Holland America Line has completed an agreement for the transfer of RYNDAM and ms STATENDAM to their sister brand P&O Cruises in Australia, with delivery scheduled for November 2015. This announcement is also being shared right now with our colleagues in Australia, and the press releases attached are being sent out. The Australian market is a world leader in terms of growth in cruising, yet only around 3 percent of Australians have sailed, so there is tremendous opportunity for further expansion. Based on the growth potential and P&O’s success sailing in the region, their team is well-poised to add this new capacity. RYNDAM and ms STATENDAM will undergo complete refurbishments to reflect the P&O Cruises brand prior to starting their scheduled sailings, which will be announced in the upcoming months.
Holland America Line will take delivery of our new Pinnacle-class ship a few months after the transition — in February 2016. With a guest capacity of 2,648, this beautiful new ship will replace the capacity leaving the fleet with RYNDAM and ms Statendam.
This move is a great example of “the three C’s” — Communication, Collaboration and Coordination — within the Carnival Corporation & plc family. It makes good sense for both brands and is the best strategic deployment decision for the business. By adding RYNDAM and ms STATENDAM P&O Cruises will establish Australia’s largest year-round fleet and be well-positioned to continue meeting Australians’ surging demand for cruise vacations. Likewise, Holland America Line is poised for continued success with the new Pinnacle-class ship.Between now and the transition of the ships next November, we must remain fully committed to delivering our award-winning standards on these ships and to providing our guests with the same high level of service and onboard product they have come to expect. I ask that you support each other fully to ensure this happens. Your commitment to providing once-in-a- lifetime experiences, every time, is the reason our guests return. there is something very special about these two ships. They both hold a special place in our company’s 141-year history. STATENDAM entered service in January 1993 and was the fifth in our history to bear this name. ms RYNDAM joined in October 1994 and was the third ship to bear this name. Their legacy will live on, providing incredible vacation memories for P&O Cruises’ guests over the coming years, and we know they will be in good hands.
Source : Holland America Line