Captain’s Log: First Impressions of Eurodam

Capt. Jeroen van Donselaar

This is the end of my first week at the Fincantieri Yard in Marghera. Time has gone fast and I have learned a lot about the Eurodam.

I have met all of the Holland America Line officers that are part of the newbuilding team as well as several inspectors of CCS, which is Carnival Corporate Shipbuilding, the organization that does the actual quality control and acceptance of areas delivered. And not to forget, of course, the Fincantieri top brass.

There is a very friendly atmosphere here and everyone has gone out of their way to make the “commandante” feel welcome.

I am happy to report that the Eurodam will be absolutely stunning both on the inside and on the outside! I had seen some computer generated artist’s impressions and designs before, but one has to see the real thing in order to fully appreciate the architects’ vision. In particular, the darker woods and laminates that have been used in the guest staterooms are gorgeous.

The feel of the ship is very spacious, and with the redesigned layouts of main public areas on decks 2 and 3, the natural “flow” has been improved. The views from the Tamarind and Canaletto restaurants as well as from the Crow’s Nest — which is higher up than on Vista — are amazing.

The ship at this time is in various stages of completion. Some areas, such as the Main Dining Room, are as good as finished, others such as the Northern Lights Disco, are not so advanced. But these are relatively small public spaces and Fincantieri and the subcontractors should be able to complete these well on time.

The ship is berthed portside alongside the fitting-out quay and there are three massive cranes almost constantly putting loads of materials on board and taking garbage off. Two of these cranes can reach the highest decks. An additional crane is positioned near the stern to service the temporary loading platforms that are attached to certain rear-facing balconies.

There are hundreds of yard workers on board and there is activity in many areas. Some areas that have been finished are now protected with plastic and plywood, so it is difficult to see what the end product will look like.

A whole army with vacuum cleaners, buckets and mops is also on board to clean up some building dust, so to speak!

There are a number of Hotel Department crew at the yard as well, and they have made a start with loading owner’s supplies into some of the lockers and storerooms that have been delivered and accepted already.

The wheelhouse, or bridge, as we prefer to call it, is nearly completed too. There is some ceiling paneling left to be installed as well as some trim around the windows. Similar to the staterooms, a darker wood has been used for the back wall and the cabinets, which is very pleasing to the eye. The consoles have the usual green color and most of the navigational equipment is situated in the same locations as it is on the Vista ships.

For the most part the same manufacturers as on the Vista ships have been used for equipment such as the radars, GPS, speed logs and depth-sounders. Even the controls for the Azipods and the bow thrusters look reassuringly familiar!

From the centerline and the bridge wings the views and lines of sight are the same as on Vista, the exception is the “bubble” on Deck 4 forward, the additional accommodation which houses the gym for the officers and crew as well as the officer’s lounge and additional storage spaces. Although the Eurodam is higher than the Vista, this is not so apparent from the bridge.