New Eurodam class

[Joe Russo]

I was checking out the new Eurodam which is scheduled to be delivered in July of 2008. They are talking her up as "the first ship in a new class," but It looks exactly like its Vista class sisters and it pretty much the same dimensions, yet is almost 10k larger. I read on Cruise Critic that an extra deck was added and that the ship will have several added specialty restaurants. Can anyone confirm this? Just how different is this new class?
Isn't the Queen Vic basically a Vista Class with an extra deck to make her bigger?
Some of QV's extra size probably comes from her Grill restaurants area which reminds me of the Viking Crown lounges on the Royal Caribbean vessels. Almost like an afterthought.

http://www.cruisecritic.com/reviews/review.cfm?ShipID=405

 

[Joe Russo]

"Signature" is the official name of the class and looks a little more high end that the other HAL ships.

http://eurodam.hollandamerica.com/non_flash/01_publicareas.php

 

[Joe Russo]

Private Cabanas Offered on Holland America Line's ms Eurodam

SEATTLE, May 7, 2008 Guests luxuriate in spa-like setting.
Guests on Holland America Line's new ms Eurodam who want to enjoy the outdoors in the comfort of their own private haven will delight in the cabanas on the Observation and Lido decks of the company's first Signature-class ship.

http://www.foxbusiness.com/story/markets/industries/retail/private-cabanas-offered-holland-america-lines-ms-eurodam/

 

[Joe Russo]

The cabanas are being installed.

http://www.eurodamnews.com/2008/06/13/update-the-retreat-cabanas-are-being-built/

 

[Joe Russo]

Not too shabby...

http://www.eurodamnews.com/2008/06/20/living-the-suite-life/

 

[Joe Russo]

Here is a link to several pages of interiors and exteriors of the new Eurodam. HAL used a little more restraint and taste in the decor of this new ship when compared to the four Vista class sisters.
There are 8 tours with pictures. Here is the link to the first page.

http://homepage.mac.com/revneal/eurodam2008/PhotoAlbum273.html

 

[Russell Smith]

I really like the Tamarind Restaurant in Slide Show #8. Very spacious yet also cozy! The Explorer's Lounge in Slide Show #2 looks like a nice place to relax and listen to the String Quartet, but the seats in the Pinnacle Bar look like some kind of torture instrument!

I'm 6'3 195 lbs (190.5cm , 88.63Kg) and I'm afraid I'd break them!

 

[Joe Russo]

I know! That chair looks like it will fall over.
The Pinnacle Bar is one of the few rooms that I don't like on that ship. I call it the "Duran Duran" bar because it is right out of the early 80's. It should have a Nagel print on the wall. Grace Jones would feel right at home.

 

[Joe Russo]

Here is a rendering of the new Signature Class ship under construction at Fincantieri which will be Eurodam's sister ship. Looks pretty identical and the particulars are all the same.

http://www.fincantieri.it/CMS/Data/prodotti/000284.aspx?cms640909ff=22bb40ac46ae4ed5a6b7def20ba492ca&menu_key=68da616f&CMSKEY_categoria=CRUISE&CMSKEY_ tipo=&CMSKEY_armatore=SG9sbGFuZCBBbWVyaWNhIExpbmU=&CMSKEY_anno=&CMSKEY_sottotitolo=

 

[Grant Carman]

Joe

Any name for her yet?

 

[Joe Russo]

No name yet. You can bet that it will be one of those dam ships

 

[Grant Carman]

I wonder if they'll use one of their older names. I realize that they already have an Amsterdam, but she's one of their oldest ships, so maybe another Nieuw Amsterdam?

 

[Joe Russo]

That would be a nice name since this class is more opulent than the Vistas.
Wasn't the original N.A. their pinnacle in the golden age?

 

[Grant Carman]

Joe

Yup. If you go to Gare Maretime, I beleive they have a very good article on the original Nieuw Amsterdam.

But given how then named it the Eurodam, this one might be the Worldam, or something equally corny

 

[Joe Russo]

Oh, I thought they named her after the currency
Call the next one Dollardam, lol.

 

[Grant Carman]

HAL announced yesterday that the new Eurodam class ship will be named the Nieuw Amsterdam. It will be the fourth ship to carry that name.

Looks like I guessed it correctly, although it was a pretty easy guess.

 

[Joe Russo]

Awesome! Good for them.

 

[John DeLoache]

I wish someone at HAL would have thought about switching the names. It would have made for a great marketing coup to introduce the new signature class Nieuw Amsterdam just a month or so from the 70 anniversary of the maiden voyage of the former flagship Nieuw and one of the lines best known HAL liners, then. Save the Eurodam name for the sister

 

[Joe Russo]

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.

http://www.hollandamerica.com/news/NewsRelease.action?newsReleaseId=593

 

[Michael H. Standart]

I guess somebody has confidence in the markets out there. Still, there are other projects which are in some deep trouble such as NCL's F3.