Interesting photo tour of Rotterdam

[jmf123]

Whether you have sailed on the Rotterdam or not, you may find USA Today's photo tour of the ship interesting, I did!: http://www.usatoday.com/story/cruiselog/2015/08/03/photo-tour-rotterdam-ship/31045853/?csp=travel. (Place your mouse on the photo for description, then click on arrow at right). She is now a floating hotel, located in her namesake of Rotterdam, Holland.

[SnowshoeCat]

Thank you for the link. I enjoyed the photos and history.

[Sir PMP]

Whether you have sailed on the Rotterdam or not, you may find USA Today's photo tour of the ship interesting, I did!: http://www.usatoday.com/story/cruiselog/2015/08/03/photo-tour-rotterdam-ship/31045853/?csp=travel. (Place your mouse on the photo for description, then click on arrow at right). She is now a floating hotel, located in her namesake of Rotterdam, Holland.

 

Thanks, great pics, sailed her many times in the early nineties, will be on it in a few weeks..

[sppunk]

Never sailed her but did an extensive tour last September. She's beautiful.

 

The Odyssey room may be the prettiest room every to float.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Thank you for the link.

We sailed on her years before she had all the new cabins, etc. done to her.

[RuthC]

I'm sorry there weren't more pictures of her interior as she was then, especially comparisons of various phases of her long life. But what was there was such a thrill to see again.

I'm disappointed that there were no pics of the Tropic Bar, but I could spot the entrances from the Smoking Room and the Ritz Carlton.

 

I'm sorry now I didn't appreciate her details enough to take them to heart when I had the chance. Still, a lovely walk down Memory Lane.

[Globaliser]

She is now a floating hotel, located in her namesake of Rotterdam, Holland.

One thing that I always encourage people to do if they are cruising from Rotterdam (esp if on Rotterdam VI) is to stay on board Rotterdam V overnight, eg if planning a pre-cruise overnight. It's interesting in itself to stay on board; you can also tour the ship including parts that would not have been easily accessible to passengers before, like the engine room and bridge; and you would also be helping to preserve this piece of HAL's history.

 

It's a much nicer experience than spending yet another night in a boring cookie-cutter chain hotel ashore.

 

I often wonder why HAL doesn't actually make more of this link, and positively suggest that people do this.

[bonvoyagebites]

Thanks for sharing. That makes me want to go back to take a look at the Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA again. I went there once with my Grandfather, who had been onboard when it was being used as a troop transport to return him from WWII. How I wish I could spend another day on there with him and learn what he could share. Last time I was much younger and not smart enough to understand how much I could learn.

[jmf123]

One thing that I always encourage people to do if they are cruising from Rotterdam (esp if on Rotterdam VI) is to stay on board Rotterdam V overnight, eg if planning a pre-cruise overnight. It's interesting in itself to stay on board; you can also tour the ship including parts that would not have been easily accessible to passengers before, like the engine room and bridge; and you would also be helping to preserve this piece of HAL's history.

 

It's a much nicer experience than spending yet another night in a boring cookie-cutter chain hotel ashore.

 

I often wonder why HAL doesn't actually make more of this link, and positively suggest that people do this.

 

Globaliser, you piqued my curiosity, and I found that the SS Rotterdam will be available for pre and post hotel package booking in 2016. It certainly would be a change of pace from a regular hotel stay! I have been on the Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA for a company dinner party.

 

SS ROTTERDAM HOTEL (Downtown)

Part of the Holland America Line fleet from 1959 to 2000, the fifth SS Rotterdam ship ("The Grande Dame") is now a beautifully renovated hotel and museum permanently moored in the harbor. The SS Rotterdam Hotel features authentic décor, original masterpieces and elegant 1950s style.

 

All transfers, baggage handling gratuities and taxes are included in the price quoted. Hotels of similar quality may be substituted. Not all hotels can accommodate triples and quads, and when available may consist of two double beds and may not be suitable for three adults. Special requests such as smoking, king or double beds, etc., are at the discretion of the hotel and cannot be guaranteed. Guests are responsible for incidentals and meals unless noted otherwise.

 

And thank you all for the comments, I am glad that everyone has enjoyed the photo tour! ;)

[sunsetbeachgal]

What a great suggestion Globaliser about staying on this lovely ship...we are in the process of booking a cruise on the Rotterdam next June that embarks from Rotterdam and I will have my TA look into it as we plan to arrive the day prior.

[Sir PMP]

I'm sorry there weren't more pictures of her interior as she was then, especially comparisons of various phases of her long life. But what was there was such a thrill to see again.

I'm disappointed that there were no pics of the Tropic Bar, but I could spot the entrances from the Smoking Room and the Ritz Carlton.

 

I'm sorry now I didn't appreciate her details enough to take them to heart when I had the chance. Still, a lovely walk down Memory Lane.

 

Tropics bar wasn't that for pax only, no officers allowed, except J.J.

[RuthC]

Tropics bar wasn't that for pax only, no officers allowed, except J.J.

The Tropic Bar was so small there wasn't room for anyone besides passengers, plus the piano player, bartender, and stewards, of course. :D

 

I do remember JJ in there one night when there was a big party going on in the Ritz Carlton. He was mixing up a huge bucket of Long Island Iced Tea, and had me doing the taste tests.

Yum! :p

[Globaliser]

Globaliser, you piqued my curiosity, and I found that the SS Rotterdam will be available for pre and post hotel package booking in 2016.

That's excellent news - thank you! I hope that many HAL cruisers will take this up.

[sppunk]

If you are sailing from/into Rotterdam, HAL also has free shuttles to/from Rotterdam V that go back and forth to the port.

[chefestelle]

This makes me want to take a cruise out of Rotterdam!

[rotjeknor]

Sailed on her, stayed as hotel guest and I just go onboard to have a drink....

Only 25 minutes from home... ;-)

[solocanadian]

I'm sorry there weren't more pictures of her interior as she was then, especially comparisons of various phases of her long life. But what was there was such a thrill to see again.

I'm disappointed that there were no pics of the Tropic Bar, but I could spot the entrances from the Smoking Room and the Ritz Carlton.

 

I'm sorry now I didn't appreciate her details enough to take them to heart when I had the chance. Still, a lovely walk down Memory Lane.

Hear, Hera, Ruth. :D I too am sorry I didn't pay more attention and make my own photo memories.

[Third]

Tropic bar pictures: http://ssrotterdam.com/venues/tropic-bar/?_ga=1.15265269.27197490.1438709132#.VcD2Dv0w9A8

[OlsSalt]

One thing they learned on the Queen Mary after turning her into a hotel is there was little sound-proofing between cabins when she was at rest. The ship's noises acted as buffering white sounds while engines running and at sea. They request hotel guests be quiet and observant of their neighbors and maybe even book empty space between the cabins if they have the room to spare. We did an overnight stay in a Queen Mary "suite" and it was an interesting experience for anyone who has fallen in love with the cruising life. Some historic, some sad. Hard to keep these grand old beauties up to their former glory.

[knittinggirl]

Lovely tour! The staterooms seemed large to me, compared to the rooms today.

[maxie99]

1988,, my mother and brother and my self--my first HAL cruise, and I was hooked, :)--it was a 10 dayer, , to bad there wasn't a photo of the stairway, my brother tripped at the top , and then tumbled all the way down, landed at my mothers feet, stood up and said :im ok: ( he was only in his 20.s) but he was hurting the next day--such great memories---:) thks

[RuthC]

Tropic bar pictures:

I have never seen the new look there, so thank you for the pictures. Interesting look.

 

I loved that room, spent many, many hours in there---closing it down at 2:00 AM every night I was on board.

Oh, to relive those times!

[HarR]

Did you know a large portion of the interior of the SS Rotterdam is on Google Streetview?

[jmf123]

1988,, my mother and brother and my self--my first HAL cruise, and I was hooked, :)--it was a 10 dayer, , to bad there wasn't a photo of the stairway, my brother tripped at the top , and then tumbled all the way down, landed at my mothers feet, stood up and said :im ok: ( he was only in his 20.s) but he was hurting the next day--such great memories---:) thks

 

Would that be the staircase in the Grand Ballroom, maxie99? I would recommend checking it out on Google Streetview, as mentioned by HarR. It's rather like being in the room! :)

[Caribbean Chris]

This will sound odd, but I have a memory from the late 1980s of a decorative panel leading into a lounge or dinng room on that ship with some actual embedded critters like bats or insects on it.

 

Does anyone recall that?