The presentation of Holland America’s latest ship, Eurodam, at the end of June and an earlier voyage on Cunard’s latest, Queen Victoria, prompted some thoughts about trends in luxury cruising. Both vessels are products of the Carnival Group, and in a technical sense pretty much identical at 90, 000 tons, accommodating 2000 passengers and from the same Italian shipyard. They share a common hull and most of the superstructure, but once you are on board the interpretation of the design shows how carefully Carnival segments the market. When you own Cunard, Holland America, Princess, P&O and Costa, the nuances of the way the different brands are presented and operated is no doubt important to maximising sales and revenue, and of course guest satisfaction.

Cunard and Holland America, despite being American owned, come from a different heritage and they go to a great deal of trouble to emphasise that heritage whilst at the same time adopting the latest trends in cruising.

Cunard is resolutely British, and makes its pitch not just to UK residents, but also anglophiles in Germany and the former colonies (including of course the US). With just three ships it appears rather exclusive, a point emphasised by the retention of the ‘class’ system with Princess and Queens Grill passengers enjoying their own lounge and restaurants. With a nod to the ocean liners of the past the double-height Queen’s Room is the venue for dancing and very traditional afternoon tea, while the sumptuous Royal Court Theatre must be the finest afloat. Of course the obligatory alternative restaurant has appeared, as Todd English, in association with a top American chef. Most of Cunard’s officers are British, while few hotel staff are, with the trend towards eastern European, as well as those from the Indian subcontinent and Asia. The atmosphere is rather British formal and appeals to those who enjoy this.

Holland America’s Dutch heritage is obvious from the stunning artwork (and the fresh flowers everywhere), but with 14 ships and a marketing focus on North America the feeling is more classless and less formal than Cunard. On Eurodam there are no high ceilings and the location of what on QV would be the upper floor of the Queen’s Room is a spacious open-plan shopping outlet, contrasting with Cunard’s individual outlets. HAL’s traditional alternative restaurant, the Pinnacle Grill, is in the same location as Todd English on QV, but with its own bar for pre-dinner cocktails. However not having to provide Grill Class exclusivity lets Eurodam offer a second alternative venue at the top of the ship, the Pan-Asian Tamarind, whilst adjacent is the superb Silk Den lounge, both giving a nod towards Holland’s colonial past in the Dutch East Indies. Some of HAL’s officers are Dutch, but the hotel staff come from their traditional sources in Indonesia and the Philippines, and are renowned for their gracious smiles and helpfulness. The majority of passengers on your HAL cruise will be from North America and so the atmosphere is different from Cunard, perhaps one might say more relaxed.

Most Mundy clients need have no hesitation about booking either Eurodam or Queen Victoria. For some the British-based cruises will attract them to the latter, while Eurodam is based in Europe through the summer, New England in the Fall and the Caribbean in the winter. HAL used the occasion of the new ship’s call at Southampton the launch their 2009 brochure, so this is now available alongside Cunard’s.