By
Alex Smith |
Holland America Line is to hold a naming ceremony in Rotterdam, Netherlands, for its newest ship Rotterdam, with Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet of the Netherlands to serve as godmother.
The private ceremony will be held for invited guests when Rotterdam arrives in the city on 30 May as part of a seven-day ‘Rotterdam Naming Celebration’ cruise, which will depart from Amsterdam, Netherlands, on 29 May. The Dutch royal family has been associated with Holland America Line since Prince Hendrik launched Statendam III in 1929. Members of the royal family have launched 11 more vessels since that time, including Princess Magriet, who has served as godmother for four other Holland America Line ships.
During the rest of the voyage, guests will be able to take part in exclusive events, including a celebratory Gala Dinner, the blessing ceremony for the ship’s bell and other surprise. They will also receive commemorative gifts. Once the ship departs Rotterdam, she will call at the ports of Kristiansand, Stavanger and Flåm in Norway, and offer a day of scenic cruising in Sognefjord, the country’s largest and deepest fjord.
"Our new Rotterdam is a spectacular ship, and we are thrilled to have its naming ceremony scheduled with a celebratory cruise that allows our guests to join the festivities and officially welcome her to the fleet," said Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line. “Our history is deeply rooted in the Netherlands, and it was only fitting to name our newest Rotterdam in the city of Rotterdam with a royal godmother to honour our Dutch roots.”
Rotterdam was delivered by Fincantieri on 30 July 2021 and sailed a transatlantic first voyage, before spending the autumn and winter on its inaugural Caribbean season sailing roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. From May, the ship will sail around Northern Europe, calling at ports in Norway, the Baltic, the British Isles and Iceland from her homeport of Amsterdam.