Meet Captain Jeroen van Donselaar

Capt. Jeroen van Donselaar

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.

Dutch Master Re-Do

The Nightwatch and The New Nightwatch

VFD’s Frans Dingemans selected much of the art and antiques in Eurodam’s collection. For a theme, Dingemans chose the “The Dutch Golden Age — An Inexhaustible Tradition,” because works by the great Dutch painters of the 17th century have been repeatedly reinterpreted through the ages.

Works of Rembrandt van Rijn of Leiden have been especially popular subjects for reinterpretation. His largest and most famous painting is The Nightwatch, and 400 years after Rembrandt painted it, a group of young Dutch artists decided reinterpreted it in 2006.

For the project, called The New Nightwatch, they produced four versions of the work. On Eurodam, the version made by Aldert Mantje and Jan Maris, both living in Amsterdam, will be displayed.

At first sight their modern version (right) looks nearly identical to the original Nightwatch. The color scheme is the same and the details are painted in Rembrandt’s famous style. But take a closer look, and you can see subtle changes in the positions of the figures. This version is The Nightwatch, Two Minutes Later, where two minutes have lapsed since Rembrandt’s original version.

The painting’s main figure, Baning Cocq, has dropped his glove. He signals Ruytenberg on his right to send the company in another direction. The holder of the kruit reaches for Cocq’s glove. The red musketeer fills his musket. The blond girl gives the glass to the man with the guitar. Rembrandt himself steps out from the shadows of the gate behind the company. The dog exits the scene.

How many other changes do you see?

Who’s Designing What on Eurodam

Most of the public rooms on Eurodam are being designed by two firms: VFD Interiors and Yran & Storbraaten (Y&S). NB Design Group is responsible for stateroom interiors. Below is a breakdown of each firms’ responsibilities:

All of the public areas on Decks 1, 2 and 3 will be done by VFD Interiors, with the exception of the night club on Deck 2 and the main show lounge, which will be done by Y&S.

The concierge area on Deck 7 and all public areas on Decks 9, 10 and 11 will be done by Y&S, excluding the spa on Deck 9 that will be done by VFD.

NB Design Group is responsible for all guest cabin interiors, with the exception of the two penthouses on Deck 7 that will be done by VFD.

The Pinnacle Bar on Deck 2 is being designed by Luke DeMicco, an Italian architect working for Fincantieri, and all service areas and crew and staff cabins are being designed in-house by Holland America Line.

About the Architects
Since 1952, the architects of VFD have been involved in a wide range of projects including cruise ships, luxurious private housing, utility buildings and work for the Dutch government. Chief Architect Franz Dingemans has been involved with 16 Holland America Line ships. Their offices are located in Utrecht, The Netherlands.

Y&S was founded in 1987, and is one of the cruise industry’s leading architectural firms. They service a variety of residential, commercial and corporate clients out of their Oslo, Norway, offices.

Seattle-based NB Design Group has been providing quality interior design solutions since 1988. The firm works on projects in a variety of sectors that range from historical renovations to new construction.

Latest Photos of Eurodam

These photos of Eurodam recently were taken at the yard. Since the last aft photos were posted, six decks have been added, including Deck 9, which has a new 2,200-square-foot (250-square-meter) sunbathing deck.

Eurodam Inaugural to Feature Fjords, Kilts

Norway’s famed fjords and Scotland’s Highlands are highlights of Eurodam’s inaugural cruise of northern Europe, set for July 5, 2008. The 10-day round-trip sailing departs from Copenhagen, Denmark, and calls at Oslo, Alesund, Vik, Flam and Stavanger, Norway; Newcastle Upon Tyne, England; and Edinburgh (via South Queensbury) and Invergordon, Scotland. Although the penthouses and many upper-category staterooms have been reserved, there are accommodations still available for Eurodam’s first voyage, ranging from a Standard Inside at $2,474 to a Deluxe Verandah at $4,154 per person, double occupancy.

Let Me Entertain You

Bill Prince, Director of Entertainment

Meet Bill Prince, Director of Entertainment and newest Blog Board member

Bill Prince, Holland America Line’s director of entertainment, is responsible for keeping all guests aboard the 14 HAL ships entertained and informed around the clock. Working with such stars as Barry Manilow, Reba McEntire and David Copperfield gave Prince the insight to move on to become the creative force behind Holland America’s award-winning production shows and oversee a staff of nearly a thousand entertainers and technicians. Prior to joining Holland America Line, he was vice president of entertainment for the Caesars Palace hotels.

Eurodam Gets Props

Pieter Rijkaart, Holland America Line’s director of newbuilds, just provided this image of Eurodam’s recently installed Azipods.

Although not a new system, they represent the latest design in Azipod propulsion. First used on icebreakers working in the Arctic Sea, Azipods are best described as giant, moveable outboard motors that are attached to the hull and can rotate 360 degrees. The pods replace the old-fashioned drive shaft and propellers with electric motors that conserve fuel while cruising and enable more precise maneuvering of the vessel when in port.

Latest Photo of Eurodam

This photo of the Eurodam was taken in the shipyard on Aug. 10, 2007. You can see that superstructure is really beginning to take shape.

What’s Cooking?

Rudi Sodamin

Meet Master Chef Rudi Sodamin, Culinary Consultant and newest Blog Board member

Master Chef Rudi Sodamin serves as Culinary Consultant for Holland America Line. Since he began in 2004, HAL’s partnership with Sodamin has resulted in such innovations as the Line’s exclusive “Going Wild for Salmon” program and Signature Master Chef’s Dinner. He has overseen the expansion of menus in the Pinnacle Grill and was part of the concept team for the on-board Culinary Arts Center. Sodamin has more than 25 years in the cruise and hospitality industries. Before joining Holland America Line, he was at Cunard Line and Norwegian America Cruise Line. Sodamin has published nine cookbooks and has an impressive roster of international culinary affiliations including Academy Culinaire de France, Master Chef Society and Club de Chefs des Chefs. Last year Sodamin compiled nearly 100 favorite recipes from HAL menus into a new cookbook, “A Taste of Excellence,” published by Rizzoli.

Expanded Shopping Promenade Offers More Luxury Brands

The shopping promenade on Eurodam will offer guests and expanded shopping experience including fine jewelry, watches and destination apparel. Approximately 1000 square feet and more luxury collections were added to the shopping area on the ship than on previous Holland America Line ships.

The Signature Shops concept will feature Merabella, a high-end jewelry boutique with one-of-a-kind collections that has proven to be a successful outlet on Amsterdam and Westerdam; Fine Jewelry, specializing in diamonds and gemstones; Fine Watches, offering the best brands from around the world; and Destination & Apparel with nautical wear and a destination-inspired selection of clothing depending on the ships’ itinerary.

High-end brands showcased throughout the Signature Shops include Omar Torres, Fendi, Chimento, Tag Heuer, Diamond Journey, Blue Diamond, Tissot, Movado and Baume & Mercier.