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The Holland America Cruise Line Fleet.

Today, Holland America has a modern fleet of 12 ships with plans for additional expansion in the near future. Its officers are mostly Dutch; the crew hails from Indonesia and the Philippines.

The fleet is not cut from a single pattern, but the ships all share many of the company's trademarks. Bouquets of fresh flowers, priceless artwork and maritime antiques can be found throughout the vessels. Each ship features a teak promenade that completely encircles the vessel.

All of the new ships are named for past vessels, including four ships named for the four points of the compass: Noordam, Zuiderdam, Oosterdam, Westerdam. The first Rotterdam was an iron ship that carried 388 passengers and 1500 tons of cargo. That maiden voyage was such a success that a new company was founded - Netherlands-American Steam Navigation Company - a name it would function under until 1986 when Holland America Line was "born".

Statendam Class:
Ms Statendam, Maasdam, Ryndam, Veendam, Volendam and Zaandam offer spacious comfort while cruising the Caribbean, Alaska, Canada, Mexico and Europe. All six ships cater to families and have dedicated considerable space to children's activities. Dining rooms are spectacular. These ships combine the best of traditional vessels with fancy amenities reflecting the company's maritime involvement with many different parts of the world. They carry between 1258 to 1440 passengers and range from 55,451 to 60,906 Gross Registered Tons.

Flagships:
Ms Rotterdam and sister ship, Ms Amsterdam. Designed for longer voyages these two are larger than the Statendam class and have an additional staircase and elevator lobby. In addition, the staterooms are more spacious with four inches added to the ceiling height. Both gracefully combine the classic with state-of- the-art features. MS Rotterdam carries 1316 passengers and weighs in at 59,652 GRT. The slightly larger MS Amsterdam carries 1380 passengers and tips the scales at 61,000 GRT.

Prinsendam:
Carrying fewer than 800 passengers (38,000 GRT), this ship welcomes you aboard for a very special experience. Forty percent of her generously proportioned staterooms feature private verandahs. You can sail with her on the 108-day Grand World Voyage, relax with her in Europe, or cruise down the Amazon River. She is the Elegant Explorer, a one of a kind.

Vista Class:
Beginning with the MS Zuiderdam, this class of ship is designed for the future. These ships offer even more staterooms with private verandahs, more choices in dining ranging from a casual, culinary courtyard to the intimate, reservations-only restaurant, and the largest spas in the fleet. They are excellent for multi-generational families and offer the most activities and facilities for children and teens. These vessels boast two exterior elevators, a new cabaret style show lounge, expanded spa facilities, three pools, two coffee shops, internet/email data ports in all staterooms, a dedicated disco as well as the signature Crow's Nest observation lounge/nightclub, and benefit from the increased operating efficiencies of Azipod propulsion (more speed = linger in port a bit longer).

MS Zuiderdam is joined by the Oosterdam, Westerdam, and in 2005, the new MS Noordam, thus completing the four points of the compass. Each sister can accommodate 1848 guests and weighs in at 85,000 GRT, making them the largest ships in the Holland America fleet.