Ships
Amsterdam (2000), Eurodam (2008), Maasdam (1993), Nieuw Amsterdam (2010), Noordam (2006), Oosterdam (2003), Prinsendam (1988), Rotterdam (1997), Ryndam (1994), Statendam (1993), Veendam (1996), Volendam (1999), Westerdam (2004), Zaandam (2000), Zuiderdam (2002).
About the company
Holland America Line was founded in 1873 as the Netherlands-America Steamship Company, shipping immigrants to the New World from Rotterdam. It moved its headquarters to New York in 1971. It bought into Alaskan hotels and transportation when it acquired Westours in 1983, and is one of the state’s biggest employers. In 1989, it was acquired by Carnival Cruise Lines, but retained its Seattle-based headquarters.
HAL has recently grown fast, and carries both traditional cruise passengers (senior citizens, alumni groups) and multi-generational families. It tries hard to keep its Dutch connections, with antique artefacts and traditional decor, as well as Indonesian stewards. It has a private island, Half Moon Cay, in the Bahamas.
? Frequent passengers’ club: Mariner Society
So what’s it really like?
Fresh management with updated ideas, the line’s “Signature of Excellence” program, the food variety and creativity have improved the HAL experience. The ships benefit from lots of fresh flowers, museum-quality art pieces, and more attention to detail than all the other major lines with the exception of Celebrity Cruises.
The brand encompasses basically two types of ship. Younger families with children and grandchildren are best suited to the newer, larger vessels such as Eurodam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Noordam, Oosterdam, Westerdam, and Zuiderdam, whereas those of senior years – HAL’s traditional audience of repeat passengers from alumni groups – are best suited to ships that are smaller and less glitzy (Amsterdam, Maasdam, Prinsendam, Rotterdam, Ryndam, Statendam, Veendam, and Zaandam). All the ships are well maintained, and cleaning takes place constantly. All ships have teakwood outdoors promenade decks, whereas most rivals have artificial grass or some other form of indoor-outdoor carpeting. Explorations Cafés have been built into its ships as part of recent refurbishment programs.
Holland America Line has its own training school in Jakarta, Indonesia, and so is able to “pre-train” crew members who have never been to sea before. Many crew members have been promoted to supervisory positions due to a host of new ships introduced, but few of those promoted have the formal training, professional or management skills, or experience to do the job well. Internal promotion is fine, but decreased professionalism is not the price that passengers should pay. However, HAL’s mainly Indonesian crew members are willing, polite, and smile a lot – particularly if extra tips are forthcoming – which is more than can be said for service staff on land today, particularly in western countries. That said, many struggle to communicate with passengers.
HAL is one of only three major cruise lines with cinemas built into all its ships. It also operates many theme-related cruises, and has an extensive “University at Sea” program of life-enrichment lecturers. The cinemas also have superb full demonstration kitchens built in for a “Culinary Arts” program that includes celebrity chefs, and interactive cooking demos.
HAL has established smoking and no-smoking areas throughout its ships, but there are many more smokers than you might expect, depending on ship and itinerary.
The ships are best suited to older couples and singles (and their grandchildren), who like to mingle in a large ship, in an unhurried setting with fine-quality surroundings, with plenty of eclectic antique artwork, decent – though not gourmet – food and service from a smiling Indonesian/Filipino crew who don’t have the finesse many passengers expect from a “premium” product.
Decor
Aboard Amsterdam, Maasdam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Prinsendam, Rotterdam, Ryndam, Statendam, Veendam, Volendam, Zaandam, the decor is rather bland (restful), with eclectic artwork that is focused on Dutch artefacts, mainly from the 16th and 17th centuries.
Aboard the newest ships (Eurodam, Oosterdam, Westerdam, Zuiderdam) the decor is more lively – acceptable for families with children who like bright things such as large wall panels with digital “in-your-face” artwork that present an Alice in Wonderland look. You wouldn’t go for it in your living room, but aboard these large resort ships it works. It is important, therefore, to choose the right ship for your personality type, and for the facilities that appeal.
Gratuities
$10 per person per day (the amount charged when this book went to press) is added to your onboard account. You can have this amount adjusted at the information desk to do so. Additionally, 15% is added to bar and wine accounts. The onboard currency is the US dollar.
Berlitz Guide © Apa Publishing 2010
