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HAL's first Signature class ship with poolside cabanas takes contemporary European design and creature comforts to a new level.

After more than a century of operations in Rotterdam, Holland as the Netherlands-America Steamship Company, Holland America Lines followed the vacation cruise industry to the U.S., becoming a wholly owned subsidiary of Carnival Cruise Lines in 1989. The brand, whose 14 ships now sail to 314 ports of call in 97 countries, has come full circle for its 135th anniversary, celebrating its European heritage at a time when the entire industry is courting the affluent European market. With a full cadre of international press and travel agents, we watched as HAL's latest vessel, the gracious ms Eurodam, was christened in July 2008 by Queen Beatrix of Holland. Moored next to the squat mid-19th century Holland-Amerika Ligne warehouse along Rotterdam's port, ms Eurodam -- at 86,700 gross tonnes, 11 stories and 1,052 staterooms -- appears to be a sleek, streamlined beauty.

Décor

ms Eurodam is decorated with the nautical paintings, large sculptures, gilded lighting fixtures, and cacaphony of patterned carpets used in preceding Vista class ships, Zuiderdam and Noordam, but with a contemporary European restraint attributed to a new Danish design team. To mitigate the increased number of passengers, several more intimate dining and entertainment venues have been established in oceanview lounges and screened off seating areas. Cabins feature the line's rich wood paneling, flat screen TVs, pillow-top mattresses and marble sinks. Art lovers can pick up an iPod pre-loaded with a walking tour of the ship's collection. We admired small nautical prints, striking Venetian glass, and some amusing collages tucked into showcases -- evidence of the detail that went into this ship's design. Even the main swimming pool sculpture, typically a frolicking dolphin or polar bear, has been replaced by a solemn marble sculpture/waterfall that resembles an ancient funerary stele.

Staterooms

The deluxe verandah cabin we occupied on the Eurodam's debut cruise from Rotterdam to Copenhagen had a large balcony that was the ideal place to admire the changing banks of the Rhine and Elbe waterways. The 200-square-foot stateroom was luxurious for two adults and boasted plenty of closet and drawer space; some have a daybed to sleep a child and all have bathtubs. A big ticket alternative that provides more space -- and those delightful verandahs for everyone -- is to book a junior suite with sofabed with an adjoining twin-bedded cabin.

Families who invest in a suite are given access to the Neptune Lounge, where concierges assist with fine dining reservations and maintain snacks, drinks, hors d'oeuvres and more for a discrete number of cabins. For a daily fee, families can also splurge on the fun poolside cabanas on the Lido Deck. In these private tent-like gathering areas, guests can experience many amenities previously reserved for cabins, such as a mini-fridge, room service, ceiling fan and chaise lounges.

Tip: With young children, families will get more bang for their buck in interior rooms (where two single beds can be made up from the seating areas); kids will likely spend all their waking hours in the children's program. Forget the in-room WiFi; limit internet access to sessions in the cybercafe, where parents can drink while teens sip on mochaccinos and use the ship's computers. WiFi coverage is spotty and expensive.