Everything You Need to Know About Staterooms on The HAL Rotterdam
Welcome aboard the luxurious Rotterdam cruise ship, where sophistication meets coziness in each of its 1,300+ staterooms. From the modern & light wood tones to contemporary art and sophisticated patterned carpet, the ambiance is designed to soothe. Stepping into the cabins on the MS Rotterdam feels like entering a luxury suite at a Four Seasons or Ritz Carlton hotel (albeit smaller). The light-blocking curtains and velvet throw pillows add a touch of elegance to the space. Each cabin includes a large flat-screen television, safe, and mini-bar stocked with beverages (for purchase).
What truly sets the Rotterdam apart are its balconies where you can take in the ocean breeze and soak up the stunning views while enjoying your morning coffee or evening cocktail. Balconies are available in nearly 70% of the ship’s suites and staterooms, considered a high ratio of terraces for this size ship.
Families can opt for one of the 32 Family Ocean Views, complete with a third berth that opens from the ceiling and two bathrooms one with a shower and sink, and another with a bathtub/shower, sink, and toilet. These stateroom types are exclusive to the newer Holland America Line cruise ships (The Pinnacle Class)
No matter what stateroom type you choose, expect intelligently designed spaces with plenty of electrical outlets, adjustable bedside reading lights, and ample closet space. Holland America’s Mariner’s Dream Beds have firm and comfortable Euro-Top mattresses and pillows available in down and foam. While we found the pillows to be a little uncomfortable, the room steward did offer to swap them out for different pillow types towards the end of the cruise.
The MS Rotterdam offers a good variety of television programming and a selection of complementary movies, old and new. News outlets provided include BBC, MSNBC, and Fox.
Verandah Staterooms on MS Rotterdam
“Verandah Staterooms” or balcony cabins are the most plentiful and popular cabin types on the Rotterdam cruise ship. While this may be a typical room, the balcony cabins are quite comfortable and feel anything BUT typical when compared to other cruise lines. The standard balcony cabin or Verandah Stateroom is equipped with a mini bar, queen bed, sofa, and desk area perfect for getting ready in the mornings (it’s also the only place the included hair dryer will be reasonably useful). Storage is plentiful in the closets and drawers and there’s plenty of room under the beds for storing luggage.
A nice touch found in the rooms was a hair dryer, makeup mirror, robes, an umbrella as well as blankets to use on the balcony during chilly evenings (a VERY Dutch thing to have!)
The bathrooms in the balcony cabins are beautiful and well designed. The first thing you’ll notice is how good the lighting is. Unlike many cruise ships with horrible bathroom lighting, Holland America really put some thought into how people use the mirrors in the bathrooms to get ready in the evening, requiring decent light. Additionally, there is a wonderful glass shower with a rain head and intuitive controls. Gone are the days of the shower curtain sticking to you the entire time you try to bathe!
360 Degree Tour – Verandah Stateroom on the Holland America Rotterdam
The Balcony (360 View) on the MS Rotterdam
This was taken from an Aft cabin – overlooking the Erasmus Bridge (Erasmusbrug) in Rotterdam, NL!
The Bathroom (360 View) on the HAL Rotterdam
Suites on the Holland America Rotterdam
Vista Suites
The Rotterdam cruise ship offers various suite categories with different sizes and amenities to cater to the diverse preferences of guests that HAL is known for. The Vista Suites, which measure between 260 and 356 square feet, have an inverted layout with a sitting area off the entrance and a bedroom that opens onto the verandah. The bathroom is equipped with a shower featuring a massage head, fresh flowers, and binoculars are provided to Signature and Vista Suite guests during the cruise.
Signature Suites
The Signature Suites are larger, measuring between 393 and 400 square feet. They feature floor-to-ceiling windows with a verandah, a sitting area, and a bedroom with two twins that convert to a queen or king-size bed. The bathroom has a dual sink vanity (whereas regular cabins have a single sink), a whirlpool bath with shower, and a separate shower.
Neptune Suites
The Neptune Suites, measuring between 465 and 502 square feet, are even more spacious, featuring full-length windows with a verandah twice the length of those in a typical Verandah Stateroom, a large sitting area, and a bedroom with two twins that can be converted to a king size bed. The bathroom is equipped with dual sinks and can either have a whirlpool bath with a separate shower or just a separate shower.
The Pinnacle and Neptune Suites offer additional perks, such as upgraded Elemis amenities, complimentary laundry and dry cleaning services, exclusive access to the Neptune concierge lounge, and dining at Club Orange. Most of these top-tier suites are situated on Deck 7 closer to the Neptune Lounge. Guests in these categories also enjoy priority embarkation, tendering, and dining and seating requests, on top of all the amenities available in lower categories.
Pinnacle Suite
Finally, the Pinnacle Suite is the largest suite available, measuring 1,290 square feet. This luxurious suite features a spacious living room with a sofa bed, a separate dining room with a pantry, microwave, and refrigerator, a bedroom with a king-sized bed, and a huge verandah with a private whirlpool. The marble bathroom is equipped with a whirlpool tub and separate shower, and there is an additional guest bathroom with a sink and toilet. Guests in the Pinnacle Suite are also provided with a private concierge to cater to their needs.
Special Cabin Types on MS Rotterdam
Spa Suites and Staterooms
The Spa Suite cabins are basically typical Verandah rooms with a few extras and is really the only seemingly worthless option on Holland America Line (personal opinion of course). These cabin types are equipped with robes, slippers, and a yoga mat, therefore they are now called “Spa” cabins. However, unlike most other cruise lines with similar cabins, you do NOT get access to the thermal suites / spa with a Holland America “spa” cruise cabin.
Accessible Rooms
Accessible rooms are equipped as expected with larger doorways, showers, and accessible features for passengers with mobility issues.
Connecting Rooms
There are a limited number of connecting rooms available which makes it convenient for parties traveling together. We have friends that regularly travel in groups and they absolutely insist on connecting cabins! These cabins are also perfect for multi-generational families traveling together on an HAL cruise.
Studio Single Ocean View Staterooms
For solo travelers, the Rotterdam offers 12 Single Ocean Views, which may be small at 127 square feet, but they are a more affordable and supplement-free option for solo / single cruisers. Being able to cruise without the ridiculous single supplement is a great trend in the right direction for people who travel alone (Thank NCL for pioneering the solo cabins!)
Holland America MS Rotterdam Cabins To Avoid (If Possible)
As on any cruise ship, there are less desirable cabins which should be avoided if possible. However, many people who book promotional rates such as “best available” or even free rooms for casino promos may not have the choice of room or room type.
Good To Know
If you are on a promotion and cannot pick your cabin, upgrade to the Club Orange and one of the perks is getting the best cabin in the class you’re booked, therefore being able to choose your location.
Rooms directly below the Lido pool
Some people say they can hear movement from above when the ship is at capacity, but normally only during the day, since the pools are effectively closed in the evenings. So, avoiding these rooms is only important if you are a napper during the day.
Staterooms directly above the World Stage
Again, some passengers say they hear noise from the World Stage, but most of those shows end relatively early, so unless you’re a person that turns in for bed by 10 pm, there’s probably no worry about these cabins.
Cabins under the BB King Stage
The biggest complaint from passengers are those with cabins on Deck 1, below the music walk and performance areas like the BB King music stage. Passengers sometimes feel the sound is so noticeable that earplugs are necessary. This is subjective of course, as some people will be more sensitive to sounds than others. It’s worth noting, however, that the bands stop at 12 midnight sharp, so if you aren’t one to go to bed before the entertainment is over, then this location likely won’t be a problem for you.
Obstructed View Verandah Stateroom
Some people may hate the idea of an inanimate object staring at them, but you’ll see by the picture, that even though the stateroom is classified as an “obstructed” view, it’s not bad at all. So for the right price, this may appeal to cruisers who want the outdoor space or the ability to open a door for fresh air and may not care that there’s a lifeboat near the balcony.
