It’s curtains for Holland America Line’s Statendam.
After 22 years of service, the first true modern cruise ship built for Holland America is setting out on her final voyage for the line. Docked in Vancouver today, she will sail across the Pacific Ocean to Singapore, where she will be refitted for service with P&O Australia, sailing under the new name, Pacific Eden.
She will be joined in just a few short weeks by her twin sister, Ryndam, which also exits the Holland America Line fleet after 21 years of service. That leaves only Maasdam and Veendam as the remaining members of the line’s “S-Class” ships still in service.
Prior to entering service with the P&O Australia, both ships will be extensively refurbished to reflect the P&O brand. Statendam, built in 1992, and Ryndam, built in 1993, are currently among the oldest vessels in the Holland America Line fleet.
P&O Australia currently has a fleet of three ex-Princess Cruises vessels, all of which have been renamed and rebranded and now offer departures from homeports throughout Australia. For Carnival, the decision to transfer the two ships was due in large part to the booming Australian cruise market.
Holland America Line’s Statendam, docked at Vancouver’s Canada Place Cruise Terminal in April, 2005 as she prepares to undergo her Signature of Excellence enhancements. Photo © Aaron Saunders
April, 2005. Note the absence of the new spa addition above her bridge. Photo © Aaron Saunders
“By any measure, Australia is one of the top-performing cruise markets in the world, with an eye-popping average annual passenger growth rate of 20 percent over the past decade,” said A
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