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Cruise Line Spotlight: Holland America Line
Holland America Line began 135 years ago
as the Netherlands-America Steamship Company, a
cargo and passenger shipping line that sailed
between Rotterdam and the Americas. Today, it is
one of the world’s leading premium leisure cruise
lines. Its elegant, mid-size ships sail nearly 500
different itineraries to 314 ports of call on seven
continents.
The recent addition of the new ms
Eurodam brought the total number of ships in Holland
America’s fleet to 14. The Eurodam, a
2,104-passenger ship, is the first in Holland
America’s new Signature Class. The ship was
officially dedicated by Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of
the Netherlands on July 1. After sailing in the
Baltic region this summer, the Eurodam will cross
the Atlantic to sail the coast of New England this
fall.
The Eurodam has a number of luxurious
features that are new to the cruise line, such as
Spa Staterooms. There are 56 of these special
cabins, which vary from inside staterooms to suites
with private verandahs. All are located on the top
two decks, in close proximity to the Greenhouse Spa
and Salon. They also have special spa amenities,
such as water features that provide soothing,
ambient background sound. Ten of the Spa Staterooms
located on the Observation Deck have
floor-to-ceiling windows and scalloped verandahs for
spectacular views.
Like staterooms across the fleet, those
on the Eurodam provide passengers with premium
amenities such as waffle weave terry cloth robes,
Egyptian cotton towels, flat panel TVs, DVD players,
lighted make-up mirrors and massaging shower heads.
The Eurodam also has new dining options,
including a pan-Asian restaurant called Tamarind.
Lunch at Tamarind features dim sum, the classic
Asian dumplings, with fusion sauces for dipping.
For dinner, guests can choose one of a variety of
Asian-inspired entrees or Rijsttafel, a Dutch
adaptation of the traditional Indonesian dinner.
Rijsttafel features rice served with a variety of
flavorful side dishes, including satay, steamed
vegetables, braised poultry and seafood steamed in
banana leaves.
While planning and building the Eurodam,
Holland America also enhanced the rest of its fleet
through its Signature of Excellence initiative. The
cruise line invested $425 million in enhancements to
the ships’ public spaces, accommodations, dining
rooms, service programs and itineraries.
To find out more about the features of
the Eurodam (ask about the airy new cabanas
available for rent on the Observation and Lido
Decks) and the rest of Holland America’s ships, talk
with your personal cruise expert.
Highlighting
Homeports: San Pedro
Many people who are considering a cruise
vacation are surprised to learn that not all cruise
ships depart from Miami. In fact, the U.S. has an
amazing variety of homeports dotting the Eastern
Seaboard, the Gulf Coast and the West Coast.
Cruises to the Mexican Riviera, Alaska,
Hawaii and the South Pacific depart from The Port of
Los Angeles World Cruise Center, located in San
Pedro, Calif. Cruise lines such as Celebrity
Cruises, Crystal Cruises, Disney Cruise Line,
Holland America and Royal Caribbean have made San
Pedro one of the busiest passenger ports in the
U.S. If you have some time to explore the area,
you’ll find fascinating sights, many within walking
distance or easy driving distance of the cruise ship
dock.
San Pedro’s landmarks include the
Vincent Thomas Bridge, also called “San Pedro’s
Golden Gate,” the third longest suspension bridge in
California. You can tour the SS Lane Victory, a
fully operational World War II cargo ship that is
now a museum. Or, take a lighthouse tour: Point
Vicente Lighthouse sits high above the coast,
offering spectacular views; Angel’s Gate Lighthouse
guards the entrance to the port; and Point Fermin
Lighthouse, saved from destruction in 1972, is
listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
San Pedro also has interesting
buildings, including the Warner Grand Theater. The
Art Deco theater opened in 1931 and is one of the
few remaining theaters of its kind. San Pedro is
also home to the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium, designed
by renowned architect Frank Gehry. If you are
interested in modern architecture, you may want to
visit Wayfarers Chapel in nearby Rancho Palos Verdes.
This lovely “glass church” was designed by Lloyd
Wright, the architect son of Frank Lloyd Wright.
San Pedro also has an Old Town, where
you’ll find international cuisine and lots of
shops. Old Town is also dotted with art galleries
and studios, many of which participate in an Artwalk
event on the first Thursday of each month. You can
spend the evening browsing paintings, photographs,
sculpture, glass, furniture and antiques.
To find out about more things to see and
do in San Pedro – such as the Ports o’ Call Village,
the Korean Bell of Friendship and the Trump National
Golf Club – talk with your personal cruise expert
about the variety of cruises that embark from San
Pedro.
Protecting
the Environment
At a time of when more people are aware
of the need to protect the environment, vacationers
wonder about the impact cruise ships have on the
seas. The truth is that cruise lines have a vested
interest in keeping the oceans of the world both
clean and beautiful – after all, their livelihood
depends on it.
CLIA, the Cruise Line International
Association, recently reported that a study of the
Baltic Sea conducted by the VTT Technical Research
Centre of Finland showed that cruise ships
contribute only a tiny fraction of nutrients – less
than one percent – that are released into sea.
Terry Dale, president and chief executive officer of
CLIA, noted that member cruise lines adopted
stringent wastewater treatment practices nearly a
decade ago. CLIA members also meet or exceed the
discharge standards for sewage set by the
International Maritime Organization. Many ships
have advanced onboard systems that treat and recycle
wastewater and solid waste.
Cruise lines are “going green” in other
important ways. These include:
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Satellite positioning systems that prevent
anchors being dropped on delicate sea beds or
coral.
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Ships powered with “green” diesel and special
seals that prevent engine oil leakage.
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The use of salt water in pools to reduce or
avoid the use of chemicals such as chlorine.
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LED lighting that uses 50% less energy than
regular lighting.
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Washing machines that use sound waves and less
water.
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In-port procedures that reduce air emissions up
to 30%.
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Providing containers for glass, plastic and
other recyclable materials on board.
If “green” cruising is important to you, talk with
your personal cruise expert to find out which cruise
lines and ships offer the most advanced equipment
and practices for energy conservation and
environmental protection.
Think Bermuda
Bermuda has an incredibly high repeat visitor rate
of 50 percent. Why do so many vacationers who
experience Bermuda choose to come again? It may
have something to do with the colors of the islands:
cerulean blue water, pink sand and charming cottages
painted in a rainbow of pastels. Bermuda also
offers sophisticated dining, shopping and
entertainment. And, Bermudians don’t allow
billboards, neon signs or rental cars to spoil their
idyllic islands.
While it seems that Bermuda would fit right into the
Caribbean, the island nation is actually in the
Atlantic Ocean. The nearest landmass is Cape
Hatteras, N.C., more than 600 miles away. Bermuda
is made up of more than 130 islands, but visitors
usually spend their time on the eight largest:
Bermuda (the main island), Boaz, Ireland North,
Ireland South, Somerset, St. David’s, St. George’s
and Watford. Connected by bridges, causeways and
ferries, this group of islands is just 22 miles long
and barely two miles across at the widest point.
The names of the islands, as well as the fact that
English is spoken everywhere, are products of
Bermuda’s status as a British territory.
Bermuda has many small, beautiful beaches; great
scuba diving; and the most golf courses per square
mile on earth. The islands have lots of
family-friendly attractions, such as the Royal Navy
Dockyards and Museum and the Bermuda Aquarium,
Museum and Zoo. The capital city of Hamilton offers
great shopping, dining and sightseeing. While
rental cars are not allowed on the islands, there’s
an excellent bus system to take you wherever you
would like to go.
High season for cruise vacations to Bermuda is April
to late October: perfect for the wearing of Bermuda
shorts (knee-length is best, and definitely don’t
let them end more than 2 inches above your knee).
Some cruises are “Bermuda only:” they sail from the
East Coast and dock in Bermuda for two to four
nights. Other cruises combine a visit to Bermuda
with some Eastern Caribbean ports of call. Some
trans-Atlantic and repositioning cruises also call
on Bermuda.
To find out more about cruising to Bermuda for the
first time or for a return visit, talk with your
personal cruise expert.
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