Eurodam is taking shape

[Copper10-8]

Fincantieri Shipyard Director Paolo Capobianco with Eurodam's Sponsor (not godmother), Anneke Dullaert, who is placing the coin during the coin ceremony Anneke (also one of my sister's name;) ) is the wife of retired chief engineer Willem Peter Dullaert who served as chief engineer for HAL from 1982 until last year. He oversaw construction of the first few ships of the S-class, starting with ms Statendam.

[Copper10-8]

Meet her captain:

Captain Jeroen van Donselaar has been named master of Eurodam and will take the helm when the ship debuts next July. Currently he is the captain of Zuiderdam and is responsible for the entire ship and its complement.

Van Donselaar started with Holland America Line in 1986 as an apprentice officer aboard Noordam. After completing his studies at the De Ruyter Maritime University in Vlissingen, the Netherlands, he became fourth officer on the Nieuw Amsterdam. He continued to rise through the ranks until he was appointed captain in 2002.

Born in Kampen, The Netherlands, van Donselaar said he always has admired the sea. When he was a teenager he was invited onto the bridge of a ferry sailing across the North Sea, and he said the experience made such an impression that he decided to pursue a seafaring career. He noted that the highlight of his tenure with Holland America to date was the nautical supervision of the building of Zaandam in 1999.

When not at sea, van Donselaar lives in Long Island, New York, with his wife. He said he likes to keep his vacation days filled working on various home-improvement projects.

[Copper10-8]

And her Hotel Manager:

As hotel manager on ms Eurodam, Stan Kuppens will be responsible for almost everything except the bridge and the engine room. His purview includes the restaurants, kitchens, bars, Housekeeping Department (guest and crew cabins, laundry, tailor shop and public areas), front office (guest relations, controller, human resources, night manager and purser), shore excursions, concessionaires, entertainment and medical services.

It’s a big job, but it is a position that Kuppens has been preparing for his entire life.

Growing up in the town of Nijmegen, in the eastern Netherlands, Kuppens enjoyed sailing and watching boats on the Waal and Rhine rivers. A precocious world traveler, his parents had taken him to more than 10 countries before he was 10 years old. Through his early travel experiences, Kuppens developed a fascination with other cultures and a desire to meet people from around the globe.

He recognized that the hospitality industry would enable him to combine his love of travel and his affinity for people into a career. While studying at the University of Hotel Management, Kuppens managed a company that catered conventions and entertainment functions.

“My proudest moment was having the distinct honor of personally serving Her Majesty Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands,” said Kuppens.

After graduation, he entered Holland America Line’s multiyear management training program.

Kuppens has sailed with Holland America Line and Windstar Cruises for 16 years, and has prepared for and sailed multiple Grand World Voyages. After completing the 2002 world cruise as food and beverage manager, Kuppens was promoted to hotel manager on the line’s flagship, ms Rotterdam.

In 2004, he transferred to the new Vista Class of ships to oversee the introduction of ms Westerdam. Following that successful inaugural, Kuppens was asked to move to Venice, Italy, to oversee construction of ms Noordam.

He is moving back to Venice in 2008 to oversee construction of Eurodam, the first Signature Class ship. He will report in February with a staff of 10 to start daily shipboard inspections that will continue until Eurodam is ready to sail.

Kuppens and his wife live in the small town of Oosterbeek (close to Arnhem), in eastern Netherlands. When on vacation, he says he enjoys traveling and participating in an occasional game of soccer.

[Copper10-8]

Couple more float-out pics:

The champagne bottle breaks

 

The two Euro coins after being placed by Anneke Dullaert

[Copper10-8]

Eurodam in her temporary new home, the outfitting dock (still riding high in the water - note her bulbous bow sticking out)

 

And a look at her stern or rear end

 

[Copper10-8]

Prefabricated staterooms being installed into their assigned slots onboard

 

 

[RevNeal]

hmmm ... the one labeled 7 is definitely an outside Verandah cabin. Note the configuration of the desk/counter space to the left of the outer-opening.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

The lines of the ship do look to be a bit different than the Vista Class. It appears that while on the all the Vista Class ships the aft cabins on Deck 5 are the largest but it alomst appears that possibley Deck 4 could be the largest on the Eurodam.

[jhannah]

I think it's fascinating that the bulbous bow is now above water, but when the ship is outfitted the weight will push it down below the water line.

[innlady1]

The lines of the ship do look to be a bit different than the Vista Class. It appears that while on the all the Vista Class ships the aft cabins on Deck 5 are the largest but it alomst appears that possibley Deck 4 could be the largest on the Eurodam.

 

You're right, the stern doesn't have as steep a pitch as on the Vista class ships. Interesting.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

Looking at the side view of the aft cabins based on where the starboard side verandah cabins start it appears to me that both Deck 4 and Deck 7 have the largest aft cabins in length. On the prior Vistas Deck 5 was the longest and therefore the largest aft cabins. It makes sense that Deck 7 they would try to make larger due to it being the closest to the Neptune and they classify that cabin as a SB rather than a SC. Darn I booked the Deck 5 corner aft for our October cruise thinking it could be like the Vista Class and be the largest:o

[RevNeal]

As I said, somewhere above, the Signature Class is a different class of ship. Yes, they are based upon the Vista class concept and design, but they are not the same class of ship and will have many significant differences. It would appear that this is one of them.

[Venture]

I noted in viewing the 'beam photo' of EURODAM that the dark blue hull paint does not 'break' as the Vista hulls do. The blue runs in line from stern to bow with an upward sheer to the bow..... all same ROTTERDAM. I believe this greatly improves her visual appearance. She is going to be a beauty!!

 

Vista's would look great with the same painted sheer.

Dave

[bepsf]

Darn I booked the Deck 5 corner aft for our October cruise thinking it could be like the Vista Class and be the largest:o

 

Lisa--

I too expected to get at least some sun on my Deck 5 verandah, as per Noordam - but the stern verandahs are very nearly completely covered.

I may as well have booked an SS.

 

It's been major disappointment to me...

:(

[bepsf]

As I said, somewhere above, the Signature Class is a different class of ship. Yes, they are based upon the Vista class concept and design, but they are not the same class of ship and will have many significant differences. It would appear that this is one of them.

 

Greg--

 

If you were referring to Cunard's Queen Victoria, I'd agree...

 

...but on this I disagree w/ you. There are too many similarities and what few differences there are have obviously been afterthoughts tacked onto the Vista design.

[alonzo14]

The Euradom should be very nice. I'm glad they added an extra alternative restaraunt as she does carry more passengers than the Vistas do.

 

Yes the Queen Victoria lowest suites have the same layout as the minsuites on Princess except a different decor. The next lowest class suites have the same layout as the SA,SB and SC's on the Vistas except the decor. I was a little surprised to see this. I guess they are trying to save money. However there are also similarities in the layouts of the cabins on Royal Carribean and Celebrity. Another money saving idea.

[RevNeal]

Greg--

 

If you were referring to Cunard's Queen Victoria, I'd agree...

 

...but on this I disagree w/ you. There are too many similarities and what few differences there are have obviously been afterthoughts tacked onto the Vista design.

 

In my opinion the additions and modifications to the Vista class -- not the cosmetic differences, but those additions and changes that cannot be (easily or even ever) applied to the Vistas -- are sufficient in scope to qualify the Eurodam and her unnamed sister ship as different class. Granted, it's not a whole new concept in terms of vessel ... not like the striking difference between the R-class and the Vistas ... but the differences are not just minor afterthoughts "tacked onto" the design. Rather, they are modifications and improvements (HAL calls them "evolutionary" developments) on the Vista concept ... indeed, similar to the modifications that were incorperated into the S-class that resulted in the R-class ship. Yes, the public deck layouts between the Vista and the Signature are very similar -- and, in some cases, identical -- but the differences/additions are also rather striking. This is another way in which it's similar to the differences between the S and R class ships. The S and Rs have very similar public decks, pretty much identical cabin layouts, and they even look like they're closely related. But they're different classes of ship. The differneces between the Vistas and the Signatures will be less extreme than the differences between the S and the R (particularly so in terms of the nautical platform features), but they're still significant.

[bepsf]

In my opinion the additions and modifications to the Vista class...

...are sufficient in scope to qualify the Eurodam and her unnamed sister ship as different class...

 

While I think we can agree that the differences between the S and R Class are far more extensive than those of the Vistas and Signatures...

 

...but we'll have to agree to disagree that a couple of additions to the superstructure, changes in decor and modified paintjob truly justify calling it an entirely different class of ship except for PR purposes.

 

If that were the case, one could justify stating that Amsterdam is of a different class from Rotterdam, as the newer ship not only has greater tonnage, but an entirely different system of propulsion.

;)

[Copper10-8]

As Eurodam's culinary operations manager, Mark Zeller is responsible for managing and executing the food preparation, presentation and delivery in all of the ship’s dining venues. Formerly called the food and beverage manager, Holland America Line split the position into two jobs — culinary operations manager and beverage manager — to allow a greater focus on each area.

For Zeller, going to sea was in his blood. The son of a well-known hotel manager who served with Holland America Line for more than 43 years, he was exposed to ship life when he was just 3 years old. The Dutchman, who was born in Dordrecht, the Netherlands, chose to follow in his father’s footsteps and enrolled in hotel management school in Leeuwarden. After three years of schooling, he served a year-long internship at The Marquette Hotel in Minneapolis, Minn., where he realized that he preferred a job at sea.

Knowing that Holland America Line was the only line for him, Zeller accepted a position as an assistant dinning room manager in 1996. Over the next eight years, he worked his way through various positions within the Hotel Department, eventually becoming culinary operations manager in 2004. Just 28 at the time of his appointment, he was Holland America Line’s youngest culinary operations manager.

Zeller has been involved in the newbuild setup and introductions of all four vista-class ships, and he currently is culinary operations manager on board ms Amsterdam.

When not at sea, Zeller enjoys spending time outdoors and can be found backpacking, scuba diving and sky diving around the world.

[RevNeal]

I met Mark on the Noordam this January. Nice gentleman. :) Glad he's gotten the job.

 

His dad was another class act.

[Copper10-8]

Some interior shots of the future Neptune Lounge

[Copper10-8]

And the future Shorex office

[mamaofami]

Brian, or anyone else out there, does it look to you as though all the aft verandas are completely covered...no sun?:confused:

[RevNeal]

Brian, or anyone else out there, does it look to you as though all the aft verandas are completely covered...no sun?:confused:

 

That will depend upon the course the ship is steering and the elevation of the sun. I'm sure that if the sun is shining down on the aft of the ship and the ship is sailing north you'll get sun on those aft verandahs decks. Just not as much.

[tsd1]

Is it possible that the forward SZ windows

weren't cut out when the picture was taken?