Feel The Power: Holland America's Nieuw Amsterdam
cuts a path through the Med on her recent sea trials.
Photo courtesy of Holland America Line
A few weeks ago, the newest ship in the Holland America Line fleet set sail from the Fincantieri shipyards near Venice, Italy and embarked on her sea trials - the last major hurdle to clear before beginning a long and successful career at sea.
She is the ms Nieuw Amsterdam - the fourth ship to bear the name, and the latest evolution of the immensely popular "Vista Class" ships that first set sail in 2002 with the launch of the Zuiderdam. While the bright and colorful interior design of Zuiderdam represented what some considered a drastic departure from the more understated vessels like Statendam and Zaandam, the comments from passengers did not go unnoticed, and each successive ship was tweaked and refined little by little.
By all accounts, Holland America struck gold with the 2006 launch of the Noordam. Combining the easy-to-navigate layout of her predecessors with a more classic color scheme, as well as the incorporation of new features like the Pinnacle Bar, this was the ship that proved to the long-time HAL "Mariners" that the Vista-class ships were legends in their own right.
Not content to rest on their laurels, the line launched Eurodam in July of 2008. She incorporated a whole host of new features, including private cabanas, an additional deck featuring a new restaurant and bar concept, re-arranged outer deck space, and an extended aft end. Despite all of her innovations, passenger reaction was largely similar to that of the Zuiderdam six years earlier: some were unhappy with the break from tradition during the naming process (HAL ships are known for being named after historic ships in the fleet), and not everyone quite knew what to make of the new cabanas or slight increase in passenger count.
The Nieuw Amsterdam seems destined, like the Oosterdam before her, to change the perceptions of HAL's passenger base - for the better. Once again, the line has listened to their passengers and in keeping with that theme, has made a whole host of changes and updates to the ship, some small, others larger in scale - but all of which are destined to enhance the overall experience of all her passengers.
The basic Vista Class design has been so successful
it has been used as a platform by Costa and Cunard.
In this shot of Nieuw Amsterdam, it's easy to see why.
Photo courtesy of Holland America Line
The first change passengers are likely to notice lies at the bottom of the Atrium on Deck 1: the Atrium Bar has been removed. It probably won't be missed: on the Vista-class ships, the bar remained under-utilized, due to the proximity of the Guest Relations and Shore Excursion decks, embarkation gangway nearby, and the noticeable lack of windows and seating. A far more popular watering hole lies at the top of the Atrium on Deck 3: the Ocean Bar. Together with the elegant Pinnacle Bar on Deck 2 - included on every HAL ship starting with the Noordam in 2006 - these two facilities ensure passengers will be able to relax and enjoy a pre-or-post dinner drink in style and comfort. The Pinnacle Bar proved so popular that HAL refitted the Zuiderdam, Oosterdam, and Westerdam, adding the bar in place of the former Windstar Cafe.
Speaking of dinner, the ship will also debut an impressive new feature to the line's already-impressive Pinnacle Grill specialty restaurant: the creation of an intimate "Master Chef's Table" featuring an exclusive menu for just eighteen lucky guests. As a seven-course meal served on fine Versace china, each course is served personally by a culinary expert, and includes specialty wine pairings selected by the onboard sommelier. A spot at the Master Chef's Table can be had for $89 per person, and standard dinner reservations at the Pinnacle Grill are still available for a mere $20 per person. If you've dined there before, you'll know it is worth the price of admission - and then some.
Of course, the dining options don't stop there: the ship features its signature, elegant main dining room which is open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. There is also the Asian-themed Tamarind restaurant which first debuted on Eurodam and quickly became a hit. Dinner here is a very reasonable $15 per person, and lunch is even more reasonable: it's complementary. Mouth-watering dishes like Wasabi beef soy tenderloin encrusted steak served on a cedar plank, sweet and sour vegetable tempura, and red penang curry coconut chicken are sure to temp the taste buds and whet the appetite.
The casual Lido Restaurant and the line's new Slice Pizzeria round out the food offerings (and we can vouch for the pizza - it's excellent, and a vast improvement over the former product.)
All of this food might require some exercise around the decks. Although you will feel right at home if you have sailed on Eurodam, Nieuw Amsterdam's closest sister ship, past passengers of Zuiderdam, Oosterdam, Westerdam and Noordam will also have no problems finding their way around the decks thanks to an easy-to-navigate interior layout that remains largely unchanged between ships.
Other subtle changes abound. Gone are the strange Category VT cabins that graced Eurodam aft of the Crow's Nest. These cabins used to have so-called "viewing balconies" that were only big enough for a person to stand on, but not large enough for deck chairs of any kind. On Nieuw Amsterdam, these have been replaced with Category VQ Spa Veranda staterooms featuring enhanced spa amenities and priority access to the Greenhouse Spa itself - and of course, a full-size balcony to boot.
Then there are the features that are standard right across the line's fleet of fifteen ships: larger than average staterooms. Bathtubs in almost every cabin. Fantastic Elemis toiletries. A flat-panel TV and DVD player in every stateroom, complete with a well-stocked list of complimentary DVD movies and TV shows for your viewing pleasure. Then there's the Mariner's Dream Bed. If you know someone who has sailed with the line, chances are "the bed" is the first thing they talk about: it's fantastic, and remains one of the most comfortable at sea.
Sailing Into the Future: Nieuw Amsterdam points
Holland America Line in the right direction.
Photo courtesy of Holland America Line
The phrase "more than you expect" could almost be Holland America's unofficial tag line. Nowhere is this more apparent than with the fantastic crews aboard each ship. Within the first day, staff members will know your name. They will remember your favorite drink. Incredibly, even after repeat voyages sometimes years apart, passengers have been astonished to encounter crew members they've sailed with before - who still remember their names. In an age when many lines are focusing only on their hardware - things physically attached to the ship - it isn't a stretch to say that at HAL, a good measure of their success is owed to the dedicated men and women in their employ as much as that of the ships themselves.
Nieuw Amsterdam seems poised to do something that is becoming increasingly rare in this industry: maintaining its nautical heritage through her graceful lines, ocean-liner like features and amenities while at the same time providing the necessary economy-of-scale needed to be profitable in today's cruise industry.
For more information on both the Nieuw Amsterdam, her voyages, and Holland America Line, be sure to visit their website so you too can experience all this fantastic line has to offer.
Thanks to Dutch By Association for his excellent clarification on some of Nieuw Amsterdam's finer points. For a great overview of all things HAL, be sure to check out his blog.
0 comments:
Post a Comment