Holland America Cruise Line

MS Eurodam

TravelPage.com Rating:TBD Submit your review here Operator: Holland America Line Year Built / Last Refurbished: 2008 / 2008 Length / Tonnage: 935 / 86,000 Number of Cabins / Passengers: 1,022 / 2,044 Officers / Crew: Dutch / Filipino Operating Area: Europe and Caribbean

Deck Plans Sports Deck Observation Deck Lido Deck Navigation Deck Rotterdam Deck Upper Verandah Deck Verandah Deck Upper Promenade Deck Promenade Deck Lower Promenade Deck Main Deck Deck Legend

To be delivered in summer 2008, the Eurodam marks Holland America Line's next class of vessels and the largest ever constructed for the premium line. With an estimated all-in cost of $450 million, the new 86,000-ton Panamax Eurodam will be built at Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri's Marghera shipyard.

"This will be the 80th passenger ship to sail in the company's fleet and the first ship in our illustrious history to bear the name Eurodam," said Stein Kruse, president and chief executive officer. "We chose the name Eurodam to celebrate our European and Dutch heritage and our third century of sailing in one of the world's most popular cruising regions." The company's first ship, the ss Rotterdam, sailed her maiden voyage from Rotterdam to New York City in October of 1872, 134 years ago last month.

The Eurodam will continue several Holland America Line features, including the Pinnacle Grill and Pinnacle Bar; the innovative Culinary Arts Center presented by Food & Wine Magazine, where culinary experts provide cooking demonstrations and intimate classes in state-of-the-art onboard show kitchens; an expanded Greenhouse Spa and Salon with thermal suites and hydro-pool, the largest gymnasium ever built for Holland America Line; and a youth facility that includes the teens-only Loft.

Staterooms and suites on the new ms Eurodam will feature an inspired and a distinctly different décor when the 2,044-guest luxury liner – Holland America Line’s first Signature-class ship – debuts in June 2008.

The staterooms and suites will offer a calming, more mono-chromatic design, accented with bursts of color, will replace the floral schemes used in the past. The elegantly simple design is enhanced with rich wood tones and the use of burnished nickel fixtures. Passenger corridors leading to the guest staterooms also will be decorated in the same contemporary theme.

"Holland America Line chose NB Design Group of Seattle to create this stylish new décor," said Stein Kruse, president and chief executive officer. "We sought a design firm capable of providing a fresh look while retaining a tailored, Euro-classic aesthetic. NB Design Group has succeeded wonderfully by introducing different woods and textures and fresh color combinations."

Nancy Burfiend, principal designer and founder of NB Design Group, added the intent was to transform each stateroom and suite into a calming oasis where guests could relax and rejuvenate.

"There is so much taking place aboard a cruise ship – diverse activities, exciting dining, theater shows, and more – that we wanted the guest rooms to reflect a soothing environment," said Burfiend. "For example, the deluxe verandah suites will feature rich walnut furniture, charcoal gray seating, crisp white draperies and a patterned gray tip sheared carpet – accented with powder blue and citrius orange in strategic areas to add dimension and interest.

"Inside staterooms will have blond, maple-toned furniture to create a lighter environment, with the recessed area behind the beds painted sky-blue and covered by sheer curtains with a burn-out, wave pattern that allows hints of blue to show – in effect, creating the sense of a window," Burfiend added.

The new décor will be in all staterooms on the 11-passenger deck Eurodam. For the first time on any Holland America ship, staterooms will be added to the top decks. Deck 11 just off the Crow’s Nest will feature 10 verandah staterooms and, just below on Deck 10, 28 staterooms with verandahs and four, forward-facing "panorama" rooms will be located.

With one more deck than Holland America’s 10-deck Vista-class ships, the Signature-class Eurodam will feature three alternative dining venues, including a new pan-Asian restaurant on Deck 10. The Explorations Café – powered by The New York Times – will be located on Deck 11 on the starboard side of the Crow’s Nest.

Staterooms will feature all the Signature of Excellence premium amenities: plush Euro-top Mariner’s Dream beds, deluxe waffle/terry cloth robes, Egyptian cotton towels, flat panel televisions, DVD players, make-up mirrors with halo lighting, massage shower heads, professional grade hair dryers, fresh flowers and complimentary fruit baskets.

A hotel service charge of US $10 per passenger is automatically added to each guest's shipboard account on a daily basis. Passengers can adjust this amount at the end of the cruise by visiting the hotel manager's desk. A 15% service charge is automatically added to bar charges and dining room wine purchases.

Eurodam is scheduled to debut in June 2008 with European inaugural events and then cruise the Baltic region through the summer. The ship will then offer its first trans-Atlantic cruise and sail Canada/New England in the fall, followed by Caribbean itineraries the remainder of 2008.

The Eurodam will spend its inaugural season on alternating 10-day Northern Europe itineraries, sailing roundtrip from Copenhagen. The new 10-day Norwegian Fjords & Scotland cruise combines breathtaking Norwegian fjords with Invergordon (famous for Loch Ness) and Edinburgh, (home of the famous Castle & Scottish Crown Jewels), Scotland; and the maiden port Newcastle upon Tyne, England (gateway to the city of York). The 10-day Gems of the Baltic, a perennial guest favorite, combines an overnight stay on board in St. Petersburg, Russia with Scandinavia and northern Germany.