening when the smoking desperates were on deck and also in the morning, sixish when the crew were cleaning and rearranging. Then during the day whenever we went out onto our balcony the smoke wafted down from above driving us inside. Do not accept a stateroom assigned to you in this area if you value uninterrupted sleep and clean air!!!