I was lucky enough to get invited on a private travel appreciation cruise with Holland America Cruise Line a few weeks ago. 1,300 Travel advisors, host agencies, and travel business managers joined together to learn all about Holland America’s newest cruise ship the Rotterdam and how Holland America is planning to move forward from the pandemic.

I arrived at the port with my required documents and negative covid test at my scheduled check in time. To speed the process up, I used VeriFly to get pre approved for arrival. Out of an abondance of caution, we all were given an additional covid test before boarding. The process was pretty seamless and quick. No one tested positive at boarding.

I was assigned a VA- Veranda Stateroom on Deck 8. The room was the standard size compared to most cruise balcony staterooms. I was however impressed at the size of the shower. The room had a number of outlets (if you have cruised before you know this pain). The beds were raised giving you room to store your luggage under it to save some space. Check out the tour of my room.

We had just one stop on this quick three night itinerary- Half Moon Cay, Holland America’s private island (shared with sister Carnival Cruise line). We shared the island with one other Holland America ship. The water here was beautiful and a perfect temperature for a cool down. I recommend booking a chair and umbrella prior to arrival, as there isn’t many shady areas on the beach.

I did my fair share of eating and drinking aboard the Rotterdam. The buffet was one of the best I have seen on board with a variety of stations serving different cuisines. The omelet stations was visited every morning and the salad bar was the starting point of most lunches. The buffet is still an assisted area and it is not serve yourself. I personally like this better to keep from spreading germs. I also made a stop most days for ice cream or cookies. I was taking the stairs more and deserved the sweet treats.

Most dinners are served in the main dining room area. You can sit with just your party or you can make new friends and join a larger table. I tried out both options. If you are looking to make new friends this is a good place to start.

Everything that I tried was pretty tasty. The soups being some of my favorite. The waitstaff even brought me a variety of desserts (some not even on the menu) when I couldn’t decide what I wanted. Every time I saw that waiter around the ship would use my name and say hi.

The musical entertainment was excellent on the ship. There were a number of lounges that would rotate different musical acts late through out the evening. I spent most evenings watching a 45 minute set at one lounge and then hopping to the lounge next door for something different. The dueling pianos and the Rolling Stones lounge were my most visited.

Aside from music, there is a ton of other activities for all ages. The pool area had a number of pool chairs to share, a second level with couches for napping, and a retractable roof that closed when it was raining allowing for the pool to remain open. There is also kids clubs for various ages. There is daily talks (I learned about the sea turtles one afternoon) plus nightly shows (musical, theater). There are also some unique bars and tasting rooms that you didn’t want to miss. The craft cocktails were a show in themselves. Overall, the activities day and night kept everyone busy.

I am looking forward to my next adventure with Holland American in Alaska this summer. I have just a few rooms left if you would like to join me visiting Alaska by Sea and Land!