MONFALCONE, Italy -- When the Rotterdam VI sets sail in October,
officials of Holland America Line said it will set new standards
for ship design, much the way its predecessor, Rotterdam V, did
back in 1959.
According to the line, the ship will be the fastest luxury-class
vessel afloat, with a cruising speed of 25 knots. This will permit
it to make more and longer port calls on Grand World Voyages, the
ship's primary function.
Features of the Rotterdam VI include a specialty restaurant,
Odyssey, designed to be reminiscent of a Venetian dining room,
which passengers can book on a reservations-only basis.
The ship, for the first time, offers passengers a floor of
suites with private concierge service. The Navigation Deck is a
concierge deck with 40 suites, all with verandas, and with four in
the penthouse category. A concierge desk is located in the center
of the deck so guests can settle accounts, book shore excursions
and have requests filled. A private lounge is accessible to
concierge-level guests with a key card.
The ship has much in common with Holland America Line's other
vessels, the Statendam, Maasdam, Ryndam and Veendam. The basic
layout of the public rooms, for instance, is similar. Officials
said passengers immediately will recognize that they are on a
Holland America ship when traveling on Rotterdam VI.
But as the line's flagship, Rotterdam VI also offers something
special. The ship's hull is longer than other Holland America
vessels. And instead of two staircases, Rotterdam VI features
three.
The ship debuts on Oct. 6 with four inaugural cruises in Europe,
before making its first transatlantic crossing for its U.S.
introduction.