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.

Fort Lauderdale ‘Keys and Plaques’ Exchange

It is traditional when a ship makes its first call at a port to hold a ceremony commemorating the event with the ship’s captain and local dignitaries exchanging plaques and keys to the city, etc. These plaques are then mounted on the ship’s walls and travel with it throughout its service as a reminder of all of its ports of calls.

We were invited to attend the “keys and plaques” ceremony yesterday in Fort Lauderdale, where we tried out our new Flip camcorder.

Here are a couple of videos of the ceremony’s high points (or at least the ones where the camera didn’t shake too badly, we didn’t trip over a table while shooting or someone’s head didn’t get in the way):

Captain Jonathan Mercer opens the ceremony with some kind words about Fort Lauderdale. County Commissioner Suzanne Gunsberger gave the captain the keys to the city of Hollywood, Fla., which is where about two-thirds of Port Everglades is located; the rest of the port is in the city of Fort Lauderdale.

Upon receiving the key, the captain quipped, “In England when you receive the key to the city, it means you can drive your herd of sheep through the center of town.”

Captain Mercer presents County Commissioner Gunsberger with a plaque and a custom-made Delft china plate commemorating Eurodam’s dedication ceremony.

Captain Mercer accepts a plaque from Port Everglades Director Phil Allen.

Captain Mercer accepts a “Captain of the Port” cap from Commander Brian Gove of the U.S. Coast Guard.

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.

Watch Eurodam Arrive at Saguenay Monday, Sept. 29

While it won’t be Eurodam’s first call at Saguenay, Quebec, Monday, Sept. 29, it will be the first time the ship — or any ship, for that matter — will be alongside at the port.

The Port of Saguenay built a new pier, and Eurodam will be the first ship to use it. While it may not look finished today, port officials assured Captain van Donselaar that it will be ready on Monday morning when the ship arrives.

Eurodam is scheduled to arrive at Saguenay around 7:30 a.m. Eastern Daylight Time on Monday, so if you’re up and online that early, click on this link to watch the ship arrive live.

Video: Eurodam Leaving Warnemünde, Germany

Klara Dillig sent us this video of Eurodam departing Warnemünde Aug. 12, 2008. The port marked the occasion of a nighttime departure by blasting off some fireworks. Toward the end of the clip, Klara pans over to the Crystal Symphony, which also was in port that day.

On Deck for the Cure

Holland America Line began On Deck for the Cure in 2006 in support of Susan G. Komen for the Cure and breast cancer research. Since its inception, the program has raised nearly $1.1 million.

Participants pledge $15 or more, then simply put their sea legs to good use and walk around the ship’s deck for five kilometers. Each participant receives an On Deck for the Cure T-shirt and pink wristband, as well as an invitation to a pink lemonade party following the walk.

Cruise Director Shane high-fives a guest during the walk. Holland America estimates that more than 80,000 guests have participated in more than 1,000 walks on Holland America Line cruises worldwide since the program began.

Cheerleaders Joan Hopke from Long Island, N.Y., (left) and Mary Alice Prazynski from Ohio.

Cruise Director Shane and event staffer Kate keep guests up to date on the number of laps they have completed. Depending on the ship, guests walk up to 12 laps to reach 5k.

Click on the arrow in the middle of the video to see an On Deck for the Cure walk in action.

Video: The View Astern

Pam shot this interesting video from Eurodam’s stern as the ship was sailing from Warnemunde, Germany, to Arhus, Denmark, at a speed of 13 knots. Note that the wake shows the characteristic twin spiral patterns made by the ship’s Azipod podded propulsion units.

A Collection of Cool HAL Videos and Images

Although this is not Eurodam-specific, Fred Claessen sent us several links to videos and images of Holland America Line cruises from the past that are fun to watch — especially the one above that shows the traditional “ceremony” on board Rotterdam V when the ship crossed the Equator. Check out his collection on YouTube here.

Visit Fred’s Web site Maritime Memories here.

There are more images and memorabilia at Ships and Harbours.

Enjoy!