Smooth Arrival in Rotterdam

Our arrival in Rotterdam today was as smooth as one could hope for. The seas were incredibly calm, the ship barely felt the touch of the wind. The usual hustle and bustle of inbound and outbound traffic was noticeably absent, with only two or three vessels crossing our path. It was an easy and calm arrival into Rotterdam. Although we picked up our pilot slightly earlier than planned, our arrival at the berth must remain precisely on schedule—no sooner, no later.

For reference, there are two mandatory reporting points when approaching Rotterdam. The first is to contact Maas Approach on VHF Channel 01, followed by Pilot Maas on VHF Channel 02.

My watch ended just as the ship began navigating the New Waterway—the canal leading us to the Port of Rotterdam. By the time I woke up, we were already berthed at the Rotterdam Cruise Terminal.

I didn’t manage to take any photos during this morning’s approach—after all, who’s snapping pictures in the dark? However, during my watch while the ship is at berth, I now have an incredible view of Rotterdam’s iconic Erasmus Bridge. Standing right in front of us, Erasmus Bridge is a bridge that connects the northern and southern parts of Rotterdam. Often nicknamed “The Swan” due to its graceful design, it’s one of the city’s most famous landmarks.

“Rotterdam is a city of the future, where innovation and resilience shape its skyline.”
–Rien Vroegindeweij

Our departure is scheduled for 11 PM tonight, but I’ve opted to stay on board. On Balmoral’s last visit, I strolled through Rotterdam and visited few of its iconic landmarks, including the beautiful Erasmus Bridge which I look forward to sharing in upcoming posts.

Due to the strike in Antwerp, we’ve had to reroute to Cherbourg, France. I guess even port cities need their days off, but the voyage marches on!

That’s it for today—time to catch some sleep and gear up for my next watch at midnight