Fincantieri;s Marghera shipyard delivered the Nieuw Amsterdam to Holland America Line on July 2 and the ship was christened by Princess Maxima of the Netherlands in Venice on July 4. The new ship is the fourteenth Fincantieri has built for the Holland America brand.
Present at the ceremony were Stein Kruse, President and CEO of Holland America Line and Giuseppe Bono, Fincantieri CEO. Furthermore, Fincantieri was represented also by its president, Corrado Antonini.
At 87,000 tons and more than 285 meters long, the new vessel can accommodate up to 2,106 passengers in 1,053 cabins and will be the largest ship in Holland America’s fleet.
Stylish elegance and premium class are the hallmarks of the new ship, according to a Fincantieri press release, which also said she is a further confirmation of the success of the “Signature of Excellence” class which was inaugurated when the Marghera shipyard delivered the Eurodam two years ago. “Her interior decor was designed both to make passengers’ stay onboard even pleasanter and in honour of the style of the city whose name she bears: New York. In the 17th century “Nieuw Amsterdam” was the Dutch name for the fortified village which went on to become the Big Apple and the ship’s expertly finished furnishings and fittings reflect the glamour of the world’s greatest city.”
Since the early 1990s Marghera shipyard has built a total of 20 cruise ships out of a total of 55 delivered by Fincantieri. In addition, the yard’s orderbook includes a further two 114,500-ton vessels due for delivery in spring 2011 and spring 2012.
