The Rotterdam is part of the Holland America Line fleet and will set sail on a three-week Caribbean cruise from Fort Lauderdale in November 2025. This voyage is currently available at attractive prices across several cabin categories. The most affordable option is an inside cabin starting at €1,199 per person. Oceanview cabins begin at €1,599, and balcony cabins start at €2,099 (each based on double occupancy).
Holland America Line charges an automatic crew gratuity of $17 per person per day to your onboard account. If you don’t agree with this amount, you can adjust or remove it while onboard.
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The cruise fare on Holland America Line includes the following standard services:
- All meals in the main dining room and buffet restaurant
- Tea, water, and coffee with meals
- Onboard entertainment and events
- Formal evening or special event nights
The Route
Your cruise begins in Fort Lauderdale and first takes you to Half Moon Cay in the Bahamas—Holland America Line’s private island, known for its long beaches and water sport offerings. From there, the ship continues to St. Maarten, an island divided between the Netherlands and France since 1648. Next, you’ll stop in Castries, the capital of St. Lucia, home to around 65,000 residents and a gateway to exploring the island.
After that, the ship visits Scarborough, where you can explore the ruins of Scarborough Castle for panoramic views of the town and sea. Traditional English food, like fish and chips, can be found along the waterfront. The cruise continues to Barbados and then to Pointe-à-Pitre, the largest city in Guadeloupe, offering sights such as Place de la Victoire and the Schoelcher Museum.
You’ll then visit San Juan, Puerto Rico, where the El Yunque National Forest awaits, with waterfalls, natural water slides, and hiking trails, all accessible via tours or independently. Additional stops include Willemstad on Curaçao and Oranjestad on Aruba, where an overnight stay is planned. After 21 nights, the cruise returns to Fort Lauderdale.
Here’s the exact itinerary:
| Date | Location | Arrival | Departure |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 16 | Fort Lauderdale | 16:00 | |
| November 17 | Half Moon Cay, Bahamas | 09:00 | 17:00 |
| November 18 – 19 | 2 days at sea 🌊 | ||
| November 20 | St. Maarten | 08:00 | 17:00 |
| November 21 | Castries, St. Lucia | 10:00 | 18:00 |
| November 22 | Scarborough | 09:00 | 18:00 |
| November 23 | Barbados | 08:00 | 18:00 |
| November 24 | Pointe-à-Pitre, Guadeloupe | 08:00 | 16:00 |
| November 25 | San Juan, Puerto Rico | 12:00 | 23:00 |
| November 26 – 27 | 2 days at sea 🌊 | ||
| November 28 | Fort Lauderdale | 07:00 | 16:00 |
| November 29 – 30 | 2 days at sea 🌊 | ||
| December 1 | Willemstad, Curaçao | 12:00 | 20:00 |
| December 2 | Oranjestad, Aruba | 08:00 | |
| December 3 | Oranjestad, Aruba | 17:00 | |
| December 4 – 5 | 2 days at sea 🌊 | ||
| December 6 | Half Moon Cay, Bahamas | 08:00 | 15:00 |
| December 7 | Fort Lauderdale | 07:00 |
The Ship
The Rotterdam is Holland America Line’s newest ship, entering service in 2021 and replacing the previous Rotterdam, now sailing as MS Borealis. It shares the same design as its sister ships Nieuw Statendam and Koningsdam. It accommodates 2,650 passengers across 12 decks. Sized to fit the new Panama Canal locks (300x35m), the ship can sail at up to 22 knots.
There are 11 dining venues onboard, with 4 included in the fare. As is standard with American cruise lines, water, tea, and coffee are complimentary. Gratuities are $16 per night per person. Payments onboard are made in US dollars using your cruise card. The onboard language is English.
Holland America Line emphasizes a classic cruise experience with elegant attire expected during dining and events. Rather than flashy attractions, the focus is on excellent food, attentive service, and refined surroundings.
Flights
Flights to Fort Lauderdale aren’t particularly cheap right now. For round-trip flights, you’re currently paying around €650 with luggage from Germany. A cheaper option to get to Florida is flying from London to Orlando for €486 with Norse (also including luggage). To get from Orlando to Fort Lauderdale, you can take the Brightline High-Speed Train, directly from the airport (tickets cost roughly US$93 (~€79) r/t).
Feel free to see how much tickets would cost from your home city:
Cover Picture: © Holland America