On a morning stroll through rainy Antwerp, I was struggling to appreciate the beauty of the Renaissance buildings in the city centre when I saw the telltale masts of a large sailing ship.
MS Nieuw Amsterdam’s inaugural cruise took place in July and I joined journalists and travel industry representatives from around the world for a four-day round trip from Venice to Dubrovnik. The cruise was packed with ceremonies and behind-the-scenes tours of Holland America Line’s newest ship, the line’s 15th and an almost identical sister to the Signature Class Eurodam, which launched in 2008.
It's been a long time since I took a cruise during such a high-anticipation time as the Christmas holidays, and I guess you could argue it was risky to embark attempt it on a ship and a new line.
APT has just launched the most revolutionary ships on Europe's rivers, with a restaurant and bar that rises to the upper deck on hydraulics, interiors and food designed by Aussie experts.
