Holland America Line has announced that four of its ships, the Amsterdam, the Maasdam, the Rotterdam, and the Veendam, will leave its fleet during 2020. The ships have been sold in pairs, with the S-Class Maasdam and Veendam joining one company in August 2020, while the R-Class Amsterdam and Rotterdam will move to Fred Olsen Cruise Lines in the fall of 2020.
“It’s always difficult to see any ship leave the fleet, especially those with a long and storied history with our company,” said Stein Kruse, CEO of Holland America Group and Carnival UK. “However, Holland America Line has a bright future ahead, including the recent additions to the Pinnacle Class, with a third sister ship arriving next year that will continue to maintain our overall capacity in the market.”.
Fred Olsen Cruise Lines is expanding its fleet with two new ships to strengthen and modernize its brand and secure a brighter future after the Covid-19 pandemic. The ships, formerly named Amsterdam and Rotterdam, will now be called Bolette and Borealis.
Fred Olsen Jr., President of Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, commented: “I am delighted to announce this news. We have chosen these ships because they fit perfectly into our fleet of smaller ships, each with a capacity of fewer than 1,500 passengers, and feature new, larger public areas. The ship names are important to us, and Bolette and Borealis are names of ships we have had in past years.”
“This transaction demonstrates our confidence in the future. With over 170 years of history, we have navigated through many challenging periods. With these new additions to the fleet, we will emerge stronger than ever, ready to offer the award-winning itineraries for which we are known.”.
Peter Deer, Managing Director of Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, said: “This is an exciting chapter in our company’s history, and I know our customers will be eager to meet our new ships as soon as they can. Of course, we also look forward to attracting new customers to Fred Olsen Cruise Lines and demonstrating the exceptional service that makes us the UK’s leading cruise line.”
The company's current ocean-going vessels, Balmoral, Braemar, Boudicca and Black Watch, are currently at Babcock's Rosyth facility in Scotland, where the two new vessels will join them later this year.
For his part, Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line, commented: “I recognize the deep affection our customers have for our company and the ships in our fleet. Our diverse fleet continues to offer exceptional options for cruisers seeking a midsize ship experience to destinations around the world.”.
Maasdam joined the fleet in 1993 and recently operated extended itineraries in the South Pacific and Alaska. Veendam was delivered in 1996. Rotterdam, launched in 1997, is the sixth Holland America Line ship to bear the Rotterdam name. Amsterdam joined the fleet in 2000 and recently operated its "Grand World Voyage" itinerary.
Holland America Line will cancel cruises on all four ships, with select itineraries being taken over by other ships in the fleet. Cancelled cruises include scheduled Canada/New England and Grand Voyages itineraries aboard the Amsterdam; Mexico, South Pacific, Australia, and Asia itineraries aboard the Maasdam; Caribbean, Europe, Panama Canal, South America, and Hawaii voyages aboard the Rotterdam; and Caribbean and Europe itineraries aboard the Veendam. Passengers with reservations on these ships will be notified of cancellations or changes and will have refund options and special offers available to make changes to their reservations.
