Name Westerdam Operator Holland America Line Yard number Marghera Length 254 m Builder Fincantieri | Namesake Western compass point Port of registry Netherlands Christened April 2004 Beam 32 m | |
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Ms westerdam holland america line
MS Westerdam is a Vista Class cruise ship owned by Holland America Line. She is the third ship of the class to be operated by the line, as well as being the third ship to bear the moniker Westerdam. It is sister to MS Oosterdam, MS Zuiderdam, and MS Noordam. The prefixes of the four ships' names represent the four directions of the compass in Dutch.
Contents
- Ms westerdam holland america line
- Christening and configuration
- Incidents and accidents
- Past Westerdam ships
- References
Christening and configuration
The Westerdam was christened on 25 April 2004 in Venice, Italy by Dutch actress Renée Soutendijk. As with all Vista-class ships, Westerdam is equipped with a CODAG power plant and an Azipod propulsion system, and eighty-five percent of her staterooms have ocean views and sixty-seven percent have balconies. The theme of her art collection is Dutch heritage in the New World. Paintings of historic Dutch ships, such as Henry Hudson's Halve Maen (Half Moon), and various sculptures and statues are displayed throughout the ship. Contemporary pieces include an original Andy Warhol portrait and sculptures by Sedona artist Susanna Holt. In April 2007, as part of Holland America Line's "Signature of Excellence" program, modifications to the ship were done to add 34 staterooms, as well as modifications to several public areas of the ship.
Incidents and accidents
On 10 May 2011 while maneuvering through Yakutat Bay, south of Kluane National Park, British Columbia, Westerdam struck ice and incurred hull damage 15 feet (4.57 m) below the waterline.
On 28 June 2014, the Westerdam suffered a boiler room fire after leaving the Port of Seattle. There were 2,086 passengers and 798 crew members on board, with no reported injuries. She returned to Seattle and was cleared the next day by the United States Coast Guard to return to sea.
On 25 June 2015, a Promech Air de Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter carrying a pilot and eight passengers from the Westerdam on a Holland America Line sightseeing excursion over southeastern Alaska crashed into the face of a granite cliff near Ella Lake, 20 miles (32 km) northeast of Ketchikan, killing all nine people on board.
Past Westerdam ships
The first Westerdam sailed for Holland America Line from 1946 to 1965. It was a combined cargo/passenger ship with accommodations for 143 first-class passengers. While being constructed during World War II, this ship was sunk three times before making its maiden voyage. It was bombed and sunk by Allied forces on 27 August 1942 in the shipyard in Rotterdam. The Germans raised the ship in September 1944, but it was quickly sunk by the Dutch underground forces. After being raised a second time, the resistance again sank it on 17 January 1945. The ship was finally completed and went on to be a regular on the transatlantic run making two eight-day crossings each month between Rotterdam and New York. She ended her career on 4 February 1965 when she was sold to Spain as scrap.
The second Westerdam began service as Homeric for Home Lines in 1986. Holland America Line acquired the ship in 1988 where the ship was lengthened in 1989 by 130 feet. After 643 cruises spanning over 13 years with Holland America, she was transferred to sister company, Costa Crociere in 2002, and renamed Costa Europa. Since then she has been placed on a ten-year lease to Thomson Cruises, active as of April 2010, and renamed once more as MS Thomson Dream.