HOLLANDAmerica Line is to order an 80,000t cruise ship with a capacity for 1,800 passengers in a departure from its policy of operating smaller vessels.
At present, the company’s largest ship is Rotterdam VI, which is 62,000t and can carry 1,300 passengers.
However, president and chief executive officer Peter McHugh said the usual atmosphere of a Holland America vessel would be preserved on the new, larger ship.
He claimed that other lines would accommodate 2,000 passengers or more on a ship of that size.
The new vessel is expected to join the fleet in 2001 or 2002.