A Busy Time Ahead for the Hotel Department

Stan Kuppens

From February to July, while Eurodam is being built and finished, the Hotel Department plays a major role in getting the ship ready. The schedule begins Feb. 15, 2008, when I relocate to Venice.

Much will be decided at the shipyard; however, we have made various decisions already, like choosing the laundry equipment, for instance. Actually, the entire supply order for all equipment — housekeeping, kitchens, restaurants, entertainment, medical — as well as the crew arrival timeline and crew cabin assignments have been completed.

I bring two staff with me in February to set up our yard office. About one week later a team of 10 from the housekeeping and F&B departments arrives to start inspecting their areas. On April 1, the loading team arrives to bring on board about 100 40-foot containers of supplies. The containers have to be unloaded by June 1.

Shortly thereafter, other essential teams arrive to open up the areas of the ship that have been turned over to HAL by the Fincantieri Shipyard. Then the laundry team joins us to start washing the mountains of linen, and the cabin team starts getting the crew and guest cabins ready.

In May, the kitchen, restaurant, bar, housekeeping and public area teams come to Eurodam to start cleaning and setting up their areas. Then the production cast arrives in Italy to begin show rehearsals, and we’ll rent theater space in Venice for them to use until the ship’s theater is ready.

Around June 1 we all move on board (till then we stay in apartments) and the rest of the crew arrives. Starting June 8, drills and training will take place. By the time we start our first cruise on July 5, we will have done so many “dry runs” that we will be a well-oiled machine ready to serve our maiden voyage guests.