Holland America Line’s flagship Rotterdam has received the royal treatment at its naming ceremony in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet of the Netherlands served as godmother and officially named the ship in front of invited dignitaries and guests.
It was the line’s first naming ceremony since the pandemic halted cruising operations.
Following the ceremony, a gala luncheon was held onboard for invited guests. The festivities continued into the evening with a gala dinner and the opportunity for guests to pour champagne over the ship’s bell. The blessing of the ship’s bell is a Holland America Line tradition when welcoming a new ship to the fleet.
“Our heritage is rooted here in the Netherlands, and we are deeply honored to have Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet as godmother of her fifth Holland America Line ship,” said Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line. “When Rotterdam was delivered in 2021 we postponed its naming ceremony so we could hold it in Rotterdam, because there’s no better place to name a ship than in the city it was named after. After a challenging couple of years, we are excited to celebrate this memorable moment in our company’s history.”
If the last two years of the pandemic have taught Carnival Corp. CEO Arnold Donald anything, it’s to adapt and thrive in uncertainty, he said at the naming ceremony.
“We will never be able to go back to exactly the way it was. We have all changed. Our company has changed. Our industry has changed. The world has changed. But together, we are bringing the world back to joyful travel experiences while improving the quality of life for our community partners,” he said.
