Eurodam/Queen Victoria

[caribbeanboy]

Just noticed that those ships are basically the same design. Am I right ? Just like the Carnival Splendor is the same design as Costa Concordia & Costa Serena

[Krazy Kruizers]

I noticed that as well.

[Despegue]

Correct, although the Queen Victoria has a strenghtened bow, which I don't know is the case for Eurodam.

[avalon1025]

Yes and no, QV does not have the extra deck of cabins above her bridge, no external elevators and much, much different public room layout.

[grannynurse]

The QV was originally supposed to be the 5th Vista ship for HAL. When HAL changed plans she went to Cunard as the QV. The Eurodam is a new class for HAL (Signature class) and has the extra deck among other differences. When Westerdam was refitted in 2007 the Explorations cafe was moved to the starboard side of the Crow's Nest. Westerdam also received the Mirabella jewelry store. Eurodam also has these features. I'm pretty sure that E'dam has the sea view elevators; it certainly looks that way from her exterior view. Two of the other Vistas (Zuiderdam and Oosterdam) will follow when they have their drydocks in 2009. I have not yet heard of future changes to Noordam which is the newest (2006) and last of the Vistas.

GN

[jtl513]

I'm pretty sure that E'dam has the sea view elevators; it certainly looks that way from her exterior view.

Definitely

Two of the other Vistas (Zuiderdam and Oosterdam) will follow when they have their drydocks in 2009.

The Zuiderdam already had the changes in April this year. One change that is not shown on the Zuiderdam deck plans is a 30-seat Screening Room for movies where the Internet Center used to be. Plans show a Merabella shop there.

[Barek]

The QV was originally supposed to be the 5th Vista ship for HAL. When HAL changed plans she went to Cunard as the QV. The Eurodam is a new class for HAL (Signature class) and has the extra deck among other differences. When Westerdam was refitted in 2007 the Explorations cafe was moved to the starboard side of the Crow's Nest. Westerdam also received the Mirabella jewelry store. Eurodam also has these features. I'm pretty sure that E'dam has the sea view elevators; it certainly looks that way from her exterior view. Two of the other Vistas (Zuiderdam and Oosterdam) will follow when they have their drydocks in 2009. I have not yet heard of future changes to Noordam which is the newest (2006) and last of the Vistas.

GN

Close ... the fourth Vista hull (presumably the one originally intended to be the Noordam) was transfered by Carnival Corp to Cunard in order to get a Queen Victoria produced quickly - at which point a fifth hull was started that became the current Noordam. Meanwhile, due to internal corporate politics, it was decided that the fourth hull would not work out for Cunard, so it was again transfered, this time to P&O Cruises where it was completed and became their MS Arcadia. Cunard then began work on a modified Vista design which is almost 30 feet longer and one more deck than other Vista class ships, and includes structural reinforcements beyond the standard Vista design (the modified design also removes the external elevators). They also redesigned several of the decks to add features which had been popular on their Queen Mary 2. They currently have the MS Queen Elizabeth on their website as a new ship to be completed in 2010, which I've heard will be a further modification of the Queen Victoria design - although I've also heard from other sources that it will be a new design, so I'm not certain if it will be a Vista Derivative or not. Meanwhile, HAL began work on their own modified version of the VISTA design; while the same length as other Vista ships, the ms Eurodam does have an additional deck and several modifications to cabin placement as well as some other feature changes - especially on the upper decks. However, HAL's modified VISTA design retained the distinctive external elevators.

 

Here's a timeline of Vista class and Vista class derivatives:

 

ms Zuiderdam (2002) - has external elevators

ms Oosterdam (2003) - has external elevators

ms Westerdam (2004) - has external elevators

MS Arcadia (2005) - has external elevators

ms Noordam (2006) - has external elevators

MS Queen Victoria (2007)

ms Eurodam (2008) - has external elevators

MS Queen Elizabeth (2010)

 

HAL also had an option to build a sister ship to the ms Eurodam; but due to the economy, Cunard Corp placed a halt on all new ship builds for their US-based brands which were not already under construction. The ship builder (Fincantieri) still shows "Hull 6181" on their website, so I suppose there's a chance that HAL had already signed the contract prior to the new-build freeze being put in place - but I haven't read anything official from HAL or Carnival Corp on that one, so it may just be that the ship builder is just hoping that things improve and the option gets picked up.

[caribbeanboy]

Noordam was delivered with all the enhancements in place already, so no changes for Noordam.

[Barek]

but due to the economy, Cunard Corp placed a halt on all new ship builds for their US-based brands which were not already under construction.

Oops - a typo ... this should have said that Carnival Corp placed the halt on all new ship builds which were not already under construction for their US-based cruise brands.

[InTheWASide]

Oops - a typo ... this should have said that Carnival Corp placed the halt on all new ship builds which were not already under construction for their US-based cruise brands.

 

It was actually phrased as "on the books"

[InTheWASide]

Close ... the fourth Vista hull (presumably the one originally intended to be the Noordam) was transfered by Carnival Corp to Cunard in order to get a Queen Victoria produced quickly - at which point a fifth hull was started that became the current Noordam. Meanwhile, due to internal corporate politics, it was decided that the fourth hull would not work out for Cunard, so it was again transfered, this time to P&O Cruises where it was completed and became their MS Arcadia. Cunard then began work on a modified Vista design which is almost 30 feet longer and one more deck than other Vista class ships, and includes structural reinforcements beyond the standard Vista design (the modified design also removes the external elevators). They also redesigned several of the decks to add features which had been popular on their Queen Mary 2. They currently have the MS Queen Elizabeth on their website as a new ship to be completed in 2010, which I've heard will be a further modification of the Queen Victoria design - although I've also heard from other sources that it will be a new design, so I'm not certain if it will be a Vista Derivative or not. Meanwhile, HAL began work on their own modified version of the VISTA design; while the same length as other Vista ships, the ms Eurodam does have an additional deck and several modifications to cabin placement as well as some other feature changes - especially on the upper decks. However, HAL's modified VISTA design retained the distinctive external elevators.

 

Here's a timeline of Vista class and Vista class derivatives:

 

ms Zuiderdam (2002) - has external elevators

ms Oosterdam (2003) - has external elevators

ms Westerdam (2004) - has external elevators

MS Arcadia (2005) - has external elevators

ms Noordam (2006) - has external elevators

MS Queen Victoria (2007)

ms Eurodam (2008) - has external elevators

MS Queen Elizabeth (2010)

 

HAL also had an option to build a sister ship to the ms Eurodam; but due to the economy, Cunard Corp placed a halt on all new ship builds for their US-based brands which were not already under construction. The ship builder (Fincantieri) still shows "Hull 6181" on their website, so I suppose there's a chance that HAL had already signed the contract prior to the new-build freeze being put in place - but I haven't read anything official from HAL or Carnival Corp on that one, so it may just be that the ship builder is just hoping that things improve and the option gets picked up.

 

 

Queen Victoria follows more along the lines of the Carnival Spirit Class than the Vistas, although the relative platform shares a lot in common.

 

Princess also uses this design (with no glass elevators and a section that flares out in the middle, like the Vistas do at the forward and aft) on I believe it's the Sea and Island Princess ships.

 

It's a common hull for Carnival Corp, although the latest theme has been to use the Splendor Class. For obvious reasons though, I can't see HAL adopting that hull anytime soon.

[Druke I]

Princess's Sea Princess and Island Princess are not Vista hulls.

 

Sea Princess is one of four of the Sun class; Island Princess and Coral Princess are of a different class with different hull form.

 

While Island Princess and Coral Princess hulls are similar in size to the Vista, the propulsion systems are totally different.

 

Island & Coral were constructed by Chantiers, in France, while the Vistas are a Fincantieri design, built in Italy.

[Captain Rhone]

The contract was signed on 6-11-07 for hull 6181.