Insurance is a mandatory requirement when you cruise with Holland America and therefore it is very important that you get it sorted before you depart.

Before embarking on her South America Cruises she will undergo extensive renovations including a new pool, new entertainment and enrichment options, new staterooms and décor.

The sailings onboard Ms Veendam will vary from 16 days to 20 days.

For the full press release see The Cruise News.

The menu has been created by Master Chef Rudi Sodamin and includes a variety of new additions such as lobster and Colorado lamp chops. Many seafood dishes and beef dishes have also been added to the menu.

To complete the new menu, there has not just been an addition of main courses but appetizers and desserts as well to go with an extensive wine list.

For the full press release see The Cruise News.

The cruise line are offering round-trip sailing from Rotterdam with the first sailing departing on July 18th 2009 and the second on July 24th 2009 with a third 12 day voyage departing on July 30th 2008.

The two six day itineraries can be combined to form a 12 day sailing and the 12 day voyage can be combined with the second of the six day sailings to form an 18 day voyage.

For the full press release see The Cruise News.

The enhancements will see an additional 32 verandah staterooms and 46 new innovative lanai staterooms as well as an extra 12 staterooms with verandahs on deck 9 of four of the ships. New décor will be added to the lanai staterooms with the theme of nature.

The five ships to undergo enhancements will be Ms Statendam, Ms Maasdam, Ms Ryndan, Ms Veendam and Ms Rotterdam.

Fifteen new spa staterooms will be added on four of the ships with Ms Rotterdam benefiting from 23 spa staterooms.  Exclusive spa treatments will be offered in these spa staterooms.

All staterooms and bathrooms will received new looks, with new carpets, desks and resurfaced vanities. Many staterooms will be redecorated and suites will have contemporary colour schemes. Other enhancements include a new resort pool, The Retreat and a new bar called Mix.

All enhancements are part of the Signature of Excellence and will begin in spring 2009 with Ms Veendam being the first to enter dry dock. Ms Maasdam will be the last to undergo her dry dock at the end of 2010.

The shore excursion brochure shows all available shore excursions on a specific cruise as well as all departure times and dates for the excursions. All brochures can be printed for the guests to keep hold of for future information.

For the full press release see The Cruise News.

Ms Nieuw Amsterdam is to be delivered in 2010 and will be an 86,000 ton ship that can carry 2,106 guests. The name comes from New York which used to be called Nieuw Amsterdam and the ship will coincide with this theme by having the interior design and art collection reflecting the glamour and history of New York.

This will be the fourth ship to operate for Holland America Line under the name of Nieuw Amsterdam with the first arriving in 1906. The second joined the fleet in 1938 and the third in 1983.

For the full press release see The Cruise News.

We are exceptionally honored to have Her Majesty Queen Beatrix as the godmother of this beautiful ship,” said Stein Kruse, president and chief executive officer, Holland America Line. “With tens of thousands of people coming out to see our newest ship, which will proudly fly the Dutch flag, it is really quite an emotional homecoming for all of us at Holland America Line.”

Ms Eurodam departs on July 5th on a ten-day round-trip from Copenhagen calling at around 8 destinations including Oslo, Newcastle Upon Tyne and Edinburgh. Following this Ms Eurodam will sail her first Transatlantic cruise, as well as a series of Canada sailings before finishing off the rest of 2008 with Caribbean cruises.

Following her christening in Rotterdam, scheduled for 01 July 2008, she will set sail for Copenhagen on a three day introductory cruise. From there she will start her maiden voyage and will visit Norway, England and Scotland.

It would appear that Carnival are keen to concentrate on large scale cruise lines with the sale of Windstar coming on the back of their announcement last year that another boutique cruise line, Swan Hellenic, was to close.

Windsurf has three ships, Wind Surf, Wind Star and Wind Sprit. The vessels will join the Seattle based Majestic America Line who specialize in US rive cruises and coastal cruises.