By
Alex Smith |
Holland America Line’s new cruise ship Rotterdam has been launched at Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard in Italy.
The event was marked by a traditional coin ceremony, in which a silver dollar was welded onto the last deck of the ship. The ceremony was attended by Cyril Tatar, vice president of newbuilding for Holland America Group, and Antonio Quintano, Fincantieri’s shipyard director, while Mai Elmar, executive director of Cruise Port Rotterdam, served as godmother.
“We are pleased to honour the coin ceremony tradition and celebrate this milestone that signals less than a year until Rotterdam’s delivery,” said Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line. “With a name like Rotterdam, there is no other person more suited than Mai Elmar to serve as the ship’s godmother. Mai’s name is synonymous with the cruise industry in the port city fof Rotterdam and she has been a tremendous champion of our brand for decades. We’re thrilled to have her take on this special role.”
The third ship in the Pinnacle class, Rotterdam will be able to accommodate 2,668 passengers in 1,340 cabins. She will feature a 270-degree World Stage surround screen, the Grand Dutch Café and Rudi’s Sel de Mer, which were first introduced onboard her sister ships. The interiors for the ship will be designed by Tihany Design and Yran & Storbraaten, with the design of the public areas inspired by the theme of ‘the architecture of music’.
The ship is the seventh to bear the Rotterdam name for Holland America Line, honouring the cruise line’s first ship, which sailed its maiden voyage in 1872. Rotterdam is also the 14th ship to be built by Finacntieri’s Marghera shipyard for the cruise line.
Rotterdam is scheduled to be delivered on 30 July 2021. The ship will sail a seven-day ‘Premiere Voyage’ from Trieste to Civitavecchia in Italy. She will then depart from Civitavecchia on 8 August on a 14-day cruise through the western Mediterranean and on to Amsterdam, Netherlands, before sailing roundtrip itineraries from the Dutch capital between 22 August and 10 October.