quote:

---

HAL gears up for Noordam delivery
January 5, 2006

The delivery of the year’s first newbuild, Noordam, is set for Jan. 31 in Venice. Reports from Fincantieri’s Marghera yard are ‘glowing’ in terms of the ship’s readiness and appearance, Holland America Line president and ceo Stein Kruse told Seatrade Insider.

As the fourth and final ship in the Vista series, Noordam is the first to enter service with all of the brand’s ‘Signature of Excellence’ amenities, including a Culinary Arts Center. Noordam closely resembles the Zuiderdam, Oosterdam and Westerdam. However, a re-angling of the stern has raised capacity, allowing for 35 additional cabins in various categories and increasing double-occupancy passenger count from 1,848 to 1,918. The change added a couple thousand square feet to the aft Lido Deck, providing a roomier pool area and space for canvas-shaded Lido dining tables.

Also new on Noordam is the Pinnacle Bar, adjacent to the expanded Pinnacle Grill specialty restaurant, where seating was increased by 18 for a total occupancy of 148. The Pinnacle Bar fills the space occupied by the Windstar Café on the earlier Vista ships.

To promote Noordam’s winter sailings from New York, Holland America has stepped up efforts in the tri-state region with sales blitzes to area travel agents, visits for retailers to other Vista vessels and ‘station domination’ campaigns, where specific locations like New York’s Grand Central Station are blanketed with HAL billboards.

‘We’ve made our presence known,’ Kruse said, in a program focused on ‘awareness and brand-building.’ Noordam will operate 10- and 11-day roundtrip Caribbean cruises from New York until repositioning to the Mediterranean for the summer. Sales are on target, Kruse told Seatrade Insider.

Seatrade Insider

---

******

quote:

---

Bevy of events for Noordam introduction
January 5, 2006

Holland America Line expects 10,000 travel agents, media and Mariner Society members (past passengers) to preview the Noordam before its Feb. 22 maiden Caribbean voyage from New York.

Pre-inaugural events are planned in Venice, Boston and New York, with the ship’s naming by actress Marlee Matlin on Feb. 21 at the New York Cruise Terminal.

The first Noordam event, a Holland America-Fincantieri tradition, takes place at the Marghera shipyard on Jan. 28 when yard workers and their families are invited on board to sample the dining, bars and entertainment. Noordam will be the 11th consecutive ship Fincantieri has built for Holland America.

On Jan. 29, Noordam repositions from the yard to the Venice Passenger Terminal, where events for European travel agents and media get underway the following day. The ship’s delivery is set for Jan. 31 in Venice, Holland America president and ceo Stein Kruse told Seatrade Insider.

Noordam sails on Feb. 3 for the U.S., arriving in Boston on Feb. 16. Two days of Boston events are planned, including agent seminars and a dinner for Mariner Society members. Noordam sails Feb. 19 for New York, where more agents and media will view the ship during several days of inaugural activities.

Seatrade Insider

---

******

******

quote:

---

Originally posted by Waynaro:
Ugh....Carnival Corp is getting greedy. The Vista-class ships are fine the way they are. Most likely, her aft will be straight up!

I wonder if this change will be applied to the QV?

---

Noordam v Westerdam
Distances are from stern to staterooms

Upper Promenade
N:- 9ft to 4180, 4178, 4176, 4174 ,4179, 4181, 4183, & 4185
W:- 9ft to 4180, 4178, 4176, 4174 ,4179, 4181, 4183, & 4185

Verandah Deck
N:- 17 ft. to 5190, 5188, 5186, 5184, 5185, 5187, 5189 & 5191
W:- 23ft to 5186, 5184, 5182, 5180, 5181, 5183, 5185 & 5187

N = 8ft "instep" v W 14ft = 6ft off the balcony overlook

Upper Verandah Deck
N:- 21 ft. to 6166, 6164, 6162, 6173, 6175 & 6177
W:- 33 ft. to 6158, 6156, 6154, 6165, 6167 & 6169

N = 4ft "instep" v W 10ft = 6ft off the balcony overlook

Rotterdam Deck
N:- 27 ft. to 7142, 7140, 7138, 7136, 7139, 7141, 7143 & 7145
W:- 56 ft. to 71432, 7130, 7128, 7126, 7127, 7129, 7131 & 7133

N = 6ft "instep" v W 23ft = 17ft off the balcony overlook

Navigation Deck
N:- 34 ft. to 8140, 8138, 8136, 8134, 8141, 8143, 8145, & 8147
W:- 66 ft. to 8128, 8126, 8124, 8122, 8129, 8131, 8133, & 8135

N = 7ft "instep" v W 10ft = 3ft off the balcony overlook

32ft disappears overall
Rotterdam Deck suffers most
Probably a better deal on the balconies of those aft cabins, but may make her look chunkier on the stern?

[ 01-06-2006: Message edited by: Thad ]