Live from Rotterdam - Northern Transatlantic, Oct 12 - 27, 2025

[Lady Arwen]

Thank you so much for your in depth reporting.  As I had previously mentioned, we will be sailing on Rotterdam TA in October 2025 and you’ve really got us excited!  
 

Everyday I look forward to reading all about your adventures.  Thanks again for bringing it all to life.  Your pictures are fabulous, by the way!

[81Zoomie]

Somehow with the time difference I missed the notice about CC website maintenance.  Have been locked out until now!

 

 

Pics from yesterday….

 

British Navy Supply ship

 

The Tank Museum!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

MSC Virtuosa

 

Thatched roof home

 

The local band on the pier

 

 

Our military send off salute!

 

 

Cocktails in Rolling Stones Lounge.  Hubby was disappointed his Stoli Mule did not come in a brass cup.

 

 

Dinner - Asparagus appetizer, prime rib and eggplant cannoli ❤️❤️, Opera cake

 

 

 

 

 

We did go to the DJ production show with the singers and dancers.  It was OK, nothing special.  But, that’s my opinion, YMMV.

 

Just got back to the ship.  We have been touring all afternoon and have an early Pinnacle dinner this evening.  Sounds like the weather tomorrow (1st of 6 sea days) will be conducive to indoor only activities with a bit of rocking and rolling.  The Captain just told us we will be zipping south at 21 knots tonight in 4-5 meter seas.  That is to avoid the 6-7 meter seas to the north.  Looking at 20 kt winds, rain, and 60 deg tomorrow.  It appears I will have ample time to catch up on today’s activities 😀🌧️💨🌊.

 

 

[shipshape sam]

Looking forward to lots of pictures of the ship.  Hope you had some great music in RS  The live music most nights is what I am looking forward to  on our upcoming February  sailing.

 

 

[BigTeee]

I liked Rotterdam HAL.  Next time, I want the exact same stateroom. I hope that I can get it.

[hankandteri]

Even though we’re on the same cruise, I’m really enjoying hearing your perspective. It was an absolute pleasure meeting you both at today’s meet and greet. 

[81Zoomie]

Day 5 - Brest, France 🇫🇷

 

We lost an hour of sleep last night as  the clocks 🕰️ moved forward one hour.
 

Parted the curtains this morning to find fog, dense fog.  That would explain the ship’s horn sounding all night.  How foggy you ask, my best estimate would be a ceiling of less than 50 feet and obscured, visibility of 1/4 mile at times.  The industrial port cranes were barely visible as the fog rolled in and out.  Dreary puts it best.  Our goretex shoes and rain jackets 🧥 have come in handy again.  I have a small travel umbrella ☂️, but I would leave it home next time because we have not used it.

 

 

 

We had a quick breakfast in Club 🍊.  It is nice that HAL leaves a small pot a of coffee at your table for quick refills!  Fruit plate and my favorite 🤩 banana oatmeal French toast!  Sugar free syrup is available upon request.

 

 

p

 

 

 

The ship docked at 10 am.  Our ships tour was meeting at 12:30.  This morning I was feeling energetic, so I went up to the gym 🏃‍♀️🏋️‍♀️.  I wanted that box checked before we left the ship for the afternoon.  It was blissfully empty!

 

After a quick lunch we met our group for the Maritime and Military history tour.  Yes, there is a theme to our interests.  We boarded the bus in the rain ☔️.  Off to a large monument, and then onto the castle and maritime facility.

Note: the description of this tour in the HAL literature did not adequately describe the many, many high stairs/steps, extremely uneven walks, and due to the rain, slippery surfaces.  It could be very difficult for the mobility challenged.

 

Brest is not the most romantic or picturesque town we have seen in Europe.  It was over 85% destroyed in WWII.  Brest was a German stronghold with a stubborn commander who refused to surrender.  This resulted in additional aerial bombardment 💣 and house to house urban warfare.  The monument of US and French WWI naval cooperation, paid for by the US, was destroyed during WWII.  The allies were using it to align their bombing runs, so the Germans eliminated it.  The tower was rebuilt after the war.  Parts of the castle are nearly 2000 years old and built on old Roman walls.  It mostly survived and it is much larger than it looks.  Sections of it are still used by the French navy today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Back on the bus, we drove about 20 minutes to the other side of the harbor.  There we saw a famous Cavalry of Plougastel-Daoulas. It too had major war damage and was restored.   There are still fragment marks on the base.  The guide was quite thorough with her description of the statues. 

 

 

We returned to the ship and relaxed before dinner at Pinnacle Grill.  We always look forward to this evening!  Wine, of course 🍷🍷!  After all, we are on vacation!  Then, crab cakes, lobster bisque, tenderloin with lobster dumplings, filet mignon, and baked Alaska!  All were quite tasty 😋❤️😋❤️.  As you can see, pics loaded in reverse order…again…

 

 

 

 

 

m

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The 7:30 pm Comedian show was packed so we wandered into The Rolling Stones lounge to get our rock on!  The band was very good and we enjoyed tapping our feet, clapping, and swaying to the tunes of the 80s!  
 

 

We had great timing, when their set was over we went to the 9pm show in the theater. The comedian was very funny and it was a nice end to our day.

 

Before turning in, we spaced our hangers in anticipation of the rough seas.  We also set our clocks back an hour 🔙 🕰️.

 

 

 

Edited October 17 by 81Zoomie

[81Zoomie]

Day 6 - At Sea (1]

 

Good morning from the middle of the deep blue sea 🌊.  Actually since we sailed south, we are only a couple hundred miles off the coast of Spain 🇪🇸!  And, we were surprised that it was NOT cloudy and rainy 😀.  Today is the first time since we boarded that our verandah wasn’t all wet 💦.  Yes, 🎶 Here comes the sun…🎶.  We are rocking and rolling a bit, but no where near what the Captain 👨‍✈️ mforecast last evening!

 

 

That extra hour of sleep was wonderful!  Time to eat, cause that’s what you do at sea… Sleep 💤 till you are hungry, and eat 🍴 till you are tired 🤣🤣🤣.  Club 🍊 for breakfast because we have nothing but time today!  Avocado toast with scrambled eggs 🥑🥚.  Not the fanciest plating, but it tasted good 👍!

 

 

We had our Cruise Critic/Facebook M&G this morning.  The hotel staff was present to welcome us.  Coffee/tea/cookies were provided.  It was very enjoyable to meet the folks on the roll call we have been chatting with for months 😀.

 

 

The Captain 👨‍✈️ made his noon update.  We are still sailing south to accommodate a smooth ride.  Currently have about 3 meter seas.  However, the sea state will increase this evening to ~ 6-7 meters, winds 25 knots 🌊🌊.  The show schedule in the theater tonight is being adjusted because of the weather/pitching.  Since we are already pitching ⬆️⬇️ a bit, hopefully the worst will occur overnight!  Then the rougher weather should be well north and we will make a turn toward Bermuda 🇧🇲 and calmer seas.  At least it’s sunny 🌞!  The bumps provide a good excuse to eat 🥖🥨🥐.  Green apples and ginger are good too!  And, there is always Bonine (less drowsy), Dramamine, and the patch if you wish for added insurance from 🥴🤢😵‍💫.

 

 

 

Club 🍊 is not open for lunch, even on sea days.  Bonus to Celebrity with Luminae.  So up top  to the Lido we go.  It was a light lunch, but we left room for dessert!  I thought I was seeing things… DH grabbed 2 smoked salmon cubes to go with his apple pie 😂.  I stayed a bit more traditional with the flavor of the day, rum raisin 🍨.

 

 

 

Today’s theme is bars!  There is one around every corner, well, almost!  These are indoor bars and do not include the aft Seaview bar, 2 pool bars, Grand Dutch Cafe, or the Lido bar.  There is ample seating in all bar areas. When Happy Hour is taking place it is in Billboard Onboard & Rolling Stone bars from 4-5pm.  We have not attended, so I don’t know what the special 💲 offer is.  Maybe someone who has attended can chime in.  The only pre dinner live music is at 4:30 and 5:30 in the Ocean Bar 😢.  Unless you are on an early schedule, you will miss the cocktail hour music.  The rest of the music doesn’t start up again until 7:15.  This is an area HAL could improve upon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

It’s time for me to get a little exercise before the seas increase and we are bobbing 🏄‍♀️ and weaving 〰️➿〰️ even more!  Be back 🔜.

[shipshape sam]

19 hours ago, BigTeee said:

I liked Rotterdam HAL.  Next time, I want the exact same stateroom. I hope that I can get it.

Duplicate post...sorry

Edited October 17 by shipshape sam

[shipshape sam]

19 hours ago, BigTeee said:

I liked Rotterdam HAL.  Next time, I want the exact same stateroom. I hope that I can get it.

 

19 hours ago, BigTeee said:

I liked Rotterdam HAL.  Next time, I want the exact same stateroom. I hope that I can get it.

Good luck.  Book early!  

[shipshape sam]

8 minutes ago, shipshape sam said:

 

Good luck.  Book early!  

 

[shipshape sam]

Thanks for posting lots of pictures.

 

 Getting to relive great times on our March 2023 sailing and  look forward to our February 2025 sailing.  

 

If you like corn beef, the New York deli is very good.  I did not find it till our 4th day onboard in 2023.  

[2inSETexas]

11 hours ago, 81Zoomie said:

banana oatmeal French toast!

I love that! It’s my new favorite for HAL breakfast 😋

[JimDee363636]

@81Zoomie

I love your "live from" blog. You're an uncommonly good writer---insightful, interesting, and humorous. And your pictures are great, too. I couldn't ask for anything more!

 

Jim

[81Zoomie]

Day 6 - Continued….

 

Workout complete ✅.  Now I feel better about the ice cream 🍨 after lunch!  
 

It was a lazy afternoon.  We hung in the cabin as most of the cozy nooks and the pool area were populated.  There are no afternoon lectures, just the usual daily events.  You can get your feet analyzed 👣, get a sales pitch on diamonds and gemstones 💎, play the slots 🎰, or shop 🛍️ till you drop.  Or, trivia, bingo, and/or tea time.  We just read and watched the world 🌎 float by.

 

We eventually cleaned up and decided on a cocktail location.  Up top to the Panorama Bar.  It’s brighter up there, has piped in music, and a view.  BTW, the made to order pizza from the NY Deli looked delicious 🍕!!!  BONUS to HAL over Celebrity!

 

 

For those that prefer alcohol free, these were the offer3 selections:

 

 

After enjoying our beverage and chatting with the folks at the bar, we wet down to Club 🍊 for dinner.  This is the first time it wasn’t crowded in the evening.  I wanted to go light on the food this evening and ordered 3 appetizers Beets, Cesar salad, French Onion soup). DH had the salmon bowl.  Since Decoy is not available, we had a glass of Oberon tonight.  Dessert was the chocolate cake, ice cream, and the banana crisp.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

One note about the red wine situation.  Actually, an inconsistency.  The first 2 nights we ordered Decoy Cab and was told it was not available and we were offered Beringer’s Knights Valley as a replacement with no charge.  The second 2 nights we were charged the difference.  Last night we paid an extra $1.18 a glass upcharge for the Oberon.  We could not find a Cabernet within the premium price bracket, but will continue to investigate.

 

Following dinner it was show time 🎤🎶🎤.  The singer was talented, but the music was a bit before our time.  We didn’t make it through the entire performance.

 

It was a long lazy day and now time for sleep.  Fortunately, the sea state seems to have calmed a bit.  BONUS - We get to set the clocks back again!!!

[81Zoomie]

Day 7 - At Sea (2)

 

Well, this is a bit of Deja vu because the content editor ✍️ ate my morning draft.….

 

We slept in and lounged bed 🛌.  Lazy sea day.  I stepped outside to grab a pic.  Getting the door open in the wind (35 mph) was a bit of a challenge.  It’s a gray overcast, we are rocking and rolling, and PITCHING, but it is a bit warmer @ 68 deg. Today is the first day I have worn a short sleeve shirt 👚!!!
 

 

We decided on light food intake today since we will be back in the Pinnacle Grill tonight.  Breakfast consisted of a run through the Lido for lots of fruit 🍌 and a pastry. 🥐  We weren’t the only ones on a later schedule.  It was quite busy up there.  We did a walk thru of the enclosed pool area.  As you might predict, it was quite busy up there as well with virtually no available seating.  However, there were plenty of tables and chairs available out back at the Sea View pool area 💨🌬️💨🌬️.

 

Time for a little commentary about COFFEE.  I dont know what brand HAL is serving, but IMHO, it tastes better than the Lavazza 😝 on Celebrity.  I wish HAL would have paper cups with lids in the Lido, especially in the morning.  It’s very difficult to navigate the swaying wave action, groups of people, and plate of food while trying not to spill your coffee.  The only paper cups with lids I have seen are to go in Explorers lounge.  All drinks on the pool deck are served in plastic cups 🍷🍹🍸, but coffee/tea gets a pass in regular ceramic cups ☕️.    So HAL, please help us out with a safer cup, especially in higher sea states!  HINT - Bring your own travel coffee mug with lid if you wish to transport a hot beverage on your HAL cruise.

Sugar free sweetners for those interested.  Not all packets are available at all beverage stations.

 

 

DH has just ran 🏃 off to the gym.  It must be pretty exciting up on deck 9 forward at the moment.  Think ⬆️➡️⬇️🔀⬅️⤵️.  It’s a good day to exercise on something that is bolted down with had rails like a bike or elliptical.  Our vestibular/balance 👂 systems are getting a good workout today.

 

The Captain 👨‍✈️ made his noon announcement.  We are 500+ miles west of Portugal 🇵🇹 with 12 foot seas 🌊🌊🌊 and 40 mph winds. The seas should ⬆️ increase ⬆️ to 18 feet as the day goes on.  Something to look forward to 🤣🤣🤣.  So much for the calmer day he told us about yesterday 😂.  Pickleball is on the schedule, but I am skeptical that is even possible given the conditions. 🥒🎾🏓.   
 

 

The exterior Promenades are closed.

 

 

Hygiene - AKA Washy, Washy! 💦🧼🫧

The staff has been pretty persistent about having you wash your hands at the sinks when entering the Lido.  The cruise director has addressed it in his announcements.  We asked one attendant if he was tired of asking people to wash their hands.  He responded, “I work 16 hours a day.  If you get sick I have to work longer hours cleaning all the surfaces.”  We have seen many people ignore the requests to wash.  Our actions have consequences for others.  Noro was present on our cruise in the Med two weeks ago, and it was not pleasant for many passengers.  There are people coughing 🤧 and sniffling on this sailing. We have many days to go and keeping the ship healthy 🏥 is a group effort!  So please, wash your hands and sneeze and cough into your elbows 😷.

 

[VMax1700]

14 minutes ago, 81Zoomie said:

I dont know what brand HAL is serving,

It's a Dutch brand called Beukenhorst

https://www.beukenhorst.nl/

 

You can purchase coffee and souvenir cups at Grand Dutch Cafe on deck 3.

 

Disagree about the paper cups though......only causes more litter and waste! And those plastic tops on a breezy day at sea 😱

 

Enjoying your Live from.....thanks!

[81Zoomie]

29 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

It's a Dutch brand called Beukenhorst

https://www.beukenhorst.nl/

 

You can purchase coffee and souvenir cups at Grand Dutch Cafe on deck 3.

 

Disagree about the paper cups though......only causes more litter and waste! And those plastic tops on a breezy day at sea 😱

 

Enjoying your Live from.....thanks!

Thanks so much for the brand info!  Yes, I see it’s for sale.  
 

I went to the Grand Dutch Cafe for a quick lunch of their delicious pea 🫛 soup 🍲.  Look what I spotted…. Apparently the gourmet coffee can be acquired in a paper cup with a paper lid in 2 venues on the ship 🛳️.  As with all things, moderation is key.

 

 

 

[VMax1700]

Did you try the bossche bol for 'afters'? 😋

 

 

 

 

[81Zoomie]

Day 7 - continued….

 

The theme of the day is art!  There are so many interesting pieces on display around the ship.  Many are super creative!  HAL has a reputation for being music oriented, and many relate to that theme.  Given the poor weather conditions, an interior tour of the ship’s artwork 🖼️ is an ideal way to pass some time.  Both HAL and Celebrity lose points for giving up space to Park West. YMMV.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[81Zoomie]

19 minutes ago, VMax1700 said:

Did you try the bossche bol for 'afters'? 😋

 

 

 

 

 

I did not have one on this cruise 🚢.  They are quite popular and DH did indulge.  They look delicious 😋 ❤️.  I steered clear because I have a food allergy to a very pervasive and insidious ingredient that is sometimes included in chocolate 🙃.  

Edited Friday at 02:41 PM by 81Zoomie

[Mary229]

14 minutes ago, 81Zoomie said:

Day 7 - continued….

 

The theme of the day is art!  There are so many interesting pieces on display around the ship.  Many are super creative!  HAL has a reputation for being music oriented, and many relate to that theme.  Given the poor weather conditions, an interior tour of the ship’s artwork 🖼️ is an ideal way to pass some time.  Both HAL and Celebrity lose points for giving up space to Park West. YMMV.

 

 

We walked our final stairwell today.  The art on this ship is very intuitively arranged into themes. Aft stair - animals. Mid ship - music.  Forward - architecture.  Maybe all ships are like that but it is the first time it seems so cohesive. 

Edited Friday at 02:47 PM by Mary229

[81Zoomie]

11 hours ago, JimDee363636 said:

@81Zoomie

I love your "live from" blog. You're an uncommonly good writer---insightful, interesting, and humorous. And your pictures are great, too. I couldn't ask for anything more!

 

Jim

@JimDee363636 thanks so much!  You are so kind.  I am a novice at best 😀.  My favorite writers to follow are over on the Celebrity board.  If you really want informative and entertaining reviews follow @Norwaylady and @Jim_Iain. They are masters of telling ship 🛳️ stories 😊

Edited Friday at 02:55 PM by 81Zoomie

[81Zoomie]

7 minutes ago, Mary229 said:

We walked our final stairwell today.  The art on this ship is very intuitively arranged into themes. Aft stair - animals. Mid ship - music.  Forward - architecture.  Maybe all ships are like that but it is the first time it seems so cohesive. 

That’s a great observation 🧐.  We didn’t pick up on that.  Definitely have to check it out!

[VMax1700]

19 minutes ago, 81Zoomie said:

 I steered clear because I have a food allergy to a very pervasive and insidious ingredient that is sometimes included in chocolate

😭

[BigTeee]

The pea soup in the Dutch Cafe was exquisite!