New Eurodam makes any destination better

Aboard the M.S. Eurodam, North Sea —- There’s something about the smell of a new cruise ship. It’s not quite like that “new car smell” that dealers spray into their vehicles. Maybe it’s the brass polish or simply the fresh-scrubbed shine on the floor and on the faces of the crew, eager to do things just right the first time.

The Eurodam is Holland America Line’s newest and largest cruise ship, No. 14 in the current fleet and the latest product in a 135-year-old operation. Passenger capacity is just over 2,100, in contrast with other HAL vessels, which normally sail with fewer than 2,000.

The Eurodam is not a flashy ship, nor does it want to be. But it is comfortable, well decorated and does offer some innovations to its passengers. Taking a clue from some luxury hotels, the ship has installed some private tented cabanas near one of the swimming pools and in a more private area on a different deck —- both available at an additional charge. It also has some special spa and exercise facilities, such as thermal suites, a hydro-pool and an extra large gymnasium.

There are many features that come with no supplements, of course. These include the evening shows in the theater, the Digital Workshop classes (paid for by Microsoft) and the talks by the port lecturer.

Guests do pay separately for alcoholic beverages, spa activities and goods bought from the on-board shops. There’s a modest add-on for two of the three small specialty restaurants aboard. And, of course, you must factor in the casino, de rigueur on all cruise ships today.

From Southampton, England, we sailed to Rotterdam, Netherlands, then on to Hamburg, Germany, and Copenhagen, Denmark.

For more than a century, Holland America was headquartered in a 19th-century building at the Rotterdam waterfront. The distinguished structure is still there, although ironically it is now a hotel named the New York.

The hotel has wisely kept the old “Holland-Amerika Lijn” sign atop the building, however, along with the twin clock and weather vane towers, all of which managed to survive heavy bombing raids in World War II.

The Dutch are nothing if not sentimental. They feel strongly attached to their old shipping company, even if it is now entirely a cruise ship operation and an American-owned one at that. Holland America’s headquarters are now in Seattle.

Many cruise companies that once competed with one another are now owned by the same large U.S. conglomerates. In addition to the Holland America Line, Carnival Cruises embraces brands such as Princess, Costa, Seabourn and the former British companies Cunard and P&O. In fact, Carnival is now the largest cruise corporation in the world.

Carnival’s main competition, at least in the United States, is Royal Caribbean, which has also swallowed up some distinguished companies, notably Celebrity (formerly Chandris), Pullmantur and Azamara.

To Carnival’s credit, its Holland America division has kept the old Dutch flavor in its fleet of mostly midsize cruise ships. By and large, HAL eschews loud decorations and flamboyant facilities —- such as water slides, boxing rings and rock walls —- found on some cruise vessels, opting for a more dignified atmosphere. Even its hulls are painted a basic black and, thus, are not lumped in with the “white bottoms” as other modern cruise ships are known.

In contrast to many other travel-related businesses, cruise travel has been brisk among American and Canadian travelers who beat the tyranny of unfavorable exchange rates by using a cruise ship as their hotel and transportation, taking all, or nearly all, their meals on board —- especially in Europe, where dining out can be two or three times the cost of a comparable dinner in many North American restaurants.

While on shore in Amsterdam on this trip, I paid three euros (almost $5) for a modest vanilla ice cream cone. I vowed to take all further ice cream indulgences aboard the Eurodam, where they are, in effect, free.

All in all, I enjoyed this brief introduction to the new Eurodam. I’m sure it will take its rightful place among the fleets of floating fun palaces that for now, at least, still ply the oceans.

The Eurodam is scheduled to make cruises in Canada and New England in the fall, and the Caribbean during the winter. For more information, log on to www.hollandamerica.com or call 1- 877-932-4259.