New class of Holland America ships named after Signature of Excellence

Holland America's Signature of Excellence program, launched in 2004 to introduce a broad variety of upgrades across the fleet, inspires the moniker for the line's new class of ships. One 2,044-passenger Signature Class newbuild will be delivered in 2008, with an option for a second in 2010, and will increase Holland America's passenger capacity by over 20%.

Have you ever wondered how much pocket change you'd need to buy a factory-fresh cruise liner with that new-ship smell? Well, the answer in this case is $450 million each. The upcoming ships aren't yet named, and will be built at our personal favorite shipyard, Fincantieri in Italy.

Naturally, the ships will include all of the Signature of Excellence premium amenities that have been introduced on Holland's current ships: Euro-top beds, deluxe waffle cloth robes, Egyptian cotton towels, flat panel TVs, DVD players, massage shower heads, professional hair dryers, fresh flowers and complimentary fruit baskets.