Rotterdam - Panama Canal Sunfarer from Fort Lauderdale

4.4(336 reviews)
via U.S. News · Jun 2026
|12 Nights|6 Ports|5 Sea Days

Holland America's Rotterdam loops from Fort Lauderdale on a 12-night Sunfarer that enters the Panama Canal for a Gatun Lake day, bookended by Half Moon Cay, Curacao, Cartagena, Costa Rica and Grand Cayman.

Classic CruisersRetireesBucket List TravelersRelaxation Seekers

Price Range

$

Budget

DepartureFort Lauderdale, FL
Dress CodeSmart Casual
MealsIncluded
WiFiPaid

*Prices vary by cabin type, sailing date, and availability. Confirm rates with Holland America Line before booking.

Ship Details — Rotterdam

View full Rotterdam details
Rotterdam cruise ship

Year Built

2021

Tonnage

99,500 GT

Passengers

2,668

Crew

1,036

Decks

14

Class

Pinnacle

Itinerary & Route Map

Loading map…

Where this cruise calls, day by day

8 ports and 5 sea days over 12 Nights.

  1. Day 1

    Fort Lauderdale, FL

    United StatesDepart
    Fort Lauderdale, FL port guide: where ships dock and what to do ashore
  2. Day 2

    Half Moon Cay

    BahamasPort
    Half Moon Cay port guide: where ships dock and what to do ashore
  3. Day 3 · At sea

  4. Day 4 · At sea

  5. Day 5

    Willemstad

    CuracaoPort
    Willemstad port guide: where ships dock and what to do ashore
  6. Day 6 · At sea

  7. Day 7

    Cartagena

    ColombiaPort
    Cartagena port guide: where ships dock and what to do ashore
  8. Day 8

    Panama Canal (Transit)

    PanamaPort
    Panama Canal (Transit) port guide: where ships dock and what to do ashore
  9. Day 9

    Puerto Limon

    Costa RicaPort

    Limón is Costa Rica's Caribbean port and a working one - the pier is in town, the town is scruffy and humid, and almost nobody stays. This coast is the country's wettest and its most Afro-Caribbean, with Jamaican-descended Creole culture and rainforest starting right behind the city. Everything worth doing runs inland to the canals, the aerial trams and the whitewater rivers.

    • Tortuguero canal boat trips
    • The Veragua Rainforest or the Braulio Carrillo aerial tram
    • Whitewater rafting the Pacuare or Reventazón
    • Cahuita National Park and Puerto Viejo down the coast
    Getting ashore
    Ships dock at the pier in central Limón; you can walk into town in minutes, though there is little reason to linger.
    Best months
    Feb-Mar and Sep-Oct are the driest windows - the Caribbean side reverses the national pattern and rains hardest Nov-Jan
  10. Day 10 · At sea

  11. Day 11

    George Town

    Cayman IslandsPort
    George Town port guide: where ships dock and what to do ashore
  12. Day 12 · At sea

  13. Day 13

    Fort Lauderdale, FL

    United StatesArrive
    Fort Lauderdale, FL port guide: where ships dock and what to do ashore

Onboard Amenities

Lincoln Center Stage
B.B. King's Blues Club
Billboard Onboard
Casino
Greenhouse Spa
Multiple Pools
Specialty Dining
Fitness Center
World Stage
Explorations Central
Club Orange
Rolling Stone Lounge
World Stage (two-story 270-degree wraparound LED theater)
Music Walk live-music district
Rolling Stone Rock Room
Pinnacle Grill (specialty steakhouse)
Tamarind (pan-Asian specialty)
Rudi's Sel de Mer (French seafood specialty)
Canaletto (Italian)
Club Orange (premium tier with dedicated dining room)
Lido Market buffet
Dive-In poolside grill
Nami Sushi
Grand Dutch Cafe
Lido Pool with retractable glass roof
Sea View aft pool and hydropool
Greenhouse Spa & Salon
Pickleball Court
Large fine-art collection
24-hour room service

Cruise Highlights

Morning lock transit into Gatun Lake with tender excursions ashore
Beach day at Half Moon Cay, Holland America's private Bahamian island
Rainforest and sloth-sanctuary tours from Puerto Limon
Dutch-Caribbean architecture and floating market in Willemstad

About the Ship

What Travelers Say About Rotterdam

Reviews of the ship itself — the same for every Rotterdam sailing. Distilled from 79 traveler threads, passenger reviews and travel blogs.

Rotterdam VII is Holland America's newest flagship and the third and final Pinnacle-class ship, following Koningsdam and Nieuw Statendam into service in October 2021. Its signature is Music Walk - a cluster of live-music venues including the Rolling Stone Rock Room, B.B. King's Blues Club, Billboard Onboard and Lincoln Center Stage - which becomes the ship's nightly energy center, paired with the high-tech World Stage wraparound-LED theater. The overall vibe is refined, music-forward and relaxed, and it skews decidedly older.

What People Love

  • Newest, best-maintained ship in the Holland America fleet - guests repeatedly praise its spotless, like-new condition throughout
  • Music Walk is the ship's energetic heart, with Rolling Stone Rock Room, B.B. King's Blues Club, Billboard Onboard and Lincoln Center Stage drawing crowds well into the night
  • Standout specialty dining - Tamarind is called one of the best pan-Asian restaurants at sea, and Pinnacle Grill is both praised and priced below rival lines' steakhouses

Common Complaints

  • Pools and hot tubs are undersized for a ~2,700-guest ship and feel crowded; the hot tubs are often called comically small
  • With the Lido roof closed the indoor pool area can feel stuffy and greenhouse-like
  • No large traditional production shows - evenings lean on singers, comedians, magicians and the music venues, which some find limited
See the full Rotterdam ship page — all 16 pros & cons, review & FAQs

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