Holland America Line took delivery of Rotterdam on July 30, 2021, officially making it the 11th ship in the cruise lines fleet.
A handover ceremony took place at Fincantieri?s Marghera shipyard in Italy on July 29, 2021. The ceremony was attended by the ship?s master, Captain Werner Timmers, and Cyril Tatar, Holland America Group?s vice president of new building services. Giuseppe Bono, CEO, Fincantieri, and several other executives also attended. Video congratulations were extended by Jan Swartz, president of Holland America Group, and Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line.
?Rotterdam looks stunning and will certainly live up to bearing such an iconic name as the new flagship of our fleet, carrying on a tradition of excellence that our guests have loved for nearly 150 years,? said Antorcha. ?Thank you to our partners at Fincantieri and our own team members who worked tirelessly to deliver the ship on schedule during what has been the most challenging of times, and also deliver a ship that looks beautiful, is immaculately finished and will be an incredible addition to our brand. We cannot wait to welcome guests on board later this fall.
Upon delivery, Rotterdam will remain in non-guest operations until its transatlantic crossing on October 20, 2021 from Amsterdam to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It will then begin its maiden season in the Caribbean. The naming details are yet to be finalised and will be announced at a later date.
