Family Adventure Holidays

Holland America Line Upgrades Continue

September 6th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed

As part of its ongoing Signature of Excellence program, Holland America Line is doubling the amount to be spent in upgrades and enhancements on five ships: Statendam, Ryndam, Maasdam, Veendam and Rotterdam. Over the next two years, these vessels will undergo dry-docks to create new venues, staterooms and décor. This 18-month, $200m program will begin when Veendam enters an extended docking in the spring, and the last ship is scheduled for completion in late 2010.

The investment will include a new resort pool concept, lanai staterooms, new entertainment and enrichment options and new stateroom décor. The work will add more veranda accommodations, expand the Lido Deck’s pool feature with The Retreat, create a showroom at sea and upgrade staterooms, bathrooms and fixtures.

The most dramatic change will be to the aft portion of the ships, allowing for a Lido Deck spot called The Retreat with a shallow pool area. A new pool bar and pizzeria will be installed, as well as a canopy and wind screens to give additional covered seating for the Lido Restaurant.

All staterooms will receive new décor, carpeting and soft goods. Each ship also will gain 44 to 46 staterooms, 32 with verandas and the rest, inside staterooms. On the four S-class ships, a dozen rooms near the spa will also add verandas and, along with three inside rooms, become spa staterooms with special amenities. On Rotterdam, 23 Veranda Deck staterooms will become spa staterooms.

On the five ships, 46 new lanai accommodations will be created by replacing the windows of 42 rooms on Deck 6 with lanai doors that open onto the walk-around promenade, and adding four staterooms.

Other projects are the addition of a Merabella luxury jewellery shop, the reconfiguration of the casino and piano bars into Mix, a multi-themed area with three separate bars, and the transformation of the main show space into a glamorous nightclub ambiance.

With these works, HAL’s fleet enhancement investments will exceed $525m. Previously, during the first phase of Signature of Excellence, the five ships gained Explorations Cafés, Culinary Arts Centres and expanded Club HAL youth facilities, among other features.