With Reuben Goossens
Cruise’n’Travel Journalist, Cruise reviewer & Maritime
Historian
Please
Note: Cruise-Australia is a non-commercial and privately owned
cruise site and it is NOT associated with any cruise company or travel agency!
Although the author has been in the passenger shipping industry since 1960 and
is currently semi-retired, but continues to write cruise and ship reviews and
articles in order to better to inform cruise and ship enthusiasts and provide
information for those intending a cruise in the future. Please
read my statement at the bottom of the page!
MS
Rotterdam
MS Rotterdam is the standard
bearer of Holland America's (HAL)
proud fleet. She reflects the highest attainments of HAL’s
creative design and shipbuilders' perfection of construction. Rotterdam continues the art of cruising one
and a quarter century after the creation of this fine Dutch Shipping Company.
Like her earlier namesake SS Rotterdam (V), MS Rotterdam (VI) pampers each
guest in an atmosphere of refined elegance. After her building,
she was joined by her newer sister MS Amsterdam, and later by the much larger
Carnival Corp designed ships, which look much the same as all their new ships,
be they bulkt for Cunard, Costa Cruises and P&O UK, etc. However, MS
Rotterdam and Amsterdam,
retain the traditional HAL
influence, which is sadly lacking in the new HAL/Carnival
ships.
Guests
savour cuisine presented on gleaming Rosenthal china in their choice of
dramatic dinning venues, be it in the two-tiered salon having windows soar high
above the sea, or the candlelit intimacy of a Venetian villa. Quietly and
invisibly, the Rotterdam's
advanced technological systems whisk passengers to adventures around the world.
Having a comfortable speed, she arrives faster thus achieving the elusive
freedoms of time and opportunity among the most enticing destinations on the globe.
A short list of Rotterdam’s
facilities
The Atrium
MS
Rotterdam greets its guests with an intricate interpretation of a 17th century
Flemish clock tower. Fourteen clocks representing the worldwide destinations
served by this magnificent ship is visible from the three decks of the
glamorous atrium.
Odyssey Restaurant
The
88-seat Odyssey restaurant is an intimate retreat for romance. The menu?
Exquisite Italian cuisine specially created by HAL’s
celebrated executive chefs. The ambiance? Thing of a Venetian villa of the 17th
century. The reviews? “Out of this world.”
Crow's Nest
A
Holland America tradition, the Crow's Nest Lounge, perched high atop the ship. It
is the perfect place for the traditional Royal Dutch high teas, and
after-dinner cordials whilst seated in plush leather club chairs. And later,
come dancing until late at night, or early morning.
The Web Site
Surf
the Web whilst cruising the high seas in the Internet Center.
You can access your E-mails on one of the eight terminals.
Pool
Relax
by the pool or indulge in a massage. The swimming pools and fitness center are
available for a high-seas workout. Or take advantage of a full-service spa,
complete with sauna, masseuse, and juice bar.
Penthouse Suite
The
Penthouse Suites feature a bedroom with king-size bed and master bath including
oversize whirlpool tub. Complete with dressing room, living room, dining room,
pantry and private verandah. Guest toilet, VCR, mini-bar and refrigerator.
Approximately
1,126 square feet including verandah.
Suite
How
suite it is! King-size bed, whirlpool bath, dressing room, and private
verandah. With service to match, including complimentary personalized
stationery, hors d'oeuvres, dry cleaning and more. Special disembarkation
privileges.
Approximately
563 square feet including verandah.
Mini
Suite
Floor-to-ceiling
windows lead to a private verandah spacious enough for lounging or dining.
Queen-size bed, whirlpool bath, sitting area, VCR, mini-bar and refrigerator.
Approximately
284 square feet including verandah.
Large Outside Stateroom
Large
Outside Staterooms have convertible queen-size beds and bath/shower
combinations.
"The best standard-sized cabins afloat." - Porthole Magazine
Approximately
197 square feet.
Large Inside Stateroom -
Standard
Inside Staterooms have lower beds which are convertible to one queen-size bed. Each
includes a private bath with shower. A minimum category with maximum comforts.
Approximately
182 square feet.
All
staterooms are equipped with television, telephone, and multi-channel music.
Not all staterooms within each category have the same furniture configuration
and/or facilities.
It is a well known
fact that I consider Holland America Line (HAL) to be one of the finest cruise
companies in the business! This company has been in the passenger shipping
industry since 1872 and the company continually set’s the standards and
has received numerous awards and accolades for being one of the highest rated
Cruise Line many years in a row, something few other cruise lines can boast!
Below are just a few of the Awards and
Accolades handed to Holland America Line – and they deserve it!:
“The Highest Rated Cruise Line” – Conde Nast Travellers Readers; Choice Travellers Awards; Travel
& Leisure Word’s Best Awards.
“Best Overall Cruise Value” – 17 consecutive years – World Ocean & Cruise Liner Society.
“High Deluxe Five Star Rating”
- World Ocean & Cruise Liner Society.
“International
Five Star Diamond Award” – The American Academy
of Hospitality Sciences.
“Cruise
Line with the Highest Client Satisfaction” – TravelAge West.
In 2010 Holland America
received the following awards -
“Best Cruise Operator” and
“World’s leading GREEN
Cruise Line.”
“Best Cruise Operator”
(Internationally
based) - AFTA award 2010 AFTA (Australian Federation of Travel Agents)
National Travel Industry Awards.
“Gold 2010 Rear Admiral
William M. Benkert Environmental Protection Award” - from the U.S. Coast
Guard.
“World’s
Leading Green Cruise Line Award” and the “Blue Circle Award” - from the Port of Vancouver.
In 1989, Holland America Line became a wholly owned subsidiary of
Carnival Corp, however,
HAL has thankfully 100% separate from Carnival as all their ships are
registered in Rotterdam The Netherlands, whereas P&O UK and the Princess
Cruises ships for example have been reregistered in Hamilton Bermuda.
In addition Holland America
is not sold or marketed by Carnival but Holland America has appointed an
official General Sales Agent for Holland America Line in Australia. In
addition, unlike P&O, Cunard & Princes Cruises, you will not the
mention of Carnival on a HAL brochure, only Holland America Line Inc. Thus
remember, this is a cruise company that stands miles apart from the rest, and
all the awards HAL has received over the years attests to this!
These are my other Holland
America
Pages:
Page One: Holland America Line – Introduction Page
ms Nieuw
Amsterdam - ms Rotterdam - ms
Prinsendam, ms Volendam, ms Zaandam & ms Oosterdam
Now available, the author’s the new 2010 - ms Volendam Cruise Review
And the ms Amsterdam Ship Review
The
author visited ms Amsterdam in Brisbane on November 11, 2010
Also
read our Holland America Line - Cruise News Updates - Page
For
Information & Reservations
In Australia ONLY …
Contact
… Australia’s
very first fully dedicated cruise agency – Established in 1982
“The Cruise
Specialists” are Australia’s very first fully
dedicated Cruise Specialist and they have been serving the Australian cruise
passengers for 27 years. The agencies Director Corie Lisignoli looks forward to
hearing from you and providing you with the kind of cruise service and
experience you deserve! You will not only receive quality service, but also the
latest and the best information and fares available.
Email Corie: info@cruisespecialists.com.au
Or Phone Corie – Free Call
Brisbane and/or International readers - Phone:
For a listing of recommended Australian, New Zealand & International Cruise’n’Travel
Agents
ENTER HERE
***************************************************
Who is the Author of Cruise-Australia & ssMaritime?
Commenced in the Passenger Shipping
Industry in May 1960
Or go directly to the - Cruise-Australia.com - INDEX
Please Note: Cruise-Australia
is a non-commercial and privately owned cruise site. The author has been in the
passenger shipping industry since 1960 and is currently semi-retired, but
continues to write cruise and ship reviews and articles in order to better to
inform cruise and ship enthusiasts and provide information for those intending
a cruise in the future.
However,
if you are interested in a cruise, I am happy to refer you to a dedicated
cruise agent in Australia, New Zealand or
further afield on my recommended “cruise agents” page, for these
are agents that specialise in cruising and they will be able offer excellent
service you and the best fares available! Be assured, I do NOT receive any
commissions or favours from these agents, and in the vast majority of cases
these agents will not even be aware of my, or mu site’s involvement, as I
provide the enquirer with the requested information of the agents (in their
region) including their contact details. Reuben Goossens.
Contact
the Author …
Please
name the ship you are writing about!
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Where
the ships of the past make history the 1914
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Visit
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Feature
Photographs on cruise-australia.com
& .net are: 1.
By the author. 2. From the author’s private collection. 3. As provided by Shipping Companies and private photographers or collectors.
Credit is given to all contributors. However, there are photographs provided to
me without details provided regarding the photographer concerned. I hereby
invite if owners of these images would be so kind to make them-selves known to
me, that due credit may be given. I know what it is like, I have seen a
multitude of my own photographs on other sites, yet they either refuse to give
me credit and even refuse to remove them, knowing full well that there is no
legal comeback when it comes to the net. However, let us show the charlatans up
and do the right thing at all times and give credit where credit is due!
Note: I do not credit those who send me photos as they are not the owners of
the photographs concerned, unless the image is part of their private collection.
This
notice covers all pages, although, I have done my best to ensure that all
photographs are duly credited and that this notice is displaced on each page,
that is, when a page is updated!
cruise-australia.com &
.net is owned and © Copyright by Reuben Goossens
- All Rights Reserved