Photo Guides to Holland America's Rotterdam and to Bayeux France

This week I have posted two photo guides.




Rotterdam is one of two flagships of Holland America Line. She is the sixth HAL ship to bear the name and perhaps because her immediate predecessor was so beloved and well-known, this ship has been somewhat overlooked. This is unfortunate because she is one of the faster passenger ships in service today (25 knots) and is capable of handling the rigors of a transatlantic crossing. Indeed, designing her was the project Stephen Payne worked on before turning to designing Queen Mary 2. This summer she demonstrated her transatlantic capability by doing two traditional ocean liner crossings between Rotterdam and New York.



What is more impressive about Rotterdam is her interior. As with all the current HAL ships, she has a museum quality art collection distributed through the public rooms. In addition, the furnishings, lighting and décor are tasteful and light quality.



I decided to return to the Rotterdam in order to capture the changes that were made to her during her 2009 refit. The biggest change to the interior was the addition of an area called “Mix.” This area replaces some of the prior lounges with a large open area that includes three bars - - a champagne bar, a spirits and ale bar and a martini bar. Mix does give the public spaces a more lively and younger feel than the prior lounges. I did have some doubt, however, about whether the furnishings were consistent with the ship’s overall décor.



Outside, the aft section of the open deck has become an adult-oriented area called the Retreat. The Sea View swimming pool that once dominated this area has been replaced with a shallow pool with sun loungers. This seems to be a recognition of the fact that relatively few passengers actually swam in the pool while quite a few like to relax in the sun. Overhead, a large video screen has been installed.



In addition to photographing these two areas, I re-photographed the rest of the ship. This picked up the more subtle changes that have taken place since the last time I photographed the ship. In addition, there have been advances in digital photography since then. The Beyondships photo tour of Rotterdam is at http://www.beyondships.com/HAL-Rotterdam-Tour1.html The profile page with a new daily program and some new menus is at http://www.beyondships.com/HAL-Rotterdam.html



I have also added a new cruise destination page on Bayeux, France. Bayeux is in the Normandy region of Northern France and can be visited during port calls at Cherborugh and Le Harve. Its most important attraction is the Bayeux Tapestry, a 1,000 year-old embroidered cloth that tells the story of the Norman Conquest of England.



Also, in Bayeux is a large cathedral, which was consecrated in 1077. Built over several centuries, it incorporates several different styles of architecture and is an impressive sight.



Located not far from the D-Day landing beaches, there are many D-Day related sites around the town and a museum dedicated to the Battle of Normandy in the town. Much more sobering is the Bayeux military cemetery, which is the largest World War II British cemetery in France. It gives an idea of the price of freedom.



Although in the battle zone, Bayeux did not sustain much damage during the war. As a result, it is still a traditional French town with buildings dating back to the Middle Ages. It is particularly picturesque along the River Aure, which runs through the center of town.



The Bayeux page is at http://www.beyondships.com/Ports-France-North-5.html and is an addition to the Northern France section of Beyondships.

Cruising to Northern France

Cruising to Northern France is an unforgettable experience. There are so many A-list places to see and so much variety.

There are two cruise ports in Northern France - - Le Havre and Cherborug. Both are on the English channel and serve as jumping off places for shore excursions into Normandy and the interior of France.

If one is interested in art, there is Monet’s home at Giverny. The grounds of the house were the subject of many of the Impressionist master’s finest works. Restored to how they looked in his day, a visit to the gardens is like stepping into the paintings.

An emotional experience of a different kind is a visit to the D-Day landing beaches along the Normandy coast. Peaceful now, this area still retains reminders of the struggle that took place there in 1944 for quite literally the future of the world. If one knows the history of the battle, one can walk the area and see where the various incidents occurred. However, even if one is not a history buff, places like the American Cemetery with its rows upon rows of grave markers bring home the human element of the story.

Yet another experience is journeying into Paris for the day. Paris is a significant distance from the ports. However, there is enough time during the typical port call to make a visit. Paris is one of the world’s great cities and there will not be time to get to know her in depth. However, for those who are new to the city, there is enough time to get a quick overview of the landmarks and a feel for the atmosphere. For those who have been there before, there is time to make a focused visit limited to one or two aspects of the city.
Beyondships’ photo essay on cruising to Northern France begins at http://www.beyondships.com/Ports-France-North-1.html