Journey author Jo Kessel filmed her voyage on Holland America Line’s latest cruise ship, MS Rotterdam. The footage exhibits off the ship’s ‘extra space per passenger’ credentials in addition to its ‘Music Stroll’, which options dwell music venues such because the unique Rolling Stone Rock Room. Plus, the video shares the within scoop on the place to eat, the right way to burn off these energy and provides a sneak peek contained in the ship’s most costly cabin, which prices £15,000 ($20,432) every week.
The distinctive navy hulls of Holland America’s cruise ships have lengthy set them aside from different traces – as has their Dutch heritage.
Practically 150 years in the past the road started life by ferrying European immigrants from the Netherlands to New York. However a century later it switched to full-time international cruising and regardless that it’s now American-owned, by the Carnival Company, these Dutch roots are nonetheless tangible.
Jo Kessel movies her voyage on Holland America Line’s latest cruise ship, MS Rotterdam
The 480-million-euro (£395million/$520million) Rotterdam is the eleventh ship in a fleet that prides itself on offering extra open area per passenger than different liners.
I hoped to seize this roominess on movie after I hopped on board for a seven-night Caribbean cruise from Fort Lauderdale and I believe I succeeded.
The video begins on the swimming swimming pools – there’s one on the again and one within the center coated by a retractable roof paying homage to Wimbledon’s.
Jo’s video begins on the swimming pool in the back of the ship
The above swimming pool, set in the midst of the ship, is roofed by a retractable roof
The retractable roof, pictured above, is ‘good for inclement climate’, says Jo
Jo finds that it’s even potential to have an entire pool to your self on the MS Rotterdam
In keeping with Jo, there was by no means an issue discovering a sunbed throughout her seven-night cruise
This roof is a severe feat of engineering that transforms the realm from an outside to an indoor pool on the flick of a change. Sensible for inclement climate.
There was by no means an issue discovering a sunbed and there was by no means anybody sitting uncomfortably shut.
It was even potential to have an entire pool to your self, caught on digicam!
In all places breathed, from the jogging monitor to the outside health club to the wraparound Promenade Deck the place I used to be alone strolling laps each morning for an hour.
Jo on the ship’s jogging monitor. ‘I used to be alone strolling laps each morning for an hour,’ she says
Jo soaks up the view from one of many polished, teak benches on the promenade deck on Deck Three
In keeping with Jo, the ‘piece de resistance’ on the ship is the ‘gargantuan pickleball court docket’ (pictured)
Pickleball is a racket sport hybrid of tennis, badminton and ping-pong performed with a tough ball and strong paddle, Jo reveals
So many ships have carried out away with their Promenade Decks so it was a deal with to seek out Rotterdam’s on Deck Three and to take in the view from certainly one of its polished, teak benches.
The piece de resistance was Rotterdam’s gargantuan court docket for pickleball – a racket sport hybrid of tennis, badminton and ping-pong performed with a tough ball and strong paddle. The video sees me making an attempt to scoop up the ball (prime tip: it barely bounces) in addition to lob it at my opponent. It’s a wonderful, enjoyable exercise.
Rotterdam is an aesthetic, arty ship with a musical groove – there’s a style for each style in its ‘Music Stroll’.
There’s a musical style for each style within the ship’s ‘Music Stroll’ part, pictured above
Above, a classical quartet performs on the Lincoln Centre Stage throughout Jo’s voyage
Jo’s favorite piece of artwork on the ship is a huge sparkly treble clef (pictured)
That is an alley devoted to dwell music venues, all showcased within the video. Fancy swaying hips to Hound Canine and Let the Good Occasions Roll? BB King’s Blues Membership is the place to be.
For chart hits, there’s Billboard Onboard and a classical quartet performs at Lincoln Centre Stage. Then there’s Rotterdam’s unique Rolling Stone Rock Room, which performs rocking, booming tracks reminiscent of Queen’s Underneath Strain. Most friends can’t resist a boogie.
Music’s even within the ship’s artwork (my favorite is a huge sparkly treble clef) and on the carpet resulting in my cabin.
Inside Jo’s Neptune Suite which, she reveals, ‘is the epitome of roomy’
Jo takes within the view of the Caribbean from her suite’s ‘sumptuously giant balcony’
Jo enjoys a soak within the Neptune Suite’s bathtub, which has therapeutic massage jets. ‘It felt like a personal spa,’ she says
Jo was allowed a sneak peek into the poshest cabin on board, the Pinnacle Suite. Above, Jo seems by way of the suite’s telescope
The suite, which has the walk-in wardrobe of Jo’s desires, is obtainable for as much as £15,000 ($20,432) every week
Mine was a Neptune Suite which, because the movie exhibits, is roomy and deluxe, with a sumptuously giant balcony and a toilet that includes a tub with therapeutic massage jets. It felt like a personal spa.
To see what prime greenback buys I used to be allowed a sneak peek into the poshest cabin on board, the Pinnacle Suite.
It had the walk-in wardrobe of my desires and a strong telescope in its front room – yours for as much as £15,000 ($20,432) every week.
The remaining footage is devoted to food and drinks.
Delicacies is worldwide and of a excessive normal from the buffet to the primary eating room.
Go Dutch? Dishes native to the Netherlands (suppose pickled herring and pea and ham soup) are included within the fare and served in Rotterdam’s Grand Dutch Cafe on beautiful blue-and-white Royal Delft Dutch pottery.
In keeping with Jo, the MS Rotterdam’s delicacies is worldwide and of a excessive normal throughout the board. Above, she tries the prawn cocktail within the ship’s most important eating room
Dishes native to the Netherlands are included within the fare and served in Rotterdam’s Grand Dutch Cafe, pictured above
Jo tucks into pickled herring and pea and ham soup on ‘beautiful blue-and-white Royal Delft Dutch pottery’ within the Grand Dutch Cafe
Our prime speciality restaurant decide is the 12oz lobster tail in French Brasserie Rudi’s Sel de Mer. It’s definitely worth the splurge.
Holland America has discovered a profitable formulation. It provides area and tranquillity however has friends who know the right way to groove.
When the nightly dwell music begins enjoying there’s not a nonetheless toe or hip in the home. If music is nice for the soul then so is a cruise on MS Rotterdam.
For extra movies from Jo, go to her YouTube channel – Go together with Jo.
MS Rotterdam is Holland America Line’s eleventh ship and the third vessel within the Pinnacle Class collection
The MS Rotterdam atrium. The ship has 1,340 cabins, 12 decks and might accommodate 2,668 friends and 1,048 crew
Above is the ship’s ‘World Stage’. ‘If music is nice for the soul then so is a cruise on MS Rotterdam,’ writes Jo
