Holland America Rotterdam 12-Day Eastern Caribbean Cruise Review – Day 2: November 17, 2025

Day 2 on Holland America’s Rotterdam brought us to our first port of call: Half Moon Cay, HAL’s private island in the Bahamas. We arrived a little before 10am, and tender operations began shortly afterward.

This visit was a bit unique because we weren’t the only ones there — two HAL ships were anchored off the island today: Koningsdam, the first Pinnacle-class ship which launched in 2016, and her younger sister Rotterdam, delivered in 2021. I honestly can’t remember the last time I was at Half Moon Cay with another ship in port. Koningsdam arrived a few hours before us, so by the time we pulled in, they were already well into their beach day.

Once Rotterdam began tendering, the island’s large tenders were split between both ships, with Koningsdam supplementing with their own lifeboats. Around 12pm, an announcement went out saying that anyone still wanting to go ashore should grab a tender ticket because the larger island tenders would mainly be used for Koningsdam, as their all-aboard time was 2:30pm, while ours was 5pm. I took the hint and headed down.

While waiting inside the tender for it to fill, I saw Rotterdam starting to lower a couple of her lifeboats to help move passengers.

Honestly, I wasn’t even planning on going ashore with two ships in port. But during dinner the night before, my server in the main dining room asked if I’d be heading off the ship. I told him I might grab a bite at Lobster Shack, and before I could blink, he pulled out a Lobster Shack menu and said he could put my order in now. I casually asked if he got credit for the sale — and while he didn’t say yes, the look said everything. So I ordered… and just like that, I was committed to going ashore.

(If you want a detailed breakdown of the whole tendering process and what to expect at Half Moon Cay, I covered that last week — you can read it here instead of me repeating everything.)

Holland America Zuiderdam Western Caribbean Cruise Review – Day 2: November 9, 2025

Once ashore, it actually wasn’t the madhouse I was expecting. Most Koningsdam guests were already making their way back, so things were manageable. Crew from both ships had large signs with each ship’s name to prevent people from getting into the wrong tender line. Right before boarding, a security officer double-checked your keycard to make sure no one was accidentally (or “accidentally”) trying to board the wrong ship. I’m sure at least one person managed it anyway, but they were trying.

And then, while walking down the beach, I ran into… horses. Yes — actual horses. Half Moon Cay has a herd that lives on the island as part of their Horseback Riding by Land & Sea excursion, where guests ride along the beach and even take the horses into the surf. It’s one of the island’s most popular tours and a pretty wild sight the first time you see a line of horses strolling along the white sand like they own the place and then going for a swim in the ocean!

With the horses now heading back to their stables, it was Lobster Shack time, however… it came with a bit of a drama. I handed over my prepaid slip, which caused immediate confusion. The crew member had no idea what to do with it. I explained I pre-ordered in the dining room the night before, and she asked, “What ship are you on?” When I said Rotterdam, she said she needed someone from Rotterdam to handle it. Another crew member came over and said they needed to “void” the slip. I told them it was already posted to my onboard account. That led to more back-and-forth behind the counter until finally, after a whole chain of “checking with someone else,” my lobster tail arrived.

With both ships’ crew working the island, the constant “what ship are you on?” back-and-forth was pretty common and created some confusion, but eventually everyone got sorted.  Despite the double-ship situation, Half Moon Cay held up well.

Rotterdam Retreat Cabanas

When I stepped out of my room this morning, I noticed a “You’re Invited” card tucked outside my door. Naturally, I assumed it was an invite to the Mariner Society Reception — but nope. It was a notice letting me know that a cabana in The Retreat had been secured for me. A nice surprise start to the day.

When I boarded yesterday, the very first thing I did was check with both Guest Services and the attendants up at The Retreat to see if any cabanas were available. Both told me they were completely sold out. However, the Retreat attendant I spoke with took my stateroom number and said he’d check again later in case something opened up. I didn’t expect to hear anything… and then this morning, boom — cabana confirmed.

The Retreat, located on Deck 12 forward, is one of the most peaceful spaces on the entire ship. It features 20 standard cabanas (for two guests) and two family cabanas (for up to four). You can book them by the day or for the full length of your cruise.

Pricing varies depending on whether it’s a sea day or port day:

• Standard Cabana: $75–$105 per day
• Family Cabana: $105–$185 per day

For this 12-day cruise, the full-voyage pricing is:

• Standard Cabana: $950
• Family Cabana: $1,120

Each cabana comes with either two or four loungers, bottled water, and a fantastic team of attendants who take care of drink orders, beakfast and lunch service, and even bring around afternoon snacks. The cabanas line the perimeter of the area, while the center features a hot tub, plenty of loungers, and tables and chairs. Restrooms are close by too.

If you’re looking for a quiet, relaxing spot — especially on sea days when the public decks can get crowded — a cabana in The Retreat is a great option. Just note that the center-facing cabanas don’t have much of a view thanks to the retractable roof over the pool area below. But the side-facing cabanas come with ocean views.

Rotterdam’s Pools

Since we’re already on the subject of beaches and cabanas, let’s talk about Rotterdam’s pools. There are two: the Lido Pool and the Sea View Pool. Both are on Deck 9, with Lido midship and Sea View all the way aft.

The Lido Pool is designed for all-weather swimming thanks to the retractable roof I mentioned earlier. Whether there’s sun, rain, or one of those windy sea days, they can close the roof and keep things comfortable, but it quickly gets steamy. The area also has a hot tub, tons of loungers and chairs, and plenty of table seating if you want to grab something from the Lido Market buffet and eat poolside.

This is also where the big screen is located, which plays movies and sporting events throughout the cruise. Just off the pool you’ll find the Lido Bar, a gelato counter, and Dive-In, HAL’s spot for burgers, chicken sandwiches, and hot dogs.

If you head up the stairs to Deck 10, there’s even more seating overlooking the pool, plus the Panorama Bar and the New York Deli & Pizza. This venue serves fresh pizzas, pre-made salads, small desserts, and late-night snacks like popcorn and chicken wings.  There will be at least one or two nights where I’ll grab some pizza and wings from here and have dinner in my stateroom watching a movie.  The pizza served here is much different than that on other HAL ships and is actually pretty good.

All the way aft on Deck 9 is the Sea View Pool, which is reserved for guests 18 and over. It’s a nice-sized pool with a hot tub and a whole aft section filled with loungers overlooking the ship’s wake — one of the best spots onboard if you like lots of sun and ocean views. There’s also plenty of table seating for enjoying food from the Lido outside, and of course, the Sea View Bar for drinks.

Worth noting: one half of the Sea View Pool area is a smoking section, so keep that in mind if you’re sensitive to smoke or want to steer clear.

Since we’re talking pools, I also need to talk about the one thing that unites cruisers of all ages, backgrounds, and loyalty statuses: chair hogs. Yes, they’re alive and well on Rotterdam.

HAL actually has a pretty clear 30-minute policy when it comes to reserving loungers. The rule is simple — if you leave your chair unattended for more than 30 minutes, crew members are allowed to remove your belongings, neatly bag them, and free up the lounger for someone else. It’s posted on signs, it’s in the daily program, and they even make occasional announcements reminding guests about it.

In reality? Enforcement is… non-existent.  And that’s the case for ANY cruise line.

Most of the time, you’ll see the classic scenario play out: someone drops a towel, a book, and a flip-flop onto a prime lounger and vanishes for hours. Technically, HAL can clear it. Sometimes they do. Sometimes they don’t. It usually depends on how busy the pool deck is and whether someone actually reports it.   At the end of the day, no crew member wants to have a negative interaction with a guest, especially one who came back after two hours to find their stuff has been removed from their lounger and someone else’s butt is now in it.

The good news is that Rotterdam’s layout — especially with the upper deck around the Lido and the extra seating around the Sea View Pool — helps spread people out. But on sea days, those coveted poolside loungers still disappear early, and the 30-minute policy becomes more… “guideline” than “law.”

What Are Chair Hogs and How to Deal With Them on Your Cruise

Half Moon Bar on Rotterdam

One of my favorite bars on Rotterdam is Half Moon Bar. It’s a small, cozy spot tucked away on Deck 2 aft, not far from the Main Dining Room and the Club Orange restaurant. It doesn’t have a huge footprint — just a handful of bar seats and a row of cocktail tables along the hallway — but what it lacks in size, it makes up for in… smoke!

Half Moon Bar serves some of the most unique cocktails on the ship, including the only smoked cocktails you’ll find onboard. These aren’t on every menu, either. The bartenders here can whip up off-menu favorites like the Smoked Cherry Old Fashioned, and one of my personal go-tos, the Rotterdam VII, a smoked gin cocktail that always gets the attention of those just passing by.

Whenever the smoker comes out, the bar instantly turns into a bit of a spectacle. People walking by stop to see what’s going on, other guests start asking questions, and suddenly everyone wants a drink.

Check out the video below of my good friend Reema making me a Rotterdam VII. I actually first met Reema right here at this bar back in 2023, then ended up running into her on other HAL ships over the years. And now, full circle, we’re both back at Half Moon Bar on Rotterdam — exactly where it all started.

Dinner in the Main Dining Room

After a few of those smoked cocktails at Half Moon Bar, I headed back to the Main Dining Room for dinner. I mentioned in my Day 1 report that the MDR didn’t exactly get off to a good start — service was rushed, the food was just okay, and it definitely wasn’t at the same level I had on Zuiderdam last week. So I went in tonight hoping things would turn around.

Thankfully… they did.

Lido Market Dinner Menu

Main Dining Room Dinner Menu

I started with the French onion soup, which wasn’t the best I’ve ever had, but it hit the spot. Next up was the salmon salad, which surprised me — a nice piece of salmon served over cucumber, avocado, tomato, bacon, and green beans. I’m not really a salmon person, but this was pretty good and actually worked well as a course before the entrée.

For the main event, I went with the featured dish of the evening: the jerked pork tenderloin, cooked medium and served with spicy black beans, rice, and some really delicious collard greens. This ended up being the standout of the night.

Dessert was the Caribbean Malibu Cream, a mix of coconut, pineapple, banana, and yogurt. Light, sweet, tropical — a perfect way to finish the meal.

Service overall was much improved. There was time to breathe between courses, the food arrived hot, and the pacing felt normal — not rushed. A big step up from last night, and hopefully a sign of things to come as the cruise settles in.

After dinner, I took a lap around the ship and eventually wandered into the casino, where my money proceeded to vanish at warp speed. The casino is absolutely packed this cruise. It was actually hard to find an open machine because nearly every seat was taken. After losing more than I cared to, I decided to cut my losses early and walk away before I ended up needing to sell a kidney in St. Maarten.

Side note — and this is becoming impossible to ignore — slot machines are now infiltrating areas outside of the casino. On the first night, rows of slots appeared in the lounge area just before Half Moon Bar if you’re walking aft. Several chairs and tables were removed specifically to make room for these machines. And on Day 2? Even more tables and chairs disappeared in another lounge area near the Ocean Bar, replaced by (you guessed it) more slots. Apparently, slot machines generate more revenue than cocktails and empty seating. And honestly… they probably do.

The rest of the entertainment venues were absolutely jammed as well. BB King’s, Rolling Stone Rock Room, and Billboard Onboard were all standing-room-only. It was a busy night across the ship — definitely more energy than you’d typically have on a HAL sailing, and it was great to see.

After walking off a bit of dinner I headed back to my stateroom for the night. We’re currently at sea and will be for the next two full days as we make our way toward our second port of call, St. Maarten, where we arrive on Wednesday.

In tomorrow’s report, I’ll cover what you’ll find on Deck 2 of the ship.

As always, thanks for following along!

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