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Ocean Liner History and Stories from the Sea, Past and Present. With an In Depth focus on Holland America Line

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2025 Sep. 27 Azamara Cruise. Final Review and Verdict.

October 7, 2025 / / 4 Comments

We made it safely home from the Fusina cruise terminal as we had booked our own transport. The ship offered transport (to be bought separately) to the airport by coach which did work quite well.  (At least we saw them all back in the Airport). It was just interesting to see how the local ground staff managed to change something so simple as boarding a coach into a mass of confusion; including blocking the exit to the outside for those not involved.

We had organised our own transport. Azamara does offer direct transfers from the airport to the ship  but not a pick up from a hotel after an overnight.   A good job we did so, as our flight got moved at the last minute due to a strike of klm ground staff so we did not arrive at our hotel until midnight the night before our cruise.  Then it is better to get your own transport directly to the terminal yourself.

Our verdicts in a nut shell: (and this is the personal opinion of me and my wife)

Azamara Website is not good at all

Shoreside Customer service is  not good either. It was very hard to get answers out of them when phoning. Everybody blamed it on the split up from RCI, but that is were Management Leadership steps in and ensures that the transfer is smooth and painless.

Shipboard service is very good; up to excellent as long as it does not has to do with shore side. It seems that the hands of Guest Relations are tied when trying to deal with issues on board generated by the shore side. It seems that they can not even correct the letters sent to the cabins on boarding day.

The Glare:  100%.

For those who do not know what this is: as long as I have been in a management position on the ships, I have tried to improve the friendliness of my crew members. (It takes 17 muscles to smile and 30 to frown ……..so why don’t you smile…..) I do this by gazing straight into a officers or crew members eyes when I meet them and note the reaction. I have continued to this during all the cruises (From the captain downwards) that my wife and I are now making. It is not fool proof but it gives a pretty good idea of how friendly a ship/company in principle is. All companies claim to be friendly but it does not always work out in real life. Especially officers (often very Senior) do not seem to get  the message all the time.

So I am very happy to note and very impressed that the Azamara Onward Scored 100%. During the whole 9 days I did not meet a single person on board (Including Sr. Officers and Engineers) who did not smile or did not greet.   VERY IMPRESSED and kudo’s to the whole on board team. Because of this (and the Greek itinerary of small ports coming up in 2027) we have booked another cruise  on the Azamara Onward.

Details:

What is wrong with company and website ? Well it gave the wrong information at the time of booking. If you do that as part of the booking process, it becomes proof of what is booked and what you are entitled to. It still advised things that had already changed on board. When we tried to find out details about where the ship was docked and how certain things  worked, the person who answered the phone, just read back what was listed on the website.

Because of the promises on the website we paid for a  higher level cabin, to get extra perks/amenities. Only to only find out, when boarding, that these were not provided anymore.

Based on the website write up, we decided to book a Verandah Plus cabin instead of a regular Verandah. Deck 8 forward  (there are 4 of them, 2 on the portside and 2 on the starboard side)

This came with: as listed on the website.

Priority Boarding ——————  We were not on the priority boarding list

Newspaper in cabin (*) …………………..  Discontinued

Flowers in the cabin………………………..  Discontinued

Spirits in the cabin (**)……………………   Not defined what we would get

Bathrobe and slippers (***) ……………………   No slippers. We got them after we complained to housekeeping

Fruit in the cabin…………………………….   Seemed to have changed to on request.

(*) this was also still on the welcome letter in the cabin but they had stopped that at least 2 months before.

(**) we were expecting a bottle each. But you get one per cabin. Some cabins have 4 beds, you pay for four people but still only get one bottle. Except for the four top suites, there it is 2 bottles. (When looking at You Tube, there was a video from post Covid when it was still 3 bottles.)  In principle I do not even know why they bother as most spirits are included in the basic Drinks Included “complimentary” package. But if you provide/ advertise a perk, you have to do it right.

Very confusing directions to get Fusina. All information says: go to a Ro-Ro terminal but the important part that is omitted is that once you come close to the entrance you have to keep to the righthand side and security will direct you through a not-used ferry gate to a side road going to the Terminal. Once through, you get the first sign saying “cruises”.  Luckily most taxi’s know it but there was a couple who had rented a car themselves and ended up in the queue of the boarding/ticketing lane for a ferry and could not get out anymore.

The website is very unclear of what the “complimentary” drinks include. Hence I published the on board listing on one of the days write ups. We had the premium package included as part of our booking but we really did not need it. So we would not have been very happy if we had bought it (At $ 31.95 a day a person) and then would have realized that we did not need it. We spoke to a Canadian couple who were rather pi……d off because of this. (Then they tried to upgrade to the Ultimate package $ 39.95 a day, just to make it worthwhile. So they expected that they could just pay the difference of $ 8,– a day. No, they had to pay the full price so they would each be paying $ 31.95 + $ 39.95 a day………………….)

The cabin (8800) had been in someway converted in 2022 and they had forgotten to install 2 ceiling spotlights above the mirror. The asst. housekeeper was really startled about it but found a desk lamp somewhere in a locker that we could use. Good and appreciated gesture but it should not be necessary. Housekeeping was going to try to get the Electricians to put 2 ceiling lightspots in. If it works, then future ladies sitting behind the desk can be grateful to us when putting on their make up.

Other Observation & Suggestions for improvement:

*Guest Services. We had a meeting with both the Concierge and the Guest Relations Manager  about the discrepancies between the Azamara Website & perks and although they felt very sorry for us, nothing was done. We did not request anything, we will take it up with the office, but it would have been nice to have seen a token of concern. Holland America (5 star) does chocolate covered strawberries, Celeystial (3 star) does flowers etc.etc. But Azamara which hovers somewhere between 4 and 6 star, only smiles.

*Tender service. It was very bad in Hvar. This was a 4 tender distance and only 2 tenders were in operation causing (during our return to the ship) 50 guests to sit and wait in a hot tender. The other 2 tenders were housed.  I hope that will be better next cruise when each of the ports we visit, will be a tender port.

Special compliments to the Food &Beverage Manager Laze, the Exe Chef and the Lido Sous Chef who actively walked around the Lido  restaurant (Windows Cafe) to talk to the guests.

Final note: There are 3 drinks packages available.

1.  Complimentary package (everybody gets this)

2. Premium package ($31.95 a day a person)

3. Ultimate pacakage ($39.95 a day a person)

We had the 2nd level included with our cruise booking. But we found that what was included “complimentary” was more than enough. We used the package only a few times, when Lesley wanted a Bombay Saphire Gin instead of the basic gins.  So in our opinion it is not worthwhile to buy the two top tiers of the drinks package unless you want to have a upscale gin, whisky or cognac each evening. For the average drinker there  is more than enough varation in beers, cocktails, wines and soft drinks available.

Our next cruise with Azamara is to the Greek Islands and we hope that by that time the Head Office has sorted out their communication problems and we can trust their website.

 

 

01 Aug. 2025 Going home & the Verdict

August 9, 2025 / / 11 Comments

My final installment of the cruise comes a bit later then intended because when I got home, real life hit at once. I volunteer as a Director for our Apartment Building and it seemed they all waited until “I came off the ship”. Hence a weeks delay.

This morning the ship docked at Bremerhaven just before 7 am. shortly followed by the ms Amadea also from Phoenix Reisen. There were no disembarkation announcements  as everything was in the Daily Program  and everybody followed those instructions.  Internationally they call this “Silent Disembark” and there was also a “Express Disembark” where you roll your own suitcases of the gangway before regular disembarkation starts. I did not get the impression that this was very popular as it seemed that most guests first wanted to have breakfast. Disembarkation started from the top deck downwards at 08.30  but with only 900 guests everybody was off by 09.00 hrs. or shortly after.  The only challenge we had was waiting for a taxi as we got the impression that the “taxi world” thought that disembarkation was starting at 09.00 and not at 08.30 hrs. By 09.00 long convoys of taxis were approaching the dock to deal with the growing line of waiting cruise people. We made it back to the hotel by 09.30 and after retrieving our car and saying farewell to our Dutch Friends (he drives a bit faster than I do, so we do not drive in convoy)  we set off for the night ferry back to England. If all goes well, we will be home again by 10.00 hrs, tomorrow morning.

The Atrium where you come in and go out. The gangway connection is via the outside Promenade deck. The Mermaid is still from Royal Viking days, the Piano is from Phoenix and to get that piano in, they had to remove the Atrium sculpted glass pole installed by Holland America. I wonder if the company saved that one as it was a beautiful piece of art.

The Verdict.

Starting with the most important question: did we enjoy the cruise ?
Yes we did, we enjoyed it very much. Good atmosphere and traveling with fine friends made it a very positive and pleasant experience,

Would we take another one?
Maybe, if they go to a place we have never been. The “maybe” is mainly because it is such a long journey by car to Bremerhaven.

Was it worth the money?
Yes, this is a 4 star product and the cost was in line with it. 4 Star, which I measure on what is available on the buffets for choice. Which is limited compared to 5 star.

What is available for the guests to enjoy who do not go on tour and stay on board. Not much as all the cruise staff is on tour-bus-duty,

What is available  in the cabin with bedding, shower amenities, linen quality, change of linen ( new bedding only once in the 7 days)

Is it worthwhile to book a suite? Yes according to my wife and I. Also my Dutch friends who upgraded  after their initial booking found the cabin with separate sit and bed area very nice. Then there is a large number of amenities/gifts that come with it. Shoulder bags, logo coffee cups, logo water bottles, logo pins, logo pens, full fridge with free drinks, and nibbles,  A posh box with shower amenities for him and her, The Gold / concierge Room,  Two TV’s in the cabin. (including international programs), special luggage labels, champagne (by the end of the week we had had 3 of them) Attentive cabin service. Voucher for free massage, voucher for champagne breakfast. Early booking option for specialty Restaurant.   We thought it was well worth the money.

What is REALLY different to other (main stream) companies.
A. No announcements in the cabin. Only announcements made are for scenic cruising. Arrival announcement Yes, only one and not in the cabin. All announcements also come over the Bow View Channel so you can just switch it on. Every German reads the daily program and is on time for whatever they are involved in. Compare that with a lot of company’s who are very irritating with announcements in the cabin such as: Fred Olsen, Saga, Celebrity etc. etc. But this was a “peaceful cruise” and if you wanted noise, you went and found it, the peace in the cabin was never disturbed.

B. Official ships tour guides on every bus, in addition to the local tour guides, It is something that company’s used to have in the “good old days”. It must be appreciated by the guests when on tour. This is not the same as we see with other company’s where they put a “crew escort” on board for a free-bie and who then sits the whole tour in a corner on the cell phone or runs off as soon as the bus stops. No these were the professional ships cruise staff, in uniform and helped the guests off the bus and supported the guests in every way needed.

C. Germans on Phoenix do not go for cocktails, they go for after dinner drinks. Thus there is no pre dinner cocktail music in the lounges until about 20.00 hrs. After dinner there is music for the rest of the evening and the lounges are full.

D. Everything starts exactly on the time indicated in the daily program. So if there is a get-to-gether or a party, guests arrive early, so everything can start exactly on time. Dining room from 18.00 – 20.00 hrs., then the serving starts at 20.00 hrs. but guests will have walked in from 19.40 hrs. or so, to find their table and to be ready for the menu.

The Glare.
If you read my cruise reviews on this site, you will see that I always have this entry. “The Glare” is something I do when I walk through the ship. I look each Officer and Crewmember straight in the face with my blue piercing eyes and then wait for the crewmember to acknowledge. The ms Amera crew were extremely good, during the whole voyage, from captain to waiters, sailors to front desk etc. etc. everybody smiled said hello or reacted in another positive way. The only one who failed (3 times) was the Ship’s doctor but  he was walking around as if he was on another planet altogether anyway.

Very friendly Captain and deck officers, very friendly Hotel Manager and very friendly and capable waiters (kellners) & cabin stewards and Front Desk attendants. Nice cruise staff but we did not see them very much as they were each day out on tour and then with a maximum of 10 hrs. a day being allowed to work, there is not much time left.

Mr. Uwe Noster, the man of the Gold & Silber level / concierge was a very gregarious man and very helpful, but although he said that he had “desk hours” we were never able to find out when as the hours were not posted in the daily program and also not on his desk itself on deck 8 Atrium.

The Crowsnest, or Panorama Lounge.  The only lounge completely left as is from the Royal Viking Days.

Other Compliments.
*The “Schone Ausflugge” lunch on the first and last day on the top deck midships. Apart from the free beer, it was just very nice to be present and enjoy it. Regardless of nationality and background. Holland America has the “orange party” but they tend to cut if off after a few songs but here it just went on………… ………………………….Wunderbar.
*Tea in the afternoon. Much better than expected on a German ship and a lot of guests did partake in it.
*Real ships escorts on the coaches. Much appreciated by those on tours.
*Maintenance. For a 37 year old ship the ms Amera looked very good. As was with Holland America keeping the underside of the balconies up to standard was a battle that one could not win, but the old Lady looked very good, both inside and outside. And it seemed that the crew were genuinely proud of her.
*Duo in the Piano Lounge, very good and enjoyable.
*Service in the dining room and lounges, quick, friendly and always with a smile (and automatically a jar of peanuts) .
*Cabin service for our section (10 suite cabins) very good and un-obtrusive..
*Gold Room, very nice for snacks and coffee drinks if you used it. It was under used, so I would not be amazed if Phoenix takes it away. Before Hal it used to be the Staff Captains cabin but if it stays it is a very nice perk.
* Very reasonable bar prices and a very good wine list

There was a promotion for a drink or cocktail every day. A pint of Guinness for Euro 4.20 / 3.64 pounds / 4.89 US is not bad at all

Points for improvement:
*Get better cast shows and have them choreographed by somebody who knows how to do that. This was awful. Full Stop.’

The backing music (click- track) was too thin and needed padding out and the lighting was from a bygone era. The spotlights on the side of the sound booth were not used while with HAL they formed an integral part of the show.

The cast (no doubt talented) were not good enough. It was a pity that the talented trapeze girl had to work in this show set-up  and in a show lounge with such a low ceiling. If somebody from Phoenix reads this, then please look on U-tube and you will be able to see what can be done with such a small stage as Holland America managed it.

*Tender service. It ran extremely well with no delays but antics of some of the drivers…. e.g lack of docking experience…… could be dangerous during windy weather.
*It would help if what is included in the “Gold service” or “Silber service” would be completely listed. There is some under the cabins specifications when you book, there is some that we found out when googling a travel agent site and some we only found out when we got there.
*Same for the suite cabin amenities. Nowhere does it say that you get slippers in the cabin or umbrella’s so we brought them with us,
*Maybe an ice bucket in the cabin for the suites” Our steward found a way around it, but with a double suite, it should be a standard thing.

Can a non German speaker survive?

YES, all the crew speak English and often better than their German. English menus are available in the Dining room, and with Google Translate it is not difficult to translate the German Daily Program.  The only thing you have to get used to, is that the cruise is driven by the Daily Program and that there are no reminders for those who do not read programs, or expect to be reminded by announcements. Phoenix really expects that as you have a brain that you use it.  I loved that part of the operation as I hate interfering announcements.

During my posts, there is always more texta than photos. My Dutch firends have also a blog running for the friends back home when they are travelling. that has more photos than (dutch) text. This is the link:

https://www.polarsteps.com/RuudvanD/18239437-bremerhaven-en-cruise-amera-naar-noorwegen?s=ea486edc-5129-47a0-a9ae-e71c3a170923

A very nice touch was the thank you letter, see below, we received 7 days after the end of the cruise, something I have not seen any other companies do, apart from trying to have you book another cruise. This felt quite personal as the Captain and Cruise Director laid the link between the ship and the guest, instead of just some vague general / letter / email from somebody in the head office.

Willkommen zu Hause
Sehr geehrte Frau Schoonderbeek,
sehr geehrter Herr Schoonderbeek,
Reisenleiter Herz

vor wenigen Tagen haben wir Sie an der Gangway von MS Amera verabschiedet. Hoffentlich hatten Sie eine angenehme Heimreise und sind gut nach Hause zurückgekehrt.

Dem gesamten Schiffsteam rund um Kapitän Dariel Valdes und Kreuzfahrtdirektor Joe Liemberger war es eine große Freude, Sie an Bord zu umsorgen und mit Ihnen gemeinsam schönste Reiseziele erleben zu dürfen.

Wir hoffen, dass Sie sich bei uns rundum wohlgefühlt haben und die Reise Ihren Wünschen und Erwartungen entsprochen hat. Am meisten würde uns freuen, wenn Sie sich noch lange an viele schöne Momente und Erlebnisse Ihrer Reise erinnern.

Auch der schönste Urlaub ist irgendwann zu Ende, und nun wünschen wir Ihnen, dass Sie ganz entspannt in Ihren Alltag zurückkehren.
Vielleicht schmieden Sie ja schon wieder Pläne für die nächste Auszeit.
Dem gesamten Phoenix-Team an Bord wie an Land wäre es eine große Freude, Sie recht bald wieder mit einer neuen Reise begeistern zu dürfen. Seien Sie stets an Bord von MS Amera oder einem der anderen Schiffe von Phoenix Reisen auf das Herzlichste willkommen!

Wir wünschen Ihnen alles Gute und senden Ihnen herzliche Grüße.

Willkommen an Bord! – Willkommen zu Hause!

Ihr

Michael Schulze
Direktor Schiffsreisen
Bonn, den 08.08.25

2024 August 23 4 day taster cruise Celebrity Apex Review.

September 5, 2024 / / 2 Comments

Good morning,

our travels continue and after the Silver Spirit we have now tried Celebrity Cruises with the Celebrity Apex with a 4 day taster cruise from Southampton o Southampton. We tried the Celebrity Eclipse and Celebrity Silhouette before so now we had the chance to see the newest class of Celebrity ships.

This review can be found to the right of this post under the header:

My Cruises and Reviews

Please click on it, and then go one more time to the right and you will see the name of the ship and click again.

I hope you will find it interesting and maybe diverting.

 

2024 July 02 ms Silver Spirit Cruise Review

July 2, 2024 / / 7 Comments

Good morning,

our travels continue and after the Queen Anne we have now tried a new companyfor us:  Silver Sea with a cruise on board the ms Silver Spirit.  Reason for this company/ship was that it made a round voyage from Southampton so we did not have to fly,

This review can be found to the right of this post under the header:

My Cruises and Reviews

Please click on it, and then go one more time to the right and you will see the name of the ship and click again.

I hope you will find it interesting and maybe diverting.

 

2024 June 05 Queen Anne Maiden Voyage review

June 5, 2024 / / 19 Comments

Good morning to All,

I have been quiet for an awful long time, mainly due to all the work on the 5 Holland America Line history books.  Part II & II were presented to the CEO of HAL, Mr. Gus Antorcha.  Part III (photo book covering the periode 1872 – 1922) was published in December 2023 and now I am working on Part IV and Part V. These together cover the HAL period in photos between 1922 and 2023.

But since I am retired, my Lord and Master, Lesley, has decreed that we should make cruises. Nothing against that and we have decided that we would try all the different cruise ships calling at UK ports, to avoid flying as much as possible.

We just completed the maiden voyage on the ms. Queen Anne of Cunard, a ship that could have been the 4th. Pinnacle ship of Holland America. More reviews will follow.

This first one, can be found to the right of this post under the header:

My Cruises and Reviews

Please click on it, and then go one more time to the right and you will see the name of the ship and click again.

I hope you will find it interesting and maybe diverting.

 

 

 

 

2022, March 31: ms Volendam to help with the Refugee Effort in Rotterdam

April 2, 2022 / / 12 Comments

Good morning, You might find the below Press Release of Interest.

Holland America Line Ship Will Become Temporary Home for Ukrainian Refugees in the Netherlands

 
Volendam will house and feed up to 1,500 people as part of government’s commitment to help families

 

Rotterdam, Netherlands, March 31, 2022 — Holland America Line‘s Volendam will be used to accommodate Ukrainian refugees as part of an agreement announced by Netherlands and City of Rotterdam government officials. The ship will dock in Rotterdam for three months to provide a temporary home for approximately 1,500 Ukrainians, part of a larger commitment from the Netherlands to accommodate 50,000 people who fled the war in their homeland.

 

“We are in a unique position to accommodate the immediate need for food and housing, so we felt it was very important to work with the City of Rotterdam and charter this ship,” said Gus Antorcha, president, Holland America Line. “Our company was founded in Rotterdam around the mission of helping immigrants find a better life. So today we’re proud to be a small part of a similar mission for Ukrainians who have tragically been displaced.”

 

Under the agreement to charter Volendam, Holland America Line will provide three hot meals per day, private stateroom accommodations, housekeeping services, use of public spaces, fitness facilities, internet access, and other necessities. Volendam will be staffed with approximately 650 crew members.

“We are known for our service and hospitality, and our team is ready to welcome our new guests as we would welcome guests into our own home,” said Captain Ryan Whitaker. “It will truly be an honor for us to make Volendam a comfortable and caring environment for these families who have been through so much.”

Volendam was scheduled to return to service May 15, with voyages from Rotterdam to Norway, the British Isles and Iceland. To accommodate the three-month commitment, Holland America Line will cancel three of those voyages and resume service on July 3 instead. Guests on canceled cruises are being notified today and will be accommodated on similar itineraries.

“We are very sorry for the inconvenience this will cause to guests booked on the three canceled cruises,” Antorcha said. “We hope they understand the unprecedented nature of this situation and why we felt it was important to work with the government on this initiative in support of these families in need.”

Volendam will be docked at Merwehaven, a cargo port on the north side of the River Maas in Rotterdam. Remaining docked will ensure Ukrainian families can transit easily to and from services in Rotterdam.

 

Holland America Group has already been working with its own team members who are Ukrainian. A $1 million emergency assistance fund provides direct financial support. Team members from the region also receive counseling assistance, free internet service to communicate with family, and scheduling accommodations such as early disembarkation or an extension to remain on board as needed.

 

The family foundation of parent company Carnival Corporation’s chairman Micky Arison and his wife Madeleine also announced a pledge of $3 million to charities helping Ukrainian refugees. In addition, Holland America Line will look to raise awareness and funds through its On Deck for a Cause program, in which guests on every cruise may take part in a non-competitive 5K fundraising walk. The money raised will go to Direct Relief.

“We stand for peace and our hearts go out to everyone whose lives have been upended by the invasion of Ukraine,” said Arnold Donald, president and chief executive officer of Carnival Corporation & plc. “We have crew members from 145 countries and we sail with guests from nations around the globe, so we feel deeply the impact of this humanitarian crisis and we join many others in supporting relief efforts.”

2021 oct. 28; Latest Press Release Art on board the ms Rotterdam VII

October 28, 2021 / / 6 Comments

Holland America Line’s Rotterdam Sets Sail with World-Class Floating Art Gallery Valued at Over $4.1 Million

More than 2,500 pieces from dozens of global artists enhance the ship’s design 

 Seattle, Wash., Oct. 27, 2021 — Holland America Line ships have long been regarded as floating art galleries for their extensive collections of museum-quality pieces. When Rotterdam sets sail for the first time Oct. 20, 2021, guests are in for a visually rewarding journey with some of the most thought-provoking, striking and bold pieces in the fleet — including historical works and memorabilia from beloved previous sister ships.

Rotterdam’s art collection is valued at more than $4.1 million and was curated by Oslo-based YSA Design and London-based ArtLink, who collaborated with acclaimed hospitality design atelier Tihany Design. The result is a museum at sea with 2,645 pieces of diverse works ranging in value from $500 to $620,000 that spans the decks, public rooms and staterooms.

More than 37 nationalities are represented by Rotterdam’s artists, with the greatest number of contributors coming from the Netherlands, United States and United Kingdom. Artists also hail from Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Denmark, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Republic of Korea, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Serbia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and Ukraine.

Many of the pieces focus on entertainment, showcasing themes of music, dance and movement, weaving the ship’s narrative of a “new sound of cruising” into the art. The works are in many media, including photography, painting, mixed media, illustration, prints and sculpture.

Holland America Line History Finds a Home on Rotterdam

Holland America Line’s newest Rotterdam is the seventh ship in the fleet to bear the name, and some previous works of art from Rotterdam VI, which left the company in 2020, have found a new home on the newbuild. Eight historical paintings are now on Rotterdam, including depictions of Rotterdam I, Rotterdam II, Rotterdam III, Rotterdam IV and Rotterdam V. The ship also hosts three previous Rotterdam ship models, and the bell from Rotterdam VI can be found in the Crow’s Nest.

Fun Facts, Figures and Highlights About Rotterdam’s Art Collection:

  • The Atrium Sculpture

    The largest and most expensive piece is “Harps,” a 7.5-ton stainless steel sculpture in the Atrium that spans three decks. With dynamic color-changing spot lighting and a mirrored ceiling, the work is a striking focal point on board. “Harps” was produced and designed by ArtLink, based on a concept by Tihany Design. It is valued at $620,000.

 

 

  • Book art

    The smallest works are by Betty Pepper, who uses reworked books and adds intricate details and scenes made from old maps. They can be seen in the forward stairwell between decks 7 and 8. The exquisitely small elements are a testament to Pepper’s ability to work at a scale that few artists can master.

 

 

 

  • Aft Staircase Zoology

    Each of the stairwells has a theme that reaches from top to bottom. The theme of the forward stairs is architecture, midship stairs is music and aft stairs is zoology.

 

 

 

 

 

 

  • Rolling Stone

    The oldest artist is Baron Wolman (deceased), born in 1937. The U.S. native was the chief photographer for Rolling Stone magazine from 1967 until late 1970. He was ranked among the 20th century’s elite and most collectible photographers.

 

 

 

 

 

  • Neptune Lounge

    The youngest artist is Leva Berlande. The 31-year-old rising artist is a student from Latvia and has a painting featured in the Neptune Lounge.

 

                                                       Sel de Mer Wall mural

  • As with Rudi’s Sel de Mer on Nieuw Statendam, Master Chef Rudi Sodamin’s son and emerging artist Magnus Sodamin created a visually stimulating mural that adorns the wall in his father’s namesake specialty restaurant on Rotterdam. Called “Oceans Feast,” the work measures 23 feet long and 3.6 feet tall.

  • Italian artist Federico Picci contributes conversation starters that tie in magically with the ship’s design. His photographs capture how music would look if we could not only listen to it but see it, too. In one image, balloons float out of a piano, representing the evanescence of something that evaporates in the air as it is created, like the element of sound.

 

  • One of the most striking and expensive pieces is a dazzling, illuminated crystal “Key” (treble clef) created by Dutch artist Hans van Bentem for Deck 3, midship. The piece is valued at $27,000.

 

  • Considered among the most avant-garde pieces in the collection is a fiberglass sculpture of an otter in the aft stairwell lobby on Deck 9 by Spanish artist Okuda San Miguel. San Miguel is known for his distinctive style of colorful geometric patterns that portray animals, skulls, religious iconography and human figures.

 

  • In the embarkation area is a work titled “Billie Holiday” by Ani Abakumova. It is made up of 3 miles of threads — 8,000 threads in total. Abakumova’s husband is a mathematician who developed an algorithm that enables her to create images from threads that change color without using paint.

 

  • One of the most valuable works is a mixed media on canvas piece in the forward stairwell lobby on Deck 8 by Mehdi Ghadyanloo, an Iranian artist, painter and muralist known for his gigantic trompe l’oeil–style murals. Ghadyanloo recently had solo exhibitions in Almine Rech’s galleries in Paris and Brussels, and now Holland America Line guests can enjoy his captivating art.

 

  • Yongsun Jang, from Republic of Korea, welds cross sections of stainless-steel pipes to configure clusters of “cells,” then puts it all together to represent different organic beings. For Rotterdam, he created cello and pan flute sculptures for the B.B. King’s Blues Club/Lincoln Center Stage space.

 

  • The vibrant work of Lisa Krannichfield is on display in the Club Orange specialty restaurant. Her pieces meld the border between masculine and feminine and explore what it means to be fashionable and make a statement.

Art in Club Orange Restaurant.

Art in Club Orange Restaurant

 

 

 

 

 

 

Guests can admire the decks inside and out and discover inspired works from a global assembly of emerging artists who share the spaces alongside some of the most renowned talent in the world.

 

Japanese Dress

 

Strawhouses

 

Dubai

Musical note

2021 Oct. 15; Prinses Margriet will christen the ms Rotterdam (VII) in 2022

October 15, 2021 / / 6 Comments

Fresh from the Press: Press Release by HAL this morning.

Holland America Line Names Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet of the Netherlands Godmother of Rotterdam


Rotterdam marks the 13th ship for the cruise line to be named by a Dutch Royal

Her royal Highness Prinses Margriet of the Netherlands and God mother of the whole Dutch Merchant fleet.

 Seattle, Wash., Oct. 15, 2021 — Holland America Line announced today that when Rotterdam is named next spring, Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet of the Netherlands will be the ship’s godmother, carrying on a tradition that began in the 1920s.

Holland America Line’s connection to The House of Orange goes back nearly a century to Prince Hendrik launching Statendam III in 1929. Since then, members of the Dutch Royal Family have launched 11 more Holland America Line vessels throughout the years, including Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet who named Prinsendam (1972), Nieuw Amsterdam III (1983), Rotterdam VI (1997) and Oosterdam (2003).

“We are deeply grateful that Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet will once again act as godmother to a Holland America Line ship, carrying on a long tradition with the Royal Family that continues to honor our Dutch roots,” said Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line. “Rotterdam will be named in Rotterdam next year, celebrating its namesake city and our historic connection with the Netherlands. We look forward to commemorating the occasion where it all started for Holland America Line.”

The ms Rotterdam VII arriving in Rotterdam.

Rotterdam arrives for the first time in the port of Rotterdam on the morning of October 14. 

Additional members of the Dutch Royal Family who are godmothers include Queen Máxima, who named Koningsdam in 2016 and Nieuw Amsterdam in 2010. Then-Queen Beatrix served as Eurodam’s godmother in 2008. Rotterdam V was launched in 1958 by Queen Juliana. Then-Princess Beatrix named Statendam IV in 1957 and Prinses Margriet in 1960. Nieuw Amsterdam II was launched by Queen Wilhelmina in 1937.

 Rotterdam’s maiden cruise departs Oct. 20, 2021, from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and embarks on a 14-day transatlantic journey to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. During its inaugural Caribbean season from November to April, Rotterdam will sail a variety of five- to 11-day itineraries that span the southern, western, eastern and tropical regions, all roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale. In mid-April, the ship makes a 14-day Atlantic Ocean crossing back to Europe to spend the summer in Norway, the Baltic, British Isles and Iceland, all sailing roundtrip from Amsterdam.

Rotterdam was delivered by the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy July 30, 2021. The date for naming the ship in Rotterdam will be announced in the coming months.

For more information about Holland America Line, consult a travel advisor, call 1-877-SAIL HAL (877-724-5425) or visit hollandamerica.com.

 

30 July 2020; Rotterdam VII

July 30, 2020 / / 44 Comments

I normally do not post during my leave but I am making an exception as what was announced today is very important for the company but also goes right to the core of my belief that strong roots make it easier to go forward. Hence a small blog  with the news, although, no doubt, the news will come from everywhere tomorrow.

Holland America has made the decision to rename our newest ship the ms Ryndam  still under construction, to ms Rotterdam. Thus the Ryndam (IV) as was originally the plan, is now becoming the Rotterdam (VII).  And this is possible as the Rotterdam VI is leaving our fleet.  I am not that easily excited about what is normally announced but this is special. The name Rotterdam, after our homeport the city of Rotterdam in the Netherlands, has been in our fleet for nearly our whole history.

Rotterdam I  1871 – 1883

The ss Rotterdam I.

 

 

 

 

 

Rotterdam II 1886 – 1895 (she was later renamed to Edam when the next Rotterdam came into service)

The ss Rotterdam II

 

 

 

 

 

Rotterdam III 1897 –  1906

The ss Rotterdam III

 

 

 

 

 

Rotterdam IV 1908 – 1940

The ss Rotterdam IV

 

 

 

 

 

Now we get a gap due to the war and the flagship of the fleet became the ss Nieuw Amsterdam (II). But there were tentative plans for a sistership and if the war had not happened that sistership might have been built and guess what the name would have been ??? !!! After WWII the company needed time to rebuilt the fleet and also had to deal with the inroads of the airplane on the North Atlantic routes. Hence it took until 1959 before there was a new Rotterdam. A multiple ship as she was a Traditional North Atlantic Liner but at the same time a modern cruise ship who could change roles, just by opening a few doors. And thus ready for extensive cruising during the off-season in the early years and later permanently.

Rotterdam V 1959 – 1997  (she is still there as a great Hotel in Rotterdam)

The ss Rotterdam V

 

 

 

 

 

Rotterdam VI 1997 – 2020

The ms Rotterdam VI

 

 

 

 

 

Rotterdam VI 2021 and onwards

The ms Rotterdam VII

 

 

 

 

 

As you can see from the list above it is also not the first time that we renamed a ship in relation to having the Rotterdam name available for the newest ship of the fleet.

See below the press release of this morning 30 July 2020 which can also be found on the regular Holland America Line blog.

What might be of interest, if you have an facebook account, our Brand Ambassador Seth thought it was a good idea to get me involved in this whole naming business.

www.facebook.com/SethonHAL/

Hopefully we will be able to get the ships out of the warm lay up, not too far in the future and I can start blogging again.

Best regards

Captain Albert

Today’s Press Release:

In honor of some of the most memorable ships in Holland America Line’s nearly 150-year history, the premium cruise line is changing the name of its newbuild from Ryndam to Rotterdam and designating it the new flagship of the fleet. The seventh ship to bear this historic name, Rotterdam will be delivered one year to the date on July 30, 2021, pushed back slightly from its original delivery of May 2021 due to the global health situation.

When Rotterdam is delivered from Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard in Italy, it will spend the summer exploring Northern Europe and the Baltic on roundtrip cruises from Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Guests and travel advisors with clients who were booked on the ship’s Premiere Voyage in May and itineraries through July 30 are being contacted with rebooking options.

“The first ship for Holland America Line was the original Rotterdam, the company was headquartered in the city of Rotterdam for many years, and the name has been a hallmark throughout our history since 1872 … so clearly the name is powerful and symbolic,” said Gus Antorcha, Holland America Line’s president. “With the current Rotterdam leaving the company, we knew we had a unique opportunity to embrace the name as our new flagship and carry on the tradition of having a Rotterdam in our fleet. Seven is a lucky number, and we know she’s going to bring a lot of joy to our guests as she travels across the globe.”

The History of the Name Rotterdam
Holland America Line’s first ship was Rotterdam, which sailed its maiden voyage from the Netherlands to New York Oct. 15, 1872, and led to the founding of the company on April 18, 1873. Rotterdam II was built in 1878 for British Ship Owners Co. and purchased by Holland America Line in 1886. Rotterdam III came along in 1897 and was with the company until 1906. The fourth Rotterdam joined the fleet in 1908 and also served as a troop carrier when World War I ended. Following the war it made regular cruises from New York to the Mediterranean.

Rotterdam V, also known as “The Grande Dame,” set sail in 1959 and began sailing transatlantic crossings with two classes of service. It later converted to a one-class ship in 1969. She sailed with Holland America Line for 38 years until 1997, including several Grand World Voyages, and currently is a hotel and museum in the city of Rotterdam. Rotterdam VI, the most recent to cruise for Holland America Line, was introduced in 1997 and the first ship in the R Class.

Inaugural Season to Explore Mediterranean, Baltic and Norway
Cruising aboard Rotterdam VII begins Aug. 1 with the ship’s seven-day Premiere Voyage departing from Trieste, Italy, to Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy, with port calls throughout the Adriatic Sea and southern Italy. The ship sails Aug. 8 from Civitavecchia on a 14-day cruise through the western Mediterranean and on to Amsterdam.

From Aug. 22 through Oct. 10, the ship will sail roundtrip from Amsterdam on three seven-day itineraries to Norway, one 14-day to the Baltic and one 14-day to Norway, Iceland and the British Isles. A trans-Atlantic completes the inaugural Europe season with a 14-day voyage from Amsterdam to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

To accommodate guests booked on cancelled itineraries of Ryndam from May through July, Nieuw Statendam cruise itineraries also will see some changes to match up as much as possible with former Ryndam sailings.

“Guests and travel advisors will be notified today of this news and coming changes to current itineraries,” added Antorcha. “We ask everyone, though, to please bear with us just a few weeks for all of the details as we rebuild itineraries and put the finishing touches on several desirable alternatives. We will follow up with specific details very soon so everyone knows their options.”

Guests booked on the originally scheduled Premiere Voyage will be rebooked on the Premier Sailing for Rotterdam, departing August 1, and will receive a $100 per person shipboard credit. All other guests who were booked on impacted Ryndam or Nieuw Statendam cruises will be automatically rebooked to a similar future cruise date during the summer at the same fare paid. Guests will receive a $100 per person shipboard credit for cruises 10 days or less and $250 per person for itineraries of 12 days or more. Guests are asked to wait until they receive updated booking confirmations in the next several weeks before contacting Holland America Line for additional changes to the booking.

 

24 March – 10 April 2020; Panama to Fort Lauderdale.

April 16, 2020 / / 56 Comments

So I am back on the blog. A blog which I had to stop as things were getting too confused and fast moving for me to relate correctly and with sufficient authority. If you look at the last blogs, I had mentioned already a few times that the company was moving faster than I could record it. Then throw the world stage, with all its politics into the mix, and I did not know any more if I was coming or going. So we stopped.

On 09 April the last guests left the ship, and then ship went into warm lay-up. Healthy guests but a few guests remained on board who could not leave as they could not get home for all the reasons that went with the current situation. Things on board are now returning to a sort of normal, albeit a new normal.

This blog is a compilation of the past period as seen through the eyes of yours truly and as I am not involved in politics (*) there is no opinion about why something happened, just what happened and how the ships made it work.

(*) Maybe Captains should all run for office, each in their respective country, I am absolutely convinced the world would have less issues. Continue reading

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