Visiting Amsterdam Followed by a Cruise through the fjords of Norway on Holland America’s Newest Ship, ROTTERDAM

By Ellen Germain

My husband and I love going on cruises. The cruise that we recently took was a
one week cruise through the Fjords of Norway on the Holland America
Rotterdam. It’s Holland America’s newest ship and it’s beautiful. Our cruise began
and ended in Amsterdam. The goal of the ship’s staff is to make your cruise a
terrific one. They definitely succeeded!

Since we had never been to Amsterdam, we decided to arrive 2 days early so we
could explore the City (known as the “Venice of the North”). We stayed at the
very charming Ambassade Hotel in the center of the Amsterdam canal district. We
had a beautiful room that overlooked the canal. The view from our room was
incredible, and the staff was very accommodating and helpful. We highly
recommend staying at this very charming boutique hotel.

After checking in, we took a one hour narrated canal cruise which gave us a true
flavor of the city from the water. It was a great way to start our exploration of the
city. Bikes line the streets of this beautiful city. Since the streets and sidewalks
are narrow, you have to be careful to watch out for bikers and cars when you’re
walking.

One of the highlights of our visit to Amsterdam was going to the Anne Frank
House. Anne Frank and her family spent more than 2 years in hiding there during
WW II before they were ultimately discovered and sent to concentration camps.
The Anne Frank house is a very popular destination so make sure that you order
your tickets online well in advance of your visit as tickets are not available at the
door.

We also visited the Van Gogh Museum which boasts the world’s largest collection
of works by the famous Dutch painter. We took the interactive audio guide that
described the story behind each painting. By visiting this incredible museum, you
will learn all about Van Gogh. It’s hard to believe that this prolific artist died at the
age of 37.

After 2 wonderful days in Amsterdam, we boarded the Rotterdam for our cruise
through the Norwegian fjords. A fjord is defined as a long narrow deep inlet of the
sea between high cliffs or steep slopes created by a glacier. The fjords are often
described as “Nature’s own work of art,” and were formed when the glaciers
retreated and sea water flooded the U-shaped valleys. The ports we visited were
Eidfjord, Alesund, Geiranger and Nordfjordeid. We saw deep blue waters,
towering mountain peaks and abundant waterfalls. Everywhere one looked, the
scenery was stunning and picture ops were plentiful.

Since we were staying in a suite we had access to the Neptune Lounge and we
dined at the ship’s Orange Club Restaurant. No reservations were necessary.
Norwegian salmon was always offered and it was delicious. If you love to dance,
then going to the BB King Lounge and dancing to the music of the BB King band is
a must. Be sure to bring something orange to wear for the lively Orange Party
(orange is the official color of the Royal Family of the Netherlands). It’s a great
night! We also enjoyed watching The Step One Dance Company shows. There
were many activities offered on the ship, one of which was the popular sport of
pickleball.

I was fortunate to be able to interview the ship’s Captain, Werner Timmers and
it’s Travel and Cruise Director, Karlijn Verpalen. Captain Timmers, from the
Netherlands, has been with Holland America for 35 years and a Captain for 22
years. He was very personable. He said that his goal for every cruise is to ensure
that the memories made by passengers will last a lifetime. Karlijn Verpalen, also
from the Netherlands, is a dynamic woman who told us her favorite quote,
“Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.”

My husband and I highly recommend the Holland America Rotterdam cruise
through the Norwegian fjords and hope that the same wonderful memories that
we made will be made by others. We met wonderful people and took pictures of
some of the most stunning scenery we have ever seen. The Rotterdam is “a City
on the Sea,” and everyone works hard to ensure a wonderful experience and
lasting memories for the passengers. Thank you Captain Timmers and Cruise and
Travel Director “Karlijn Verpalen and the entire Rotterdam crew for the very
exciting time that we had.

Photos: Courtesy of Ellen Germain