Holland America is our favorite cruise line. Probably because we are older, it suits our needs. We like the small/medium ships, find them more personal. Norway is my favorite country to cruise, so can't wait for your full review.
Same for us, we are 4*, will be 5* within the next 18 months. Doing repositioning from Athens to Ft Lauderdale this fall, Antarctica next January and Auckland NZ to Seattle in February 2026. Life is good!
We are considered 'younger' .We are early 50s/late40s and we didnt find Holland America an 'older peoples' line at all..on our Alaska cruise many were our age...we just like higher end ships/hotels etc
Howdy llana, Subscribed and even hit the like button. The scenery looks nice. Round trip out of Rotterdam. It's good they speak English. I don't speak Dutch. Pack for anything and/or everything. Wet weather gear. Would not walk up or down those staircases. Prefer staircases near elevators. Tea Time is always good. The last time I was on Holland America their pizza wasn't good. Hope it improved.
Great recap. I was just on a Norway Cruise out of Rotterdam. ( Celebrity). Flew into Amsterdam as well for extra day. Train to Rotterdam. We did layers also. It's was colder the first part of cruise and alot warmer towards the end. Joggers, layering shirt and jacket. Comfortable tennis shoes. I couldnt get over the amount of bikes in Amsterdam either. Norway was absolutely stunning. Everyone super friendly. Our ports were Molde, Olden, Alesund and Stavanger. I'll look forward to your next recap.
All of the Netherlands is bicycle friendly! I just got a new bicycle and made sure I got a Gazelle as the Dutch know bicycles! Once went to the island of Texel and rented bikes & rode a round. I can't wait to be back in NL in 4 weeks. 😊😊😊
Great to see you guys cruising Norway, and also great to see you in Rotterdam. This is one of my favourite cruise ports - I just find it a city that offers you SO MUCH , with Amsterdam on the doorstep. Looking forward to seeing more from this trip, Ilana!
We are four star mariners with Holland America and is our go-to line. As an alternative to a regular cruise ship in Norway, we flew into Bergen Norway and boarded the Polarlys of the Hurtigruten Line. Hurtigruten started as mail ships decades ago and has been able to keep that function while also serving as a small ship cruise line. There are two differences. Hurtigruten makes numerous stops during the day and, also, you can book the cruise to embark and disembark at any two of their regular stops. We boarded at Bergen and disembarked at Trondheim. In between, we went the entire length of the Geraingerfjord. From Trondheim, we flew back to Bergen, stayed the night in one of the historic hotels and, next day, took the fast ferry into the Sognefjord and got off in Flam, where we stayed the night. Took the Flamsbana train and switched over to the Bergen Oslo train for Oslo where we spent a number of days with family of my grandparents. Obviously, a bit more hectic than a normal cruise, but maybe a little more exciting.
It was lovely to meet you on this cruise. We watched so many of your videos and used so many of your tips to make our cruising easier. Noway was beautiful! The California Cruisers Danny and Julie 😊
We have not been on HAL, but on Princess, we have thoroughly enjoyed the port talks. They are informative without being a commercial for the stores they want you to go to. Lots of great information about the ports without any hard sell. They even tell you how to meet up with your non-cruise shore excursions.
I'll be on a 2 week Norway itinerary on the HAL Rotterdam out of Rotterdam in July, so seeing this video was very timely. I have a hunch we had the same idea regarding convenience as I'll be staying at the Room Mate hotel right across from the terminal prior to the cruise, which should make embarkation day really easy. I was on the HAL Rotterdam earlier this year and thought the ship was very good overall. The crew was great, the ship was in excellent shape, and the food was generally quite good. At the time, I found the pizza to be rather disappointing, but the pizza you showed in your video looks much better. Perhaps my constructive criticism in my post-cruise feedback got their attention :). I look forward to seeing the rest of this series as I may pick up some tips for my upcoming trip. Enjoy!
This was my wife's and my first cruise, and it was such a fantastic experience! We also enjoyed room service for breakfast while getting ready for early port days. So fun to meet you at the Half Moon Bar!
DO SOME RESEARCH BEFORE YOU VISIT A Country instead of have the kind of intro you had on this one - As a travel agent it is darn right insulting and your itinerary hardly have much to do with Norway !! Go along the cost from Bergen to the North cape THEN you get the feel of the fjords and what Norway is about !!!
Can you give us some specifics on their "Club Orange", and is it similar to Celebrity "Aqua Class"? Celebrity also includes extra perks, what about Holland America...
Interesting. Unfortunately HA is owned by a company I don't like (based on my very recent experiences with Princess Cruises). Is it really much different?
We are doing the Norway cruise on Windstar in June 2025. Very interested in your full report. Ours starts in Edinburgh and ends in Copenhagen. Enjoy Ilana
The Dutch speak better English than most English speaking natives. They have wide access to a lot of english media including the BBC. North west Europe has not had a typical Summer this year. In fact at the time of the cruise it was freezing with colder than normal weather. The Dutch rail network is typified by services to all points but because of distances it feels like a medium distance commuter network. The longest journey possible in the country is down to Maastricht and takes just over 2 hours. Been through Schiphol a number of times and for its size is surprisingly efficient and tight transfers of less than an hour are possible. My last cruise was to Norway but we went up to the top of the country at Tromso and the Nordkap. Sure we must have visited some of the same ports and Alesund rings a bell. The one drawback with the weather in Norway is that you can have all four seasons over a couple of days which makes packing a challenge. Norway is eye wateringly expensive for pretty well everything so a cruise is the only way to see the country that is affordable. If you are visiting Flam take the train up the mountain to Myrdal but don't book it through the cruise line. Instead book direct as it is cheaper. You also get free reign of any free seats available rather than being confined to the section of the train that has been reserved. Most cruise ships call at Bergen which is full of history but take your time to explore the old town on foot with a good map and guide.
Nice. I've been on HAL twice. My wife refuses to consider it because she thinks the people on board are too old (she's 59). ugh. I thought the food and service was excellent on HAL.
Love your channel, keep the content coming. How is the Gluten Free options on HA? This can be the difference between good and great for Celiac’s? Thanks
The one thing that I liked (and was very important to us) on HA a long time ago, was that one of their bars had old time rock n roll from the 60's. Many people danced and it was great fun. Did this new Rotterdam have that?
I went on my first cruise two weeks ago and just loved it. Is it bad that I’m already planning to go on another one to Aruba Bonaire and curaçao next year 🥰😂🙃😁😁😁
thank you so much for video, looking forward for bigger one! we are planning exactly the same cruise next summer. the important thing which we are curious about is music walk. i heard, holland america lines does some changes in that, and we are a little bit nervous, because music walk is the biggest attraction on hal ships. is linkoln centre still onboard? and bb king blues club? do you know, what is planned in future with these stages? thanks ❤
I admit I am not very familiar with Norway cruises, or really any European cruises. Is there a difference between your cruise and a Norwegian Fyord cruise? It seems that most European cruises are geared toward sightseeing and history. I thought a Fyords cruise would be more similar to Alaska, where the scenery and more adventurous activities are more the focus. I would love to go on one. Holland America sounds like a great way to do it.
OMG, I was going to ask you to do Norway!!!! We fell in love with Norway last year on the Disney. Please do Iceland and Greenland We LoVe northern arctic Europe
We did the 14 day Norway cruise, up to North Cape in 2017. Loved it, this is better than Alaska! Put this one on your Bucket List! Next one for us is Antartica with HAL in January. By the way, your son is lucky to travel with you!
Were there one or two piano players in Billboard on Board? I just got off the Niew Statendam and was very disappointed that there was only one piano player. Not the same experience. I hope this is not part of cutting back.
Ok yall….Stop it! Ya gonna cost me money!🤣😂. Stunning place…we must really consider/plan for a cruise to Norway. I got my fiancé to go on a cruise about three years ago… Her first one….we’re on number eight.👍😀 I still say after about 30+- cruises 🛳️🛳️🛳️ I find Bermuda to be the overall best place I’ve visited. It would literally take over a month to truly appreciate all the hidden gems on that little bunch of islands👍. Great video, thanks!
Great to watch tour video! We live in The Netherlands, about 20 minutes from Amsterdam. The train from Amsterdam to Rotterdam is a little more expensive, the cheapest is USD 20.00 p.p. The weather is very hard to predict, sometimes there are four seasons in one day. We love HAL and can't wait till the 24th of august to go on the Rotterdam for the third time to Norway/Sweden/Denmark. Every trip a different itenarary. It is always so beautiful there and we feel terribly spoiled on the HAL ships we have been on.
It took me 12 minutes to realise that she was not going to present the actual cruise in Norway. A lot of talk about Rotterdam. I was curious about how the cruise throughout the Norwegian coastline was.
Glad you are having a good time in the cruise llana and can’t wait for review video on holland America 🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🛳️🛳️🛳️🛳️🛳️🛳️🛳️🛳️🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺
We were on the MS Rotterdam last year to the Panama canal. Fantastic ship, fantastic cruise. Also been on the previous HAL Rotterdam, now called the Borealis, rebranded with Fred Olson, but still retains that Holland America feeling. I'm a Holland America fan. It's just right for me.
Thanks for the recap. Looks like a nice ship, and the scenery is great. Thanks for mentioning about the dining recap coming up. We were interested in plant-based options. Will watch for your followup in a couple of weeks.
We are doing a similar cruise on Celebrity at the end of the month. Did you travel carry on? I am thinking it would be easier as we are also taking train from Amsterdam
Great to come across your video of Norway. I'm surprised that you are not visiting those fjords (Geirangerfjord & Naeroyfjord) that will be ban starting 2026 for all cruise ship Dada not running on electric. We will be visiting Norway just for that and we will be selling on MSC newest ship, MSC Euribia.
We sailed to Norway last September on Rotterdam and it was one of the most perfect vacations I have ever had. Looks like you may have done a very similar cruise to what we did. The bonus on our cruise was that I woke up at 3am and went out on our veranda and saw the Northern Lights. It was totally unplanned and one of the best most shocking surprises of my life!! We also added Club Orange and it was worth every penny!!
We are doing a 2 week Norwegian Fjords cruise on Rotterdam in September and cannot wait! We were wondering if we'd see the Northern Lights at that time of year (we're going as far up as Alesund) Hopefully we'll get as lucky as you did!
Last year we cruised Scandinavia on Oceania and I have to say that we enjoy sailing Holland America much more. The enrichment talks make it so much more interesting and educational, and top it off with the music walk, enough said! This year we’re taking the round trip voyage on Havila from December 24th to January 4th, Bergen to Kirkenes and return to Bergen. Bucket list northern lights! Looking forward to this ferry/cruise experience very much, even in the cold and dark of winter. Pursuing the magic….
On intercity trains in the Netherlands you don’t really need to buy a ticket from the kiosk. You can scan your credit card as you enter the tracks and scan again as you exit.
Eager to hear your full review. I sailed two weeks in the Norwegian fjords last July-August on the HAL Nieuw Statendam (sister ship) round trip out,of Copenhagen. Loved the entire cruise!! Especially loved Eidfjord & Geiranger…beautiful! Be sure to check out the cute decorated trees along the waterfront street in Eidfjord! Did several HoHo buses in various ports (Oslo, Kristiansand, etc) which is a great way to get around. Liked the ship, especially Dutch Cafe & Tamarind (the best food in Tamarind!), but all in all the ship was a bit too big for me; I prefer a smaller ship. Music venues, especially Billboard dualing pianos (Keigi is amazing!) were all very good! Enjoy your cruise! Oh, and no cash needed in Norway or Sweden or Denmark…they actually prefer credit card.
We will be cruising to Norway and Iceland in July/Aug (Disney) and await your full review of what to wear and bring, especially footwear for excursions.
We are leaving on a Cruise in Sept from Bergen Norway then will be sailing the North Sea to Amsterdam and other various ports and disembarking in Barcelona. We plan to spend time in Bergen pre and Barcelona post cruise. This is the longest cruise we have taken and we are really looking forward to it. We have never been to Norway so loving the information on your videos. Thank you!
You need to try the chocolate croissants in The Dutch cafe! They are filled with Nutella! So yummy! The strawberry one is filled with strawberry filling. Oh my gosh!
I had to compare your first Norway impressions with my own from a number of years back. A friend and I did Norway on the older Rotterdam (VI), which is a smaller ship. Also, we did a different itinerary: Sognefjordur, Stavanger, Kristiansand and Oslo. I agree with our comments. Norway is different cruise experience, and in a positive way. For what to pack for clothing for Norway, I did find guidelines for Alaska cruises useful. That is just because both Alaska cruises and Norway cruises are cold water cruises with some similarity in the weather. Dress in layers. Better to have too many layers because you can always take a layer off when it gets too warm. But if you have too few layers, you're hooped. And I remember our cruise having a more Dutch flavour, which I chalked up to this being a European cruise which would attract a more European passenger. That said, a couple of years back I had a great time celebrating the Dutch King's Day Holiday, but on a Holland America Alaska sailing out of Vancouver. I also like your comments on and reviews of the Pinnacle Class ships. I haven't done a sailing on a Pinnacle Class vessel yet, but have one booked for next year on the Koningsdam.
Thank you for the video; love your videos and your insight. You are on a bucket list cruise for us ... But we are considering booking the Rotterdam for Christmas. We are typically Princess Cruisers. Could you tell me what the wifi is like on board and are gentleman allowed to wear dark jeans with collared shirts in the dinng room?
@@kathrynl6606 absolutely! The dress code is casual/smart casual & there is a dressy night (not formal). Similar to Princess in the way people dress overall :)
Thanks for sharing! I’ve been to Rotterdam, many years ago, in the mid 80’s when I was stationed in Germany, beautiful area and I’m so glad you shared footage, memories 😇
My biggest concern about cruising in Norway is the sea. Do you sail in the North Sea. Is it choppy? Some of the videos out there of storms is pretty scary.
I went on a Norway cruise last June. I flew into Heathrow and took the transfer bus to Dover cruise terminal. I brought raincoat and sweaters which I didn’t need😊
We (5) just came back (June 30) from a 16 day Norway cruise in the Caribbean Princess out of Southampton. It was colder than I expected. (and I've done Alaska 5 times! usually first week in Sep) BUT nevertheless, (I had done some of Norway in the Holland Prisendam and also inland in a "land tour") I'm sure my family enjoyed it more than I did (too cold for me) BUT the 3 Princess production shows were awesome!
Hi Alanna , my girls and I were thrilled to have met you on HAL to Alaska in May 2023. What a coincidence that I’ll also be on a 7 day cruise to Norway in August, but to different ports on Princess. What clothing advice do you have for someone from Toronto which has similar weather to Montreal. Also appreciate if you point out the excursions that a “typical” Canadian would like. And the differences between Norway and Alaska. I hope your full Norway video will be out before I sail on Aug 3! Welcome back to Canada Ilana!
We are going July 2025! I'd love to hear how it compares with Alaska and what you recommend to do at the different ports of call. Oh, and if you are able to find authentic Norwegian food in port or if it's more American'ish. Thank you!!!!
I’ve never sailed HAL. Looking at that line for Alaska next Summer. My husband and I are doing Alaska and Norway on Norwegian Prima in September. Very excited!
I would be interested to hear if you have any impressions of how enjoyable it would be for a teenager. I'm thinking of going to Iceland on Rotterdam with my 17 yr old daughter in the summer of 2025, but I've read reviews that Holland America is more of an older person's cruise line and not great for children and teens.
Thanks so much Ilana for sharing!! I've been waiting for your reviews and videos of this trip in particular! We are going on the 14 day "Best of Norway" in September - on the Rotterdam - and we are staying in Amsterdam for a few days and Rotterdam (at the nHow) for one day before we leave. Already, I'm taking notes of your suggestions regarding the New York Hotel and SS Rotterdam museum!! LOL! As always, thanks for your tips and very informative/entertaining videos!
I'm very curious about any new shows on the World Stage. I'm currently on the Nieuw Amsterdam Alaska cruisetour, spent 7 days on land & are nearing the end of 7 days at sea, & they have the same Step One dance shows that we saw in 2020. We loved them the first couple times we saw them but don't need to see them again! We did see the Company Men show which was fabulous.
I was blown away! It makes Alaska look like “meh”. I took a 14 day cruise all the way up to Nord Cap from Southampton on the smaller Island Princess. It was stunning! We made 9 stops and it was mind blowing. You need to take 14 day that stops in Lofoton Islands! The 7 day cruise is a “sneak peek”. The nicest thing is you don’t need to spend $500 pp ona helicopter ride to get close & Personal to glaciers and stunning vistas. Norway is MUST see. I’ve been all over the world & Norway (and SW Asia-Thailand /Singapore) are top of my list. Happy travels.😊
Thank you for the video. My husband and I will be sailing the Fjords in July of next year on the Rotterdam. Looking forward to it and your upcoming review.
We just came back from from our Baltic cruise in May/ June. The warmest weather we had was in Norway, Sweden and Denmark. They had a heat wave , 26 to 28 degrees and sunny. Holland was 14 and rainy. Lol. Wearing layers is best. We loved our cruise it was such an international feeling on board
I have been seriously considering a transatlantic on the Rotterdam next spring and I look forward to hearing about the food, entertainment and the ship itself. If there are decks or cabins you feel would be a better choice, I would like to hear about that as well. So glad you are enjoying your time on this trip.
![My HONEST Opinion After 7 Days on a Norway Cruise [Holland America Rotterdam]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Qd7blqrRJSM/mqdefault.jpg)
![My HONEST Opinion After 7 Days on a Norway Cruise [Holland America Rotterdam]](/img/tr.png)
Holland America is our favorite cruise line. Probably because we are older, it suits our needs. We like the small/medium ships, find them more personal. Norway is my favorite country to cruise, so can't wait for your full review.
It is lovely, I agree
Same for us, we are 4*, will be 5* within the next 18 months. Doing repositioning from Athens to Ft Lauderdale this fall, Antarctica next January and Auckland NZ to Seattle in February 2026. Life is good!
@@remiguertin6474you are LIVIN’ THE DREAM!
We are considered 'younger' .We are early 50s/late40s and we didnt find Holland America an 'older peoples' line at all..on our Alaska cruise many were our age...we just like higher end ships/hotels etc
@@chad8030 Alaska brings younger people. On long cruises, it is normal to have an older clientele, we are all retired…
Oh! This is the cruise I’m waiting for! Loved Alaska, and this cruise is definitely on my wishlist ❤
Thx for this video. This cruise is now on my bucket list 😊
Howdy llana, Subscribed and even hit the like button. The scenery looks nice. Round trip out of Rotterdam. It's good they speak English. I don't speak Dutch. Pack for anything and/or everything. Wet weather gear. Would not walk up or down those staircases. Prefer staircases near elevators. Tea Time is always good. The last time I was on Holland America their pizza wasn't good. Hope it improved.
Thank you for honoring Holland America, my favorite cruise line!
We’ve enjoyed them too :)
We’re flying to Amsterdam July 15. Going on a 2 week cruise July 20 Iceland, Norway & Scotland! Love your videos, very informative! 😁🇨🇦
Wow, sounds amazing
I’d love to hear about your cruise. Maybe put a comment on this video when you return?
@@genitagray6126 Not sure how to do that but can try 😬 Thank you
@@cruisergirl067 I guess you can pull this video of hers & start a new comment. She’ll read it, along with the rest of us.
Great recap. I was just on a Norway Cruise out of Rotterdam. ( Celebrity). Flew into Amsterdam as well for extra day. Train to Rotterdam. We did layers also. It's was colder the first part of cruise and alot warmer towards the end. Joggers, layering shirt and jacket. Comfortable tennis shoes. I couldnt get over the amount of bikes in Amsterdam either. Norway was absolutely stunning. Everyone super friendly. Our ports were Molde, Olden, Alesund and Stavanger. I'll look forward to your next recap.
Glad you had a great cruise too & thanks for sharing
All of the Netherlands is bicycle friendly! I just got a new bicycle and made sure I got a Gazelle as the Dutch know bicycles! Once went to the island of Texel and rented bikes & rode a round. I can't wait to be back in NL in 4 weeks. 😊😊😊
Great to see you guys cruising Norway, and also great to see you in Rotterdam. This is one of my favourite cruise ports - I just find it a city that offers you SO MUCH , with Amsterdam on the doorstep.
Looking forward to seeing more from this trip, Ilana!
Was awesome to cruise with you on this ship in Panama! Hopefully we’ll get back to Norway again in the future - it was definitely beautiful
Northern American people discovering the wonders of a train!
Stationed in Germany years ago and we loved the trains.
Going in a few days. I'm hoping you upload the review video soon. But this was very helpful.
Thank you for answering a question I had about getting to Rotterdam. Much appreciated!
When is part 2 coming out of your Holland Rotterdam cruise to Norway
About 25 years ago, I spent a week in Norway researching my mother's roots. I felt like I had come home! I want to go back!
Awe love that!
We are four star mariners with Holland America and is our go-to line. As an alternative to a regular cruise ship in Norway, we flew into Bergen Norway and boarded the Polarlys of the Hurtigruten Line. Hurtigruten started as mail ships decades ago and has been able to keep that function while also serving as a small ship cruise line. There are two differences. Hurtigruten makes numerous stops during the day and, also, you can book the cruise to embark and disembark at any two of their regular stops. We boarded at Bergen and disembarked at Trondheim. In between, we went the entire length of the Geraingerfjord. From Trondheim, we flew back to Bergen, stayed the night in one of the historic hotels and, next day, took the fast ferry into the Sognefjord and got off in Flam, where we stayed the night. Took the Flamsbana train and switched over to the Bergen Oslo train for Oslo where we spent a number of days with family of my grandparents. Obviously, a bit more hectic than a normal cruise, but maybe a little more exciting.
It was lovely to meet you on this cruise. We watched so many of your videos and used so many of your tips to make our cruising easier. Noway was beautiful! The California Cruisers Danny and Julie 😊
Did 7 Night Norway Cruise on the Rotterdam in September 2023. Beautiful trip and wonderful on the Ship. Coffee and varies coffee drinks were the Best!
Me too!!! We did the Norse Legends Cruise!! ❤
You look extra pretty on this video and the ship looks lovely too! Thanks for always taking us along❤
Can someone with a walker manage these cruises?
Great content ! Thanks for sharing 🥰
I'm looking forward to the entire Norway cruise video!
We have not been on HAL, but on Princess, we have thoroughly enjoyed the port talks. They are informative without being a commercial for the stores they want you to go to. Lots of great information about the ports without any hard sell. They even tell you how to meet up with your non-cruise shore excursions.
That’s great to hear :)
We spent 21 days on the Rotterdam in Norway 2 years ago and so far our favorite cruse. We’ll see how Iceland compares this year.
Wow, sounds amazing
Iceland is amazing!
Norway is next on my bucket list. For an adult beverage please try some akavit or aquavit. Its the national beverage of Norway
Wow, great to know
I'll be on a 2 week Norway itinerary on the HAL Rotterdam out of Rotterdam in July, so seeing this video was very timely.
I have a hunch we had the same idea regarding convenience as I'll be staying at the Room Mate hotel right across from the terminal prior to the cruise, which should make embarkation day really easy.
I was on the HAL Rotterdam earlier this year and thought the ship was very good overall. The crew was great, the ship was in excellent shape, and the food was generally quite good. At the time, I found the pizza to be rather disappointing, but the pizza you showed in your video looks much better. Perhaps my constructive criticism in my post-cruise feedback got their attention :).
I look forward to seeing the rest of this series as I may pick up some tips for my upcoming trip. Enjoy!
This was my wife's and my first cruise, and it was such a fantastic experience! We also enjoyed room service for breakfast while getting ready for early port days. So fun to meet you at the Half Moon Bar!
@@mattsmucker6149 so glad you enjoyed the cruise! It was great meeting you both too! Lol, I remember the “family discount”
Lol. I really wish that worked more often! @@LifeWellCruised
DO SOME RESEARCH BEFORE YOU VISIT A Country instead of have the kind of intro you had on this one - As a travel agent it is darn right insulting and your itinerary hardly have much to do with Norway !! Go along the cost from Bergen to the North cape THEN you get the feel of the fjords and what Norway is about !!!
Can you give us some specifics on their "Club Orange", and is it similar to Celebrity "Aqua Class"? Celebrity also includes extra perks, what about Holland America...
You look so lovely and relaxed on this cruise, my friend! And the scenery and the ship - WOW!! love it!!
@@KatieGoesPlatinum you’re so sweet!! I feel like you’d have loved this one too
Interesting. Unfortunately HA is owned by a company I don't like (based on my very recent experiences with Princess Cruises). Is it really much different?
We are doing the Norway cruise on Windstar in June 2025. Very interested in your full report. Ours starts in Edinburgh and ends in Copenhagen. Enjoy Ilana
Ilana, we will be in Norway early October, I have no idea what to pack then😅
The Dutch speak better English than most English speaking natives. They have wide access to a lot of english media including the BBC. North west Europe has not had a typical Summer this year. In fact at the time of the cruise it was freezing with colder than normal weather. The Dutch rail network is typified by services to all points but because of distances it feels like a medium distance commuter network. The longest journey possible in the country is down to Maastricht and takes just over 2 hours. Been through Schiphol a number of times and for its size is surprisingly efficient and tight transfers of less than an hour are possible.
My last cruise was to Norway but we went up to the top of the country at Tromso and the Nordkap. Sure we must have visited some of the same ports and Alesund rings a bell. The one drawback with the weather in Norway is that you can have all four seasons over a couple of days which makes packing a challenge. Norway is eye wateringly expensive for pretty well everything so a cruise is the only way to see the country that is affordable. If you are visiting Flam take the train up the mountain to Myrdal but don't book it through the cruise line. Instead book direct as it is cheaper. You also get free reign of any free seats available rather than being confined to the section of the train that has been reserved. Most cruise ships call at Bergen which is full of history but take your time to explore the old town on foot with a good map and guide.
Great video, thanks for sharing! We're looking to book a Norway cruise next year, can't wait! We sailed the Rotterdam recently too, really nice ship!
Hi. I have concerns about North Sea being dangerous & rough. How was it? Do you recommend this cruise ship? Thanks!
Nice. I've been on HAL twice. My wife refuses to consider it because she thinks the people on board are too old (she's 59). ugh. I thought the food and service was excellent on HAL.
Love your channel, keep the content coming. How is the Gluten Free options on HA? This can be the difference between good and great for Celiac’s? Thanks
Did the train have adequate space for luggage? What size luggage would be most convenient for this? Thanks!
The one thing that I liked (and was very important to us) on HA a long time ago, was that one of their bars had old time rock n roll from the 60's. Many people danced and it was great fun. Did this new Rotterdam have that?
I went on my first cruise two weeks ago and just loved it. Is it bad that I’m already planning to go on another one to Aruba Bonaire and curaçao next year 🥰😂🙃😁😁😁
thank you so much for video, looking forward for bigger one! we are planning exactly the same cruise next summer. the important thing which we are curious about is music walk. i heard, holland america lines does some changes in that, and we are a little bit nervous, because music walk is the biggest attraction on hal ships. is linkoln centre still onboard? and bb king blues club? do you know, what is planned in future with these stages? thanks ❤
We’re sailing out of Southampton on the Sky Princess on July 13 for a 7-day Norwegian Fjords cruise. Looking forward to the scenery!
I admit I am not very familiar with Norway cruises, or really any European cruises. Is there a difference between your cruise and a Norwegian Fyord cruise? It seems that most European cruises are geared toward sightseeing and history. I thought a Fyords cruise would be more similar to Alaska, where the scenery and more adventurous activities are more the focus. I would love to go on one. Holland America sounds like a great way to do it.
OMG, I was going to ask you to do Norway!!!! We fell in love with Norway last year on the Disney. Please do Iceland and Greenland
We LoVe northern arctic Europe
We did the 14 day Norway cruise, up to North Cape in 2017. Loved it, this is better than Alaska! Put this one on your Bucket List! Next one for us is Antartica with HAL in January. By the way, your son is lucky to travel with you!
Sounds great, & yes we’re all lucky :)
Were there one or two piano players in Billboard on Board? I just got off the Niew Statendam and was very disappointed that there was only one piano player. Not the same experience. I hope this is not part of cutting back.
Sweet Rotterdam V I think was our honeymoon cruise if she was sailing in 1976
Ok yall….Stop it! Ya gonna cost me money!🤣😂. Stunning place…we must really consider/plan for a cruise to Norway. I got my fiancé to go on a cruise about three years ago… Her first one….we’re on number eight.👍😀
I still say after about 30+- cruises 🛳️🛳️🛳️ I find Bermuda to be the overall best place I’ve visited. It would literally take over a month to truly appreciate all the hidden gems on that little bunch of islands👍.
Great video, thanks!
Great to watch tour video! We live in The Netherlands, about 20 minutes from Amsterdam. The train from Amsterdam to Rotterdam is a little more expensive, the cheapest is USD 20.00 p.p.
The weather is very hard to predict, sometimes there are four seasons in one day. We love HAL and can't wait till the 24th of august to go on the Rotterdam for the third time to Norway/Sweden/Denmark. Every trip a different itenarary. It is always so beautiful there and we feel terribly spoiled on the HAL ships we have been on.
@@TreesVerwoerd thanks for sharing this! Lol the weather definitely kept up on our toes (it’s like “don’t get too comfortable” 😂)
It took me 12 minutes to realise that she was not going to present the actual cruise in Norway. A lot of talk about Rotterdam. I was curious about how the cruise throughout the Norwegian coastline was.
When do you get your time to board the cruise? Did you try to board early? Taking our first Hal cruise next year. I appreciate any info.
Glad you are having a good time in the cruise llana and can’t wait for review video on holland America 🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🛳️🛳️🛳️🛳️🛳️🛳️🛳️🛳️🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺
We were on the MS Rotterdam last year to the Panama canal. Fantastic ship, fantastic cruise. Also been on the previous HAL Rotterdam, now called the Borealis, rebranded with Fred Olson, but still retains that Holland America feeling. I'm a Holland America fan. It's just right for me.
@@nigelcartwright5986 so glad to hear
Thanks for the recap. Looks like a nice ship, and the scenery is great. Thanks for mentioning about the dining recap coming up. We were interested in plant-based options. Will watch for your followup in a couple of weeks.
Great! I have an article I’ll share as well
We are doing a similar cruise on Celebrity at the end of the month. Did you travel carry on? I am thinking it would be easier as we are also taking train from Amsterdam
Great to come across your video of Norway. I'm surprised that you are not visiting those fjords (Geirangerfjord & Naeroyfjord) that will be ban starting 2026 for all cruise ship Dada not running on electric. We will be visiting Norway just for that and we will be selling on MSC newest ship, MSC Euribia.
Went to Norway May 2019 and I was walking around in shorts and sandals P&O Britiana 7 day cruise
Shows that other countries are so much more educated. Sometimes, it's hard to find an English speaking person in the usa
We sailed to Norway last September on Rotterdam and it was one of the most perfect vacations I have ever had. Looks like you may have done a very similar cruise to what we did. The bonus on our cruise was that I woke up at 3am and went out on our veranda and saw the Northern Lights. It was totally unplanned and one of the best most shocking surprises of my life!! We also added Club Orange and it was worth every penny!!
We are doing a 2 week Norwegian Fjords cruise on Rotterdam in September and cannot wait! We were wondering if we'd see the Northern Lights at that time of year (we're going as far up as Alesund) Hopefully we'll get as lucky as you did!
@@mikewester-f4z If you let them know on the ship they can arrange for you to get a phone call from the bridge that the lights are visible
Last year we cruised Scandinavia on Oceania and I have to say that we enjoy sailing Holland America much more. The enrichment talks make it so much more interesting and educational, and top it off with the music walk, enough said! This year we’re taking the round trip voyage on Havila from December 24th to January 4th, Bergen to Kirkenes and return to Bergen. Bucket list northern lights! Looking forward to this ferry/cruise experience very much, even in the cold and dark of winter. Pursuing the magic….
@@dennisdonnamilsten9635 that’s very interesting! Thanks for sharing
On intercity trains in the Netherlands you don’t really need to buy a ticket from the kiosk. You can scan your credit card as you enter the tracks and scan again as you exit.
Great to know. We downloaded the app now too
Eager to hear your full review. I sailed two weeks in the Norwegian fjords last July-August on the HAL Nieuw Statendam (sister ship) round trip out,of Copenhagen. Loved the entire cruise!! Especially loved Eidfjord & Geiranger…beautiful! Be sure to check out the cute decorated trees along the waterfront street in Eidfjord! Did several HoHo buses in various ports (Oslo, Kristiansand, etc) which is a great way to get around. Liked the ship, especially Dutch Cafe & Tamarind (the best food in Tamarind!), but all in all the ship was a bit too big for me; I prefer a smaller ship. Music venues, especially Billboard dualing pianos (Keigi is amazing!) were all very good! Enjoy your cruise! Oh, and no cash needed in Norway or Sweden or Denmark…they actually prefer credit card.
Glad to hear!!
Question review Pinnacle dinning is it specifically dinning or “class “ dinning?
We will be cruising to Norway and Iceland in July/Aug (Disney) and await your full review of what to wear and bring, especially footwear for excursions.
Good idea about footwear
Does Holland America have good vegetarian food options?
Your recommendations for Rotterdam are to visit a hotel and an old ship? 😂😂
What were the ages of the ship we are in our 70s and thinking about Norway
I’m guessing that you need to haul your luggage around if you’re taking a train?
We are leaving on a Cruise in Sept from Bergen Norway then will be sailing the North Sea to Amsterdam and other various ports and disembarking in Barcelona. We plan to spend time in Bergen pre and Barcelona post cruise. This is the longest cruise we have taken and we are really looking forward to it. We have never been to Norway so loving the information on your videos. Thank you!
Sounds amazing! We loved Barcelona btw, I should make a video on this city 😂
You need to try the chocolate croissants in The Dutch cafe! They are filled with Nutella! So yummy! The strawberry one is filled with strawberry filling. Oh my gosh!
Yum!! 😋
I had to compare your first Norway impressions with my own from a number of years back. A friend and I did Norway on the older Rotterdam (VI), which is a smaller ship. Also, we did a different itinerary: Sognefjordur, Stavanger, Kristiansand and Oslo. I agree with our comments.
Norway is different cruise experience, and in a positive way. For what to pack for clothing for Norway, I did find guidelines for Alaska cruises useful. That is just because both Alaska cruises and Norway cruises are cold water cruises with some similarity in the weather. Dress in layers. Better to have too many layers because you can always take a layer off when it gets too warm. But if you have too few layers, you're hooped.
And I remember our cruise having a more Dutch flavour, which I chalked up to this being a European cruise which would attract a more European passenger. That said, a couple of years back I had a great time celebrating the Dutch King's Day Holiday, but on a Holland America Alaska sailing out of Vancouver.
I also like your comments on and reviews of the Pinnacle Class ships. I haven't done a sailing on a Pinnacle Class vessel yet, but have one booked for next year on the Koningsdam.
Thanks for sharing this!! Great insights
Looks great, can't wait to see the full vid!
Thank you for the video; love your videos and your insight. You are on a bucket list cruise for us ... But we are considering booking the Rotterdam for Christmas. We are typically Princess Cruisers. Could you tell me what the wifi is like on board and are gentleman allowed to wear dark jeans with collared shirts in the dinng room?
@@kathrynl6606 absolutely! The dress code is casual/smart casual & there is a dressy night (not formal). Similar to Princess in the way people dress overall :)
Thanks for sharing! I’ve been to Rotterdam, many years ago, in the mid 80’s when I was stationed in Germany, beautiful area and I’m so glad you shared footage, memories 😇
Glad this brought back memories:)
Glad you’re having a terrific time. Looking forward to your videos of the fjords.
Thanks!
My biggest concern about cruising in Norway is the sea. Do you sail in the North Sea. Is it choppy? Some of the videos out there of storms is pretty scary.
Same here. Scared of North Sea.
Did you experience any rough water going through the North Sea area? How long is your cruise?
I went on a Norway cruise last June. I flew into Heathrow and took the transfer bus to Dover cruise terminal. I brought raincoat and sweaters which I didn’t need😊
lol, the weather is so unpredictable
Great video! What is your itinerary?
Had several cruises in Norway all the way up to Svalbard. Loved it. We've done NCL and Princess.
Sounds fantastic!
Where can I find the full review?
Were there rough seas at any point in this cruise?
How much is this itinerary?
We (5) just came back (June 30) from a 16 day Norway cruise in the Caribbean Princess out of Southampton. It was colder than I expected. (and I've done Alaska 5 times! usually first week in Sep) BUT nevertheless, (I had done some of Norway in the Holland Prisendam and also inland in a "land tour") I'm sure my family enjoyed it more than I did (too cold for me) BUT the 3 Princess production shows were awesome!
Informative review and looking forward to your full review.
Thanks for watching 😊
Hi Alanna , my girls and I were thrilled to have met you on HAL to Alaska in May 2023. What a coincidence that I’ll also be on a 7 day cruise to Norway in August, but to different ports on Princess. What clothing advice do you have for someone from Toronto which has similar weather to Montreal.
Also appreciate if you point out the excursions that a “typical” Canadian would like.
And the differences between Norway and Alaska.
I hope your full Norway video will be out before I sail on Aug 3!
Welcome back to Canada Ilana!
My wife and I are contemplating the HAL Rotterdam to Reykjavik cruise next summer. You answered many questions about flying into Amsterdam.
Oh, where did the ship depart from?
We are going July 2025! I'd love to hear how it compares with Alaska and what you recommend to do at the different ports of call. Oh, and if you are able to find authentic Norwegian food in port or if it's more American'ish. Thank you!!!!
I’ve never sailed HAL. Looking at that line for Alaska next Summer. My husband and I are doing Alaska and Norway on Norwegian Prima in September. Very excited!
I would be interested to hear if you have any impressions of how enjoyable it would be for a teenager. I'm thinking of going to Iceland on Rotterdam with my 17 yr old daughter in the summer of 2025, but I've read reviews that Holland America is more of an older person's cruise line and not great for children and teens.
Thanks so much Ilana for sharing!! I've been waiting for your reviews and videos of this trip in particular! We are going on the 14 day "Best of Norway" in September - on the Rotterdam - and we are staying in Amsterdam for a few days and Rotterdam (at the nHow) for one day before we leave. Already, I'm taking notes of your suggestions regarding the New York Hotel and SS Rotterdam museum!! LOL! As always, thanks for your tips and very informative/entertaining videos!
Thanks for this. I’m looking forward to hearing your more in depth review of HA and this cruise, in particular how Rotterdaam differs from Konigsdaam.
I'm very curious about any new shows on the World Stage. I'm currently on the Nieuw Amsterdam Alaska cruisetour, spent 7 days on land & are nearing the end of 7 days at sea, & they have the same Step One dance shows that we saw in 2020. We loved them the first couple times we saw them but don't need to see them again! We did see the Company Men show which was fabulous.
I was blown away! It makes Alaska look like “meh”. I took a 14 day cruise all the way up to Nord Cap from Southampton on the smaller Island Princess. It was stunning! We made 9 stops and it was mind blowing. You need to take 14 day that stops in Lofoton Islands! The 7 day cruise is a “sneak peek”. The nicest thing is you don’t need to spend $500 pp ona helicopter ride to get close &
Personal to glaciers and stunning vistas. Norway is MUST see. I’ve been all over the world & Norway (and SW Asia-Thailand /Singapore) are top of my list.
Happy travels.😊
Glad you’re having fun, we actually prefer the Norwegian fjords to Alaska, but it’s not like we can’t have both!
12 days to go 🎉🎉. We'll be sailing to Norway from Southampton. Soooo excited.
Thank you for the video. My husband and I will be sailing the Fjords in July of next year on the Rotterdam. Looking forward to it and your upcoming review.
We just came back from from our Baltic cruise in May/ June. The warmest weather we had was in Norway, Sweden and Denmark. They had a heat wave , 26 to 28 degrees and sunny. Holland was 14 and rainy. Lol. Wearing layers is best. We loved our cruise it was such an international feeling on board
I have been seriously considering a transatlantic on the Rotterdam next spring and I look forward to hearing about the food, entertainment and the ship itself. If there are decks or cabins you feel would be a better choice, I would like to hear about that as well. So glad you are enjoying your time on this trip.
Thanks for the preview. Cannot wait to go as my grandparents were from there and I’ve never been
Wow!! I think you’ll love it