 Westerdam atSan Juan, Puerto Rico in 2015 | |
| History | |
|---|---|
| Name | Westerdam |
| Namesake | Western compass point |
| Operator | Holland America Line |
| Port of registry |  Netherlands |
| Builder | Fincantieri |
| Yard number | Marghera |
| Launched | 16 July 2003 |
| Christened | April 2004 |
| In service | 2004–present |
| Identification | |
| Status | In service |
| General characteristics (as built) | |
| Class & type | Vista-classcruise ship |
| Tonnage | 81,811 GT |
| Length | 285.3 m (936 ft) |
| Beam | 32.2 m (105.8 ft) |
| Decks | 11 passenger decks |
| Propulsion | Diesel-electric;ABBAzipods |
| Speed |
|
| Capacity | 1,964 passengers |
| Crew | 800 |
| General characteristics (following April 2007 refit) | |
| Tonnage | 82,500 GT |
| Capacity | 1,964 passengers |
MSWesterdam is aVista-classcruise ship owned byHolland 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 nameWesterdam. Hersister ships areOosterdam,Zuiderdam, andNoordam. The beginning of the four ships' names represent the four directions of the compass in Dutch.
Westerdam was christened on 25 April 2004 inVenice, Italy by Dutch actressRenée Soutendijk.[1] As with all Vista-class ships,Westerdam is equipped with aCODAG power plant and anAzipod propulsion system. The theme of her art collection is Dutch heritage in theNew World. Paintings of historic Dutch ships, such asHenry Hudson'sHalve Maen (Half Moon), and various sculptures and statues are displayed throughout the ship. Contemporary pieces include an originalAndy Warhol portrait and sculptures bySedona artistSusanna Holt.[2] In an April 2007 refit 34 cabins were added as well as modifications to several public areas of the ship.[3][4]
On 10 May 2011 while maneuvering throughYakutat Bay, south ofKluane National Park,British Columbia,Westerdam struck ice and incurred hull damage 15 feet (4.6 m) below the waterline.[5]
On 28 June 2014,Westerdam suffered aboiler room[clarification needed] fire after leaving thePort 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 theUnited States Coast Guard to return to sea.[6][7]
On 25 June 2015, aPromech Airde Havilland Canada DHC-3 Otter carrying a pilot and eight passengers fromWesterdam on a Holland America Line sightseeing excursion over southeasternAlaska crashed into the face of agranite cliff nearElla Lake, 20 miles (32 km) northeast ofKetchikan, killing all nine people on board.[8]
In February 2020, the cruise ship, departing after a stop inHong Kong on 1 February, was denied to call in thePhilippines,Japan, andGuam over concerns regarding coronavirusSARS-CoV-2.[9][10] After initially receiving approval on 10 February to let the passengers disembark in Thailand, as the ship was heading to Laem Chabang port near Bangkok, permission to dock was refused the next day. However, the ship was still maintaining its course to Bangkok and at around 10:30 amCET on 11 February,Westerdam sailed around the southern tip of Vietnam.[11][12][13] According to Flip Knibbe, a Dutch passenger on the ship, all the passengers have had their temperatures checked a second time. Speaking toNOS on 11 February, Knibbe said "Dit schip is virusvrij": 'This ship is virus free'. Unlike the cruise shipDiamond Princess, which is located in the port of Yokohama in Japan, those on board are not in quarantine. Everyone can move freely, shops and restaurants are open and the entertainment program continues.[13]
On 13 February, the ship was allowed to dock inSihanoukville, Cambodia.[14] On 15 February, Malaysia reported that an 83-year-oldUS citizen who disembarkedWesterdam and flew into Malaysia on 14 February had tested positive for COVID-19.[15] In a second test, requested both by the Holland America Line and Cambodian authorities, the woman tested positive again.[16] Despite these findings, Cambodian Prime MinisterHun Sen visited the ship, discouraged use of masks, and encouraged the passengers to tour the city, sparking concerns that another spoke was being added to the contagion network.[17]
On 19 February, the last 233 passengers of theWesterdam cruise were cleared to disembark after all tests to determine the infection of COVID-19 in the 781 passengers ofWesterdam gave negative results;[18] the 747 crew members remain on board pending a final decision from the ownerHolland America Line.[19]
It is thought that about 650 of the guests on board the ship were from the US, 270 from Canada, 130 from the UK, 100 from the Netherlands, 50 from Germany and several passengers from Australia. The crew consisted largely of Indonesians and Filipinos.[20]
The firstWesterdam 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 byAllied forces on 27 August 1942 in the shipyard inRotterdam. TheGermans raised the ship in September 1944, but it was quickly sunk by theDutch underground forces. After being raised a second time, theresistance again sank it on 17 January 1945. The ship was finally completed and operated on the transatlantic run making two eight-day crossings each month between Rotterdam and New York.[21] She ended her career on 4 February 1965 when she was sold to Spain as scrap.[22]
The secondWesterdam began service asHomeric forHome 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 renamedCosta Europa.[21] Since then, she has been placed on a ten-year lease toThomson Cruises, active as of April 2010, and renamed once more asThomson Dream.
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