'Prinsendam' Sails Iinto Halifax On Its Maiden Cruise
June 4, 2002
Halifax, NS - Holland America Line's latest vessel, the 'Prinsendam', will make Halifax its first port of call during its maiden cruise this week. The ship will arrive in Halifax on Wednesday, June 5, 2002 after making its grand entry in New York on Monday.
Holland America Line spent 35 days transforming the ship after taking delivery of it in April. The 'Prinsendam' has been refurbished with a new alternative restaurant, an art gallery, an Internet centre, a revamped show lounge and new staterooms.
The 794-guest 'Prinsendam' is visiting Halifax as part of its 10-day maiden cruise across the Atlantic Southampton (London) with calls at Cork, Ireland and Plymouth, England. The ship's inaugural season features a full year of sailing from Northern Europe and the Mediterranean to Africa, Asia and the South Pacific.
"We are very proud the 'Prinsendam' chose the Port of Halifax as its first port of call," says HPA CEO Karen Oldfield. "We congratulate Holland America Line on its latest acquisition and look forward to the ship making future visits to Halifax."
Upon arrival, passengers and crew will be greeted by the internationally recognized Halifax Cruise Welcome Programme, a traditional welcome by uniformed Bagpipers and Drummers from the 78th Highlanders as well as a special greeting from the Town Crier. Upon departure, the passengers and crew receive a farewell sendoff from the pipers. The Welcome Programme provides a great opportunity to create a positive first impression of Halifax while offering a sense of arrival, warmth and hospitality. The programme recently won "Best Port Welcome" award during the Miami Seatrade Cruise Shipping Convention.
The 2002 cruise season will see 87 calls with over 160,000 passengers visiting the Port of Halifax from 16 cruise lines. The last ship of the season will visit Halifax on October 25.
About Halifax Port Authority
The Halifax Port Authority is a government business enterprise mandated by the Federal Ministry of Transport. The HPA leads in the development of the Port of Halifax, serving as a catalyst for the local, regional and national economies and has a mandate to be financially viable. The Port of Halifax has a total annual income impact of almost $700 million and an employment impact of over 9000 direct and indirect jobs.
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