Crew from Holland America Koningsdam Get COVID-19 Vaccines at San Diego

Posted on 21 May, 2021 by Spacejunkie2

Holland America Line crew members from Koningsdam received their first dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination today at the Port of San Diego in California, according to a statement.

Arranged in partnership with Sharp HealthCare, a not-for-profit regional health care group, 118 crew came ashore to be vaccinated.

During a brief ceremony, Captain Henk Draper, master of Koningsdam, remarked how the crew vaccinations were a welcome step as the ship waits to resume cruising.

Also on hand were Rafael Castellanos, commissioner of the Port of San Diego, and Brett McClain, executive vice president and COO of Sharp HealthCare.

“Today is an incredible day, not only for our team members on Koningsdam but for our entire organization as we continue to take the necessary steps to get back to cruising,” said Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line. “We extend our deepest gratitude to Sharp HealthCare for vaccinating our crew, and to everyone at Port of San Diego for offering the terminal and allowing us to make this process safe and smooth.”

On Thursday, May 20, Sharp HealthCare also will vaccinate 179 crew aboard Noordam, which will be at a nearby anchorage just off Coronado for the day. Likewise, 231 crew from Nieuw Amsterdam will receive Pfizer vaccines from healthcare provider Ambulnz on Friday, May 21, while the ship is alongside San Pedro, California.

Starting in October 2021 through April 2022, Koningsdam and Zuiderdam will homeport out of San Diego for a season of cruises to Hawaii, Mexico, the Pacific Coast, Panama Canal and South Pacific. In total, fours ships will make 35 calls: Koningsdam in its inaugural season in San Diego (21 calls), Zuiderdam (12 calls), Eurodam (one call) and Nieuw Amsterdam (one call).

‘Positive Signs’ as Holland America Moving Six Ships Toward U.S.

Posted on 19 November, 2020 by Spacejunkie2

Holland America Line is preparing for a gradual restart and is said to be moving six cruise ships toward the U.S. citing positive signs and a new conversation around the return to service.

The news came in a letter sent to crew from President Gus Antorcha, reported by Crew Center, and also obtained by Cruise Industry News.

“Following in-depth discussions with the CDC, other government agencies, and medical and science authorities, we have decided to start moving six Holland America Line ships toward U.S. waters over the next several weeks to begin completing the requirements for conditional sailing,” Antorcha said in the letter sent to the crew.

The ships heading to U.S. waters are the Koningsdam, Nieuw Statendam, Nieuw Amsterdam, Westerdam, Zuiderdam, and Noordam. Holland America did not specify port information but the line has traditionally had a strong presence in the winter from Port Everglades and Tampa, which would pull from a large drive-to market.

“While there is still much to be done, this is an important first step toward our goal of resuming cruise operation,” the letter said.

“Holland America Line will continue to work with the CDC on our eventual return to guest cruise operations. We are fully aligned with the CDC on our top priorities for compliance, protecting the environment, and the health, safety, and well-being of our guests, the people in communities we touch, our crew, and shoreside employees.”

Climate Change Activists Delay Cruise Ship in Germany

Posted on 11 June, 2019 by Spacejunkie2

PHOTO: Holland America Line’s Zuiderdam. (photo courtesy of Holland America Line)

Dozens of activists blocked a cruise ship from leaving port in Germany over the weekend.

Holland America Line’s Zuiderdam cruise ship was delayed from leaving port in Kiel for several hours on Sunday night.

Newsweek identified the group as “Smash Cruises**t” and reported they used small boats to block the ship. The group also hung a banner that read “cruises kill climate.”

“We will no longer allow the Pacific States to sink into the sea because holidaymakers lie in the pool and while they wait to travel from city to city,” the group said in a statement via Fox News. “In recent years, we have distributed flyers again and again here at the terminal. However, the Kiel seaport has always tried to limit our freedom of assembly in every conceivable way and prevented us from turning to passengers.”

“Now we are obviously in the way and making it clear: We will not tolerate the operation and a further expansion of cruises.”

The cruise line confirmed the incident in a statement.

“Zuiderdam was delayed from departing the port of Kiel, Germany due to demonstration activities in the port,” Holland America Line said in a statement. “The ship sailed at 9:55 p.m. local time for Copenhagen, Denmark, as planned and arrived June 10 at 9 a.m., two hours later than originally scheduled. The ship departed Copenhagen June 10 on its regularly scheduled 14-day Northern Isles voyage.”

Last week, Carnival Corporation & plc agreed to pay a $20 million penalty as part of a settlement with federal prosecutors after authorities found it was the largest cruise line still polluting oceans.