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Holland America Line president reveals his Nieuw Statendam highlights

The boss of Holland America Line has singled out new speciality restaurant Club Orange and the enhanced live music offering as two key features on the recently-launched Nieuw Statendam.

Orlando Ashford, who is overseeing his second ship launch as the line’s president, said new Club Orange had been launched on a trial basis and would be rolled out fleet-wide if deemed a success.

Neptune Suite passengers have automatic access to the Club Orange where both breakfast and dinner is served. Passengers staying in other cabin grades can pay $50 per day per cabin to eat there.

Nieuw Statendam’s sister ship Koningsdam is currently being fitted with Club Orange.

Other perks for members include priority embarkation and disembarkation, and tender service.

“What Club Orange has is some speciality amenities and some special menu options that will be done just for the Club Orange guests,” Ashford told Travel Weekly. “It is a trial of something new.

“We start with ideas and we potentially roll them out across the fleet. That is what we did with B.B King [Blues Bar] and everybody loved it.”

Ashford also highlighted the four live music venues – B.B King Blues Club, Lincoln Center Stage, Billboard Onboard and new to Nieuw Statendam, Rolling Stone Rock Room.

All the venues are located close together in the central part of the ship, called the Music Walk.

Ashford said: “We love Koningsdam, but there have been a few changes with [sister ship] Nieuw Statendam.

“One of those changes has been Rolling Stone Rock Room and a new programming partner so we have expanded our Music Walk offering, so we know have four major groups.

“They are all in the centre of the ship and it really serves as the heartbeat of the ship from an entertainment perspective.”

Ashford added that live music on board was one of four focus points, along with service, food and destination, for the line as it looked to differentiate itself from other brands.

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