Holland America has announced that bookings are now open for the Premiere Voyage and inaugural Caribbean season of their new upcoming ship ms Nieuw Statendam. Due to be delivered December 1, 2018, the second Pinnacle Class ship is currently under construction at Fincantieri shipyard in Italy.
When the vessel is ready for service and floated out, it will be delivered in Venice on December 1. After arriving in Civitavecchia, Nieuw Statendam will depart on December 5 for a 14-day transatlantic crossing to Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The special first cruise will stop in Cartagena and Málaga, Spain and Funchal, Madeira before spending seven days at sea. Guests will then enjoy an overnight in Fort Lauderdale before leaving the ship on the morning of December 19. She will then spend the winter cruising roundtrip from the port on 7-day Caribbean itineraries, with select 3, 4, and 10-day options.
Caribbean Itineraries
From December to April, Nieuw Statendam will spend its inaugural season exploring the beaches of the Caribbean. All sailings include a call at Half Moon Cay; the company’s private island in the Bahamas.
The ship’s first Caribbean cruise is a 4-day that calls in Half Moon Cay and Key West, departing December 19. It will then embark on a series of 7-day cruises, including a December 23 Christmas cruise that calls in Amber Cove, San Juan, St. Thomas, and Half Moon Cay. A December 30 New Year’s departure calls in Half Moon Cay, Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel.
Guests looking for an extended cruising vacation aboard Nieuw Statendam can depart January 20 on a 10-day cruise to the ABC Islands with calls in Half Moon Cay, Grand Turk, Amber Cove, Bonaire, Curaçao, and Aruba. For a quick getaway, a 3-day cruise departs January 30 and stops in Half Moon Cay.
For the rest of the season, the ship will operate western and eastern Caribbean itineraries. Fare begin at $499 per person for a 3 or 4-day Caribbean cruise, and $799 for a 7-day voyage. The Premiere Voyage begins at $1,199 per person.
About the Ship
The 99,500-ton Nieuw Statendam will be quite similar in design to Koningsdam, the first Pinnacle Class ship. Nieuw Statendam will carry 2,666 guests and have public spaces with their own unique style designed by hospitality designer Adam D. Tihany (who did Koningsdam as well) and designer and architect Bjorn Storbraaten.
Holland America’s first ship to be called Statendam sailed in 1898, and this will be the sixth ship in the company’s history to carry the name. In combining the Dutch word for “new” with the classic Statendam, the cruise line is celebrating their past, present, and future.
