After our second day docked in Zeebrugge, when we visited Blankenberge, Queen Anne had sailed up the Channel to Rotterdam and then docked next to The Rotterdam and the Erasmus Bridge.
Day 4: 17th December 2025: Rotterdam, The Netherlands
After breakfast in the buffet upstairs (sorry Artisans Food Hall,) we walked out of the cruise terminal and walked to the Wilhelminaplein station.
We had visited the Christmas Market in The Hague in December 2023. The directions to the market via the Rotterdam Metro are easy to follow (and are in the earlier post.)
This time we made sure to buy day passes so we would have no issues on the tram connection once in The Hague. After the Metro ride we navigted our way through the terminus and went outside to catch our tram.
We were on the tram at 11 am and discovered (again!) that the market did not open till noon.
Bodega De Posthoorn
Past the entrance to the park we could see the Bodega De Posthoorn and we joined the throng inside to wait till noon and had coffees.
We were not the only visitors waiting.
This lady had an amazing handbag…
The Royal Christmas Fair in The Hague
The Royal Christmas Fair is held in the Lange Voorhout. Quoting from the market’s website Lange Voorhout “is surrounded by the Binnenhof, Noordeinde Palace, various embassies, museums, and atmospheric shopping streets such as Denneweg, and the Plaats and Plein squares.”
As we found in 2023 the market is mainly food and that probably should be indicated by the the name “Fair”. The park is an “L-shape” and we walked around the stalls taking in the atmosphere before having a hot chocolate…
Time for a sit and some hot chocolate.
After the third time I passed I had a German sausage for a “light” lunch.
And then we were at the tram stop waiting…
The terminus at The Hague
To get to the platforms for the Metro we had to walk past all the other platforms and go up an escalator.
Biljdorp
Rather than ride back to Wilhelminaplein we left the Metro in central Rotterdam at Biljdorp – but this was not the station I had wanted… So we walked…
After a look around HEMA it was time for another coffee plus this time a doughnut.
Then more walking towards the Erasmus Bridge.
By now at 4pm we had had enough walking so we used our Metro passes one again and caught the Metro back to Wilhelminaplein (only a couple of stops.)
Back to Queen Anne
And our balcony views at 4:20 pm.
Views across the river
Evening on board plus dinner discussions
At 7:30 pm we went for dinner and sat on a table for six.
We were sat on the opposite side of the dining room and the conversation strayed onto service in the dining room. The previous two evenings we had had a very “in your face” senior server and despite requests (from me) to calm nothing had changed. We had watched food being delivered and a passenger explaining that “this not what I ordered” only to be told “yes it is”. Resolved minutes later by the correct food arriving with a an “apology”, The working relationship with the rest of the team serving was fraught as we watched heated criticisms and conversations.
On this side of the restaurant we just watched the goings on and rushing about. Then we discovered that everyone else on the table had seen the same behaviour and to such an extent that complaints had been made to the head waiter.
All in all we were surprised at Cunard allowing this to continue and vowed to ask to be moved if we were to be placed anywhere near in our last dinners onboard.
On the way to the theatre we stopped and watched the Queens Room Musicians perform below us. This venue seems to have very few seats and by the time we had eaten each night we could only stand and watch.
Cunard’s announcements are very clear – no video or photography in the theatre. The performance at 10 pm was from Philippa Healey singing show favourites. What an amazing voice she has!
Back in the chart room we enjoyed a late night drink before walking through the art gallery for another look.
At 11:45 pm Queen Anne was almost out into the Channel.
Day 5: 18th December 2025: At Sea
Breakfast was a very relaxed affair up in the buffet (sorry Artisans Food Hall.)
The ship’s preparations for Christmas were in full swing. A slight hiccup had been announced from the cruise director that some passengers were taking decorations off the Christmas trees scattered around the ship. It seems one of the ornaments resembled a stack of suitcases and these were vanishing quickly. Plus the sprigs of decoration outside cabins were being removed and everyone was reminded that these were for the enjoyment of everyone and to brighten the corridors – please leave them alone!
The talk on Mr Brainwash was in the Queens Room and thankfully extra seating had been provided. Later in the afternoon we attended a picture reveal of one his artworks in the gallery.
This was a formal evening and we shared a large table for 8 before heading off the theatre. The performance was “let’s Dance” from the ship’s theatre company. There iwasis no doubt in our minds that the singers and dancers in this group are some of the best that we have ever seen on ship.
After a walk through the art gallery we enjoyed a late night drink in the Chart Room.
Our last port was Hamburg.