7 Nights on the Newest Dam
Rotterdam Cruise Review
Contributor Level:
Second Mate
Cruises: 7+ cruises
Reviews: 2
Helpful Votes: 28
Review summary
The newest of the “Dams” did not disappoint. The ship is beautiful and the funky art is brilliant.Embarkation
We had completed all of the VeriFLY info so our embarkation process took les than 10 minutes. The only snag we had was my small Swiss Army knife that was discovered by the X-Ray machine. After digging it out of my suitcase it was determined to be OK only after referral to a supervisor. There is a 4” blade limit when boarding a HAL vessel unlike the TSA which allows no blades on airplanes. Same thing happened on Princess at Christmas.
Ship experiences
Food and Dining
The food was excellent in all the venues but we mostly ate in the dining room with a few exceptions in particular when it was not open for lunch on days in port. The buffet is divided into several different “food type” venues. As expected the buffet was always a bit of a feeding frenzy during peak eating times. It was pleasant in off peak times to grab a dessert or two. The Grand Dutch Cafe is a must visit for all. They have Dutch specialities for lunch, some great Dutch desserts including a chocolate dipped cream puff and good variety of Dutch beers. It is also the best place to get specialty coffee.
Onboard Activities
We love the Billboard venue with the twin pianos.
Service and Staff
Our room Stewarts were very efficient and comical.
Cabin / Stateroom
7159 is well located. Nice to have a sofa to relax on. Nice to have a glass door on the shower instead is a curtain.
Ship tip
Check out Explorations and the Crow’s Nest on Deck 12 Forward.
Thumbs up
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Ports of call
Amber Cove (Puerto Plata), Dominican Republic
We did a great excursion planting coffee plants in the mountains, learning about the coffee culture in the DR and lunch with a view.
Disembarkation
Disembarkation happened as fast as we could walk off. We cleared customs in Key West so it was a breeze in Ft Lauderdale.
Traveler Photos
