ms Eurodam

The 2008-built MS Eurodam cruise ship is the first of two Signature-class Holland America liners, with sistership ms Nieuw Amsterdam.

The vessel (IMO number 9378448) is currently Netherlands-flagged (MMSI 245206000) and registered in Rotterdam.

History - construction and ownership

Holland America Line (HAL) is a Seattle-based cruise company owned by Carnival Corporation (shipowner). Between 1873-1989, HAL was a Dutch cargo and passenger shipping company operating regular Transatlantic crossings between Holland and the Americas. HAL was founded in 1873 as "Dutch-American Steamship Company" headquartered in Rotterdam Netherlands. In 1989, HAL was acquired by Carnival Corporation for around EUR 530 million. Among the company's assets are the Westmark hotel chain (Alaska-Yukon), Worldwide Shore Services (warehouses-logistics) and Half Moon Cay (Caribbean private island).

The 2100-passenger ship Eurodam is offering an onboard atmosphere that blends elements from HAL's past and present. The vessel's stylish art collection, its excellent trained crew members - that hail mainly from the Philippines and Indonesia - and courtly evening amusement, from a nightly string quartet to cheek-to-cheek dancing, all connect cruisers to Holland America's magnificent inheritance.  MS Eurodam was last refurbished in January 2016. Following the 2-week long drydock, ms Eurodam boasts a number of new dining venues, suite offerings and entertainment options. Guests on HAL Eurodam boat will find new food and beverage offers. Replacing Northern Lights, passengers can start the evening at the new cocktail bar Gallery Bar, serving unique drinks by celebrity mixologist Dale DeGroff. On Lido deck, passengers will find a reconfigured Lido Market, with modern “island station” design.

For suite guests, a refreshed experience is prepared. As announced earlier in 2015, the refresh program is adding new carpet, furniture, USB charging ports and revamped electrical outlets, an enhanced bathroom and vanity. Announced as brand new offerings for the upcoming Koningsdam, Billboard Onboard & Lincoln Center Stage made a grand appearance on ms Eurodam, with new ways for passengers to dive into music. Billboard Onboard creates an exceptional twist to traditional night entertainment, hosting live musicians who perform Billboard’s hottest hits, mix in dueling pianos and music trivia. Via a partnership with Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, The Stage will host nightly performances of classical music, as well as afternoon recitals on sea days.

Decks and Cabins

MS Eurodam staterooms (1052 total, in 38 grades) include 116 Suites, 602 Balcony, 179 Oceanviews, 155 Inside cabins. Most cabins are sized 175 ft2 (16 m2). Most balconies are sized 45 ft2 (4 m2). Nearly 70% of all staterooms have private step-out balconies, and 86% of all cabins are outside, On Deck 11 are located Juliet cabins (false/French balcony rooms). Wheelchair-accessible cabins are 27. The largest are the Pinnacle Suites (1000 ft2 / 93 m2, with terrace sized 320 ft2 / 30 m2). The ship also has Spa cabins (8) and Spa suites (8).

The boat has 12 passenger decks, of which 8 are with cabins.

Implemented fleetwide in 2019, "Club Orange" program provides exclusive amenities to Suite passengers booked in categories Neptune and Pinnacle. Bonus perks by this program include:

• priority services (check-in, disembarkation, tendering, dining reservations)
• 24-hour concierge service (assistance, information, reservations)
• exclusive dining venue (serving complimentary Pinnacle Grill breakfast and Dining Room dinner, plus exclusive dishes)
• dedicated Concierge Desk (Guest Services and Tours)
• room service (a la carte breakfast menu with complimentary gourmet dishes - including smoked salmon, steak and eggs)
• sparkling wine (embarkation day), Club Orange tote bag, premium bathrobes (cabin use, available for monogramming and purchasing).
• Club Orange Restaurant is part of the Main Dining Room (designed as a separate VIP dining section).

Shipboard dining options - Food and Drinks

MS Eurodam boasts more dining options than any other ship in the fleet of Holland America besides her sister ms Nieuw Amsterdam. The seven different and distinct dining areas provide casual and formal options. The Rembrandt Restaurant is ship's 2-deck Main Dining Room, and it's open daily for open seating breakfast and occasionally for open seating lunch. At breakfast, there are a lot of choices, from yogurt, fruit and granola, to corned beef hash, pancakes and eggs prepared in many ways. When lunch is served in the Rembrandt, the choice of options is perfect and includes salads, starters, soups, entrees and desserts. It's a relaxing and civilized alternative to the Lido buffet.

Follows the complete list of ms Eurodam restaurants and food bars.

• Pinnacle Grill (140-seat reservations-only seafood/steakhouse restaurant with fine wines selection; free for passengers under 12 yo). The venue transforms into “An Evening at le Cirque” once per cruise via a partnership with NYC “Le Cirque” French restaurant.
• Rembrandt Restaurant (1114-seat, aft Dining Room; features open seating Breakfast and Lunch, two Dinner options – 2 fixed seatings or “Any Time” dining between 5:15-9 pm. 
• Terrace Grill (46-seat fast food pool bar; complimentary)
• Lido Restaurant (470-seat complimentary buffet restaurant; offers self-service Breakfast 6-11 am, Lunch 11:30-2 pm, Afternoon Tea, Dinner 5:30-8 pm)
• Canaletto Restaurant (Lido Restaurant annex; operates as an Italian restaurant for Dinner, reservations required)
• Tamarind (142-seat Asian specialty restaurant; reservations-only)
• Slice (complimentary Pizzeria, poolside).

Shipboard entertainment options - Fun and Sport

The progress that ms Eurodam introduces for HAL is relatively gentle. The ship is an evolution, rather than a revolution. Still, some changes point more to Holland America's future than to its past. Eurodam is the first cruise liner built for Holland America without a tennis court, for instance. The area went a long way to making room for a combination basketball/dodgeball court, Silk Den and nearby Tamarind. The private, extra-fee cabana zones around and above the major swimming pool remind more of a sleek South Beach resort than a cruise liner. Other amenities include: complimentary 24-Hour Room-Service, Supervised Kids Program ("Club Hal"), cruise ship weddings, Internet/WiFi Access, Laundry.

Follows the complete list of ms Eurodam lounges, clubs and other entertainment venues for kids, teens and adults.

• Atrium (3-deck high midship open-floor area with live performances)
• The Mainstage (890-seat theatre/main show lounge; also serves Holland America’s enrichment program (via a partnership with BBC Earth)
• Piano Bar; Sports Bar; Pinnacle Bar (36-seat wine bar); Ocean Bar (Atrium bar and lounge, with dance floor and stage for live performances)
• Northern Lights Disco & Nightclub (now Gallery Bar cocktail bar)
• Billboard Onboard & Lincoln Center Stage
• Queen’s Lounge & Culinary Arts Centre (166-seat, with live band entertainment, cooking shows, culinary classes; via a partnership with “Food & Wine Magazine”)
• Explorer’s Lounge & Bar (lounge with bar; classical concert performances); Silk Den Lounge
• King’s Room (complimentary workshops, Internet computers room, by a partnership with Microsoft) 
• Photo Gallery & Shop; Art Gallery
• Casino (served by Casino Bar and Sports Bar)
• Screening Room (38-seat indoor cinema)
• Atrium Shops (boutiques for duty-free tobaccos and liquor, perfumes, watches, clothing, HAL logo merchandise, souvenirs); Marabella Luxury Shop
• Explorations Cafe (specialty coffee bar and patisserie; also serves as ship’s Library and Online Centre/Internet computers room)
• Neptune Lounge (club venue for Deluxe Suite and Pinnacle guests only)
• Fitness Center (gym with separate Aerobics Room); 7 jacuzzis
• Greenhouse Spa & Salon; Lido Pool area, served by Lido Bar and Terrace Grill; Sea View Pool area served by Sea View Bar; The Retreat (adults-only)
• Crow’s Nest (observation lounge; bar and dance floor; becomes disco at night)
• Sport Court (basketball, volleyball, soccer); Promenade Deck, Walking Track
• Club HAL (kids lounge, complimentary youth programming)
• The Loft (teens club lounge area, with Video Games Arcade, computers, PlayStations; teen disco).

Itineraries

MS Eurodam itinerary program is based on European voyages in the Baltic (leaving out of Amsterdam Holland and Copenhagen Denmark), the Mediterranean (from Civitavecchia-Rome), the Caribbean (out of Fort Lauderdale Florida USA), as well as Transatlantic crossings (RepositionCruises.com).

HAL is among the few companies that offer partial Panama Canal cruises that combine popular Caribbean islands with Panama's Gatun Lake. The itinerary's "Panama Canal" segment features passing through the Gatun Locks and sailing in the Gatun Lake.

Next table shows HAL's "Panama Canal Sunfarer" itinerary (11-day roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale).

Following the Coronavirus crisis, in 2021 MS Eurodam became Holland America Line's fist ship to restart operations. For the summer program were scheduled 7-day Eastern Mediterranean itineraries leaving roundtrip from homeport Piraeus-Athens Greece. Bookings opened on May 6.

• "Idyllic Greek Isles" itinerary visited Kotor Montenegro, Corfu Island (Kerkyra), Santorini Island (Thíra), Mykonos Island.
• "Ancient Wonders" itinerary visited Haifa Israel, Nafplio (Mycenae), Mykonos, Rhodes Island.
• "Adriatic Allure" itinerary (Athens to Venice Italy) visited Mykonos, Katakolon (Olympia), Crete island (Chania), Sarande Albania.

Eurodam is Holland America's 1st Signature-class liner, with sistership Nieuw Amsterdam. The vessel is the 80th servicing this company. The Inaugural Cruise/Maiden Voyage was on July 5, 2008. Ship's Godmother was HM Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands.

In July 2017, the cruise ship hosted a specially themed cruise in Alaska. The "Share the Adventure Cruise" 2017 voyage (July 15-22) followed an exclusive partnership between Holland America and The Oprah Magazine. Besides Oprah Winfrey, herself the list of special guests onboard included Gayle King (TV personality), India Arie (singer), Glennon Doyle Melton (activist, speaker) and Angela Davis (political activist, motivational speaker). Four more Oprah Magazine-themed "Adventure of Your Life" cruises were scheduled through 2018, all featuring onboard exclusive program activities

The list of all The Oprah Magazine themed "Adventure of Your Life" HAL cruises included the following itineraries (as dates and destinations): July 15, 2017 (7-Day Alaska from Seattle on Eurodam), November 29, 2017 (11-Day Southern Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale on Koningsdam), March 3, 2018 (7-Day Eastern Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale on Nieuw Amsterdam), August 11, 2018 (7-Day Alaska from Seattle on Eurodam) and October 28, 2018 (7-Day Western Caribbean roundtrip Fort Lauderdale on Nieuw Amsterdam).

The following table shows HAL's first Oprah-themed cruise itinerary on Eurodam as ports (times and sequence). Prices started from USD 2000 per person (double occupancy Inside cabin rates).