Stories of Rotterdam’s Harbors Paint Nostalgic Goodbye for Season
Day 57, 2025 European Odyssey
Sunday Aug. 24, 2025; Rotterdam.
Today I was feeling a bit nostalgic about leaving Rotterdam and the Nieuwe Maas river for the final time this summer. In two weeks, we will return instead to Amsterdam, and from there head south around the Iberian Peninsula to Barcelona for fall in the Mediterranean Sea.
I’m guessing about 1,800 passengers left and a similar number joined the ship today before our all-aboard time of 2:30 p.m. I headed over the nearby Erasmus Bridge to the Rotterdam Maritime Museum just more than a mile away.
I’ve written before about my love of maritime museums. Each one is different, from exploring the history of fishing in Reykjavik to the obsession with sailing in Auckland.
I started with the Rotterdam museum’s multimedia exhibit about offshore oil rigs and their safety. After listening to the introduction, I didn’t feel I had time to participate in the whole interactive experience, so I bailed and headed to the exhibit about the history and future of the port of Rotterdam. It’s not just one port, as over the centuries various harbors have played key roles in the city’s development.
Previously I paid scant attention to these harbors along both sides of the river, but this exhibit helped to put a bigger picture together.
The Maritime Museum’s exhibit examines Rotterdam’s seafaring history – the ages of exploration, the trading power of the Dutch East India Co., the almost total destruction of the city during World War II and subsequent rebuilding and waves of migration both out of and into the Netherlands.
On my first visit to Rotterdam, we explored Delfshaven, a harbor dating back to 1389. The museum sits in Leuvehaven, once filled with large sailing ships of the 17th and 18th centuries.
In another harbor across the river, the Holland-Amerika Lijn was born 152 years ago, transporting cargo and passengers between Rotterdam and New York City. Its former headquarters is next to today’s cruise pier. Nearby is the Fenix Museum, dedicated to the story of migration, which I explored two weeks ago.
During the past century, new harbors farther down the river have grown into Europe’s largest port, dominated by the petrochemical and shipping industries.
During my first sail down the river in 2019, I was keenly interested in the Maeslant Barrier (Maeslantkering), a massive storm surge barrier. Most passengers are unaware of our passing by — I really think captains should point it out, but they never do.
It’s just one of many innovative projects completed by the Dutch to protect their country from North Sea storms. I first learned about it when researching options for a client on how to help protect Houston and the surrounding area of Texas from flooding caused by hurricanes. (The Dutch have moved beyond decades of talk and research into action and results.)
Normally there are only a couple of dozen passengers staying aboard on a turnaround day, but this summer we have an alternative itinerary that starts and ends in Dover, England. Almost 700 boarded there yesterday, when I stayed on board to paint, completing a view of the Deck of Card houses and cathedral in Cobh, Ireland, and a loose interpretation of a puffin.
Today starting at 7 a.m., the cruise director called groups of passengers to disembark. Around 9 a.m., a stern voice called the names and cabin numbers of those who must be trying to stay. Meanwhile, cabin stewards were doing a massive job of cleaning and preparing cabins for new passengers who started boarding around 11 a.m.
I occasionally take time during this cleaning process to photograph empty cabins, particularly those that are not standard layouts. My section of deck 4 has a couple of ocean-view cabins with a wall of windows, and one that even has a verandah off to its side. Today I darted up to deck 6 to see the verandah cabin I will move to in two weeks. (To save money, I didn’t book a verandah for this Northern Europe portion of my trip, as I know it would be too cool to spend time out there.)
Last week we also called on Portree, Isle of Skye:
And Stornoway, Isle of Lewis:
I went ashore in both ports to stretch my legs and poke into some of the shops. I found chocolate-covered ginger in Portree (“crack,” as it’s known in our family), but there isn’t much more to report on these repeat visits (Portree in 2023, Stornoway earlier this summer).
When we stopped in Rotterdam earlier this spring, I had hoped to visit the North Sea barrier project. Sadly, the timing didn’t work out; maybe next time. 🤞
Another enjoyable blog. Thank you.
I hope to be able to visit Rotterdam. It looks so interesting and I would love to see the Holland America original office. And you mentioned yet another interesting job from your past!
I love your puffin painting!
Oh, I LOVE LOVE that puffin! My favorite childhood poem:
“Oh, there once was a Puffin
Just the shape of a muffin
And he lived on an island in the bright blue sea!
He ate little fishes
That were most delicious,
And he had them for supper
And he had them for tea.
But this poor little Puffin,
He couldn’t play nothin’
For he hadn’t anybody to play with at all
So he sat on his island
And he cried for a while, and
He felt very lonely,
And he felt very small.
Then along came the fishes,
And they said, ‘If you wishes,
You can have us for playmates,
Instead of for tea!”
So they now play together,
In all sorts of weather,
And the Puffin eats pancakes,
Like you and like me.”
By Florence Page Jacques
My favourite! Chocolate covered ginger!
You did a great job with all the Dutch spelling! I am looking forward to seeing Rotterdam again next summer.