On 5 May, the newest ship of Holland America Line, the Nieuw Statendam, made its maiden call at the port of Amsterdam.
The ship docked at the Passenger Terminal Amsterdam (PTA). Amsterdam is the "homeport" of the ship during the coming summer season. The ship was christened by Oprah Winfrey in Ft. Lauderdale last February.
Maiden Call
A maiden call, the very first visit of a cruise ship to a port, is traditionally accompanied by a Plaque & Key ceremony. Alma Prins Droog, Commercial Manager Cruise of the Port of Amsterdam, presented Captain Sybe de Boer with the port shield of Amsterdam. Also present were Dick de Graaff, Director of PTA, and Nico Bleichrodt, Managing Director Sales & Marketing – Continental Europe Holland America Line.
The Plaque & Key; from left to right: Sybe de Boer, Alma Prins Droog, Dick de Graaff and Nico Bleichrodt.
Nieuw Statendam
The Nieuw Statendam is Holland America Line's second Pinnacle-class ship and has been given a name that alludes to five previous HAL ships named Statendam. Its particulars are:
- Gross Tonnage: 99,500
- Deadweight: 9000 t
- Length Overall x Breadth Extreme: 299 m × 40 m
- Year Built: 2018
- Shipyard: Fincantieri
- Flag: The Netherlands
- Accommodation: 2666 passengers
- Interior Design: hospitality designer Adam D Tihany and ship architect Bjørn Storbraaten
- Decks: 12
Planned Cruises
After having made cruises in the Caribbean last winter, the ship has Amsterdam as a homeport from May to September for a total of fifteen departures. From here cruises are made to the Norwegian fjords, Iceland, the Baltic States and the North Cape. Cruises vary from eight to fifteen days.
Entertainment
The ship offers wide range of entertainment and restaurants. The Music Walk offers a variety of musical live experiences and genres. These are the new Rolling Stone Rock Room with classic rock hits; Lincoln Center Stage, with chamber music; Billboard Onboard, with big pop hits and the popular B.B. King's Blues Club. In addition to the Dining Room, guests can enjoy specialty restaurants including Rudi's Sel de Mer, a French fish brasserie; the Pan-Asian Tamarind with open-air dining; the award-winning Pinnacle Grill; and Canaletto, Italian family style dining.
Picture (top): The Nieuw Statendam (by Machiel van Kraaij).
