You Suggested It… So I’ve Booked It!

Greetings Tips For Travellers Followers!

One of the things I enjoy about this and other platforms like this is getting your suggestions and ideas about ships, cruise lines and places you think I should experience and cover.

And one of those followers on Patreon suggestions turned into an actual trip!

I’ve booked a two-night stay aboard the historic SS Rotterdam in Rotterdam Harbour this October.

A Patron suggested that I should go and experience, explore and review this famous former ocean liner, and the more I looked into it, the more I thought: yes, I absolutely should!

So, on 5 October, I’ll be heading to London St Pancras and taking the direct Eurostar train to Rotterdam Central Station which takes 3 hours and 16 minutes.

I’m particularly looking forward to the Eurostar journey because it will bring memories from my life before Tips For Travellers.

For over two years, I used to commute most weeks between London and Paris on Eurostar when I was Global Vice President for RoC Skincare.

Although I was based in London, RoC’s global marketing team, Research & Development and manufacturing operations were based in and around Paris, so I spent a lot of time travelling backwards and forwards on Eurostar to work with the teams there.

It became a routine part of my working week – heading to St Pancras, getting on Eurostar, arriving in the centre of Paris and then doing it all again in reverse a few days later.

So it will feel rather strange getting on Eurostar again, but this time heading to Rotterdam rather than Paris – and for something considerably more enjoyable than another round of meetings!

I’m also interested to see just how easy the whole London-to-Rotterdam journey is by train, particularly as it avoids airports and flying altogether.

I did brush up on the trip as Captain Patrons Bob and Holly of Innocents Abroad did the Rotterdam to London trip and made a video about the trip:

But, of course, the real reason for the trip is waiting for me in Rotterdam Harbour…

Rather than just visiting SS Rotterdam for a few hours, I’ve booked to stay on board for two nights.

And I’ve managed to book something that should make the experience even more interesting: one of the ship’s former officers’ cabins.

Executive Room SS Rotterdam. Photo from https://ssrotterdam.com/room/ssr-executive-room/

Executive Room SS Rotterdam. Photo from https://ssrotterdam.com/room/ssr-executive-room/

SS Rotterdam entered service in 1959 (the year I was born!) as the flagship of Holland America Line and was designed largely for the transatlantic crossing service.

After an extraordinarily long career, including years sailing as Rotterdam and later Rembrandt, she eventually returned to her namesake city and today is permanently moored in Rotterdam as a hotel, visitor attraction, restaurant and event venue.

I’m fascinated to see just how much of the original ship and its ocean-liner character survives today.

While I’m staying aboard, I plan to take the ship tours and really get under the skin of SS Rotterdam.

I want to see the historic public rooms, decks and behind-the-scenes areas that are accessible, find out how much has changed since she was sailing, and discover what it is actually like to sleep aboard a classic ocean liner more than 65 years after she entered service.

I’m also intrigued to see what staying in one of those former officers’ cabins is like!

As I’ll have two nights in Rotterdam, I’m also going to make the most of being in a city with such an extraordinary maritime heritage.

High on my list is a visit to the Maritime Museum Rotterdam, with its collection covering centuries of shipping, seafaring and the story of one of the world’s great ports.

So this is shaping up to be a very ship-heavy couple of days – which, as you can probably imagine, suits me perfectly!

Most importantly, this trip came about because of a suggestion from one of you here on Patreon.

That’s one of the reasons I value all the comments, questions and suggestions you leave for me, as they give me ideas for things I should investigate, ships I should try, and topics I should cover.

So thank you for suggesting SS Rotterdam.

And now I’d like your help planning what I do when I get there.

If you’ve visited or stayed aboard SS Rotterdam, what do you think I absolutely must see, photograph, film or investigate?

And is there anything else in Rotterdam – maritime-related or otherwise – that you think I should try to fit into my two-night stay?

Let me know in the comments.

Thanks for helping inspire another Tips For Travellers adventure!

Gary