There is a lot to explore on a trip to Rotterdam. We toured the city and visited the Cubic Houses and the Market Hall, we strolled through the tunnel under the river Meuse and viewed the city from above from the Euromast Tower. What is missing from this list? A boat tour of course.
The seaport of Rotterdam is the third biggest on the planet. The harbour area stretches out over 40 kilometres from Rotterdam’s city centre to the sea. A boat tour of the port is only scratching the surface of what’s to see in this massive space.
We stand on a Spido boat jetty underneath the Erasmus Bridge in suboptimal weather. It is cold and the clouds are hanging low. This weather isn’t great to take pictures on a boat tour.
Just before 11 am we walk onboard the Marco Polo. I am curious to see if the tour and what we get to explore lives up to the ship’s name after the great explorer.
The great advantage of the iconic Spido boats is that one can escape the weather and sit under a roof. We decide to brave the weather for the time being and to start out on deck. We quickly make it to the most popular spots along the boat’s railing.
The boat tour of the Rotterdam port begins
The tour is about 75 minutes long and we depart right on time. A prerecorded tape in four languages provided an ongoing flood of information as we went along. Most of it was very interesting, but to be honest, I stopped listening after about half an hour. I was simply overwhelmed and much rather directed my entire focus to the fantastic world that is the port of Rotterdam.
First, we pass some familiar sights, the Hotel New York and the ss Rotterdam. Even the Euromast Tower is visible from the boat.
I am fascinated by a futuristic-looking cruise ship terminal that I would like to visit when we are back on land.
Then we enter the docks of the port of Rotterdam. We see the shipyards with their docks. We spot massive cranes to move shipping containers. And we even pass the massive container ships with our not exactly small Spido boat. It is impressive to look up and all the eye can see is the hull of the ship. And they say these are only the smaller ships! The really big ones lie further out at the Europort and Maasvlakte. Passing those would make the Spido boat look like an ant next to an elephant and it would have been even more impressive.
For me, as a landlubber, this boat tour of the port of Rotterdam is quite special. I get a glimpse of an unknown world that I am really interested in. I see the special charm of the port in everything and get excited when another ship passes ours.
What sort of tours exist?
We participated in the short port tour (75 minutes). This one runs all year round and gives a nice overview of the port.
There are longer port tours in the summer months (July and August) that last about 2.5 hours. There are also day tours that are over 7 hours long but you’d have to book those in advance.
Departure:
Willemplein 85
(beneath the Erasmus Bridge)
3016 DR Rotterdam
Netherlands
How to get there:
Take the metro
lines D or E and alight at Leuvehaven or thke the tram 7 and alight
at Willemsplein.
There is also a car park (address for sat navs
is Gedemte Zalmhaven) close by.
Departure times for the 75-minute tour:
January to 22nd of March Monday – Wednesday: 14.00 Thursday – Sunday: 11.00, 12.30, 14.00, 15.30
23rd of March to end of May daily: 09.30, 10.15, 11.00, 11.45, 12.30, 13.15, 14.00, 14.45, 15.30, 16.15, 17.00
July to August daily: 10.15, 11.00, 11.45, 12.30, 13.15, 14.00, 14.45, 15.30, 16.15, 17.00
September and October daily: 10.15, 11.00, 11.45, 12.30, 13.15, 14.00, 14.45, 15.30, 17.00
November and December Monday – Wednesday: 14.00 Thursday – Sunday: 11.00, 12.30, 14.00, 15.30
No
tours on the 1st
of January and the 25th
of December
Ticket price for the 75-minute tour
Adults: 13.25€
Discounts are available The ticket kiosk is at the jetty beneath the Erasmus Bridge.
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