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.

The Quiet Elegance of Holland America's Rotterdam

Holland America’s Rotterdam is the sixth ship to bear that name for HAL. The fifth ship was a much-loved classic ocean liner. As a result, the current Rotterdam has been somewhat overshadowed by her predecessor. This is unfortunate because the current Rotterdam is a very good cruise ship in her own right.

Although she shares the honor of being co-flagship with the Amsterdam, Rotterdam is not the newest or largest ship in the HAL fleet. The ship went into service in 1997 and is just under 60,000 gross tons whereas HAL’s latest ship, the Eurodam, is 86,700 tons. The fact that she retains her flagship status while the rest of the industry has been emphasizing larger and larger ships underscores HAL’s dedication to medium-size ships.

Rotterdam has a varied itinerary, traveling to the Baltic, the Caribbean, the Mediterranean, the Black Sea, as well as on a world cruise. These voyages are often longer than the typical cruise. As a result, the ship attracts well-educated travelers who can take the time to do long voyages.

Inside Rotterdam is quiet sophistication. There is extensive use of wood paneling and soft lighting in the public rooms. While there is an extensive museum-quality art collection, it is blended with the décor instead of being set apart from the living space. This gives the ship more of a relaxed feel. In addition, HAL keeps the number of passengers below what a ship of this size could carry, which results in more space per passenger. The result is clearly a premium product with a cosmopolitan atmosphere.

My profile of the Rotterdam with ship information, menus, and daily programs, is at http://beyondships.com/HAL-Rotterdam.html and my photo tour starts at http://beyondships.com/HAL-Rotterdam-Tour1.html