Travel Empress Blog

ms Eurodam Passenger capacity: 2,104 Crew members: 929 Gross tonnage: 86,700grt Length: 936 feet New to HAL are efforts to broaden enrichment, dining and spa options. The Eurodam has a contemporary, even trendy, onboard ambience. Launching her maiden voyage in July of 2008, the ms Eurodam marks Holland America Line's new Signature-class ships. The ms Eurodam furthers the evolution of our sophisticated mid-sized ships with 11 passenger decks, a new topside Pan-Asian restaurant and lounge surrounded by panoramic views, an Explorer's Lounge bar, a new Italian restaurant adjacent to the Lido, elegant luxury jewelry boutique, new atrium bar area, an enhanced and reconfigured show lounge and a new photographic and imaging center. On the technical side, the ms Eurodam features the latest state-of-the-art navigation and safety systems. The ship is powered by six diesel generators and propelled by the latest Azipod® propulsion technology. Guests on the ms Eurodam will be able to "show and tell" their vacation memories through the Digital Workshop powered by Windows®. Free workshops led by Microsoft-trained "techsperts" will show even the most novice camera or computer user how to take better vacation photos, make movies, edit pictures and create scrapbooks using a variety of Microsoft Windows and Windows Live services. Guests will learn how to share all their digital memories through email, blogging and social networking — so friends and family can see where they've been cruising even before they return home. Following in the Holland America Line tradition, the ms Eurodam features an exquisite art collection based on the theme, "The Dutch Golden Age — An Inexhaustible Tradition". Highlighting works by Dutch masters and contemporary artists, some of the pieces featured will include 17th-century watercolor maps by famed cartographer Johannes Vingboons, photo-realistic oil paintings by artist Jan van 't Hoff and The Nightwatch, Two Minutes Later, a contemporary reinterpretation of Rembrandt's famous painting. Guests on Holland America Line ships will be able to "show and tell" their vacation memories through the Digital Workshop powered by Windows®. Free workshops led by Microsoft-trained "techsperts" will show even the most novice camera or computer user how to take better vacation photos, make movies, edit pictures and create scrapbooks using a variety of Microsoft Windows and Windows Live services. Guests will learn how to share all their digital memories through email, blogging and social networking — so friends and family can see where they've been cruising even before they return home. The program, which is complimentary and has its own dedicated space on each ship, kicks off with a 50-minute session. Called "Just Shoot Me," the session provides tips and tricks on how to take the best pictures, and introduces passengers to onboard editing and movie-making resources available on the cruise, including Windows Live Photo Gallery and Windows Movie Maker. The "Just Shoot Me" session will be followed by jargon-free interactive sessions, also 50 minutes in length, designed for smaller groups to try out the technologies themselves in a hands-on environment. These workshops include: • On the Download — How to move images between a digital camera and a Windows-based personal computer, with basic instruction. • Put Your Best Face Forward — How to crop and color-correct digital photos and easily create panoramic pictures by stitching photos together using Windows Live Photo Gallery. • Your "Home Away From Home" Movie — How to add music, special effects and titles to your videos and publish to a DVD using Windows Movie Maker. • Show and Tell — How to create and upload photos to a personal Web page, invite friends to view the Web page and email photos using a variety of Windows Live services. • Your 15 Minutes of Fame — How to turn your vacation journal into a blog by creating a basic Web page and blog entries using Windows Live Spaces and Windows Live Writer. • A Click Ahead — How to design a photo card and a basic scrapbook, as well as how to order notepads, stickers, posters and other photo-related items from the Internet using Windows Live Photo Gallery. • The digital workshop showcases state-of-the-art technology provided and maintained by Microsoft — including Windows Vista-certified computers, servers, printers, scanners and a wireless network. The workshops will also feature flat-screen TVs for easy viewing of videos and "techspert" demonstrations. • Guests can choose to attend all or just some of the workshops, each which will be offered at various times and days throughout each cruise. Multiple workshops will be held every day. In addition, one-on-one coaching, called "Techspert Time", will also be available for over 20 hours each week. Culinary Arts Center Culinary Arts Center - An Experience to Savor The Culinary Arts Center program, presented by Food & Wine magazine, is a groundbreaking program that integrates guests' love for fine food and wine with a unique and entertaining experience. Immerse yourself in the unique traditions and tastes of the ports of call you will visit. Sample fine wines from around the world or learn to make a new gourmet dish in a hands-on cooking class taught by our own Master Chefs or culinary guests. The Culinary Arts Center also features: • An innovative theatre-style venue with a state-of-the-art demonstration kitchen • Multiple large plasma video screens so you don't miss the fine details (or you can watch the broadcast from the comfort of your own stateroom) • Cooking demonstrations and hands-on cooking classes by our own award-winning chefs and their culinary staff • Wine and cheese experts hosting special wine tastings and food pairing seminars • Special guest chefs, wine experts and leading cookbook authors who appear in the pages of Food & Wine magazine • Book signings, Q&A sessions, market tours in selected ports of call Demonstrations and Seminars from Top Chefs The Culinary Arts Center, presented by Food & Wine Magazine, provides guests on select Holland America cruises the opportunity to experience demonstrations and hands-on classes conducted by top chefs, wine experts, and leading cookbook authors from the pages of Food & Wine Magazine. Onboard all sailings, you will learn tricks-of-the-trade from top professionals, try your hand at preparing dishes and taste wines representative of the specific ports-of-call you will visit. Guests on selected cruises will also receive Food & Wine recipe cards and wine tasting notes that you may take home along with copies of the magazine. Other opportunities might include book signings, question and answer sessions, specially designed dinner menus and more. Previous guest chefs include: • Jacques Torres - Chocolatier Extraordinaire. • Max McCalman - Maître Fromager, Artisanal Premium Cheese. • Marcus Samuellson - Chef of Aquavit and Ringo, NYC. • Susan Sokol Blosser - President and wine visionary, Sokol Blosser Winery, Dundee, OR. Eurodam Highlights - Stand Out Service – largely Filipino and Indonesian crew - Classic Public Rooms like the elegant Explorers Lounge, the intimate Ocean Bar dance venue and the Explorations Café. - HAL’s Signatures of Excellence initiative – in cabin features such as upgraded bedding, fresh flowers, DVD players and bathrooms with tubs. - Two additional alternative restaurants – Tamarind – Pan Asian Cuisine and Canaletto – Italian - Retreat – open deck area that features private cabanas outfitted with comfortable loungers. - Explorations Café – HAL’s coffeehouse style, book lined gathering spot – tucked into the top of the ship Crow’s Nest.