Carnival Buys Up Holland America

During the volatile last quarter of 1988, cruise lines in the rapidly changing industry seemed to be jockeying for position for the 1990s. Carnival Cruise Lines’ recent $625-million purchase of Holland America and its holdings set off still another bombshell in a series of power plays as lines continue to merge and consolidate.

In Miami a Carnival spokesman said his line has no intention of “Carnivalizing” the Holland America ships or grafting any of their earmarks onto the “fun ships.”

“They control Alaska in the summer, we control the Caribbean in the summer,” he said.

By 1992 Holland America was expecting to have 9,300 berths, counting two new ships in preliminary planning, which would have put the line in strong competition with Carnival Cruise Lines. Holland America also had recently acquired full ownership of Windstar Sail Cruises, a Miami-based, three-vessel company offering luxury 156-passenger computerized sailing cruises in the Caribbean, French Polynesia and the Mediterranean.

Many Mergers

This season has already seen the former Sitmar ships assimilated into the Princess/P&O; fleet. Exploration Cruise Line (seven small adventure ships) and Connecticut-based American Cruise Line (three ships) have discontinued operation after filing under Chapter 11 of the federal bankruptcy code for protection from creditors.

The Royal Odyssey has become the Regent Sun, the Sun Princess the Star/Ship Majestic, the Star/Ship Royale the Dolphin SeaBreeze, and Home Line’s Atlantic the Star/Ship Atlantic. Barring any 11th-hour sales the Astor should turn into the Feodor Dostoyevski any day now.

In mid-November we witnessed one of the smoothest transitions among the quick-change vessels. Holland America’s new Westerdam, the former Homeric from the now-defunct Home Line, began Caribbean service from Ft. Lauderdale after less than two weeks of renovation.

Port facilities, which have been lagging behind cruise lines in adapting to the busy market, are finally beginning to catch up. Disembarkation at Ft. Lauderdale’s new terminal, combined with Delta Airlines’ pier-side baggage check-in and the greatly improved passenger facilities at the nearby Ft. Lauderdale airport, provide the fastest and smoothest cruise ship-to-flight transition we can remember.

For Holland America, purchase of the 2-year-old German-built Westerdam offered 1,140 new berths in their heavily advertised Caribbean and Alaska markets, currently served by the Rotterdam, Noordam and Nieuw Amsterdam. It also attracted about 500 loyal Holland America repeat passengers who came to check out the new ship.

Enlargement Planned

Plans are still in force for the Westerdam to be enlarged late this year by being cut in half, with the two sections floated apart and a 140-foot, 11-deck prefabricated section dropped into the center to lengthen it and add 400 berths.

It fits well into Holland America’s present fleet, offering bigger-than-average cabins, some with double beds and/or bathtubs, and a sense of solid comfort and value throughout. Changes so far have been mostly cosmetic, with the traditional dark-blue hull, white stack and logo replacing Home’s colors, and the decks and public rooms renamed to conform to Holland America’s traditions.

One feature not found on the other Dutch ships is a handsome sheltered and tiled pool area with sliding glass cover amidships on the top deck.

While the line continues to represent high quality and solid value for the money, there’s nothing stodgy about the operation. The entertainment is better than ever, with two sparkling shows created for the Westerdam by Broadway veteran Jack Eddleman, one a tribute to Cole Porter, the other well-woven highlights of three Andrew Lloyd Webber blockbusters: “Evita,” “Cats” and “Phantom of the Opera.”

Cuisine continues to keep pace with current tastes with more main dish choices, including fish, chicken and vegetarian entrees, lighter dishes and optional spa cuisine.

Fitness Packages

The Bonaventure Spa at Sea program just introduced on the Westerdam, as well as on the Noordam and Nieuw Amsterdam, takes seagoing fitness one step further by selling an all-inclusive package with massages, luffa treatments, special low-calorie menus and salon beauty treatments.

Supervised by counselors trained at the Ft. Lauderdale spa, the program and cruise costs from $2,335 to $2,435 per person double occupancy for seven days, depending on the season, for a deluxe outside stateroom.

Honeymooners like the ship’s Sunday departures and special gifts, while nostalgia buffs enjoy the special photography studio created for Holland America by Trans Ocean Photos of New York that makes old-fashioned sepia-toned portraits of passengers in period settings and costumes.

Prices for the seven-day Caribbean sailings on the Westerdam, through the end of April, begin at $1,295, per person double occupancy, for a fairly large inside double with two lower beds; round-trip air fare is included. An economy outside double, again spacious for the price range, starts at $1,425 per person. Deluxe cabins and suites are also available.

Alternate Sailings

The Westerdam alternates seven-day eastern and western Caribbean sailings out of Ft. Lauderdale; they can be combined for a 14-day cruise. Ports of call include San Juan, St. Maarten, St. Thomas and Freeport on the eastern schedule, and Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman, Playa del Carmen and Cozumel on the western.

A transcanal sailing May 7 will reposition the Westerdam for its maiden Alaska season beginning May 25.

At the conclusion of the Alaska season a transatlantic voyage sets out from Vancouver Sept. 24 and winds up Oct. 26 at the shipyard in Emden, West Germany, where the Westerdam will be stretched. Prices for the full voyage start at a low $5,595 for 41 days, but segments as short as 10 days are available.

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For the record: The correct phone number for Seabourn Cruise Line is (800) 351-9595. Due to a typographical error in a company press release, the number was listed incorrectly in the Jan. 15 Cruise Views column.