SHIP VISIT

HOLLAND AMERICA LINE

MS PRINSENDAM

It was 10:00am on a beautiful, sunny May morning, as I boarded the ms Prinsendam at London Cruise Terminal in Tilbury. I had been invited as part of a group of thirty guests, made up of journalists, travel agents and members of the public (prospective customers). The purpose of the ship visit was to highlight the facilities on board, and the high quality of service provided by Holland America Line (HAL), part of the Carnival Group. This is an ideal way for any cruise novice to see ‘what’s on offer’ before committing to a cruise.

The Prinsendam is a fine looking ship, the hull is painted dark blue with a white superstructure, at only 38,000 tons she is classed as a mid-sized ship, accommodating 835 guests, and making her the smallest of HAL‘s 15 ships. As soon as you step on board you can see why Holland America Line is classed as a 4 star+ premium brand. Crew members, attired in immaculate well pressed uniforms, wait to greet you, from the lift attendants in their splendid red ‘Bell Boy’ uniforms, to the hotel staff tending your cabins (or staterooms as they are referred to nowadays) your every need is tended to. The ratio of passengers to crew members is 2 to 1, one of the highest in the cruise industry, ensuring all guests receive the service that is expected of a premium brand.

We toured the ship in two small groups, and were given detailed information as we viewed the public areas and a number of staterooms. The ship was built in 1988, originally for Royal Viking Line as the Royal Viking Sun, later serving under the Seabourn brand as the Seabourn Sun, before, finally, becoming a HAL ship in 2002. There are 9 passenger decks, incorporating 22 public rooms. Facilities on board include putting greens, sports court, jogging track, 2 swimming pools, whirlpool, casino, library and internet access. There is a very good, well equipped spa and fitness centre, the Greenhouse Health Spa, which features 6 treatment rooms, sauna, steam room, and gym with fantastic sea views.

Dining options include the main restaurant, La Fontaine, where you can choose, either, early or late set dining times for dinner, or eat whenever you like (within service times) with the ‘As you wish’ dining option. The Pinnacle dining room is a small speciality restaurant (48 seats) where, for an extra charge of $25, you can experience a more intimate dining experience, with the food being served on Bulgari china and drinks in Reidel glassware. For a less formal dining experience there is the Lido restaurant, providing a self service, buffet style cuisine.

Bars and lounges are plentiful, ranging from the casual Lido Bar to the elegant Crow’s Nest with its panoramic sea views. There is also a private concierge lounge for those guests booked into the Deluxe Suites. Entertainment takes many forms, from the Wajang Theatre & Culinary Arts Centre, which provides cookery lessons, film shows and religious events, to the main show room, the Showroom at Sea, where all the main shows are held. There are two shows each night, allowing guests, at both early and late dinner sittings, to attend. Dress code on board is in-line with most other cruise lines, smart casual for the restaurants on most evenings, with either one or two formal nights a week.

There are 15 grades of accommodation on board, ranging from the standard inside stateroom to the more spacious and luxurious Penthouse Suite. All inside staterooms are equipped with showers, whereas, all accommodation above this level offer bath tubs. All staterooms are well equipped and, I can vouch from previous experience, the beds are among the most comfortable at sea.

Once we had completed our tour and seen all that ms Prinsendam has to offer, it was time to sample the food in La Fontaine dining room. Our menu choice, today, was not as comprehensive as it would be on a normal cruise day. Even so, what was on offer was of a very high standard, well presented, well cooked, and served by very friendly, competent, attentive staff. Everyone in our group appeared to enjoy, both, the meal, and the ship visit in general. There were a number of people who had never cruised before, and now, having sampled some of the delights of cruising, are eager to book their first cruise.

My overall impression of Holland America Line is a very favourable one, and ms Prinsendam looks to be a very comfortable and elegant ship for those who prefer smaller, more intimate ships, as opposed to the much larger, less personal, resort ships favoured by some cruise lines.

Our ship visit was timed for us to be able to board once arriving guests had disembarked, and before embarkation commenced for the passengers starting their cruise. This allowed us to view the staterooms before they were occupied by guests. As we were disembarking, I overheard a group of American passengers talking, as they waited for the lift to their staterooms, “ Have you been on this ship before?” one lady asked of another “Oh yes, many times” came the reply. This reinforced the statement, made earlier by Carly, our tour guide for the day, that 69% of passengers on Prinsendam return to the ship, time after time.

These particular passengers were embarking on a 15 night Baltic Explorer & Kiel Canal voyage, calling at Warnermunde (Berlin), Tallinn, St Petersburg, Helsinki, Stockholm, Visby, Alborg, Copenhagen and Amsterdam. Being a smaller ship the Prinsendam can reach ports that larger ships cannot reach, she tends also to spend more time in port, staying overnight in St Petersburg and Copenhagen on this cruise.

Cruises from UK ports are becoming ever more popular, and the London Cruise Terminal at Tilbury is ideally situated to facilitate those cruise passengers wishing to depart or arrive on a cruise close to the Capital. Located within close proximity to the M25 and with a good rail service, and a regular ferry service operating to Gravesend on the south bank of the Thames, transport is no problem and car parking is available directly by the passenger terminal. The port is compact, however, there is a snack bar, toilet facilities and a ample, comfortable seating area. Check-in, security and boarding are incredibly quick and efficient, making for a very comfortable start to your cruise holiday.