Holland America Line Ship Visit

A few weeks ago I was one of a small group of travel agents who were invited onto the Holland America Line ship, Rotterdam, while she was docked in Liverpool for the day.

It was a fantastic opportunity to see and experience a ship first hand. I loved having a good nosey around and seeing all the different decks and the various spaces and facilities available for passengers. There are lots of restaurants and bars to choose from and it looked like you could easily find a quiet space to relax if that’s what you were looking for. I was able to go into two different cabin types on the ship which will be useful in the future when talking to potential customers. I also enjoyed a very nice lunch in the Pinnacle restaurant. During the day the group heard from the marketing team at Holland America Line about how they are different to other cruise lines and why we should recommend them to our customers who are considering a cruise.

Holland America Line focus on the destinations they visit, they appeal to foodies and music lovers, those that appreciate and value good service and those who wish to travel on a smaller size ship. Rotterdam has capacity for 2,650 passengers which is a reasonable size with plenty of facilities and services, without being overwhelmingly large. To compare, the largest cruise ship in the world, Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, can accommodate 7,600 passengers!

The cruise line is particularly well known for their sailings to Alaska. In fact, they’ve been visiting there for 75 years, which is before Alaska was Alaska! They have local, on the ground knowledge too so you can arrange a pre or post cruise stay and explore Yukon as part of your Alaskan cruise.

The ship is based in Europe during the summer months, sailing from Rotterdam to places such as the UK, the Norwegian Fjords etc. And in the winter, she sails around the Caribbean. And if you fancy a cruise but would prefer not to fly to the embarkation (start) point, they will be sailing from Dover in both 2025 and 2026.

I have been on several ships to date - Virgin Voyages, P&O, MSC, Royal Caribbean and now Holland America Line. They are all very different and are suitable for different people. Holland America Line are a more traditional cruise line, in terms of design and décor and I would say they appeal to an older audience who appreciate good value and service.

If any of this sounds of interest, please get in touch to find out more about how I can help you and book the cruise that is right for you.