SINGAPORE, 17 April 2023: Holland America celebrates its 150th anniversary on Tuesday, 18 April 2023, as MS Rotterdam VII make a port of call in its namesake city of Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
Holland America Line President Gus Antorcha will host the gala party the celebrations in the shipping line’s birthplace city, attended by Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet of the Netherlands, Rotterdam’s godmother; Ahmed Aboutaleb, mayor of Rotterdam; and descendants from two families of Holland America Line’s founders.
Holland America Line was founded in Rotterdam, Netherlands, and from 1873 to 1989, it operated as a Dutch shipping line, a passenger line, a cargo line and a cruise line running primarily between the Netherlands and North America.
“Holland America Line is a company that takes great pride in our heritage and respects the role we played in history, so our 150th-anniversary events honour our tradition while recognising the brand we are today,” said Antorcha.
Upon Rotterdam’s arrival at Rotterdam on 18 April, the 150th Anniversary celebrations begin at Hotel New York, home to Holland America Line’s historic headquarters. The cruise line will present a commemorative 150th Anniversary bell — in the style of a traditional ship bell — to be permanently displayed at the hotel. At the event, Princess Margriet will follow Holland America Line’s ritual of blessing the bell before it is donated to Hotel New York.
