Recommendations on Amsterdam Hotels and Transportation to Rotterdam Cruise Terminal

When is this? Does the cruise line offer you any discounts on hotels pre-cruise?
The train station is in the Amsterdam airport, down the escalators. Very easy to train into the city center.
Be prepared for hotel prices in Amsterdam inner rings, probably about $400 a nite.
Taking the train from Amsterdam central to Rotterdam is easy and inexpensive.
Just check which tram to take to the cruise terminal, I have no idea.
Have a great trip!

Stay in Amsterdam! I highly recommend the Hotel l’ Ambassade on the Herengracht Canal in Amsterdam. Don’t stay at a sterile airport hotel.
When you want to go to Rotterdam take a train, easy.

To Rotterdam Cruise Terminal from Central Station I would (and have) taken the Metro Line D or E 4 stops to Wilhelminaplein.

That stop is literally at the end of the street the Cruise Terminal is on.

Line D starts at Central and goes to De Akkers. Line E actually interchanges with NS at Den Haag CS and goes south through Rotterdam Central to Slinge. I like the journey by light rail down from Den Haag on Line E.

The best place for the previous night for a cruise from Rotterdam IMO is on the classic liner SS Rotterdam, now berthed not very far from the cruise terminal.

Or even closer (literally across the street from the terminal), a land based alternative, the Hotel New York- originally the headquarters of the Holland America Line.

You could have the day in AMS then train down to Rotterdam in the evening.

Also, as it seems to be a big concern on this forum, you are in the correct city the night before embarkation.

I think Amsterdam is worth a "fuller" visit than just the quick afternoon & evening type you are facing prior to the cruise.

For hotel experiences, we've only stayed at Kimpton De Witt and at the Marriott. I'd recommend both wholeheartedly, and the Kimpton had "free" bikes to enjoy (always a selling point).

But, we also visited Rotterdam, and while we didn't stay there, we really enjoyed it, and while a different vibe than Amsterdam, having an afternoon and evening there prior to the cruise would be a nice way to recover from a flight and prepare for a week or more at sea. :)

We're sailing out of Rotterdam in late July, but made sure we budgeted time ahead of and after the cruise to spend more time in Amsterdam before and Leiden-area after.

I agree with those who think you should concentrate on Rotterdam, especially if groggy from an all-night Atlantic flight. As a result of WW2 and bombing from both sides, Rotterdam had to extensively rebuild and chose experimental architecture, amusing to wander around. It is one of the world's great seaports for freight and there are cruises of its massive harbour. On a smaller scale you can search out the Pilgrim church where the faithful set sail for America (and sharing its name somewhat altered spelling with a tasty brewpub.)
https://www.tripadvisor.ca/Attraction_Review-g188632-d4056085-Reviews-De_Pelgrim_Brewery-Rotterdam_South_Holland_Province.html

When taking the train from Amsterdam to Rotterdam on cruise eve, is it necessary/advisable to pre-purchase the train ticket? (Plan to leave in the evening the day before embarkation.)

If you can change your air tickets, I would allow much more time in Amsterdam than you have now. I have been there numerous times and still have just scraped the surface. I will be going again end of July, have stayed at the Ambassade Hotel, it is perfect. I also have the predicament of how to get to Rotterdam for my cruise. I know everyone says the train, but my wife does not pack light and I would be hauling all the luggage! So I think I am going to hire a private car for the trip. Yes expensive but it will be worth it.

@Tizzy- No, all trains are walk on, and no price advantage to booking ahead. Just tap your credit card on the entrance gates at Amsterdam and tap out with the same card at Rotterdam- so no need even for a physical ticket- unless you are like me and prefer a ticket- https://www.ovpay.nl/en/how-it-works