PORT EVERGLADES, Florida – Prime Minister the Most Hon. Dr. Hubert Minnis and Minister of Tourism the Hon. Dionisio D’Aguilar were among special guests at the dedication ceremony of Holland America Line’s Nieuw Statendam cruise ship on Saturday, February 2, 2019.
Holland America Line is a division of Carnival Cruise Corporation & plc., the world’s largest leisure travel company.
Carnival cruise ships call on ports around the world, including Nassau, Freeport, Princess Cays, Eleuthera and Half Moon Cay.
During the event, Prime Minister Minnis and Minister D’Aguilar spoke with Carnival Cruise Corporation & plc. executives, including Chairman Micky Arison, President and Chief Executive Officer Arnold Donald and Holland America Line President Orlando Ashford.
Minister D’Aguilar also met with Mr. Donald following the dedication ceremony to discuss a variety of matters.
On Monday, February 4, 2019, Carnival was schedule unveil plans for Freeport’s newest cruise port.
During Saturday’s pier-side ceremony in Florida, Oprah Winfrey christened the nearly 100,000-ton cruise ship and was named godmother of the Nieuw Statendam.
Part of the ship’s inaugural season featured an Oprah and O, The Oprah Magazine ‘Girls Getaway’ cruise, which included a stop at Half Moon Cay on Thursday, January 31, 2019.
“We are pleased for the opportunity to witness such a special ceremony and get an up close look at one of Carnival’s newest ships,” said Prime Minister Minnis. “The Bahamas has a strong partnership with the Carnival Corporation and we look forward to building on that relationship with new projects that will create jobs and expand economic opportunities for Bahamians.”
In a release on its website on the christening of the Nieuw Statendam by Oprah Winfrey, Holland America noted, “In an intimate ceremony held in Nieuw Statendam’s high-tech World Stage, godmother Winfrey blessed the ship by pulling a lever that released a Champagne bottle against its hull. The event, which is a traditional part of launching a new ship, took place in front of gathered cruise industry executives, local dignitaries, media, travel agents and Winfrey’s family and friends.”
Contnuing, the website added, “Arnold Donald, president and CEO of Carnival Corp. — parent company of Holland America, among other brands — kicked off the ceremony with a welcome speech, before handing over the mic to the line’s president, Orlando Ashford. Donald commended Ashford for bringing a “higher level of energy to the Holland America brand” through new partnerships such as the one with O, The Oprah Magazine.”
Ashford talked about his experience on Oprah Winfrey’s Girlfriends’ Getaway cruise, on which more than 2,400 women (and 57 supportive men) embarked on a three-night journey from Port Everglades to Holland America’s private Bahamian island, Half Moon Cay.
“The cruise, which sold out in less than 24 hours after going on sale last summer, was hosted by Winfrey and her bestie, TV personality and journalist Gayle King, and included a series of themed activities for die-hard fans,” the website noted.
A highlight of the christening ceremony was when three crewmembers — Captain Sybe De Boer, Environmental Officer Diana Mihalache and Dining Host Dee Dewi — shared personal stories of the ship’s development and how Holland America has touched their lives.
“Our officers and crew are the people who make it all happen,” Ashford said after the three spoke. “We would not be Holland America without them.”
The ceremony concluded with Winfrey taking the stage, opening up about how inspired she was by passengers on the Girlfriends’ Getaway cruise that brought together passengers from as young as 6 years to as old as 93. She then turned to Ashford and boisterously asked: “When are we going to do it again? Where are we going next?”
“May God bless her and all who sail on her,” Winfrey said, christening the ship with a successful bottle smash — a spectacle that was broadcast on the 270-degree LED screen behind her and immediately followed by cheering and a standing ovation. The ceremony also was live-streamed.
The website noted that the Nieuw Statendam has been sailing the Caribbean from Port Everglades since December 19, when it arrived to the U.S.; Venice’s Fincantieri Marghera shipyard turned over the ship to Holland America in late November. On April 21, it will reposition to Amsterdam and operate Northern Europe and Iceland cruises in summer 2019, before heading to Rome and spending fall 2019 in the Mediterranean. The ship will return to Fort Lauderdale in November 2019.
The Half Moon Cay port schedule for 2018 currently lists arrivals from the following ships: Carnival Elation, Carnival Conquest, Holland America Nieuw Amsterdam, Carnival Sensation, Carnival Pride, Holland America Koningsdam, Holland America Oosterdam, Holland America Zuiderdam, Holland America Eurodam, Holland America Veendam, Carnival Victory, Carnival Glory, Holland America Westerdam, Carnival Ecstasy, Carnival Sunshine, Holland America Volendam, and Holland America Nieuw Statendam
