THE NIEUW AMSTERDAM in Lisbon

The latest addition to the fleet of Holland America, the fourth NIEUW AMSTERDAM paid her first visit to Lisbon on 28 October 2010 at the end of her maiden season in European waters while starting the first transatlantic crossing, from Lisbon to Port Everglades.

I had the great pleasure of  paying a visit to the new Dutch cruise ship and I enjoyed it very much.

A sister ship to the EURODAM and the last of Holland America Vista-class newbuildings, the NIEUW AMSTERDAM of 2010 is the third ship of this illustrious name that I am able to see. I still have very fond memories of the NIEUW AMSTERDAM of 1938 on her final visit to Lisbon in September 1973 on a positional transtlantic cruise from and to Port Everglades in order to be drydocked in Lisbon by Lisnave. Then in 1983 the French-built NIEUW AMSTERDAM was one of the first ships I featured in my magazine REVISTA DE MARINHA with a full article.  

Having paid a similar visit a few weeks ago to the very similar Cunard QUEEN ELIZABETH, whose dull interiores did nothing to impress me, it was very revigorating to have been on the NIEUW AMSTERDAM. Although both ships share the same original hull basis, the interiors are quite different, and the Holland ship is much much better than the last Italian Queen of Cunard.
On the HAL ship a contemporary interior was created with a most pleasant result. There is beauty everywhere onboard the NIEUW AMSTERDAM. So nice to realize that in 2010 it is still possible to be "Good to be on a well run ship".

Texto e imagens /Text and images copyright L.M.Correia. For other posts and images, check our archive at the right column of the main page. Click on the photos to see them enlarged. Thanks for your visit and comments. Luís Miguel Correia