Every once in a while you come across a hotel that is different or quirky. As we love different, we just had to spend the night at the SS Rotterdam hotel when we visited Rotterdam. Spending the night on a former cruise ship, how awesome is that? Read on and you'll know.
Rotterdam is another must-see in Holland… Yup, that's right, there's more to do and see in Holland than just Amsterdam. To be honest, Rotterdam might be even more fun than Amsterdam… Oops did we just say that out loud? Hopefully, no Amsterdam locals will read it. There's always been a rivalry between Amsterdam and Rotterdam. And this time Rotterdam had another reason why we wanted to go there: SS Rotterdam.
From Holland-America line to cruise ship hotel
The SS Rotterdam is a former cruise ship of the Holland-America line, the famous cruise line network between Europe and the USA. The SS Rotterdam was the biggest and most luxurious ship (also referred to as La Grande Dame) and was in operation between 1956 and 2000. It was the way to cross the Atlantic in style for many years.
Unfortunately, times change and there was less demand for cruise liners crossing the Atlantic. The SS Rotterdam changed too and operated in different parts of the world. But finally, in 2000, it was over for the amazing ship.
Fortunately, the ship wasn't abandoned or demolished but was rescued and turned into a hotel. A luxurious hotel that looks and feels like a cruise ship, but will always remain in the same place in Rotterdam.
Our impression of the SS Rotterdam hotel
Okay, let's be honest… We love backpacking, roughing it up, and are happy to stay at hostels or motels. But every once in a while we also love to stay in something a bit more luxurious. Hey that's the amazing thing about saving on accommodation, then you can live large some other day.
So yeah, the SS Rotterdam falls into the luxurious category… But man, it's so worth it. From the moment you step on board, it feels like being on a massive cruise ship. And it's so much fun and relaxing. Sit back and relax with a cocktail on the sun deck. Or go for a tour of the engine room. It's all possible at the SS Rotterdam hotel.
Check availability and offers on your travel dates. Or have a look at the photos below and you'll see what we mean.
Our photos of SS Rotterdam cruise ship hotel
Note: This blog post was posted between 2010 and 2015 when we were called DIY-OE. As we're still happy with the quality, it was published again on our new blog Travel.Geek.NZ.
