Sinterklaas Surprises Eurodam’s Crew

The Eurodam must have some pretty amazing crew and Sinterklaas must have some great “deckies” on board his steamship! Before arriving in The Netherlands for December the Fifth, Sinterklaas and his two Zwarte Piets made a detour to the Caribbean to visit the Eurodam!

It was a shock to everybody! As our crew were sitting in the Officers Bar on what we thought was just another set back night at sea, we were surprised when Sinterklaas and his two helpers walked in. They came bearing traditional candies and gifts in all different shapes, sizes and … even lights. Sinterklaas pulled up a chair, and what a sight to see a Dutch Sinterklaas surrounded by the Eurodam’s Irish-themed Officer’s Bar.

The chief engineer and Sinterklaas.

Sinterklaas called each crewmember up one by one to sit on his lap while his two helpers handed them a gift. Each gift was accompanied by a poem, and Sinterklaas seemed to know even the tiniest details about everybody! Even Chief Engineer Frank De Vries took a turn sitting on Sinterklaas’s lap to receive a gift. It was quite the celebration, as everybody laughed and sang traditional Sinterklaas songs and feasted on candies and snacks. It was a great way for all of us to spend some time together.

Sinterklaas and his two Zwarte Piets only stayed on board for a few hours, as the three of them boarded their steamship in super-pursuit mode later that night to make it back to Europe in time for the December the Fifth celebrations.

Thank you Sinterklaas!!!

Embarkation Party, Saturday, Nov. 22

We boarded Eurodam last Saturday to escort a video crew from the Travel Channel and took a moment to shoot a little video of our own. Here is the embarkation party, fueled by the HAL-Cats playing reggae music with a pool full of youngsters. Since it is the week of the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States, it appeared that quite a few families decided to let Holland America cook the turkey and pumpkin pie this year. Indeed, we were told there were 180 kids on board for this sailing.

Welcome to Tamarind

Eurodam’s pan-Asian reservations-only restaurant is proving to be very popular with guests. Here are several photos and a short video that show off some of the reasons for the dining venue’s popularity.

Sushi is prepared fresh for Tamarind diners.

Eurodam’s Officers Enjoy Authentic Irish Pub

Courtesy of Captain Mercer, we recently got a behind-the-scenes tour of a space that few guests will ever see — the officers bar. But this is no ordinary officers bar, it’s an authentic-looking Irish Pub installed, appropriately enough, by a company named Ol Irish Pub.

Dubbed Bonney O’Malley’s, the pub sports brick walls, wood floors, leather chairs and couches, a television and, of course, a dart board.

The pub was shipped to the Fincantieri shipyard in pieces and was assembled over 10 days as the ship made its way from Venice to Southampton to Rotterdam. We are told that by the time the ship reached Rotterdam, the beer and good times were flowing steadily at Bonney O’Malley’s.

Here are a couple of videos we snagged on our brief tour.

It’s HAL-O-Ween on Eurodam

Oct. 31 found the ship overrun by ghosts, goblins and ghouls for a huge Halloween party on Eurodam.

Guests dance the ‘Monster Mash’ on Lido Deck.

Which witch is which?

There were fairies and butterflies and a kid in a fedora.

Leena and the HALCats doled out musical treats throughout the night.

Halloween would not be complete without some hay, jack-o-lanterns and candied apples.

Photos courtesy of Erik Elvejord.

Lido Pool Looking Cool

Jan Ellison sent us this colorful photo of the Lido Pool dressed up for a party on a recent Caribbean cruise. Thanks, Jan!

The Love Boat

Tom and Veronica Steer at the Giza pyramids in Egypt.

Meet another Eurodam “Love Boat” couple: cruise consultant team Veronica and Tom Steer. Tom is from the United Kingdom and Veronica is from Canada, and they are Eurodam’s resident connoisseurs on the world of cruising with Holland America Line. They have sailed on every class of ship, and in their first year of dating they sailed to every continent together.

When they met on board Veronica was part of the cruise staff team and would always pass by Tom’s desk, which was located next to the cruise director’s office.

“She would walk by my desk every day and I finally plucked up the courage to ask her out,” said Tom. Their first date was in Melbourne, Australia.

Veronica added, “Whenever I would meet guests that expressed interest in future cruises, I would advise guests to see Tom and say that Veronica sent you!”

Tom proposed in Sifnos, Greece, on a mountaintop, and it only gets more romantic — their wedding reception took place at the historical Chatham Dockyard in the Commissioner’s House, the oldest naval building in the U.K., built in 1703. Since they married in June, the newlyweds have been on a working honeymoon until they disembark in January. When asked where they were thinking about taking their delayed honeymoon, Veronica replied, “Somewhere hot, like Cuba or Dubai.”

I was curious about the challenges they encounter on a daily basis as working partners. Indeed, they certainly are busy, as every time I have passed their desk there is a consistent queue of guests wanting to book their next cruise. However, they manage the future cruisers quite well, with one speaking to waiting guests to get a feel for what they are looking for and the other at the desk making the bookings.

“Our mantra is, we are never closed,” said Veronica. “We have been walking off the gangway to go ashore and guests would see us and want to book a cruise, and we would come back on board and book them.”

Not familiar with the cruise consultants and their services? They are your personal link to getting firsthand knowledge of Holland America Line’s ships and itineraries. By booking your next cruise while on board with a $100 deposit per person, you get a host of advantages such as dining preference, access to greater availability, a shipboard credit for your next cruise up to $200 per stateroom on select sailings, and, if you wish, bookings can be rolled over to your home travel agent. Just don’t ask for a cruise to Switzerland — yes, they have been asked that!

“The most popular ship we have booked is Prinsendam. Why? It only carries 793 guests and offers such unique cruises,” Tom explained.

Behind every great couple there is a great story, and the Steers are no exception. Tom and Veronica are a quintessential on-board couple and a team armed with immeasurable cruise expertise that will never let you sail you in the wrong direction.

When you’re on Eurodam, be sure to pass by their desk and tell them, “Pam sent me.”

Training the Next Generation of Chefs

Party Planner Michelle Walton teaches young cruisers how to make pizza in a kids’ cooking demonstration at the Culinary Arts Center aboard Eurodam.

The kids — ages 8 to 12 — made personalized English muffin and focaccia bread pizzas. Approximately 60 children sailed on the Oct. 25 Caribbean cruise.

Event staffer Karyn Campbell (right) gets the pizzas ready to pop in the oven.

Video: Eurodam’s Inaugural Trans-Atlantic Crossing

Mariner Fred Claessen sent us this video montage of the westbound crossing from Copenhagen to New York that departed Sept. 14, 2008. You can see more of Fred’s archived YouTube videos here.

Art & iPod Tour Yields Surprises

Pam learns more about the captain’s special painting by Stephen Card during the iPod art tour.

Eurodam is decorated with art valued at more than $2 million, and it runs the gamut from traditional paintings to a poolside modern water feature. With all that art and antiques to see, Eurodam’s Art & iPod Tour is more than your average museum tour.

Grab an iPod at the Explorations Café and set off on a self-guided tour exploring the art throughout the ship. Discover Eurodam’s extensive art collection and the artists’ unique stories behind many of the pieces, in particular when you arrive at this painting in Chapter 14 on your personal iPod tour. Want a hint? Explore Deck 7!

This painting was done by famed maritime artist Stephen Card for Captain Jeroen van Donselaar. The painting depicts Jeroen’s past and present — sailing on Eurodam, working for the pilots and the Tor Scandinavia in the background. As a youth, Jeroen was taking the ferry with his family when the captain invited him to the bridge. That experience determined his future, and from that trip on the Tor Scandinavia, he know what he wanted to do as a career. He enrolled in maritime school a year later.