MS Rotterdam (2021)

MS Rotterdam is a Pinnacle-class cruise ship under construction for Holland America Line (HAL), a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation. MS Rotterdam shares her name with six previous Holland America ships and will become the company's new flagship upon her debut.[4] Originally named Ryndam, she will be the third of HAL's Pinnacle class in the fleet and is scheduled to be delivered in July 2021.[5][4]

For other ships with the same name, see list of ships named SS Rotterdam.

History
Name:	Rotterdam
Owner:	Carnival Corporation & plc
Operator:	Holland America Line
Ordered:	19 January 2017[1]
Builder:	Fincantieri Marghera, Italy
Yard number:	6278
Maiden voyage:	1 August 2021[2]
Status:	Under construction
General characteristics
Class and type:	Pinnacle-class cruise ship
Tonnage:	99,500 GT[3]
Length:	975 ft (297 m)
Beam:	114.8 ft (35.0 m)
Decks:	12 passenger decks
Capacity:	2,660 passengers[3]

History

Planning and construction

On 19 January 2017, Carnival Corporation announced that it had signed a memorandum with Fincantieri for the third Pinnacle-class vessel for HAL.[1] The vessel was planned to be designed in line with the features and dimensions offered on her sister ships, MS Koningsdam and MS Nieuw Statendam, at 99,500 GT and with a guest capacity of approximately 2,660 passengers.[3][1]

Construction for the then-unnamed ship inaugurated with the steel-cutting on 13 March 2019 at Fincantieri's shipyard in Marghera.[5][3] On 7 April 2019, HAL announced the name of the third Pinnacle-class ship as MS Ryndam in honor of the name's history with the cruise line.[3] On 3 October 2019, HAL marked a milestone in the construction of Ryndam, when the first hull block was floated out to sea from Fincantieri's shipyard in Palermo.[6] She had her keel laid on 21 November 2019 in Marghera.[7] The rest of the ship's hull blocks are being constructed in Marghera, and the ship's steel superstructure was expected to be completed in July 2020, with an official float-out happening shortly thereafter.[6]

On 30 July 2020, HAL announced that Ryndam would be renamed MS Rotterdam in honor of the name's storied heritage within the company's history and after MS Rotterdam had been sold earlier in the year.[4][2] HAL also announced that her delivery would be postponed from May 2021 to 30 July 2021, citing the COVID-19 pandemic.[4][2]

Operational career

Rotterdam was originally scheduled to set sail for her maiden voyage, from Trieste to Civitavecchia, on 21 May 2021, calling in Dubrovnik, Kotor, Corfu, Taormina, and Naples.[8] However, due to the postponement of the ship's delivery, the maiden voyage is postponed to 1 August 2021.[4][2] She will then re-position to Amsterdam, where she will be homeported for her inaugural season, cruising to Northern Europe, including Norway, Iceland, and the Baltic region.[9][8][2] In October 2021, she will sail to Fort Lauderdale for her North American debut.[8]

References

1. Reiser, Emon (19 January 2017). "Carnival Corp. orders ships for Holland America, Princess Cruises". www.bizjournals.com.
2. Saunders, Aaron (30 July 2020). "Holland America Line Renames Forthcoming Cruise Ship Rotterdam". Cruise Critic.
3. "Holland America's Next New Ship is Ryndam -- What to Expect". Travel Agent Central. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
4. "Holland America Renames New Ship; New Delivery Date". Cruise Industry News. 30 July 2020.
5. "Holland America Line to Name New Ship Ryndam". Cruise Industry News. 7 April 2019. Retrieved 31 July 2019.
6. Saunders, Aaron (11 October 2019). "Holland America Launches First Hull Block for New Ryndam Cruise Ship". www.cruisecritic.com. Retrieved 3 November 2019.
7. Staff, C. I. N. (21 November 2019). "Keel Laid for New Ryndam at Fincantieri". www.cruiseindustrynews.com. Retrieved 21 November 2019.
8. Golden, Fran (30 January 2020). "Holland America Line Opens Bookings for Ryndam Cruises". Cruise Critic.
9. Kalosh, Anne (30 July 2020). "HAL newbuild Ryndam is renamed Rotterdam, to arrive July 2021". Seatrade Cruise News. Retrieved 30 July 2020.