An Introduction to the Ships and Classes of the HAL Fleet

I love this place , excellent artical TY very much for it

So, after reading this whole thread, I gather the Eurodam is one of the least favorite HAL ships. There is very little written about her. I am booked on it and just wondering.......Maybe should consider rebook ing on a different ship?

So, after reading this whole thread, I gather the Eurodam is one of the least favorite HAL ships. There is very little written about her. I am booked on it and just wondering.......Maybe should consider rebook ing on a different ship?

If you don't feel comfortable with the Ms Noordam, you should rebook on a different ship.

It must be noted that the Ms Noordam has served around 90,000 passengers in the past year and to accept the reviews of just a handful of folks on CC might be premature.

We will be on the Noordam for our three cruises starting May 5th, 2015 and will happily savor it's great service and facilities for the second time.

If you don't feel comfortable with the Ms Noordam, you should rebook on a different ship.

 

It must be noted that the Ms Noordam has served around 90,000 passengers in the past year and to accept the reviews of just a handful of folks on CC might be premature.

 

We will be on the Noordam for our three cruises starting May 5th, 2015 and will happily savor it's great service and facilities for the second time.

I've sailed on the Noordam. It's the Eurodam that I'm curious about because very little is posted about it.

I've sailed on the Noordam. It's the Eurodam that I'm curious about because very little is posted about it.

My mistake. I should have addressed the Eurodam.

We will be on the Eurodam Nov 29th. Since it is the sister ship to the Nieuw Amsterdam, and with the exception of the decor, they are nearly identical.

Here is my photographic tour of the Nieuw Amsterdam that should help to visualize the layout/services on the Eurodam:

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/travel-2/ms-nieuw-amsterdam-on-board-images/

I will have a photographic tour if the Eurodam before the end of 2015 as well as all of the scanned menus and On Locations.

My mistake. I should have addressed the Eurodam.

 

We will be on the Eurodam Nov 29th. Since it is the sister ship to the Nieuw Amsterdam, and with the exception of the decor, they are nearly identical.

 

Here is my photographic tour of the Nieuw Amsterdam that should help to visualize the layout/services on the Eurodam:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/travel-2/ms-nieuw-amsterdam-on-board-images/

 

I will have a photographic tour if the Eurodam before the end of 2015 as well as all of the scanned menus and On Locations.

Thanks

My mistake. I should have addressed the Eurodam.

 

We will be on the Eurodam Nov 29th. Since it is the sister ship to the Nieuw Amsterdam, and with the exception of the decor, they are nearly identical.

 

Here is my photographic tour of the Nieuw Amsterdam that should help to visualize the layout/services on the Eurodam:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/travel-2/ms-nieuw-amsterdam-on-board-images/

 

I will have a photographic tour if the Eurodam before the end of 2015 as well as all of the scanned menus and On Locations.

Thanks for my tour, your pictures are really nice.

we like the Eurodam, nice layout. I'm not crazy about the decor of the main dining room (black with green accents, I feel like I'm at an Irish wake) but the staff is always wonderful, the spa excellent, and it is similar to the moor dam. nice big library and crows nest.

We have sailed on the Eurodam twice and the only complaint we had about her was the quality of the food and service at the Pinnacle Grill the first time. They made sure our second time was a lot better!

Vista-class

 

ZUIDERDAM - 2002 - 81,769 GT - 1,848 pax

OOSTERDAM - 2003 - 81,769 GT - 1,848 pax

WESTERDAM - 2004 - 81,811 GT - 1,848 pax

NOORDAM - 2006 - 82,318 GT - 1,918 pax

 

These are the biggest and newest HAL ships currently in service. They were designed mainly for shorter (less than two weeks) cruises in the Caribbean, Alaska, and Europe. Like the S-class, they represented a departure from previous HAL ships in size and design. While bigger than HAL's other ships, they are still much smaller than some competitors' ships which are now sometimes bigger than 150,000 GT and can carry over 3,500 passengers (Royal Caribbean have now ordered a ship that will be 220,000 GT and carry over 5,000 passengers). These ships are notable because of the exceptionally high number of private balconies - over two-thirds of cabins have them. They are called the Vista-class because they are named after the points of the compass in Dutch - Zuid (South), Oost (East), West, and Noord (North). The first three are identical; NOORDAM incorporates a few design changes which make her larger and have a slightly higher passenger capacity.

 

Just a "word to the wise": you do not want to book cabin #4154 on the Oosterdam. I booked an inside guarantee and was assigned it. During moderately rough seas some of the the ship's structural components might "flex" and you will can hear a thump sound. It is no big deal in most of the cabins; however, in #4154 it sounds like someone is actually throwing a basketball against the back wall. The wall (and picture) even vibrate. Apparently whatever is flexing (i.e. beam, support, brace, shaft, and/or steel panel, etc.) is attached to and/or is striking the room's back wall; which is only about 2 feet from the bed. It happens every time the ship pitches and/or rolls, etc. There is noway an average person could sleep through it.

 

Just a "word to the wise": you do not want to book cabin #4154 on the Oosterdam. I booked an inside guarantee and was assigned it. During moderately rough seas some of the the ship's structural components might "flex" and you will can hear a thump sound. It is no big deal in most of the cabins; however, in #4154 it sounds like someone is actually throwing a basketball against the back wall. The wall (and picture) even vibrate. Apparently whatever is flexing (i.e. beam, support, brace, shaft, and/or steel panel, etc.) is attached to and/or is striking the room's back wall; which is only about 2 feet from the bed. It happens every time the ship pitches and/or rolls, etc. There is noway an average person could sleep through it.

Thanks, I was just wondering if there were any issues there.

Thank you for the information and for going to the trouble of posting it. It'll be my first HAL cruise this Summer and I'm enjoying discovering as much as possible beforehand!😊

My mistake. I should have addressed the Eurodam.

 

We will be on the Eurodam Nov 29th. Since it is the sister ship to the Nieuw Amsterdam, and with the exception of the decor, they are nearly identical.

 

Here is my photographic tour of the Nieuw Amsterdam that should help to visualize the layout/services on the Eurodam:

 

http://www.rogerjett-photography.com/travel-2/ms-nieuw-amsterdam-on-board-images/

 

I will have a photographic tour if the Eurodam before the end of 2015 as well as all of the scanned menus and On Locations.

I just looked at the Noordam 2015 photos and have a question. I see a photo of the Neptune Lounge food setup and there are glasses and champagne. From the previous photo this was about 5/2/2015 (Friday). Was the champagne there mid cruise?

Thanks

I just looked at the Noordam 2015 photos and have a question. I see a photo of the Neptune Lounge food setup and there are glasses and champagne. From the previous photo this was about 5/2/2015 (Friday). Was the champagne there mid cruise?

 

Thanks

No. The photograph was taken on Embarkation Day for the Pacific Coastal leg of our three cruises (followed Coastal with B2B. There was champagne on our following two Embarkation Days for Alaska as well.

Great thread! I realized near the end of course, that it hasn't been updated recently since the Vista ships are no longer the "biggest and newest"! Would be great if it could be updated to include the newer ships. Great info here and much appreciated!

Great info, we have cruise the Westerdam and our now booked on the Oosterdam.

This is outstanding thread for anyone who has never sail with Holland America.

Thanks for sharing.

This is outstanding thread for anyone who has never sail with Holland America.

Thanks for sharing.

And for some of us that have been away for awhile:):)

Some years ago I find a lot of informations at this site http://joanjett2000.topcities.com/HA...dam/index.html

I can not found this again. There were a lot of informations and I lost it :eek::eek:

Any idea whre I can find this informations??

Thanks

Some years ago I find a lot of informations at this site http://joanjett2000.topcities.com/HA...dam/index.html

I can not found this again. There were a lot of informations and I lost it :eek::eek:

Any idea whre I can find this informations??

 

Thanks

That site was taken down a long time back.

You can try to search Google by entering for facts about HAL. You should be able to find a suitable site from the choices there.

I've been thinking about you a lot lately, It's primarily the reason I came back to CC.

I'm getting frustrated trying to learn to navigate as this new format seems so strange to me.

Our last cruise was to Alaska in2011 with our son Brad shortly after his wife died. Thankfully he got off the Amsterdam a much-changed Brad.

We're leaving for another NE/Canada cruise, the 2nd on Rotterdam, but the

4th time on board her. I still think about our night in Ireland together singing.... do you remember? It was the 2003 18 day transatlantic from Boston, wasn't it? We went again in 2004 on a 35 day, which one were we on together?

This coming cruise is a 17 day to and from Boston, I wish it went further south, we'd try to see you again.

I lost your telephone number and haven't stopped kicking myself.

Hope you see this and answer.

BTW I requested to befriend you, what do I do next?

Miss talking to you,

GN Myra

 

I've been thinking about you a lot lately, It's primarily the reason I came back to CC.

I'm getting frustrated trying to learn to navigate as this new format seems so strange to me.

Our last cruise was to Alaska in2011 with our son Brad shortly after his wife died. Thankfully he got off the Amsterdam a much-changed Brad.

 

We're leaving for another NE/Canada cruise, the 2nd on Rotterdam, but the

4th time on board her. I still think about our night in Ireland together singing.... do you remember? It was the 2003 18 day transatlantic from Boston, wasn't it? We went again in 2004 on a 35 day, which one were we on together?

This coming cruise is a 17 day to and from Boston, I wish it went further south, we'd try to see you again.

I lost your telephone number and haven't stopped kicking myself.

Hope you see this and answer.

BTW I requested to befriend you, what do I do next?

Miss talking to you,

GN Myra

Hi, Myra! I saw a post from you earlier today, and posted to you there. Hope you see it.

I have thought about you so many times over the years, you can't know How excited I am to see you on here again.

E-mail me at RuthCfromCC@hotmail.com, and we can get back in touch.

So, after reading this whole thread, I gather the Eurodam is one of the least favorite HAL ships. There is very little written about her. I am booked on it and just wondering.......Maybe should consider rebook ing on a different ship?

We loved the Eurodam -- and at anytime - someone will love and hate the same ship ---

No cruise is perfect and no cruise is bad - in my Opinion - which is useless to anyone but me

We loved the Eurodam -- and at anytime - someone will love and hate the same ship ---

 

No cruise is perfect and no cruise is bad - in my Opinion - which is useless to anyone but me

Do any of HAL ships have self serve laundromats, or just the stuff a bag and send it off? Thanks

Do any of HAL ships have self serve laundromats, or just the stuff a bag and send it off? Thanks

Yes, some of them still have self serve laundries. They are the smaller ships. Vistas and larger/newer do not have laundry rooms for guests.