MS Rotterdam

Explorations Central™ (EXC®), Holland America Line’s exclusive destination programming, is designed to deepen your understanding of the places you visit. It's indispensable travel resources and opportunities to engage with experts and local insiders, make exploring each port of call more vivid and meaningful. Enjoy the programs listed below and visit our Explorations Central discovery centre on board.

EXC Talks
Get an insider’s perspective at these informative onboard talks. In select regions, EXC Talks feature multimedia presentations that bring each destination to life with captivating storytelling and expert commentary.

EXC Culture
Start your immersion in a destination’s culture and history before you even step on shore, with help from local experts, artists and performers.

EXC Nature

Study the natural world in all its beauty and complexity—from landscapes carved over millennia to animals that have made amazing adaptations to their environments.^

EXC Port To Table
Food is the gateway to understanding a culture. Delve into each region’s culinary traditions through onboard cooking demonstrations, and food and wine tastings (fleetwide Jan. 1, 2020).

EXC Photography
Learn to capture your most memorable travel moments with expert photography instruction and unique opportunities to use your newfound skills in port.

Unique Shore Excursions
Choose from our award-winning shore excursions and immerse yourself in authentic, engaging travel experiences—easily, comfortably and conveniently.

Each voyage brings a guest chef on board to guide you through the culinary traditions of your destinations. Try local flavors at a food & wine tasting, add a new recipe to your repertoire at a live cooking demonstration or indulge your senses at a fine dining event.

For those looking to continue their epicurean immersion on shore, guest chefs lead select shore excursions*, exploring local cuisines while sharing their gastronomic expertise in the field.

Explore On Board
Savour the region through cooking demonstrations and tastings on board. Learn to make Malaysian roti with curried chicken. Discover which wines pair well with coconut. Enjoy a lavish feast featuring the cuisine of Western Australia.

Explore On Shore
Take a culinary tour with the guidance of a chef’s palate. Shop for French pastries in one of Tahiti’s open-air markets. Scour the Thai countryside for the perfect pad Thai. Compare world-class rieslings at a Tasmanian winery.

*Shore excursions and fine dining events require an additional cost.

* On Select ships
^ In select regions

The long-time partnership between Holland America Line and FOOD & WINE has delivered immersive culinary experiences for our guests for more than a dozen years. Now, this partnership has evolved into an exciting, engaging and ever-expanding selection of culinary-themed shore excursion tours that explore food, wine and culture in some of the world's most renowned gastronomic hot spots.

Tasty Samplings

Mediterranean

You can shop with a renowned Barcelona chef and create an extraordinary meal together. Discover the secret to making perfect pizza crust in Naples, where it was born. Or explore a family-owned Santorini vineyard and sample their delicious wines.

Northern Europe

Imagine touring a distillery in Reykjavik and raising a glass of handcrafted spirits with the owner. Experiencing cutting-edge “neo-Fjordic” cuisine in Bergen. Or learning to make smørrebrød (classic open-faced sandwiches) in Copenhagen!

Australia & New Zealand

Meet chef Roy Choi, father of the gourmet food-truck movement, in Melbourne. Sip an award-winning Syrah in one of Hawke’s Bay’s most renowned wineries. Stroll through the lush gardens at Glenfalloch in Dunedin, before dining on a sumptuous feast.

Asia

Paradise will be found through ramen adventures, dumpling lessons, “wet” market tours, and an array of culinary experiences. From hands-on cooking classes in Thailand to dining out in one of Singapore’s famed hawker centres, the world is yours!

Mexico, Central & South America

Visit a coffee plantation in Antigua, fish for King Crab in the Beagle Channel or dine in Puerto Vallarta’s renowned Barrio Bistro run by superstar chef Guillermo Wulff. Discover cuisine with heat and complexity.

Caribbean

Refreshing. Spicy. Flavourful. Explore the cuisines of the Caribbean. Observe traditional rum-making techniques in Barbados and sip the results. Master ceviche in a hands-on cooking class in Curaçao. Savour jerk chicken in Jamaica.

Canada & New England

Discover the charm and character of Quebec City and delight in authentic poutine and maple syrup-in-fused treats. Or enjoy an old-fashion, trap-to-plate lobster bake in Bar Harbour. You'll experience Canada & New England though all your senses.

Hawaii & The South Pacific

Explore Kona’s remarkable coffee. Experience the delicious collision of fresh, Tahitian ingredients and French cuisine at one of Papeete’s finest restaurant. Get a behind-the-scenes look at Hawaii’s regional cuisine and farm-to-market movement.

Alaska

Enjoy saffron-infused bouillabaisse with freshly caught fish and fire-warmed sourdough rolls—the world’s best camp meal. Explore the Anchorage craft-beer scene and wines of Port Alberni. Dine at a traditional crab shack and more.

Rock Lives Here

When you’re ready to rock, head to the Rolling Stone Rock Room, the ultimate live music venue on ship. Hear your favs and classic hits, right from Rolling Stone magazine’s top song lists.

World Stage, the largest theatre on board is home to a variety of performances day and night. Our exclusive EXC® Talk lecture series features captivating regional stories told by local experts and narrated by your Cruise & Travel Director. In the evenings, Step One Dance Company, vocal sensation Cantaré, BBC Earth in Concert and more take the stage. Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam and Rotterdam bring the World Stage experience to the next level by surrounding you in spectacular sight and sound with a two-story, panoramic LED screen.

Our partnership with BBC Earth brings their innovative and breathtaking programming to the World Stage. Award-winning soundtracks are performed live as BBC Earth’s incredible wildlife footage fills the big screen. It’s an unforgettable experience that will leave you with a new perspective on the planet.

Refresh, Relax and Rejuvenate

During a leisurely day at sea, few places help you refresh, relax and rejuvenate like the Greenhouse Spa & Salon®. This heavenly retreat nurtures every aspect of your well-being with renowned spa rituals and healing touches. In the spa, pamper your skin with facial treatments featuring premium, naturally sourced ingredients. Nurture your body, too, with massage treatments employing time-honoured, hands-on massage techniques gleaned from around the world.

Play the fastest-growing sport in the U.S. with Holland America Line, the exclusive cruise line partner of the Professional Pickleball Association. All our cruise ships feature pickleball courts with amazing top-deck views. The equipment and courts are available for a match anytime, so long as the weather allows. Frequent pickler? Join a pickleball tournament at sea and put your dink shot to the test. Hesitant amateur? Learn the basics at complimentary beginner’s lessons, starting in spring 2023. Commemorative starter kits will soon be available in our retail shops — purchase as gifts for avid players or as souvenirs, so that you can always look back on your pickleball cruise memories.

Stop by the professionally staffed Fitness Centre equipped with the latest cardio and weight machines. Try one of our classes on indoor cycling, Pilates and more or work out at your own pace. You can also head out for fresh air and exercise on deck, where you'll find basketball and volleyball courts, and two refreshing pools (available on select ships). Some classes may have a nominal fee.

Highlights for kids ages 3 to 6 include a variety of activities, crafts, games and theme parties, such as “Dino-Mite Night” and “Ships Ahoy Pirate Treasure Hunt Adventure.”

From arts & crafts and sporting events to gaming tournaments and theme parties, tweens will have plenty to enjoy.

During the day, teens meet up for sports challenges and group games while our Hosts provide exclusive teen events like Poker Night and Video Game Tournaments at night.

Kids Club activities are available from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. on port days*. Lunch is not offered as part of this service. Children must be registered and signed into and out of programming by a parent or guardian.

*Hours of operation may change to better serve our guests.

Children with special needs are invited to attend Kids Club activities based on their chronological age. In some cases, parental supervision may be required. Please let us know when booking your reservation.