Rotterdam Questions! New to Holland America

[Doncin]

Looking for any insight on the 7 day Viking Saga , July 20, 2024. Has anyone done this itinerary? Wondering about weather, average passenger age and if it would be conducive for 11 year olds. Thanks for any advice!

[YourWorldWithBill]

1 hour ago, Doncin said:

Looking for any insight on the 7 day Viking Saga , July 20, 2024. Has anyone done this itinerary? Wondering about weather, average passenger age and if it would be conducive for 11 year olds. Thanks for any advice!

We did a similar 7 day "Norse Legends" cruise in May, 2023. We loved the cruise, and loved the Rotterdam; it's a very nice ship. If it's not too late, you might look into Club Orange; everyone who has done that found it worthwhile, and CO as its own dining room on the Rotterdam.

 

It was probably slightly cooler than your cruise will be, but we were lucky with nice weather. Although there were very few children on our cruise, because you are going in the summer, the school holiday season, I would anticipate more families, but can't speak to that. Same about age: for the same reason, probably a bit older on our cruise than it will be on yours. I think the most common ages were, 60s and 70s, with a good mix of 50s and younger.

[Joey_L]

We were on a 10 day Norway cruise last June with Aida and had wonderful weather. It was sunny in every port except the first port when we had a little bit of rain in the morning. As a matter of fact we're doing the Viking Sagas cruise on the Rotterdam on June 1 so am interested in any info and advice about the ship. And hoping for the same weather conditions as last year.

[crystalspin]

11 hours ago, Joey_L said:

As a matter of fact we're doing the Viking Sagas cruise on the Rotterdam on June 1 so am interested in any info and advice about the ship.

I think you will love the ship! We spent 16 days (back-to-back) on her sister, the Koningsdam, last winter and are under two weeks to sailing on K'dam, for 35 days!

 

Highlights are the up-charge Tamarind restaurant (Asian-fusion, but items can be ordered without sauces if you like) and Grand Dutch Cafe (where food-items are free but beverages upcharge or counts on your beverage package if you have one). Our favorite place was the Crows Nest lounge on the upper Observation deck, but on the K'dam they have chopped it up with quadrants allocated for the Shore Excursion desk, boardgame and puzzle doing, and the Art Studio, with only what is left for relaxing with a boat-drink. We'll see in two weeks!

 

Other people really like the Ocean Bar and "Music Walk". Many are hoping that HAL brings back some classical music. I was impressed that there seemed to be enough venues for everyone!  

[Joey_L]

Thanks for the info, @crystalspin. I'm looking forward to seeing the live band in the Rolling Stone Rock Room. I also like karaoke but I understand it's off the menu on HAL ships. Is that correct?

[oakridger]

1 minute ago, Joey_L said:

I also like karaoke but I understand it's off the menu on HAL ships. Is that correct?

 

That is true.  No karaoke on HAL.  The BB King and Rolling Stone Room are great though!  Some people like the Billboard Onboard too. (It's not my personal "thing" but if the entertainers are good then the room is usually full of happy cruisers!)

 

~Nancy

[Joey_L]

Thanks, @oakridger. Will have to settle for listening to rock songs instead of actually singing them.

[oakridger]

5 minutes ago, Joey_L said:

Thanks, @oakridger. Will have to settle for listening to rock songs instead of actually singing them.

 

You can sing along if you want to!!   😁  Dancing too!

 

~Nancy

[cruise47]

How about the food in the MDR ?

[AKJonesy]

2 hours ago, cruise47 said:

How about the food in the MDR ?

Pretty good.  Better than Lido IMO.  I like getting my food hot and "portioned".  It's easy to try a little bit of everything in Lido and overeat.  

[Joey_L]

One thing I've been reading different views about is whether the coffees in the Grand Dutch cafe are included in the Quench beverage package or not. Anyone who's been on the Rotterdam recently and can clarify?

[crystalspin]

11 hours ago, Joey_L said:

One thing I've been reading different views about is whether the coffees in the Grand Dutch cafe are included in the Quench beverage package or not. Anyone who's been on the Rotterdam recently and can clarify?

Have not been on Rotterdam -- but was on the K'dam a year ago and GDC beverages were covered by the appropriate beverage package. So plain coffee/espresso drinks are covered by Quench.

[Trish Traveler]

On 2/3/2024 at 2:47 AM, Joey_L said:

We were on a 10 day Norway cruise last June with Aida and had wonderful weather. It was sunny in every port except the first port when we had a little bit of rain in the morning. As a matter of fact we're doing the Viking Sagas cruise on the Rotterdam on June 1 so am interested in any info and advice about the ship. And hoping for the same weather conditions as last year.

We did the HAL Rotterdam Norse Legends itinerary last September and loved it!  It was our first time on HAL.  You can look at my review for some info on the ship.  Not sure what cruise ports the Viking Sagas covers- it may include some that we did.  In any case, you can see some info about the ship.  We sailed roundtrip from Amsterdam.  

 

[Joey_L]

12 hours ago, crystalspin said:

Have not been on Rotterdam -- but was on the K'dam a year ago and GDC beverages were covered by the appropriate beverage package. So plain coffee/espresso drinks are covered by Quench.

That's good news then. Thank you.

[Joey_L]

10 hours ago, Trish Traveler said:

We did the HAL Rotterdam Norse Legends itinerary last September and loved it!  It was our first time on HAL.  You can look at my review for some info on the ship.  Not sure what cruise ports the Viking Sagas covers- it may include some that we did.  In any case, you can see some info about the ship.  We sailed roundtrip from Amsterdam.  

 

Will have a look at it, thanks.

 

Viking Sagas starts and ends in Rotterdam and docks in Oslo, Kristiansand, Skjolden and Sandnes (Stavanger).

[Trish Traveler]

9 hours ago, Joey_L said:

Will have a look at it, thanks.

 

Viking Sagas starts and ends in Rotterdam and docks in Oslo, Kristiansand, Skjolden and Sandnes (Stavanger).

Well, we didn't visit any of those ports, but at least you can see some ship info.  Although it seems that most of the Norway ports are gorgeous and offer a variety of things to enjoy.  We visited Eidfjord, Alsesund, Geiranger, and Bergen. Have a great cruise!

[Joey_L]

50 minutes ago, Trish Traveler said:

Well, we didn't visit any of those ports, but at least you can see some ship info.  Although it seems that most of the Norway ports are gorgeous and offer a variety of things to enjoy.  We visited Eidfjord, Alsesund, Geiranger, and Bergen. Have a great cruise!

Thanks. We've visited Eidfjord, Alesund and Geiranger on a cruise in June last year. Actually with the AidaPerla which I saw was in port with you in Geiranger.

[WVU_Neal]

On 2/3/2024 at 3:02 PM, crystalspin said:

Other people really like the Ocean Bar and "Music Walk". Many are hoping that HAL brings back some classical music. I was impressed that there seemed to be enough venues for everyone! 

We just got off the Rotterdam last week. In talking with the Cruise Director, she mentioned that there might be a return of classical music in the fall.

[WVU-79]

Neal, what was your favorite venue on Rotterdam?  We sail on her in 17 days.  By the way, love the screen name!

 

John from Durham, NC

 

[RuthC]

8 hours ago, WVU_Neal said:

We just got off the Rotterdam last week. In talking with the Cruise Director, she mentioned that there might be a return of classical music in the fall.

I'll believe it when I see (hear) it. 

I miss the Rosario Strings like crazy. It seemed every troupe of them was excellent, and one or two were even better than that.