Reason to Sail #32: Indulge in delicious sweets at the Cupcake Tea.

These are the pictures of Harald Vlugt working on the big murals in the Explorer’s Lounge on Deck 2. Mary Moore is a blog contributor based at the yard.

Philippe Pierre Brebant sent us this great shot of Eurodam leaving Le Havre with Deauville in the background.

During Nieuw Amsterdam’s second sea trials, the yard sent up a helicopter to take some photos. They sent us these gorgeous images from the shoot.

This is the pinnacle of the trip where you get off the helicopter and hike on the glacier. The view is overwhelming and the fact that you’re standing on ice which is hundreds of feet high, makes you feel tiny. It’s stunning, really. If you decide to go to Alaska, make sure this is one…   read more of “Bert’s Beauty…”

Reason to Sail #33: Learn how to make a martini in a mixology class.

Last Saturday Micky Arison, chairman and CEO of Carnival Corporation & plc. — parent company of Holland America Line — visited Nieuw Amsterdam. He arrived at the shipyard by water taxi where he met Fincantieri Director Dapello. Many authorities were attending this tour, including Howard Frank and Mike Kaczmarek from Carnival Corp., HAL site team…   read more of “Carnival…”

While in Cadiz, Spain, and knowing that it is so close to “Jerez de la Frontera” the wine attendants of the ms Noordam, under the guidance of Noordam’s Beverage Manager Hans Becker, had the amazing opportunity to visit one of the best sherry makers in the world, Bodega Gonzalez Byass, makers of Tio Pepe. Internationally…   read more of “Noordam’s…”