As part of its ongoing Signature of Excellence, Holland America Line is doubling the amount to be spent in upgrades, enhancements and new features on five of the line’s most popular ships. Over the next two years, the ms Statendam, ms Ryndam, ms Maasdam, ms Veendam and ms Rotterdam will undergo extensive dry docks to create new venues, new staterooms, new décor and more. The $200 million program will begin when Veendam enters an extended dock in spring 2009, and the last ship is slated for completion in early 2011.
The investment in this new series of enhancements will include a new resort pool concept, innovative lanai staterooms, new entertainment and enrichment options, all new stateroom décor and more. Holland America Line’s commitment to enhancing its premium fleet now exceeds $525 million.
Signature of Excellence features and amenities are evident in every aspect of the Holland America Line cruise experience, offering guests more luxurious accommodations, more enticing destinations, enhanced dining experiences, more creative activities and even higher levels of service.
Previously, during the first phase of Signature of Excellence, these five ships were enhanced with the Explorations Café, Culinary Arts Center, expanded Club HAL youth facilities and more. This next installment reinforces Holland America Line’s commitment to its popular mid-sized ships. The enhancements will add more verandah staterooms, introduce a new category of stateroom, expand the Lido Deck’s pool feature with The Retreat, create a showroom at sea and upgrade staterooms, bathrooms and fixtures.
Click on “more” below for the details on all of the changes HAL is introducing.
(0) Comments (Leave a Comment)Filed under: Holland America Line Posted by Michael on 09/11/08
Centrally located bars and lounges aboard five Holland America Line ships are being upgraded and reconfigured to bring a new concept to the shipboard bar scene. The highlight is a large, new space located in the heart of the ship, called Mix, that incorporates three specialty theme bars — Martinis, Champagne, and Spirits & Ales. These enhancements are part of a new $200-million Signature of Excellence upgrade to ms Statendam, ms Maasdam, ms Ryndam, ms Veendam and ms Rotterdam.
So what’s in store for the ships? Click on “more” below to find out
1 comment so farFiled under: Holland America Line Posted by Michael on 09/11/08
Holland America Line will name its latest Signature Class ship and the 15th in its fleet, ms Nieuw Amsterdam. To be delivered in 2010, the 86,000-ton Nieuw Amsterdam will be built at Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard and its interior design and art collection will reflect the glamour and history of New York City, formerly called Nieuw Amsterdam.
The first Nieuw Amsterdam was launched in 1906 and used both a full set of sails and steam engines. She was 17,149 tons and carried 2,886 passengers, 2,200 of them in third class. She sailed in regular service through World War I and then through to 1932.
The famed Nieuw Amsterdam II joined the fleet in 1938 as the company’s flagship. The silhouette of this ship can still be seen today behind Henry Hudson’s Half Moon in the company’s logo. At 36,287 tons, “the Darling of the Dutch,” as she was known, was decorated in great style and was launched by Her Majesty Queen Wilhemina of the Netherlands. Nieuw Amsterdam II served proudly in World War II completing 44 war time voyages carrying nearly 400,000 passengers (mostly troops). Following the war, she was rebuilt and, as the queen of Holland America Line’s “spotless fleet,” hosted countless well-known figures among her guests, including Katherine Hepburn, Rita Hayworth, Spencer Tracey and Albert Schweitzer.
Nieuw Amsterdam III was launched in 1983 as one of the most elegant ships of her time. At 33,900 tons, Nieuw Amsterdam III sailed in Alaska in the summers and in the Caribbean in the winters.
Previous new-build series include the four-ship Statendam Class group, four-ship Rotterdam Class and four-ship Vista Class. The line also owns and operates the 793-passenger, ms Prinsendam. The first Signature Class vessel, ms Eurodam, joined the fleet this past July.
Eurodam, and now Nieuw Amsterdam, further define and expand the Holland America Line premium brand with new concepts such as the innovative pan-Asian Tamarind restaurant and Silk Den lounge surrounded by panoramic views overlooking the ocean expanse and the Lido pool. Other additions are an Explorer’s Lounge Bar, a premium wine-tasting lounge, an elegant luxury jewelry boutique, new atrium bar area, enhanced and reconfigured show lounge, and a new photographic and imaging center.
(0) Comments (Leave a Comment)Filed under: Holland America Line Posted by Patricia on 09/01/08
This Deal of the Week is SO HUGE, I had to post make it as easy to follow as possible. Now, with deals this good and prices this low, know there is a caveat. These fares are community appreciation fares. This means they are for teachers, firefighters, active duty military, and police officers. But check it out — seven days in the Caribbean for less than $500 per person on a premium line! Seriously good deals here.
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| Ship | Sailing | Itinerary |
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| Maasdam | 10/4/08 | 10-day Montréal to Ft. Lauderdale | $899 | $999 | $2,399 | ||
| Eurodam | 9/11/08 | 10-day Québec City to New York City | $999 | n/a | n/a | ||
| Eurodam | 10/1/08 | 14-day Québec City to Ft. Lauderdale | $1,399 | $1,599 | n/a | ||
| Maasdam | 5/8/09 | 15-day Ft. Lauderdale to Montréal | $1,299 | $1,499 | $2,599 | ||
| Maasdam | 5/23, 5/30/09 | 7-day Montréal to Boston or reverse | $899 | $999 | $2,199 | ||
| Caribbean | ||||||
| Plus applicable fuel supplement. | ||||||
| Ship | Sailing | Itinerary | Inside from |
Outside from |
Verandah from |
Verandah Suite from* |
| Westerdam | 11/16/08 | 7-day Roundtrip Ft. Lauderdale | $549 | $599 | $799 | $999 |
| Statendam | 12/6/08 | 14-day Roundtrip Ft. Lauderdale | $899 | $999 | n/a | Inquire |
| Noordam | 12/7/08 | 10-day Roundtrip Ft. Lauderdale | $799 | $899 | $999 | $1,699 |
| Noordam | 12/17/08 | 10-day Roundtrip Ft. Lauderdale Holiday | $999 | $1,199 | $1,499 | $2,699 |
| Prinsendam | 12/19/08 | 14-day Roundtrip Ft. Lauderdale Holiday | $2,499 | $2,699 | $4,599 | $5,999 |
| Maasdam | 12/19/08 | 14-day Roundtrip Ft. Lauderdale Holiday | $1,799 | $1,999 | n/a | $4,299 |
| Zuiderdam | 12/19/08 | 10-day Roundtrip Ft. Lauderdale Holiday | $1,099 | $1,199 | $1,599 | n/a |
| Statendam | 12/20/08 | 7-day Roundtrip Ft. Lauderdale Holiday | $699 | $799 | n/a | $1,699 |
| Eurodam | 12/20/08 | 7-day Roundtrip Ft. Lauderdale Holiday | $799 | $899 | $999 | Inquire |
| Veendam | 12/21/08 | 7-day Roundtrip Tampa Holiday | Inquire | $799 | n/a | $1,999 |
| Westerdam | 12/21/08 | 7-day Roundtrip Ft. Lauderdale Holiday | $799 | $899 | $1,199 | $1,899 |
| Rotterdam | 12/23/08 | 12-day Roundtrip Ft. Lauderdale Holiday | $1,899 | $2,099 | n/a | $4,299 |
| Statendam | 12/27/08 | 7-day Roundtrip Ft. Lauderdale Holiday | Inquire | $799 | n/a | $1,799 |
| Veendam | 12/28/08 | 7-day Roundtrip Tampa Holiday | $799 | $899 | n/a | $2,299 |
| Westerdam | 12/28/08 | 7-day Roundtrip Ft. Lauderdale Holiday | $799 | $899 | $1,399 | $2,099 |
| Zuiderdam | 12/29/08 | 10-day Roundtrip Ft. Lauderdale Holiday | $999 | $1,099 | $1,499 | n/a |
| Maasdam | 1/2/09 | 7-day Roundtrip Ft. Lauderdale | $449 | $499 | n/a | $999 |
| Statendam | 1/3/09 | 7-day Roundtrip Ft. Lauderdale | Inquire | $599 | n/a | Inquire |
| Westerdam | 1/4/07 | 7-day Roundtrip Ft. Lauderdale | $499 | $599 | $799 | $1,299 |
| Westerdam | 2/8; 3/22; 4/12/09 | 7-day Roundtrip Ft. Lauderdale | $599 | $699 | $899 | $1,399 |
| Westerdam | 3/8, 3/29/09 | 7-day Roundtrip Ft. Lauderdale | $599 | $699 | $899 | $1,399 |
| Westerdam | 3/15; 4/5/09 | 7-day Roundtrip Ft. Lauderdale | $599 | $699 | $899 | $1,399 |
| Veendam | 1/4; 1/11, 1/18, 1/25/09 | 7-day Roundtrip Tampa | $499 | $599 | n/a | $1,399 |
| Veendam | 2/1, 2/8, 2/15, 2/22; 3/1, 3/8, 3/15, 3/22/09 | 7-day Roundtrip Tampa | $549 | $649 | n/a | $1,449 |
| Maasdam | 10/24; 11/7, 11/21;12/5/08 | 14-day Roundtrip Ft. Lauderdale | Inquire | Inquire | n/a | $1,799 |
| Maasdam | 1/9/09 | 14-day Roundtrip Ft. Lauderdale | $999 | $1,099 | n/a | $2,699 |
| Maasdam | 1/30/08 | 14-day Roundtrip Ft. Lauderdale | $1,299 | $1,499 | n/a | Inquire |
| Maasdam | 2/13/08 | 14-day Roundtrip Ft. Lauderdale | $999 | $1,099 | n/a | Inquire |
| Maasdam | 2/27; 3/13, 3/27; 4/10, 4/24/09 | 14-day Roundtrip Ft. Lauderdale | $999 | $1,099 | n/a | $2,699 |
According to Seatrade Insider (registration required) Disney Cruise Line is among six operators submitting proposals for 10-year Glacier Bay contracts. The contract terms are from 2010 through 2019.
Disney joined Compagnie des Iles du Ponant, Cruise West, Holland America Line, NCL Corp. and Princess Cruises in submitting proposals to the National Park Service.
The contracts will include the initial allocation of a limited number of vessel use days in the peak Glacier Bay season, June through August, of each year of the contract term.
Princess and Holland America legally qualify as ‘historical operators’ in Glacier Bay, giving them the ability to lock up their existing historical permits, which number 71 of the total 153 available permits annually for the next 10-year contract period. Additionally, Princess holds 13 ‘preferential’ entry permits.
HAL and Princess have the potential to maintain 84 of the peak season entries of the total of 153 available.
Dave Nemeth, chief of concessions management for Glacier Bay National Park, said the National Park Service hopes to allocate the permits by year’s end.
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