ABOARD THE WESTERDAM -- A comfy mattress installed in my cabin on
Holland America Line's new vessel the Westerdam was exactly what my
jet-lagged body needed to recover from a long-haul flight.
The 1,848-passenger Westerdam is the first HAL ship to roll out
with all of its in-cabin "Signature of Excellence" goodies in
place.
This means passengers will be able to enjoy the new mattresses,
extra-fluffy towels and terry bathrobes that are part of the
program.
Once comfortably ensconced in my cabin, I spent much of my first
afternoon at sea relaxing on the cabin's wide balcony.
The $225 million Signature of Excellence program is designed to
provide service and product enhancements fleet-wide over a two-year
period.
Still to come on the Westerdam (as well as on other HAL ships):
an interactive Culinary Arts Theater featuring cooking
demonstrations and a Sidewalk Cafe and Exploration Center.
During his keynote address to a select group of travel agents,
HAL President Stein Kruse noted that the campaign "is an investment
unmatched in the history of HAL."
The ship, which was christened in Venice, Italy, April 25, made
one stop on our three-day prechristening cruise, in Dubrovnik,
Croatia.
Dubrovnik has been turning up on a number of itineraries in
recent years, and it is included on other Westerdam sailings this
year.
The vessel will cruise throughout Europe and the Mediterranean
before repositioning to Fort Lauderdale in November.
Meanwhile, the fourth and final Vista vessel, the Noordam, is
under construction and slated to launch in January 2006.
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