Holland America Line Celebrates Official Handover of 'Koningsdam'

Holland America Line celebrated the delivery of ms Koningsdam with an official Handover Ceremony, luncheon and shipyard workers party aboard the ship Saturday, April 2, 2016, at the Fincantieri shipyard in Marghera, Italy.
 
In attendance at the ceremony was Italy’s Minister of Infrastructures and Transport Graziano Delrio, who expressed his appreciation for the long-standing relationship between Carnival Corporation, including Holland America Line, and Fincantieri.  Other speakers included Giuseppe Bono, chief executive officer, Fincantieri, and Arnold Donald, chief executive officer, Carnival Corporation. A video was shown of the Italian flag being changed to the Dutch flag, as flown by all Holland America Line ships. Fincantieri also presented ms Koningsdam’s Captain Emiel de Vries with a bottle containing the first water that touched ms Koningdam’s hull.
 
“The Official Handover Ceremony was a celebration of the years of planning and hard work that went into building our gorgeous new ship and a chance to honor all those who made this day possible,” said Orlando Ashford, president of Holland America Line. “Thank you to Fincantieri for being an exceptional partner. We look forward to beginning work soon on our second Pinnacle-class ship scheduled for delivery in late 2018. ”
 
Invited guests at the Handover Ceremony also witnessed a contract signing between Fincantieri S.p.A. and Carnival Corporation to build five new cruise ships as part of a memorandum of agreement announced in 2015. The five new ships include two that will be built for Costa Asia for deployment in China, two ships for Princess Cruises and one designated for P&O Cruises Australia, with deliveries expected in 2019 and 2020.
 
Following the official ceremony, the shipyard employees who worked over the past two years to build Koningsdam were invited on board with their families to celebrate their accomplishment. Guests were treated to dinner in the Lido Market, and a performance in World Stage, showing off the venue’s 270-degree LED projection. A tour of the ship allowed the shipyard employees to share the final result of their hard work with their families.
 
The ship will sail from the yard Sunday, April 3, to make its way to Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy, for its Premiere Voyage departing April 8. Following a series of premiere Mediterranean voyages, Koningsdam’s official naming ceremony will take place in Rotterdam, the Netherlands, May 20.