Fans of smaller, more intimate cruise ships will be thrilled to hear the Holland America has bucked the trend of investing only in huge liners by updating a smaller ship, Veendam.

Ships that carry fewer than 1500 passengers are becoming increasingly rare, and HollandAmerica are not only holding on to, but updating some smaller capacity ships.

This week they unveiled the results of a $40 million makeover on Veendam, a 13 year old ship with a capacity of just 1,350. The line is planning to duplicate a makeover of this scale on four of its smaller and older ships over the next two years.

Veendam’s makeover has included changes to the cabins, such as adapting some cabins on higher decks to include balconies, which are in particularly high demand on smaller vessels such as the Veendam which were built before balconies became commonplace. Another addition is the introduction of sliding doors leading to cabins which overlook the promenade area of the ship, thus providing a more outdoor feel for passengers.

New features also include an outdoor pool area called the Retreat, where passengers can relax in the loungers which are positioned directly in three inches of water. The Retreat is also home to a new pool bar, a new Pizzeria called Slice, outdoor seating under a canopy and a giant LCD screen where guests can enjoy an evening movie.

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