9-day Atlantic Europe: Normandy, Bordeaux & Portugal

Departures & Pricing

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Rotterdam

Details · Holland America Line

Rotterdam

Rotterdam is a Holland America Line Pinnacle-class ship that entered service in 2021, the seventh ship in the line's history to carry the name. Carrying around 2,670 guests, she features the World Stage theatre, Music Walk live-music venues and Holland America's signature dining line-up.

Guests

2,668

Crew

1,053

Gross tonnage

99,935

Speed

18 knots

Length

299.79 m

Launched

2021

Deck plans

12

Rotterdam · Deck plans

Deck 12 — Observation Deck

− + Fit

Source: Holland America Line, captured 5 August 2026. Deck plans are provided by the cruise line and are subject to change at any time.

Itinerary

1. 1

   Rotterdam, The Netherlands

   Departs 05:00 pm.

   The largest port in Europe, Rotterdam is an intriguing mix of the old and the new. The city's lineage is ancient - Count Willem III granted city rights to the sleepy fishing village on the Rotte in 1328, yet much of the city dates from the six decades following the end of World War II. An important industrial center and a major European port, Rotterdam was among the first targets of the Nazi blitzkrieg against the West. On May 14, 1940, the German Luftwaffe firebombed the city, Rotterdam was gutted. The post-war years saw a slow rebuilding but by the early 1960s the maze of port facilities extended all the way to the North Sea. Today, this city of over half a million is the economic powerhouse, not just of the Netherlands but of Northern Europe.The Nazi bombardment of 1940 gutted most of the old city. As a result, Rotterdam's architecture is an intriguing mix of old and new: modern glass skyscrapers often stand adjacent to 19th- and 18th-century buildings.

2. 2

   Zeebrugge (for Brussels/Bruges), Belgium

   Arrives 07:00 am, departs 06:00 pm.

   Zeebrugge is your gateway to Brussels. The capital of Belgium, Brussels is really two cities in one. Old Brussels is a city of superb Baroque architecture with ornate guildhalls, cobbled lanes and one of the finest squares in Europe. New Brussels is the modern city, the capital of the European Union, the home of NATO and the seat of the European Atomic Energy Community. It is a city of fascinating contrasts.

3. 3

   Portsmouth, England, UK

   Arrives 07:30 am, departs 09:00 pm.

4. 4

   Cherbourg, France

   Arrives 07:00 am, departs 06:00 pm.

   Perched at the crossroads of France and Great Britain, it's no surprise that this piece of real estate was a prize among its many conquerors. Romans, Vikings, Saxons and Normans all fought over this strategic port on the English Channel. Cherbourg's port was once again the center of conflict when German forces captured it during World War II. Liberated by American forces in 1944, Cherbourg serves as your gateway to the historic Normandy landings of D-Day. And there's more to explore-medieval villages, a rugged countryside, charming city sights and castles and churches are all reminders that Cherbourg is a fascinating city worth discovering.

5. 5

   At Sea

6. 6

   Le Verdon (Bordeaux), France

   Arrives 08:00 am, departs 07:00 pm.

7. 7

   Bilbao, Spain

   Arrives 08:00 am, departs 06:00 pm.

   Bilbao used to be off the beaten track, but Frank Gehry's Guggenheim Museum literally put Bilbao on the map. The city offers impressive, 19th-century buildings and bridges and is the gateway to the Basque country.Perched on the hills above the rust-colored waters of the Nervion River, Bilbao is a thriving port and the commercial heart of Spain's Basque country. The city dates back to the Middle Ages - it was granted city status by Don Diego Lopez de Haro, Lord of Biscay, in 1300 - but it was the 19th century and the Industrial Revolution that cemented Bilbao's economic status. Among the city's charms are the jumble of bars and restaurants found in Siete Calles, the city's old quarter. The Gran Via and the Alameda Mazarredo are graceful, wide 19th-century boulevards. And while the port still bustles with maritime traffic, the undulating lines of Frank Gehry's Guggenheim Museum attest to Bilbao's cultural vitality in the 21st century.

8. 8

   At Sea

9. 9

   Porto (leixoes), Portugal

   Arrives 07:00 am, departs 05:00 pm.

   Porto is a fascinating and vibrant city that is rapidly becoming one of Western Europe's most respected tourist destinations. The city boasts an extensive history. There is a lot to see and do in Porto, and this diverse city will appeal to a wide range of visitors. Opening up like a pop-up book from the banks of the Rio Douro, edgy-yet-opulent Porto entices with its historic centre, sumptuous food and wine, and charismatic locals.The region is famed for the production of Port, which is still stored and matured in the vast cellars that stretch along the banks of the Douro River.

10. 10

    Lisbon, Portugal

    Arrives 07:00 am.

    Draped across seven hills, Lisbon was once the center of a vast maritime empire that stretched from the west coast of Africa to the Spice Islands of the East Indies. Then, on November 1, 1755, a violent earthquake destroyed two-thirds of the city in the space of 10 minutes. Only the Alfama, the old Moorish quarter, survived. Today, Lisbon is a stately city of Neoclassical buildings and wide plazas.

Accommodation

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