Day seven aboard Holland America’s Rotterdam and we’re inching closer to the highlight of this cruise: our partial transit of the Panama Canal tomorrow. But before we get to Panama, today brought us to Cartagena, Colombia, where Rotterdam docked right at 7:00 a.m.
Plenty of guests were up bright and early today heading out for shore excursions or to explore the city. Why the early rush? Because we had a very short port call. All aboard today was 1:30 p.m., which doesn’t leave a whole lot of time to explore.
That’s a pretty tight turnaround for a port stop, especially if you’re not one of those people who enjoys getting up at 5:00 a.m. while on vacation. I’m guessing the shortened visit likely had something to do with our scheduled Panama Canal transit tomorrow, where ships are assigned specific time slots, so our departure schedule here had to work around that.
When we arrived this morning, Rotterdam wasn’t alone. Joining us in port was a very familiar ship: Brilliant Lady, which I sailed on just a few months ago for her MerMaiden voyage from Miami.
Virgin Voyages Brilliant Lady Cruise Review – Day 1: October 17, 2025
Also in port today was a much smaller vessel, Hebridean Sky, operated by the UK cruise company Noble Caledonia.
And just to avoid any confusion for anyone doing a search later on, yes, there are two Cartagenas that cruise ships visit. One is in Spain and one is here in South America. Today’s report is about Cartagena, not the one in Spain.
Cartagena Cruise Port Facilities
The cruise port here is actually part of a working commercial port, which means the first thing you notice when stepping off the ship is a shipyard filled with cargo cranes, shipping containers, and freighters.
But once you walk a little further into the cruise passenger area, things get much more interesting.
The cruise port features a space known as Port Oasis, which is designed specifically for cruise visitors. It’s a nicely landscaped area where you can grab Colombian coffee, a quick snack, or a drink, and there’s also a small souvenir shop.
But honestly, the shopping isn’t the main attraction here.
The real highlight is the wildlife.
Yes, wildlife.
A Mini Wildlife Park in the Port
The cruise port has a surprisingly nice animal and bird area, almost like a small zoo, and it’s something that tends to surprise first-time visitors.
There’s an aviary filled with native birds, including toucans, macaws, parrots, and peacocks. If you look closely you might even spot some of the white peacocks, which are pretty cool to see walking around.
There’s also a small flamingo garden, along with a few other animals scattered throughout the area including anteaters and tortoises.
And if you look up high into the trees, you might even spot monkeys or a sloth hanging out in the branches above you.
The best part? It’s all completely free to walk through.
Well… almost all of it.
Skip the “Emerald Mine”
There is one small tourist trap tucked into the area called the “emerald mine.”
It’s basically a short walk-through display meant to simulate a mine, complete with fake emeralds backlit by light bulbs. They ask for a “donation” of at least one dollar to walk through it.
Save your dollar.
It takes about one minute to walk through, and there’s really not much to see. It’s more of a novelty than anything resembling an actual attraction.
If you don’t have an excursion planned in Cartagena, the Port Oasis area is actually a really nice place to spend a little time before heading back to the ship.
Between the birds, animals, gardens, and shaded walking paths, you can easily spend 45 minutes to an hour wandering around.
The animals also tend to get very loud at times, especially the birds, which honestly just adds to the fun.
And the best part is that you can enjoy most of it without spending a single penny.
Exploring Cartagena’s Walled City
Now, if you’re one of those people who actually enjoys getting up early on vacation, Cartagena has its share of shore excursions. The most popular ones almost all center around visiting the historic old city, which sits about two miles from the cruise port.
But before you head out there, let me give you a brutally honest heads-up.
If you’ve ever been to Jamaica, you probably know it has a reputation for having some of the most aggressive vendors in the Caribbean.
Well… take that experience and turn it up about two notches and you’ll have a pretty good idea of what it’s like here.
From the moment you leave the secure port area, the taxi drivers and tour operators are relentless. And I mean relentless. They will follow you, they will keep asking, and they will try very, very hard to convince you to take a tour with them.
If you’re planning to walk around on your own, be prepared to be very assertive.
But let’s talk about walking for a second.
This is Colombia. It’s hot, humid, and the old city is roughly two miles away. That’s two miles one way. Combine that with the fact that some of the areas around the port are a little sketchy and you may want to reconsider hoofing it.
My advice? Take a cab or book a cruise line excursion.
Also worth noting: there’s no Uber or Lyft here.
Running the Taxi and Tour Guide Gauntlet
After saying “no thank you” more times than I could count, I decided to try walking to the old city, as the weather wasn’t that hot and I wanted to get some steps in.
But once I got into one of those questionable neighborhoods I mentioned earlier, I started to question my own sanity. In fact, I messaged a friend and told him I turned on location sharing with him… “just in case.”
So I did what any reasonable person would do.
I turned around and backtracked.
Instead of grabbing one of the aggressive taxi drivers, I found an independent guy with his own car offering tours. I struck up a conversation with him and explained exactly what I wanted.
No tour.
No stops at his cousin’s souvenir shop.
No “special jewelry store deals.”
I just wanted to be taken to the old city, have someone walk around with me and keep the street vendors away while I just wandered and explored on my own.
He agreed, and off we went.
The drive itself only took about 15 minutes, but it was one of the more stressful passenger experiences I’ve had in a while.
Traffic here is absolutely insane.
There are barely any defined lanes, motorcycles are weaving in and out of traffic, and drivers seem to operate under their own set of unwritten rules.
During the ride we started chatting and it turns out my vendor-keep-away-guy was actually originally from the Bronx before moving to Panama about 20 years ago.
Small world.
Eventually we made it to Cartagena’s Walled City, and off I went exploring.
The Walled City of Cartagena
The Walled City of Cartagena dates back to the 1500s, when the Spanish built massive defensive walls to protect the port from those pesky pirates. The walls themselves were constructed from coral stone blocks, quarried locally and stacked into thick fortifications that still surround much of the historic district today.
Along sections of the wall you’ll still see old cannon placements facing the Caribbean. Many of the cannons you see today are reproductions, but they give you a good idea of how heavily defended the city once was.
Once inside the walls, the atmosphere changes completely.
Instead of cargo cranes and container ships, you’re surrounded by narrow cobblestone streets, bright colonial buildings, flower-covered balconies, and shaded plazas filled with cafés and restaurants.
We wandered through several of the main squares, including Plaza de los Coches, one of the main entrances to the city. From there we made our way deeper into the old town, passing by outdoor cafés that were already filling up with visitors escaping the heat.
The plazas throughout the old city are surrounded by restaurants with outdoor seating, making them perfect places to sit down with a drink and watch the world go by.
One thing that made me laugh a little was seeing a Starbucks tucked into one of the old colonial buildings. Cartagena is located in a country that produces some of the best coffee in the world, and many locals aren’t exactly thrilled about a global coffee chain setting up shop there.
But despite the local grumbling about it, the place was absolutely packed with cruise ship tourists.
Go figure.
Umbrella Street and the Cathedral
We also walked down one of the city’s most photographed spots, commonly known as Umbrella Street, where colorful umbrellas are suspended overhead between the buildings creating a canopy of shade and color. It’s a fun little stretch of street that’s become a favorite Instagram backdrop.
Not far from there sits the Cartagena Cathedral, officially known as the Cathedral of Saint Catherine of Alexandria. The cathedral dates back to the late 1500s and its large dome and yellow tower rise above the surrounding buildings, making it one of the most recognizable landmarks in the city.
The area around the cathedral is one of the liveliest parts of the old city, with cafés, street performers, and vendors filling the surrounding streets and squares.
Now remember what I said earlier about aggressive vendors?
They are everywhere in the old city.
People selling hats, books, water, beer, sunglasses, bracelets, fake Cuban cigars, you name it. If it can be sold to a tourist, someone is walking around trying to sell it.
Even the organized cruise tour groups were constantly getting approached.
This is where my guide/bodyguard strategy paid off.
Whenever someone approached us trying to sell something, he would immediately step in and politely wave them off before they could even start their pitch. It made the entire experience far more enjoyable because instead of constantly saying “no thank you” every 30 seconds, I was able to actually enjoy exploring the area.
After about two hours wandering around the old city, I asked him to take me back to the ship around 12:15 p.m.
With our 1:30 p.m. all-aboard time, that gave me a bit of a buffer to get back to the port without stressing.
A Quick Bite at Dive-In
After getting back onboard and cooling off a bit, it was time to grab something quick to eat. Instead of heading to one of the restaurants, I stopped by Dive-In, which is Holland America’s poolside burger and hot dog spot located up on the Lido Deck.
If you’ve sailed with Holland America before, you’ve probably seen Dive-In. It’s found on every ship in the fleet and serves up a simple menu of burgers, hot dogs, fries, and one chicken sandwich. It’s designed to be a quick, casual poolside bite rather than a full sit-down meal. At lunch time, this place gets very busy! But fret not burger friends, they give you a pager when you place your order so you’re not standing around waiting. Just place your order, grab a nearby table, and wait for it to vibrate.
Holland America Dive In Burgers Menu
Dive-In is Holland America’s laid-back poolside grill where burgers, hot dogs, and sandwiches are done right and served up fast. Grab a brioche burger, a Nathan’s hot dog with fries, or a grilled chicken sandwich and enjoy one of the easiest, most satisfying bites on the Lido deck.
Available on: all ships
On Rotterdam, they made the interesting design decision to place Dive-In right next to the gelato stand.
So yes, you can quite literally grab a burger, fries, and gelato all within about ten feet of each other, making it incredibly easy to take in your entire daily allotment of calories in one convenient stop.
See what’s happening here?
Now, every cruise line loves to claim they have the best burger at sea.
Carnival will tell you that the burgers at Guy’s Burger Joint are the greatest thing ever created, even though in my opinion they’re more like greasy bombs designed specifically to clog your arteries.
Over on Margaritaville at Sea, they’ll try to convince you that their buffet-style Cheeseburger in Paradise is the king of cruise ship burgers.
The truth is, the title of “best burger at sea” is completely subjective.
Some people absolutely love the burgers on Carnival ships. Personally, I find them sloppy and kind of disgusting.
So where does Dive-In fall in that debate?
Honestly… it’s mid.
Not the best. Not the worst.
For my quick bite today I ordered the Cannonball, but I asked them to leave off the Dive-In sauce.
The burger normally comes topped with Gouda cheese, applewood smoked bacon, sweet caramelized onions, chopped lettuce salad, and sliced tomato, all served on a toasted brioche bun.
Overall it wasn’t bad.
The bun was actually the standout. It was fresh baked, soft, and held everything together nicely. The burger itself was pretty much what you’d expect from a mass-produced cruise ship patty, nothing special but perfectly edible.
The fries were your typical Lamb Weston coated fries, which you’ll see all over the cruise industry. They’re fine, but again, nothing particularly exciting.
When you’re looking for a quick poolside bite in the afternoon, Dive-In definitely fits the bill.
That said, I’ll let you in on a little secret.
The Nathan’s hot dogs here are actually better than the burgers.
Take that for what it’s worth.
And yes, I’ll probably be grabbing one of those later in the cruise.
Dinner at Canaletto
For dinner tonight I headed back to Canaletto, which as I mentioned back in the Day 4 report, I consider to be one of the best values for specialty dining on Holland America.
For $25 per person, you get generous portions, solid Italian food, and in my experience consistently good service, which makes it an easy recommendation if you’re looking to mix things up from the main dining room.
Now if you’re wandering around the ship looking for Canaletto like it’s a standalone restaurant like Pinnacle Grill or Tamarind, you’re not going to find it. On Holland America ships it’s actually located in a small section of the Lido Market that gets closed off in the evening and transformed into the restaurant space. The decor is a bit more upscale than the surrounding buffet area, but you’re still technically sitting inside the Lido.
But first… a look at what’s being served in the main dining room, and Lido Market tonight.
Holland America Lido Market Dinner Menu Night 7
Menu from Rotterdam, March 2026
Available on: all ships
Holland America Main Dining Room Dinner Menu Night 7
Menu from Rotterdam, March 2026
Available on: all ships
The menu features a mix of Italian small plates, house-made pastas, and entrées, with items like burrata, shrimp, meatballs, herb-crusted chicken, and several pasta options made fresh daily.
Holland America Canaletto Dinner Menu
Canaletto keeps things simple in the best Italian way, with handmade pasta prepared fresh each day and a menu built around rich, comforting flavors. It’s a warm, relaxed spot where sharing good food and lingering a little longer at the table just feels natural.
Available on: Eurodam, Koningsdam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Nieuw Statendam, Noordam, Oosterdam, Rotterdam, Volendam, Westerdam, Zaandam, Zuiderdam
To start things off I went with the burrata and tomato salad, which is always a winner here, followed by an order of the veal and sage meatballs in a rustic tomato sauce. Both were excellent and made for a solid opening act.
For the main course I ordered the herb-crusted chicken breast, which is served with roasted potatoes and vegetables. I also added a side of pasta to turn it into my own little version of a chicken parmesan dinner.
Once again the food was excellent, the service was relaxed but attentive, and my usual crew of Jimmy as my waiter and Jenny as the host were fantastic as always.
After dinner I made the obligatory stop at the casino, where I proceeded to do what I usually do there.
Lose.
But what else is new?
Tomorrow: The Panama Canal
In just a few hours we’ll be arriving at the entrance to the Panama Canal to begin our partial transit, which is really the highlight of this entire cruise.
The preliminary schedule has us taking on the canal pilot around 5:30 a.m., passing under the massive Atlantic Bridge around 6:00 a.m., and entering the Agua Clara Locks at approximately 7:00 a.m.
Of course, that schedule is always subject to change depending on ship traffic in the canal.
Since Rotterdam is a Pinnacle-class ship, she’ll be transiting through the new, larger locks, as she’s too wide to fit through the original ones built in 1914.
As is tradition on Panama Canal sailings, Holland America will also open the bow of the ship to guests, an area normally reserved for crew only, starting around 6:00 a.m. for prime viewing as we approach the locks.
The ship’s travel guide will also be doing a live presentation from the Crow’s Nest throughout the morning, explaining the canal’s history and operations. That commentary will be broadcast throughout the open decks and on the stateroom TV channels so everyone can follow along.
If you’re planning to watch from the bow, be prepared to get there very early. The space fills up quickly and people start lining up as early as 4:30 a.m. to claim a spot.
Crew members will also be out there with coffee, juice, and other beverages to keep everyone hydrated during the early morning transit.
So tomorrow we finally reach the moment many people booked this cruise for in the first place.
More on that in the Day 8 report, and as always… thanks for following along.
Daily Schedule
| Time | Event | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 2:00 AM | Ship’s Clocks Set 1 Hour Back | Shipwide |
| 7:00 AM | Ask Your Travel Guide Holly | Pier Ashore |
| 8:00 AM | Tai Chi for Everyone | Lido Poolside (Deck 9) |
| 9:00 AM | Soccer Goal Scoring Competition | Sport Court (Deck 11) |
| 9:30 AM | Origami Folding: Fortune Teller | Game Room (Deck 12) |
| 10:00 AM | Party Bridge Play until 12:00 PM | Hudson Room (Deck 1) |
| 10:00 AM | Meet for a Game of Mahjong until 3:00 PM | Half Moon Room (Deck 1) |
| 10:00 AM | Lightning Trivia | B.B. King’s Blues Club (Deck 2) |
| 10:00 AM | Complimentary Footprint Analysis | Fitness Center (Deck 9) |
| 10:30 AM | Marbella Mimosa Mornings with EFFY | EFFY Jewelry (Deck 2) |
| 10:30 AM | Non-Surgical Face Lift | Greenhouse Spa (Deck 9) |
| 11:00 AM | Pickleball Tournament | Sport Court (Deck 11) |
| 11:00 AM | Over $1400 Jackpot Bingo – Ticket Sales | Rolling Stone Lounge (Deck 2) |
| 11:00 AM | Stronger & Fitter After 50 | Fitness Center (Deck 9) |
| 11:30 AM | Colon & Puerto Limon Q&A | B.B. King’s Blues Club (Deck 2) |
| 12:00 PM | Modern Calligraphy | Game Room (Deck 12) |
| 12:00 PM | Inside the Panama Canal | World Stage (Decks 2 & 3) |
| 12:30 PM | Last-Minute Beauty Gifts | The Shops (Deck 2) |
| 1:00 PM | Watercoloring: Flower | Game Room (Deck 12) |
| 1:30 PM | Champagne Party | Greenhouse Spa (Deck 9) |
| 2:00 PM | Let’s Play Cornhole | Sport Court (Deck 11) |
| 2:00 PM | Shuffleboard Challenge | Sport Court (Deck 11) |
| 2:30 PM | Guess the Carat Weight of Alexandrite | EFFY Jewelry (Deck 2) |
| 2:30 PM | Friends of Bill W. Meet | Stuyvesant Room (Deck 1) |
| 3:00 PM | Regional Wine Tasting $49 | Dining Room (Deck 2) |
| 3:00 PM | Over $1400 Paradise Lotto Jackpot Drawing | Casino (Deck 3) |
| 3:30 PM | Shabbat Service | Hudson Room (Deck 1) |
| 4:00 PM | Ballroom Dance Hour | B.B. King’s Blues Club (Deck 2) |
| 4:00 PM | Singles & Solo Travelers Meetup | Billboard Onboard (Deck 2) |
| 4:00 PM | Ask Your Travel Guide Holly until 6:00 PM | Crow’s Nest (Deck 12) |
| 4:00 PM | Origami Folding: Heart | Game Room (Deck 12) |
| 4:00 PM | Have Your Casual Portrait Taken | Atrium (Deck 2) |
| 4:30 PM | Body Sculpt Boot Camp $20 | Fitness Center (Deck 9) |
| 5:00 PM | Evening Catholic Prayer | Hudson Room (Deck 1) |
| 5:00 PM | A Pickup Game of Pickleball | Sport Court (Deck 11) |
| 5:00 PM | Thomas Kinkade Exhibition and Sale | Art Gallery (Deck 1) |
| 5:00 PM | Collect Energy in Shopping Coupons | Atrium (Deck 2) |
| 6:00 PM | PRIDE Meetup | Rolling Stone Lounge (Deck 2) |
| 6:30 PM | Singles & Solo Travelers Meetup | Billboard Onboard (Deck 2) |
| 7:00 PM | Music Trivia: Through the Decades | B.B. King’s Blues Club (Deck 2) |
| 7:45 PM | Game Show: Cell City Bluff | B.B. King’s Blues Club (Deck 2) |
| 8:00 PM | Movies by the Pool: Freakier Friday | Lido Poolside (Deck 9) |
| 8:00 PM | Heat Wave Hot Seats | Casino (Deck 3) |
| 9:00 PM | On World Stage: Vocalist Drew Pournelle | World Stage (Decks 2 & 3) |
| 11:00 PM | $614,000 Paradise Lotto Jackpot Drawing | Casino (Deck 3) |