PHOTO REVIEW! Just off the Rotterdam to Scotland.

[Ipeeinthepools]

11 hours ago, Bostonjetset said:

FINAL THOUGHTS

We all loved this trip and it was nice to be back on the Rotterdam exploring new places.  The Netherlands is a wonderful country to visit and I can't believe it's taken me this long to make it there.  I hope to go back and explore some of the other cities the country has to offer.

 

In regards to the cruise itself I wanted to make a few comments, especially as there has been a lot of negativity on the boards lately about HAL and how things are "not like they used to be".  It is true that there are some noticeable staffing issues that hopefully will get resolved with time as the cruise lines get back into the swing of normal business.  Nothing that "ruined our cruise" or even came close to it.

 

Whilst food is always subjective, everyone in my group was satisfied with it.  Nothing was haute cuisine but almost everything was good and some things were great.  The ONE thing that everyone agreed was bad was the scrambled eggs in the buffet during breakfast; they were always running and not pleasant to eat but there are many other options for breakfast that were good so it is what it is.  Now onto the "rustic lasagna" that so many complain about.  The person in our group who had it loved it.  I didn't order it but I saw his and it certainly looked good.  I know there are people who have been cruising HAL since 1950 that come on here to complain about it replacing such "delectable dishes" as calves' liver but I would be hard pressed to find people in everyday life who would prefer that to lasagna.  Though there was a charge for lobster [which I don't eat so don't care much about] there were plenty of other high-value proteins on the menu for free.  Lamb, sole, salmon, and various offerings of beef made regular appearances at no extra charge.  It was NOT all roast chicken and lasagna!

 

Another thing that has garnered a lot of complaints lately is entertainment.  I DO miss the Lincoln Center Stage and hope that HAL reconsiders its retirement or replaces it with something similar.  Not having classical music was a bummer.  That said, the other stuff on offer was good.  Step One dance shows are terrific and even though I'd see both before I was happy to see them again.  Billboard Onboard or Rolling Stone Rock played a set each night at 11 or 11.15 so the idea that everything is done at 10.30 is an exaggeration at least as it pertains to this ship.  The casino was hoping until at least midnight each night [I didn't stay up later than that to notice what time everything stopped].  There have been reports that the Westerdam in Japan has been a ghost town after 10.30 most nights and whilst I don't doubt others' experiences I can confirm my experience on the Rotterdam has been nothing like that.  Perhaps a two week itinerary around Japan attracts an older group that is earlier to bed?  Longer voyages in more far-flung, expensive parts of the world tend to attract and older demographic simply by circumstance.  Either way, the Rotterdam had enough to occupy people until at least midnight.

 

This looked like a great trip.  Just a couple questions about disembarkation in Amsterdam.  When were you able to get off the ship and were there large crowds in the area.  Were there many taxis available and did it look like Uber was an option.  Since you left the EU, how long did it take you to get through Passport Control?  We are trying to arrange a car pick-up but are unsure about a pick-up time and any other options.

 

Thanks.

[Bostonjetset]

10 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

This looked like a great trip.  Just a couple questions about disembarkation in Amsterdam.  When were you able to get off the ship and were there large crowds in the area.  Were there many taxis available and did it look like Uber was an option.  Since you left the EU, how long did it take you to get through Passport Control?  We are trying to arrange a car pick-up but are unsure about a pick-up time and any other options.

 

Thanks.

We did self-debark and were allowed to leave anytime before 9.30am. We left around 9am and it was pretty quick. The customs/border guy just glanced at our passport and waived us through. Took two seconds. No stamp or even a real look. Two of the guys we were with just walked right past him as they didn’t know they needed to stop and nothing happened. Lol. 
 

We walked to Centraal Station in about 15 min as it’s a straight shot and flat so even with our suitcases it was easy for us. Of course we are in our 40s/50s and able bodied so it may not be as easy for others. There were loads of taxis available outside the terminal if one needs that. I assume Uber would be available as well. We didn’t check but had used it numerous times during our pre-cruise stay in Amsterdam. 

[dalesyang]

12 hours ago, Bostonjetset said:

FINAL THOUGHTS

 

 

Another thing that has garnered a lot of complaints lately is entertainment.  I DO miss the Lincoln Center Stage and hope that HAL reconsiders its retirement or replaces it with something similar.  Not having classical music was a bummer.  

No Classical music?   This is not good.   I want my classical music.   Not good at all.   Lincoln Center Stage is one of the reasons I booked HAL Rotterdam as my first cruise later this month!     Not cool. 

[Bostonjetset]

9 minutes ago, dalesyang said:

No Classical music?   This is not good.   I want my classical music.   Not good at all.   Lincoln Center Stage is one of the reasons I booked HAL Rotterdam as my first cruise later this month!     Not cool. 

Yea that was a letdown for sure. The other entertainment was good though. There are rumors about them working on renewing LCS contracts so fingers crossed. 

[Iamthesea]

1 hour ago, Bostonjetset said:

We did self-debark and were allowed to leave anytime before 9.30am. We left around 9am and it was pretty quick. 
 

We walked to Centraal Station in about 15 min as it’s a straight shot and flat so even with our suitcases it was easy for us. 

 

Were passengers able to get off soon after the ship docked (ours docks at like 5:00am) or did you have to wait for a certain time for the ship to clear and an announcement made?

 

Is there a smooth sidewalk to walk on to Centraal Station?  We will have 2 pieces of luggage each.  People have mentioned catching a tram from the pier to CS, but we think it would be more difficult to try to get our luggage on a packed tram and then back off a short time later.  We are taking a train from CS to Antwerp after the cruise.

[Bostonjetset]

4 minutes ago, Iamthesea said:

 

Were passengers able to get off soon after the ship docked (ours docks at like 5:00am) or did you have to wait for a certain time for the ship to clear and an announcement made?

 

Is there a smooth sidewalk to walk on to Centraal Station?  We will have 2 pieces of luggage each.  People have mentioned catching a tram from the pier to CS, but we think it would be more difficult to try to get our luggage on a packed tram and then back off a short time later.  We are taking a train from CS to Antwerp after the cruise.

I’m not 100% sure of the time but I think self-debark could start leaving around 6.30/7.  
 

There is indeed a sidewalk and mostly smooth except for the section right outside the terminal which is brick. Still easy enough to roll a suitcase over though; it’s just a little noisy haha. 

[RMLincoln]

18 hours ago, Iamthesea said:

Enjoying! 😉

 

We will be in Amsterdam a week from Thursday before start our 14 night cruise (on the 14th) and having a couple of pre/post land trips.   Your apartment sounds like the one we had the last time we were in Amsterdam.  Those stairs were killers with or without luggage!  Awe wised up and have booked all hotels with elevators.

I appreciate your concern about stairs!  We were booked at a hotel with elevator in Amsterdam near the train station. But it had apparently expanded over the years to spread out to include adjacent buildings. We had several places with steps in the hallways, just a few steps each maybe 4 at most, because the buildings’ floors did not all meet at the same levels!  We managed with our one roller each just fine a few steps up, down, up down… but it would be much more difficult if mobility issues were a concern, in which case one must communicate with the hotel staff before booking. 
Enjoy your stay in Amsterdam!  
Maureen 

[RMLincoln]

@Bostonjetset thank so much!  Always enjoy your reviews!  Great review and photos!  I’m not 40 or 50 or 60 anymore so might not be getting back to these place like I’m sure you will!  Thanks for sharing!  
 

We did a recent family cruise on Rotterdam… agreed that a lot is not like it used to be, but we had a great time, went to lovely places and had plenty of very good food options!  (It’s always better when someone else makes it!). 
 

BTW, it looks like an inside room… we’ve done a lot of cruises in insides but not on the Pinnacle class… was there no place to sit except the bed or the toilet?  Sigh…. 
—m. 

[dalesyang]

40 minutes ago, Iamthesea said:

 

 

Is there a smooth sidewalk to walk on to Centraal Station?  We will have 2 pieces of luggage each.  People have mentioned catching a tram from the pier to CS, but we think it would be more difficult to try to get our luggage on a packed tram and then back off a short time later.  We are taking a train from CS to Antwerp after the cruise.

Great question.   I am curious as well because I will be with my parents walking from the Rotterdam to CS -  taking a train from CS to Ghent after the cruise!!   We might visit Antwerp for a day trip though!   

[RMLincoln]

We rolled luggage from CS to hotel, then to docks all on sidewalks. I don’t know exactly where HAL will be docked, but it was all hard surface and good for pedestrians. Just be very, very aware of bicycle lanes which are clearly marked on the pavement. There are more bicycles than cars, so keep your head turning!  
 

I guess I should add that because don’t know exactly where HAL will berth, YMMV. 

Edited May 2, 2023 by RMLincoln

[BetsyS.]

BostonJetSet - Thanks for your great reporting and pictures!  Glad you had a good

cruise. I was on the NS last August and had the rustic lasagna for lunch. I loved it.

[Bostonjetset]

1 hour ago, RMLincoln said:

@Bostonjetset thank so much!  Always enjoy your reviews!  Great review and photos!  I’m not 40 or 50 or 60 anymore so might not be getting back to these place like I’m sure you will!  Thanks for sharing!  
 

We did a recent family cruise on Rotterdam… agreed that a lot is not like it used to be, but we had a great time, went to lovely places and had plenty of very good food options!  (It’s always better when someone else makes it!). 
 

BTW, it looks like an inside room… we’ve done a lot of cruises in insides but not on the Pinnacle class… was there no place to sit except the bed or the toilet?  Sigh…. 
—m. 

It was an inside room and there was no sofa, just a vanity seat that’s like a cube thing. This was one of the sideways insides and it was the first time I’d been in one. I’m sure sqft is the same as the long ones but it was cool to have the bathroom and closets in a separate area rather than after opening the door. This one opened right into the sleeping area. 

[Ipeeinthepools]

3 hours ago, Bostonjetset said:

I’m not 100% sure of the time but I think self-debark could start leaving around 6.30/7.  
 

There is indeed a sidewalk and mostly smooth except for the section right outside the terminal which is brick. Still easy enough to roll a suitcase over though; it’s just a little noisy haha. 

 We sailed from Amsterdam several years ago and I remember the walk to be mainly brick and large blocks most of the way.  My suitcase took quite a beating during that walk.  That's why I was looking at a car or Uber for my next trip.

[dalesyang]

40 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 That's why I was looking at a car or Uber for my next trip.

Question about Uber in Amsterdam,   is it safe and relatively cheap for Uber?   I've never used my Uber app outside of the U.S.    Wondering if UberX is safe or will i need to get Uber Black or something?    Anything else I should know?     Can we just use the same uber app in amsterdam?  

[Ipeeinthepools]

23 minutes ago, dalesyang said:

Question about Uber in Amsterdam,   is it safe and relatively cheap for Uber?   I've never used my Uber app outside of the U.S.    Wondering if UberX is safe or will i need to get Uber Black or something?    Anything else I should know?     Can we just use the same uber app in amsterdam?  

 

Excellent questions, hopefully someone can help us.

[AncientWanderer]

Thanks for the wonderful trip report.  Such beautiful photos!   Glad you had a good cruise!

[Iamthesea]

6 hours ago, dalesyang said:

Great question.   I am curious as well because I will be with my parents walking from the Rotterdam to CS -  taking a train from CS to Ghent after the cruise!!   We might visit Antwerp for a day trip though!   

 

We are staying in Antwerp, but doing a day trip to Bruges on the first full day.  Antwerp a half day in, and a half day out before heading back to Amsterdam and staying out at the airport.

 

5 hours ago, RMLincoln said:

We rolled luggage from CS to hotel, then to docks all on sidewalks. I don’t know exactly where HAL will be docked, but it was all hard surface and good for pedestrians. Just be very, very aware of bicycle lanes which are clearly marked on the pavement. There are more bicycles than cars, so keep your head turning!  

 

We have also stayed in some of those old hotels with the up/down stair thing.  Doesn't bother us as we are able bodied.  It was those 3 steep flights that were not that bad until we were lugging our heavy luggage.

 

Believe me, I am more aware of the bicycle lanes since almost being hit by a motorcycle while crossing a bike lane after looking for a bicycle.  I thought the motorcycle was naturally on the road.  Nope...the guy hit my purse.  Just a hair later, and I would have been cheese!!!

[RMLincoln]

6 hours ago, Bostonjetset said:

It was an inside room and there was no sofa, just a vanity seat that’s like a cube thing. This was one of the sideways insides and it was the first time I’d been in one. I’m sure sqft is the same as the long ones but it was cool to have the bathroom and closets in a separate area rather than after opening the door. This one opened right into the sleeping area. 

Good that there’s at least the cube seat, that helps. Thanks for that additional info. Now that we live on the east coast Europe feels a lot closer!  
m—

[Bostonjetset]

3 hours ago, dalesyang said:

Question about Uber in Amsterdam,   is it safe and relatively cheap for Uber?   I've never used my Uber app outside of the U.S.    Wondering if UberX is safe or will i need to get Uber Black or something?    Anything else I should know?     Can we just use the same uber app in amsterdam?  

We used it numerous times in Amsterdam and felt safe. We’ve also used it in Mexico and in India and never had an issue. Actually it felt the safest in India as they send a PIN number that that driver asks for to confirm it’s you. 

[RuthC]

Thank you for your review of your cruise. From all appearances you had a good time, which is the whole point of the exercise. 
Hope someday you can return for an even longer visit! 

[aliaschief]

Very nice review. Thank you very much for sharing your cruise with us.

[Bostonjetset]

13 hours ago, RuthC said:

Thank you for your review of your cruise. From all appearances you had a good time, which is the whole point of the exercise. 
Hope someday you can return for an even longer visit! 

 

13 hours ago, aliaschief said:

Very nice review. Thank you very much for sharing your cruise with us.

Thanks for reading. I’m glad you enjoyed the review. We did have a good time. I really love the Rotterdam. 

[Ipeeinthepools]

15 hours ago, Bostonjetset said:

We used it numerous times in Amsterdam and felt safe. We’ve also used it in Mexico and in India and never had an issue. Actually it felt the safest in India as they send a PIN number that that driver asks for to confirm it’s you. 

 

The process in India is interesting, it looks like the PIN is designed to protect the driver from people impersonating the passengers.   I've also heard stories about Private car companies in India.  The scam is for the imitation driver to walk around the group of real drivers holding up names of passengers and copy a name.  The imitation driver is also holding a sign with the passenger's name and he hopes that you see him before you see the real driver.  After you leave the airport and you are in a remote location, they demand more money or just rob the passenger.  I had never thought of this scam.  That's why I now ask the driver where we are going before we leave the airport.

[Bostonjetset]

29 minutes ago, Ipeeinthepools said:

 

The process in India is interesting, it looks like the PIN is designed to protect the driver from people impersonating the passengers.   I've also heard stories about Private car companies in India.  The scam is for the imitation driver to walk around the group of real drivers holding up names of passengers and copy a name.  The imitation driver is also holding a sign with the passenger's name and he hopes that you see him before you see the real driver.  After you leave the airport and you are in a remote location, they demand more money or just rob the passenger.  I had never thought of this scam.  That's why I now ask the driver where we are going before we leave the airport.

Wow. It’s amazing how many new ways humans can find to scam each other lol. 
 

The PIN seems to protect both driver and passenger as you can see the driver enter it and get a confirmation. It’s reassuring for both parties. I’m surprised it isn’t universal with Uber. It doesn’t really take up any extra time. 

[bandp407]

On 5/1/2023 at 10:25 PM, Bostonjetset said:

FINAL THOUGHTS

We all loved this trip and it was nice to be back on the Rotterdam exploring new places.  The Netherlands is a wonderful country to visit and I can't believe it's taken me this long to make it there.  I hope to go back and explore some of the other cities the country has to offer.

 

In regards to the cruise itself I wanted to make a few comments, especially as there has been a lot of negativity on the boards lately about HAL and how things are "not like they used to be".  It is true that there are some noticeable staffing issues that hopefully will get resolved with time as the cruise lines get back into the swing of normal business.  Nothing that "ruined our cruise" or even came close to it.

 

Whilst food is always subjective, everyone in my group was satisfied with it.  Nothing was haute cuisine but almost everything was good and some things were great.  The ONE thing that everyone agreed was bad was the scrambled eggs in the buffet during breakfast; they were always running and not pleasant to eat but there are many other options for breakfast that were good so it is what it is.  Now onto the "rustic lasagna" that so many complain about.  The person in our group who had it loved it.  I didn't order it but I saw his and it certainly looked good.  I know there are people who have been cruising HAL since 1950 that come on here to complain about it replacing such "delectable dishes" as calves' liver but I would be hard pressed to find people in everyday life who would prefer that to lasagna.  Though there was a charge for lobster [which I don't eat so don't care much about] there were plenty of other high-value proteins on the menu for free.  Lamb, sole, salmon, and various offerings of beef made regular appearances at no extra charge.  It was NOT all roast chicken and lasagna!

 

Another thing that has garnered a lot of complaints lately is entertainment.  I DO miss the Lincoln Center Stage and hope that HAL reconsiders its retirement or replaces it with something similar.  Not having classical music was a bummer.  That said, the other stuff on offer was good.  Step One dance shows are terrific and even though I'd see both before I was happy to see them again.  Billboard Onboard or Rolling Stone Rock played a set each night at 11 or 11.15 so the idea that everything is done at 10.30 is an exaggeration at least as it pertains to this ship.  The casino was hoping until at least midnight each night [I didn't stay up later than that to notice what time everything stopped].  There have been reports that the Westerdam in Japan has been a ghost town after 10.30 most nights and whilst I don't doubt others' experiences I can confirm my experience on the Rotterdam has been nothing like that.  Perhaps a two week itinerary around Japan attracts an older group that is earlier to bed?  Longer voyages in more far-flung, expensive parts of the world tend to attract and older demographic simply by circumstance.  Either way, the Rotterdam had enough to occupy people until at least midnight.

Thank you for this post & fabulous recap! We are considering the Rotterdam for next January in the Caribbean & glad to hear the ship is alive at night. Did you go to the BB King performances? Has HAL brought back any  bands to play pre dinner? Thank you again & enjoy the rest of your trip??