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Ocean Liner History and Stories from the Sea, Past and Present. With an In Depth focus on Holland America Line

2021 Oct. 15; Prinses Margriet will christen the ms Rotterdam (VII) in 2022

Fresh from the Press: Press Release by HAL this morning.

Holland America Line Names Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet of the Netherlands Godmother of Rotterdam


Rotterdam marks the 13th ship for the cruise line to be named by a Dutch Royal

Her royal Highness Prinses Margriet of the Netherlands and God mother of the whole Dutch Merchant fleet.

 Seattle, Wash., Oct. 15, 2021 — Holland America Line announced today that when Rotterdam is named next spring, Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet of the Netherlands will be the ship’s godmother, carrying on a tradition that began in the 1920s.

Holland America Line’s connection to The House of Orange goes back nearly a century to Prince Hendrik launching Statendam III in 1929. Since then, members of the Dutch Royal Family have launched 11 more Holland America Line vessels throughout the years, including Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet who named Prinsendam (1972), Nieuw Amsterdam III (1983), Rotterdam VI (1997) and Oosterdam (2003).

“We are deeply grateful that Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet will once again act as godmother to a Holland America Line ship, carrying on a long tradition with the Royal Family that continues to honor our Dutch roots,” said Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line. “Rotterdam will be named in Rotterdam next year, celebrating its namesake city and our historic connection with the Netherlands. We look forward to commemorating the occasion where it all started for Holland America Line.”

The ms Rotterdam VII arriving in Rotterdam.

Rotterdam arrives for the first time in the port of Rotterdam on the morning of October 14. 

Additional members of the Dutch Royal Family who are godmothers include Queen Máxima, who named Koningsdam in 2016 and Nieuw Amsterdam in 2010. Then-Queen Beatrix served as Eurodam’s godmother in 2008. Rotterdam V was launched in 1958 by Queen Juliana. Then-Princess Beatrix named Statendam IV in 1957 and Prinses Margriet in 1960. Nieuw Amsterdam II was launched by Queen Wilhelmina in 1937.

 Rotterdam’s maiden cruise departs Oct. 20, 2021, from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and embarks on a 14-day transatlantic journey to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. During its inaugural Caribbean season from November to April, Rotterdam will sail a variety of five- to 11-day itineraries that span the southern, western, eastern and tropical regions, all roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale. In mid-April, the ship makes a 14-day Atlantic Ocean crossing back to Europe to spend the summer in Norway, the Baltic, British Isles and Iceland, all sailing roundtrip from Amsterdam.

Rotterdam was delivered by the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy July 30, 2021. The date for naming the ship in Rotterdam will be announced in the coming months.

For more information about Holland America Line, consult a travel advisor, call 1-877-SAIL HAL (877-724-5425) or visit hollandamerica.com.

 

6 Comments

  1. How long will Captain Timmers be aboard??

  2. Paula Volkerts van Hoogendaal

    October 16, 2021 at 6:44 am

    Dank voor het nieuws. Altijd zo leuk van u te horen. Maar…..heel jammer dat Europeanen pas op 8 nov. USA in mogen. Dus onmogelijk om op 20 okt mee te varen met de Rotterdam.
    In 2022 al die niet gemaakte cruises inhalen dan maar !!

  3. P. Volkerts van Hoogendaal

    October 16, 2021 at 6:48 am

    Altijd leuk van u te horen. Helaas opent USA pas op 8 nov de grens voor Europeanen, dus onmogelijk mee te varen op 20 oktober.
    In 2022 alle niet gemaakte cruises inhalen !

  4. Wolfgang Rüdiger Mueller

    October 16, 2021 at 8:49 am

    Lieber Kapitän Albert,
    ich hatte mich so sehr auf die Jungfernfahrt der neuen ROTTERDAM gefreut, aber leider wollen die Amis ja keine Europäer einreisen lassen! Obwohl 2 X geimpft und auch sonst gesund.
    Ich war auch schon auf der Jungfernfahrt der NIEUW STATENDAM an Bord, es war eine tolle Reise mit Kapitän de Boer.
    Jetzt will HAL mir meine Buchung zurückzahlen und dann???
    Mit freundliche Grüßen
    Wolfgamg Rüdiger Müller – 3* Mitglied

    • Captain Albert

      October 17, 2021 at 10:31 am

      Gute morgen,

      Schade dass zu horen. Ich habe gleichwertiger problemen. Ick kann auch nicht zuruck nach die Schiffe denn meine USA visa can nicht erneut worden, die Ambassade is noch nicht ge-offnet. Hoffentlich nachtest Jahr wirds besser sein.

      Mit freundichem gruss

      Kapitan Albert

  5. hans van bemmelen

    October 16, 2021 at 2:03 pm

    I see single breastfed uniform jacket not great looks like airline steward

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