NEWS SPECIAL REPORT


Going dutch


Holland America Line unveiled new flagship Rotterdam in its namesake city last week. Ben Ireland reports from the Dutch port


In numbers


7th HAL ship named Rotterdam 3rd Pinnacle-class vessel 2,668 passengers 1,048 crew


Line honours history with launch of its seventh ‘Rotterdam’


HAL president Gus Antorcha says “the most important thing” about new flagship Rotterdam is its name. Speaking on his first visit


Rotterdam T


he UK boss of Holland America Line says the launch of new flagship Rotterdam is an opportunity for the destination-focused line to effectively relaunch in the UK after Covid. Rotterdam departed its namesake Dutch port after


Friday’s event to sail a shakedown cruise before repositioning to the US for Caribbean sailings from Fort Lauderdale. HAL updated its trade portal at GoHal.com on


Monday with footage and pictures of Rotterdam that can be used in agents’ marketing campaigns. It will also host webinars for the trade to learn more about the ship. Agents will be invited to Rotterdamfor the ship’s


official naming in May 2022. “Although HAL is a big brand it’s still not that well


known in the UK,” said UK managing director Lynn Narraway, who added: “The support of the UK travel trade has been amazing.” She pointed out the Pinnacle-class vessel is a sister


ship to Nieuw Statendam and Koningsdam, which are both “well known by the UK trade”, with 100 agents


HAL has named Princess Margriet of the Netherlands godmother of Rotterdam. The third daughter of Queen Juliana


and Prince Bernhard, and aunt of reigning monarch King Willem-Alexander, she is a previous president of the European Cultural Foundation.


having toured Koningsdam when it was in the UK. Narraway said: “We’re very excited about Rotterdam.


She’s heading for the Caribbean next and now we know when the US is reopening we will start pushing that.” She noted HAL’s 150-year anniversary in 2022 and


urged agents to consider promoting its celebratory transatlantic voyage in October next year, which will replicate the line’s first transatlantic sailing in 1872 – including a call at Plymouth. Another milestone for the line is the 25th anniversary


of private island Half Moon Cay in 2022, she added. “We are optimistic for the future,” said Narraway.


“It’s great to have a new ship. It gives us something really positive to focus on as we are coming out of Covid. “It’s great for the brand. We didn’t have a ship sailing


round the UK this summer, so this launch is something for us to focus on with the trade. “We have had this pause for 18 months, so we have a


chance now to effectively do a bit of a relaunch to remind everybody that we are here.”


The naming ceremony will take place


in Rotterdam in May 2022 after the ship completes its maiden season of Caribbean sailings out of US port Fort Lauderdale. President Gus Antorcha announced the


godmother at the ship’s unveiling on Friday. He said: “We are deeply grateful that her


to the line’s Rotterdam office since taking up the role in July 2020, Antorcha said naming the new ship after the city was “an acknowledgement of our history and an embracing of our 148 years of operating from this port”. He said his first visit


had made him appreciate how “special” Carnival Corporation’s HAL brand is. “Having that name on our


newest vessel is a symbol of our commitment to our history,” he said. “We’ve always had a ship called Rotterdam in the fleet.” The 2,668-passenger vessel


is the seventh HAL ship to be namedRotterdam. The last was sold to Fred Olsen Cruise Lines and now sails as Borealis; the fifth iteration is now a floating but stationary hotel in the city. Its first ship, which launched in 1872, was called Rotterdam.


royal highness Princes Margriet will act as the godmother of the ship, keeping our connection to the country and honouring our Dutch roots.” Members of the Dutch royal family


have launched 12 Holland America Line vessels.


Princess Margriet


16 21 OCTOBER 2021 travelweekly.co.uk


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64