Located near the iconic Erasmus Bridge on Rotterdam’s Wilhelmina Pier, the building known today as the Hotel New York was the departure point for hundreds of thousands of Europeans immigrating to the United States.
Former Headquarters of Holland America Line
Built between 1901 and 1917, the Hotel New York was the former headquarters of Holland America Line, a shipping and passenger line between Rotterdam and New York.
Started as the Netherland America Steamship Company (NASM) in 1873, Holland America Line celebrates its 138th anniversary this year from its current-day headquarters in Seattle, Washington.
Learn more about the history of Holland America Line with these books:
Hotel and Restaurant Since 1993
Today in Rotterdam, the former Holland America Line embarkation and customs hall has been renovated into the Rotterdam Cruise Terminal, while the former corporate headquarters building was transformed into a popular hotel and restaurant-café called the Hotel New York. The hotel preserves the maritime style, with unique shaped rooms overlooking the New Meuse River.
The Hotel New York is the ideal place to stay before or after a cruise, or to enjoy a meal while soaking up the maritime ambiance and history. We loved the café’s tomato soup, calamari and sunny-day views.
Holland America’s Rotterdam to Sail Year-Round from Rotterdam
Yesterday, Holland America Line announced that its flagship ms Rotterdam would deploy year-round on a series of extended sailings round-trip from the city of Rotterdam, starting in the fall of 2012.
“The city of Rotterdam is where Holland America Line has its roots, and for us to place a ship there year-round is sentimental, exciting and ground-breaking for our line and our guests,” said Richard Meadows, executive vice president, marketing, sales and guest programs. “Sailing from Rotterdam is going to be a wonderful homeport for many of our European guests, but these longer itineraries also will appeal to travelers coming from all over the world.”
Itineraries departing from Rotterdam range from 14 to 18 days with a 90-day Passage to the Far East cruise departing Jan. 9, 2013. The round-trip Rotterdam extended voyage takes an easterly route to Asia, passing through the Suez Canal and calling at ports in Spain, Greece, and India before and after a far-reaching exploration of Far East countries such as Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia.
Getting to Rotterdam
Home to Europe’s largest port and The Netherlands’ second-largest city, Rotterdam is about a 40-minute train ride from Amsterdam. Trains depart directly from Amsterdam’s Schiphol Airport.
We enjoy discovering new places, especially those by the water. What is your favorite destination discovery?
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