Holland America Line named Princess Margriet of the Netherlands as godmother of the new Rotterdam. She will christen the ship next spring.
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 vessels throughout the years, including Princess Margriet, who named Prinsendam (1972), Nieuw Amsterdam III (1983), Rotterdam VI (1997) and Oosterdam (2003).
The 99,500-gross-ton, 2,668-passenger Rotterdam VII is the seventh Holland America Line ship to bear the name. The ship was delivered by the Fincantieri shipyard in Italy on July 30, 2021.
"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."
Rotterdam's maiden cruise departs Oct. 20, 2021, from Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and embarks on a 14-day transatlantic journey to Fort Lauderdale. During its inaugural Caribbean season from November to April, Rotterdam will sail five- to 11-day itineraries throughout 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.
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