Holland America Line has announced that Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet of the Netherlands will serve as the godmother on the cruise line’s newest cruise ship, Rotterdam.
“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.”
Queen Máxima, who named Koningsdam in 2016 and Nieuw Amsterdam in 2010, is another member of the Dutch Royal Family who is a godmother. In 2008, then-Queen Beatrix acted as Eurodam’s godmother. Queen Juliana launched the Rotterdam V in 1958. In 1957, Princess Beatrix named Statendam IV, and in 1960, Prinses Margriet. In 1937, Queen Wilhelmina launched Nieuw Amsterdam II.
The inaugural cruise of Rotterdam will set sail from Amsterdam, Netherlands, on October 20, 2021, for a 14-day transatlantic voyage to Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Rotterdam will sail a number of five- to 11-day itineraries from Fort Lauderdale to the southern, western, eastern, and tropical regions during its inaugural Caribbean season, which runs from November to April. The ship returns to Europe in mid-April for a 14-day Atlantic Ocean crossing, sailing roundtrip from Amsterdam, to spend the summer in Norway, the Baltic, the British Isles, and Iceland.
The Fincantieri shipyard in Italy delivered Rotterdam on July 30, 2021. The cruise ship’s naming ceremony will take place next spring.
