FIRST NORWAY CRUISE!! Holland America Rotterdam First Impressions + Q & A

[@cas6431]

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.

[@LifeWellCruised]

It is lovely, I agree

[@remiguertin6474]

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!

[@lamasbonita3679]

@@remiguertin6474you are LIVIN’ THE DREAM!

[@chad8030]

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

[@remiguertin6474]

@@chad8030 Alaska brings younger people. On long cruises, it is normal to have an older clientele, we are all retired…

[@kayblock8821]

Thank you for honoring Holland America, my favorite cruise line!

[@LifeWellCruised]

We’ve enjoyed them too :)

[@dawndavis8324]

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.

[@LifeWellCruised]

Glad you had a great cruise too & thanks for sharing

[@peggywoods4327]

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. 😊😊😊

[@danacasey8543]

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!

[@LifeWellCruised]

Awe love that!

[@briannickerson6858]

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.

[@FraserAtSea]

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!

[@LifeWellCruised]

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

[@jimmy6tall]

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!

[@StayWildWanderlust]

Me too!!! We did the Norse Legends Cruise!! ❤

[@cruisergirl067]

We’re flying to Amsterdam July 15. Going on a 2 week cruise July 20 Iceland, Norway & Scotland! Love your videos, very informative! 😁🇨🇦

[@LifeWellCruised]

Wow, sounds amazing

[@genitagray6126]

I’d love to hear about your cruise. Maybe put a comment on this video when you return?

[@cruisergirl067]

@@genitagray6126 Not sure how to do that but can try 😬 Thank you

[@genitagray6126]

@@cruisergirl067 I guess you can pull this video of hers & start a new comment. She’ll read it, along with the rest of us.

[@wendyclausen8623]

Thank you for answering a question I had about getting to Rotterdam. Much appreciated!

[@nunocspinto]

Northern American people discovering the wonders of a train!

[@HughSteckel]

Stationed in Germany years ago and we loved the trains.

[@Cindyvktravel]

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.

[@LifeWellCruised]

That’s great to hear :)

[@markmoser7914]

I just returned from this ship and cruise yesterday. I found the Dutch both in the Netherlands and on board to be very hospitable and quite friendly. Our weather in Norway was fantastic and I found the scenery there to be basically sensory overload in its beauty. The Norwegian people were equally friendly as the Dutch and I really enjoyed my time there. The Rotterdam is a great ship and the crew is quite kind to all the guests. Great trip!

[@robincarley7323]

You look extra pretty on this video and the ship looks lovely too! Thanks for always taking us along❤

[@juliedeviso7357]

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 😊

[@dennisdonnamilsten9635]

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….

[@LifeWellCruised]

@@dennisdonnamilsten9635 that’s very interesting! Thanks for sharing

[@larryaerts4041]

I'm looking forward to the entire Norway cruise video!

[@KatieGoesPlatinum]

You look so lovely and relaxed on this cruise, my friend! And the scenery and the ship - WOW!! love it!!

[@LifeWellCruised]

@@KatieGoesPlatinum you’re so sweet!! I feel like you’d have loved this one too

[@nigelcartwright5986]

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.

[@LifeWellCruised]

@@nigelcartwright5986 so glad to hear

[@achevres]

Going in a few days. I'm hoping you upload the review video soon. But this was very helpful.

[@ShirleyMarie971]

We loved our Princess Cruise Norway so much last year doing another two week Norway cruise in 2026 to see more of beautiful Norway!

[@TreesVerwoerd]

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.

[@LifeWellCruised]

@@TreesVerwoerd thanks for sharing this! Lol the weather definitely kept up on our toes (it’s like “don’t get too comfortable” 😂)

[@StayWildWanderlust]

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!!

[@mikewester-f4z]

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!

[@StayWildWanderlust]

@@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

[@thomasdwyer641]

This is my 1 one bucket list cruise for Europe

[@lifewithgrandmabev]

Glad you’re having a terrific time. Looking forward to your videos of the fjords.

[@LifeWellCruised]

Thanks!

[@mattsmucker6149]

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!

[@LifeWellCruised]

@@mattsmucker6149 so glad you enjoyed the cruise! It was great meeting you both too! Lol, I remember the “family discount”

[@mattsmucker6149]

Lol. I really wish that worked more often! ​@@LifeWellCruised

[@sallyh1518]

My sister and I were on the Rotterdam for a cruise to Norway in late May and we had gorgeous weather -sometimes did not even need a jacket. We also stay at the Marriott when we are in AMS -great hotel and perfect location for the museums and canal boat trips, etc. When we got off the cruise in Rotterdam, we stayed at the Hotel New York. It was a very nice hotel and fun to be in what was HAL headquarters. There is a grocery store very close by where we stocked up on things to have for an easy dinner and there are quite a few food halls close by that hotel. We did our own tour of the Hotel Rotterdam which was a nice walk from the Hotel New York. We enjoyed the quietness of that hotel location but did walk over the Erasmus Bridge to the other side and it was very busy on that side of the Maas River. We walked to the Cube Houses -very interesting and also went into the huge food hall there. We used a car service to get back and forth which was a luxury cause we had more luggage than we wanted to deal with on a train. Before leaving AMS, we stayed at the Sheraton right at the AMS airport-gorgeous hotel and ideal location. It was a five minute walk to the check in at our airline the next morning. Think this cruise has made us want to do cruises to other parts of Norway. We also really enjoy the Rotterdam-some really good food choices especially Tamarind where we ate 3 times on a 7 day cruise.

[@kma9292]

I never thought about going to Norway, but now I will consider it. Another great video. Thank you!

[@carolgravius9312]

Ilana, you made me want to travel to Norway. It looks enchanting. Love your reviews. They are the best!

[@debbieball1650]

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.

[@LifeWellCruised]

Glad to hear!!

[@leslieoconnell2051]

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.

[@LifeWellCruised]

Wow, sounds amazing

[@sherholubowich9627]

Iceland is amazing!

[@BeefromSC]

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 😇

[@LifeWellCruised]

Glad this brought back memories:)

[@suelelievre5513]

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.

[@LifeWellCruised]

Great! I have an article I’ll share as well

[@jancorwinenger8083]

Did a 10-day Caribbean cruise on Rotterdam V in 1988-my first cruise. Beautiful ship; glad it’s still providing hospitality.

[@LifeWellCruised]

Wow!!!

[@stevenz2234]

This is a wonderful 1st impression review. We are looking for the future podcasts.

[@CruisingWithChooChoo]

I was on the Rotterdam for a 14 day TA cruise in April 2024 and I loved it. The cruise director was awesome. He was from Belgium and so funny but so informative. I didn’t know about the wind turbines in the sea. I did see a lot of them just outside Amsterdam. I’ve always wanted to do a Norwegian cruise so I cannot wait for your update. This video is awesome. Thank you!

[@LifeWellCruised]

@@CruisingWithChooChoo I wonder if it was the same CD, Nick? He was fabulous

[@CruisingWithChooChoo]

@@LifeWellCruisedyes it’s Nick!! He’s such an awesome CD and to imagine he used to be a nurse! On gala nights he’s so smartly dressed!!

[@annramoino628]

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!

[@meddyven]

Ilana, thank you for showing more of the Rotterdam's amenities. The more I look at it, the more enticed I am to take my first HAL cruise on it. Looking forward to your entire review, along with the amazing Fjords.

[@LifeWellCruised]

That’s awesome

[@EllHun]

THIS is the cruise I want to take next year! I cannot wait to see your next installments on this amazing vacation!

[@rebeccalyons1327]

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.

[@LifeWellCruised]

Great to know. We downloaded the app now too

[@therahughes1018]

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

[@BostonHeather]

Thanks for the preview. Cannot wait to go as my grandparents were from there and I’ve never been

[@LifeWellCruised]

Wow!! I think you’ll love it

[@m.m.4645]

We did that last September, took the train to Amsterdam. Had a great time with our daughter in Norway on the HAL Rotterdam.

[@joanevans3872]

Did you see the fabulous architecture in Rotterdam... it was stunning ... so different to anywhere ..I loved Rotterdam

[@LifeWellCruised]

@@joanevans3872 we did a little, but it rained so it made it a bit harder. I’d love to go back

[@Retiredtraveler1961]

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.😊

[@maryteschendorf7392]

Looking forward to your full review. We are thinking of taking this cruise next May.

[@HughSteckel]

My wife and I are contemplating the HAL Rotterdam to Reykjavik cruise next summer. You answered many questions about flying into Amsterdam.

[@ricknolte6846]

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.

[@mb34928]

I'm glad to see this video. Next summer we are scheduled for the 14-day Fjords cruise on the Rotterdam. We look forward to your in-depth review.

[@LifeWellCruised]

@@mb34928 fabulous!! Coming soon

[@SEK-COJO_inmyheart]

Wow! Hadn't considered Norway before, but I will add it to the list. Thx for sharing. Looking forward to the full video

[@LifeWellCruised]

@@SEK-COJO_inmyheart thanks for watching 😊

[@borg1964]

So nice of you to show some highlights of Amsterdam and Rotterdam. This Dutchie really appreciates it😊My first cruise last year was to Norway and I’m looking forward to your full review.

[@LifeWellCruised]

You have a beautiful & interesting country!!! Thanks for your hospitality

[@Tony_Z__]

Looks great, can't wait to see the full vid!

[@EverestTravels]

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!

[@debbiekalbrunner7752]

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.

[@NLMusique]

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.

[@johnflack4241]

Found your visit to the fifth Rotterdam, which is now a hotel very interesting. My wife and I did a cruise on that ship when she was the Premier Rembrandt. Sadly, she was not in the best shape, and Premier was soon out of business. Glad to see that she has a new life. I took a tour of the art on the ship and really enjoyed it.

[@CruisingEngineer]

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.

[@LifeWellCruised]

Good idea about footwear

[@arlenebaker2416]

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!

[@LifeWellCruised]

Sounds amazing! We loved Barcelona btw, I should make a video on this city 😂

[@JohnFleming-b6g]

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.

[@LifeWellCruised]

Thanks for sharing this!! Great insights

[@DavidDyson-j2z]

Had several cruises in Norway all the way up to Svalbard. Loved it. We've done NCL and Princess.

[@LifeWellCruised]

Sounds fantastic!

[@laurablankenship3567]

I cruised on Rotterdam to Norway this time last year and absolutely loved it! Cruising on Koningsdam in November! Enjoy the rest of your cruise.

[@rickinnes]

Informative review and looking forward to your full review.

[@LifeWellCruised]

Thanks for watching 😊

[@curlintrenchfield13]

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😊

[@LifeWellCruised]

lol, the weather is so unpredictable

[@laurenschenck5355]

Glad you are having a good time in the cruise llana and can’t wait for review video on holland America 🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🌞🛳️🛳️🛳️🛳️🛳️🛳️🛳️🛳️🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌊🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺🌺

[@susanswift3019]

We went to Oslo, Norway on our Baltic cruise with Celebrity last May and layers are great for clothing and it was a beautiful town. We also saw the wind turbines in The Baltic waters and found them interesting.

[@harborspringsgirl]

Ilana, it looks amazing! Vistas, the ship, and the food looked really great, too! I hope you’re having a wonderful time and I can’t wait to hear about it when you get back! - Mary

[@LifeWellCruised]

Thank you Mary!!!

[@allanfield2219]

We're booked on our third Norway cruise for the summer solstice next June. It will be our first cruise sailing out of Rotterdam. We found this video very informative and helpful. Looking forward to seeing your recap!

[@maryg4551]

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!

[@gennesamann4323]

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!

[@LifeWellCruised]

Yum!! 😋

[@Desjardins50]

I cruised on the Rotterdam V and I really want to stay on it overnight. I still think it was my favourite ship in all my cruising years.

[@sharontroxell4147]

You were so helpful in preparing us for the cruise we just returned from. What do you know, we were on the same cruise 😱. I am so excited to add your posts to all the amazing memories we now have about our bucket list trip.

[@courtneyread6866]

I’m currently on NCL and can’t wait to get back to HAL- truly the best!!!

[@karinkerby7715]

we leave in 2 weeks for our Norway/Scandi cruise via Princess. Looking forward to all the beauty!

[@silviaeaston]

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!

[@Lovinlife0101]

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.

[@lindasnyder1729]

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?

[@Krypto64]

Glad you’re having fun, we actually prefer the Norwegian fjords to Alaska, but it’s not like we can’t have both!

[@rosshageman951]

Norway is next on my bucket list. For an adult beverage please try some akavit or aquavit. Its the national beverage of Norway

[@LifeWellCruised]

Wow, great to know

[@Mary_305]

Great content ! Thanks for sharing 🥰

[@jt45407]

Looking forward to seeing the next video about the ship and destination. We are brand new to cruises and have booked this ship and a similar trip. You have helped me navigate (pun intended) how to cruise while being respectful and understanding it all. ❤thanks for sharing!

[@lauramullinax6796]

Thanks so much for addressing the weather and packing tips! We are looking forward to our Fjord cruise out of Southampton in August! Love all of your videos! Looking forward to the next vlog!

[@barbcasey2704]

I am going to Norway next year on Celebrity. What I am trying to figure out is what to pack. The scenery is beautiful. I can't wait to go.

[@betruetoyourself8738]

Thank you, Ilana, for sharing your thoughts and I am looking forward to seeing your full Norway video. Great choice filming from your balcony with the beautiful background footage. I have yet to take a first cruise, praying to do so soon, but thinking Norway should be put onto my cruise bucket list.

[@LifeWellCruised]

Absolutely! Such an incredible part of the world (the natural beauty)

[@brianr1801]

Thx for your valuable input. It is/will be useful as we plan next weeks Alaska cruise and our fall Baltic cruise on the Rotterdam. I look forward to seeing your next post.

[@GeoffsYouTube]

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!

[@virnataijeronyager7741]

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!

[@Honest_Mom]

Oh! This is the cruise I’m waiting for! Loved Alaska, and this cruise is definitely on my wishlist ❤

[@ruthhoward5380]

We just did a 21day Atlantic isle, Norway & Scotland cruise. We stayed 3 nights in the Hotel New York. It is located just a couple blocks from cruise port. It was very nice and conveniently located. Restaurant was awful. Very expensive and very poor quality. 😝 But we loved Rotterdam. Did a wonderful tour there. Kinderdijk photography tour with Marcus @ Yo Tours. It was amazing. We also got to see Stonehenge, Paris, Dover Cliffs…. My favorite was Keukenhof Tulip Festival. It was BEAUTIFUL! We went in April/May. We also wore layers but mostly the weather was perfect. Was on HAL Rotterdam- did the Atlantic crossing. Amazing experience!

[@janetkruth3813]

If you want to stay in Rotterdam instead of Amsterdam when you fly in, there's a train station right in/under the Amsterdam airport.

[@lisadiver5253]

I am going on this ship in March 2025. We are doing a 12 day Panama cruise and I can’t wait to hear more about your experiences on the ship!

[@gregmalloy9425]

Just got off Sky Princess on Saturday loved Norway

[@GorillaSoundz]

Love your content. I've never been on a cruise (YET)

[@philipdouglas5911]

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.

[@cherieroberts3502]

We will be cruising to Norway in September on the SS Dawn. I know it will be cold, but we ant to see the northern lights. Looking forward to the video.

[@katherinegan9196]

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!

[@yael4216]

It was nice meeting you on the ship Ilana! As always, great video! I am looking forward to the next :) Greetings, Yael

[@LifeWellCruised]

So nice to meet you as well Yael. I’m just looking through comments as I’m filming & preparing our review video out by this weekend. Hope you enjoyed!

[@DsnyLuv]

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

[@DsnyLuv]

We are doing NCL from NYC to Greenland and Iceland in August with stops in Nova Scotia and st John, and Pierre & Miquelon

[@trishwebb4024]

We’re looking forward to our 13-night, (9 Norwegian ports) Arctic Circle cruise next week out of Amsterdam on RCCL’s Jewel of the Seas. We’re packing now so your tips about what to pack for the weather were helpful!

[@JoanneMontini]

We did this cruise May 30 to June 11, just back a couple of weeks ago. Ship is old but clean. Don’t miss train excursion in Flåm, also Lysefjord Cruise in Stavanger stops for waffles, a Norwegian favorite food, really enjoyable. Each port is totally different from the others. We had rain for at least part of every day, so dress accordingly in layers. Arctic Circle was actually more moderate due to Gulf Stream. Enjoy!

[@trishwebb4024]

Thanks for your advice! We did book the Flam train…can’t wait!

[@runltdan]

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!

[@_echobravo]

Very informative! We were actually booked on that exact cruise, but HAL changed the itinerary to your current one and 3 of the 4 ports which I wanted were gone. Now booked on Cunard Queen Anne Norway cruise for next year!