Holland America Line – Classical Meets Modernity

Holland America Line’s Maasdam, Niewu Amsterdam, Veendam, Westerdam, and Zuiderdam ships showcase the marriage of traditional excellence and contemporary flair or Holland America Line.

Maasdam – The Old Meets the New

Maasdam pays homage to the past, while embracing modern amenities. Guests can hone their skills with onboard cooking shows and hands-on workshops from America’s Test Kitchen, or explore our world with the BBC Earth Experiences. Maasdam’s spa is second to none, featuring a refreshing spa treatment at the Greenhouse Spa & Salon.

During its last refurbishment, the Maasdam was part of HAL’s $560 million Signature of Excellence initiative that focused on modernizing its oldest ships. Along with new carpets, upholstery and soft goods, Maasdam gained three major features: a dinner-only Italian restaurant, two new kinds of cabins, and the Mix Lounge, a three-in-one bar central with each venue offering a specific type of drink and each flowing into the others. These additions — especially the alternative restaurant and bar area — bolstered Maasdam’s “hip factor” without detracting from the ship’s traditional charm.

Nieuw Amsterdam – A Forte on Entertainment

Music-lovers, take note: there is something for almost everyone on this vessel. Nieuw Amsterdam’s Music Walk creates a hit list of rich musical venues all within a short walk of each other, located on Deck 2. Whether it’s the symphonic orchestral beauty of the Lincoln Center Stage or the soulful hit tunes of B.B. King’s Blues, all travelers are guaranteed to find something their ears will enjoy.

Yet another Nieuw Amsterdam feature appreciated by guests is the HAL Navigator, an internet-based application enabling passengers to view daily scheduled events at a glance, or to book dinner reservations and shore excursions – and better still, without any Internet access charges.

Veendam – Marrying the Classic with the Contemporary

Grandly proportioned and recently enhanced, Veendam combines 21st-century amenities and elegant spaces graced by a multi-million-dollar art and antiques collection. While on board, learn video-editing tips at a Digital Workshop powered by Windows. You can also hone your culinary skills at an America’s Test Kitchen cooking show or hands-on workshop.

Other features attest to the successful marriage between the ship’s older and newer offerings. Veendam’s traditional excellence has been an intimate atmosphere and multitude of shipboard retreats, where passengers can wander off to enjoy a book or quiet reflection. The ship’s $2 million art collection retains the overall sense of elegance with marble busts, armor and paintings of old Holland America ships on display. However, in a nod to the contemporary, the nightlife has been enhanced in countless ways, allowing guests to enjoy evenings in the piano bar, casino, or similar venues.

Westerdam – When Excitement Meets Relaxation

Recently updated with new bar, entertainment and dining venues, plus completely reimagined suites, Westerdam is a fascinating destination in her own right. On board, enjoy live entertainment with Music Walk, including Lincoln Center Stage, B.B. King’s Blues Club and Billboard Onboard. Learn culinary skills at a cooking show or hands-on workshop with America’s Test Kitchen. Techies will find computer and camera classes in the Digital Workshop, as well as destination lectures from the Explorations Central (EXC) experts. Nifty touch tables in the Explorations Central lounge have a variety of information about many of the ports of call on every itinerary.

This being said, the vessel remains perfect for relaxation, whether in the Crow’s Nest section of Explorations Central, or the King’s Room library. Whether your forte is excitement or relaxation – or both – you will not be disappointed with HAL’s Westerdam.

Zuiderdam – A Successful Transition to the Modern

For a vessel with a traditional heritage and a reputation for catering to an older demographic, the Zuiderdam received a refreshing lineup of contemporary HAL features in its 2017 refurbishment. The first of HAL’s Vista-class ships, Zuiderdam boasts classic nautical lines and finishes, modern amenities and a spectacular art and antique collection. While on board, explore the world’s wonders through BBC Earth Experiences. Hone your culinary skills at a cooking show or hands-on workshop with America’s Test Kitchen. Or, relax with a rejuvenating treatment at the blissful Greenhouse Spa & Salon.

Fortunately, the legendary service and consistency for which the ship’s staff is renowned, is retained on the vessel’s current iteration. Guests will be well pleased that the classic service of old, is preserved despite the advent of new services, features and amenities that further enhance the experience offered by this memorable ship.

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