Museum steamer Rotterdam open to the public
Steamship SS Rotterdam is a former cruise ship of Holland - America Line (HAL) that has been in use for more than 40 years to transport emigrants between Rotterdam and New York and during its later years to cruise passengers around the world. Nowadays the majestic ship is open for the public for free and it contains a unique hotel, a restaurant, an intimate theatre and business facilities as well.

The glorious SS Rotterdam History
Steamship Rotterdam was launched by Queen Juliana with a gala ceremony on 13 September 1958 and it was completed the following summer. It was the last great Dutch 'ship of state', employing the finest Dutch artisans in its construction. At the time that the Rotterdam was built, the beginning of the end of ocean liners as basic transport was visible on the horizon. The designers kept this in mind and created a groundbreaking vessel, a two-class, horizontally divided ship with movable partitions and a unique double staircase allowing the ship to be converted to cruising in a later stage.

The rise and fall of SS Rotterdam
The steamer had been in use for 10 years by Holland America Line for transatlantic service between Rotterdam and New York before it was converted into a cruise ship. From 1969 the ship was used on cruises to the Caribbean and Alaska and occasionally on world cruises which were very popular by rich Americans. In 1997 The SS Rotterdam was purchased by Premier Cruise and was renamed to SS Rembrandt, but the company was forced to layup the ship after a sudden financial collapse.

Full restoration of SS Rotterdam
After years of being idle, it was decided to return steamship Rotterdam to its home port Rotterdam and to display the ship as a tourist attraction, hotel and restaurant. After an overhaul project the ship returned to Rotterdam in 2008. At present, the  magnificent Rotterdam is a museum steamer and you can visit the ship and admire the original art, the machine rooms, the passenger decks, the captain's room and the bridge. The souvenir shop offers some trendy Rotterdam-souvenirs. Spend a couple of hours on board and have breakfast, lunch or dinner in one of the bars and restaurants or simply enjoy the beautiful view at Rotterdam's skyline from the passenger decks.

Sightseeing tours on the SS Rotterdam
You can join one of the tours and enjoy the beauty of the steamship Rotterdam including the showpieces of great architects and designers of the post-war reconstruction of the Netherlands. 

Audio guided tours on board the SS Rotterdam
Both the ’Seabreeze Deluxe Tour’ and the ’All Inclusive Tour’ are conducted tour without a guide. With the aid of an audio phone and a floor plan of the ship with the various decks you can follow the tour route at your own pace. The audio tour ‘The Way Down Below’ is no longer available from January 1st 2011.
Seabreeze Deluxe Tour on SS Rotterdam
The 60 minutes Seabreeze Deluxe Tour is predominantly outdoors and includes a visit to the bow, the bridge, a glimpse of the wheelhouse and the captain’s cabin. This tour gives you a glimpse behind the scenes and an impression of what life was like on board in bygone days. One of the highlights is the Experience Centre where you can make a virtual journey from Rotterdam to New York in ten minutes. A special audio tour is available for children.
All Inclusive Tour on SS Rotterdam
If you want to see (nearly) everything the 90 minutes All Inclusive Tour is the one to choose. It includes the Seabreeze Deluxe Tour but it also allows you to dive deep into the belly of the impressive ship and have and admire the engine rooms, the imposing boiler hold, the authentic radio room and the commanding control panel with all its levers and switches.

Sightseeing Tours with a guide on the SS Rotterdam
If you prefer a tour with a guide you can join the Seabreeze Deluxe Tour, that takes place every evening at 04:30, 05:30 and 06:30 pm Some tour guides are former HAL employees and they will amaze you with exciting stories about the ship. On appointment a special two hours Party on Board SS Rotterdam for children takes place on Wednesday and during the weekend. Make sure you book in advance.

Restaurants on board the SS Rotterdam
If you want to have dinner on board, there are a couple of restaurants. Club Room, Lido and the Ocean Bar have been visited by royals, world famous musicians and cosmopolitans in the past and can now be visited by you!
Lido Restaurant
The Lido restaurant on the Promenade Deck has a beautiful view at the quay and the Euromast. Here you can have breakfast, lunch or dinner, or just a cup of coffee. If the weather is nice you can enjoy the view at the skyline of Rotterdam on the outdoor terrace. With a cocktail in your hand and your feet in the pool it's time to relax!
Ocean Bar
If you just want to get some drinks and some snacks you can go to the Ocean Bar. The authentic wave-shaped bar has a ceiling decorated with fish scales. The 50-year-old grand piano can still be played in this bar.
Club Room
Do you want to enjoy a dinner in style, a high tea or a brunch? The Club Room is the right place. It is an intimate restaurant where the atmosphere of the roaring sixties comes back to life, mainly because of the original works of art that are present. Even the Captain’s table is still present in the Club Room. In the open kitchen you can see how your meal is being prepared.

Theatre program on board the SS Rotterdam
Presently, the SS Rotterdam theatre doesn't have programmed performances, but still cultural happenings take place on board such as the Manhattan Thursday Drink. At this after work party, DJ's shuffle their music on the Lido Deck, weather permitting. Furthermore, every Saturday and Sunday morning you can attend free Zumba lessons on board. Finally, the SS Rotterdam offers a perfect setting for Jazz Music. The Jazz Orchestra Dutch Swing College Band performs in the SS Rotterdam Queen's Lounge on a regular basis.

The SS Rotterdam Hotel
If you really want to experience what's it's like to spend the night on board old fashioned cruise ship you can stay in the hotel on the SS Rotterdam. There are several theme rooms that make you feel you are on a cruise around the world in the 1950s! The cabins are decorated in different themes; you can choose from Original, Bahamas and Manhattan.

Room types in the Cruise Hotel in Rotterdam
The SS Rotterdam Hotel is called Cruise Hotel and has 257 modern rooms in the atmosphere of the fifties. There are six different types of rooms and no room is the same! The budget priced Inside Cabins are centrally located inside the ship but have no windows. The Outside Cabins are located on the outside of the ship and offer a magnificent view on the port of Rotterdam. The Suite Cabins are deluxe rooms with separate sitting and sleeping areas and beautiful views. The Luxury Cabins are luxurious and were used for the captain of the ship and the officers. In the Royal Cabins you can sleep in royal spheres, since these rooms were used for members of the royal family. There are also Home Cabins available with a fully equipped kitchenette. These Home Cabins are ideal for a longer stay on the SS Rotterdam.

Booking a hotel room on the SS Rotterdam
Full accommodation information can be found on www.cruisehotel.nl. On this website you can make a hotel reservation but you can also book package deals to combine your stay on board with a visit to Blijdorp Zoo, the Euromast, a harbour tour on Spido or a visit to Holland Casino. There are a lot of package deals available; many of them also include a dinner in one of the on board restaurants.

If you’re interested in the best room rates for the hotel only (no package deals), please click the link below: