Rotterdam in February – What Kelly is laughing about

My views do not necessarily reflect the views of my employer.

February 2025

So far I had taken the tram into the city center, the MSC shuttle into the city center, a bus tour all over Rotterdam and I had walked across the street to the New Yorker Hotel (formerly the headquarters of Holland America Line) and the Foodhallen. Today I decided to walk across the bridge and finally go to the Maritime Museum that had been calling to me for weeks.

Walking across the bridge provides the best view of the ship.

I walked into the museum to buy a ticket and a man offered to give me a tour. We went outside and he told me the history of the harbor.

There was also a collection of cranes through the ages.

This boat used to go around the canals selling stuff – like a floating convenience store

Then we went inside to see the boats being made. The wood is slowly bent into shape.

I saw this and I thought ‘Boat and Breakfast?! I want to stay there!’ and then I reminded myself that I live on a boat that provides breakfast everyday.

Still, if I ever stay the night in Rotterdam, I would love to stay in this Boat and Breakfast… Or in the hostel in the Cube Houses!

Halfway through the tour I had a hard time paying attention to the very kind, very detailed guide – because I was getting hungry. I remembered that on the bus tour I had taken previously, the guide pointed out a restaurant that supposedly had the best (and very reasonably priced) meatballs in Rotterdam (or perhaps the Netherlands).

I checked Google Maps to figure out how to get there, and the best (and most fun) option was to take a water taxi! Yay! That was already on my Rotterdam to-do list!

The guy helped me figure out how to pay and we zoomed across the water!

We passed my ship. And he did some fun turns. He might have been showing off, but I would be even more delighted if that’s how he drives the locals around too.

The view of the ship from the Water Taxi stop.

(This is a reference to the tv show, The Office. If you get it, you’re welcome. If you don’t – it’s not worth the story – you had to be there.)

I found the meatball place.

The restaurant had free WiFi (I love Rotterdam), so while I was waiting for my meatball, I started downloading new podcasts and checked my email. PEEL Entertainment -the company hiring people for Lauren’s ship – asked if I was a available for an interview… which was now in about 20 minutes! I decided to go for it.

The best meatball in Rotterdam (it was).

I found a bench outside the restaurant with a view of MSC Preziosa, and tried to find a spot where the wind wouldn’t be too loud. PEEL had decided that instead of needing someone to do all of the Entertainment, they wanted a new Destination Expert. I figured if I was applying for a job where I’d be telling people what there was to do in ports, why not do the interview while I was out exploring a port?

It was the first job interview for which I did not intentionally dress up- or put on makeup.

I had a great conversation with Franco and based on that (and Lauren’s recommendation) I was offered the job at the end of the conversation. Whoo Hoo!

Obviously, I won’t announce this until I have a contract, but I texted my people and skipped back to the ship!