HAL Eurodam Inaugral 2008

Flying to Venice to start work on Holland America's newest ship, Eurodam, as the Stage Manager...what have I done??

Suddenly out of the clouds we fly over the Swiss (Italian?) Alps!!

Suddenly out of the clouds we fly over the Swiss (Italian?) Alps!!

Suddenly out of the clouds we fly over the Swiss (Italian?) Alps!!

Headed for Mestre where the ship is being built.

My first taste of Italy and Europe.

In the car on the way to the shipyard.

My new home....I HAVE A PORTHOLE!!!

TV and stereo provided and ready for me to unpack as no one has ever lived here before me.

OK bathroom...but I had to shower with the door closed and curtain open so I had room to move...note the two drains in the floor so you could do this.

The view from my porthole for the next three weeks until we sailed from Venice.

A Deck on the Eurodam...this is where we workers live and travel below the masses.

This is the dome over the pool that retracts. This is also Deck 11 before the cabanas were installed.

Another view of Deck 11 before the cabanas were installed

This is going to be the internet cafe on Deck 13, next to the Crows Nest

This is going to be the Crows Nest...still under construction!

This is the Mainstage Showroom...my room!

Mainstage Showroom....what have I gotten myself into??

Next to cranes in the shipyard, these were always loading more and more onto the ship!

This is what Italian ship builders look like on coffee break! There are these machines that you go to for espresso and cappaccino and lattes and they dispense little cups of coffee with plastic stirrers and the espresso already has the sugar in it! Brilliant!

Notice anything odd? Says Nassau but the Rotterdam is already under that.

This is what ships look like before they are put together

More Italian ship builders

Walking around the shipyard, Fincantieri, in Venice.

Walking around the shipyard, Fincantieri, in Venice.

These were the ONLY payphones for the ships crew to use in the yard! You had to wait in line for your turn.

Walking around the shipyard, Fincantieri, in Venice.

Walking around the shipyard, Fincantieri, in Venice.

We called these the SUICIDE BALCONIES because we thought once you saw how little balcony you had for how much you paid you'd commit suicide! These are new cabins located next to the Crow's Nest on Deck 13

Hot Italian security guards. They said "No pictures" but a week later were in my showroom taking pictures and laughed when I said it! They remembered me from this. All in good fun, boys.

A very Italian woman at the mall.

Italian countryside, driving back from the mall where I finally was able to get a European cell phone.

The entrance to Fincantieri Shipyard in Venice

Lido Bar before the fish stools were all attached.

This is the Costa Luminosa which was being built next to us, and another ship by it already being built too.

This was as close as I got to Venice for 3 weeks!

View of Venice from the shipyard

That's the gym equipment on the other side of the pool. They lifted it up by crane and dropped it poolside

A view of a house by the train tracks across from the shipyard

Sights while walking around Mestre, Italy. It's the town the shipyard is near.

Sights while walking around Mestre, Italy

Sights while walking around Mestre, Italy A cool fountain

Sights while walking around Mestre, Italy