Draft:Rotterdam-class

The Rotterdam-class (or R-Class) is a class of cruise ships operated by Holland America Line and Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines.

The ships in this class where built by Fincantieri shipyard in Genoa, Italy.

The first cruise ship of this class, the Rotterdam (now MS Borealis) was launched on 21 December 1997. The last ship of this class, the Zaandam, launched on 29 April 2000.

The Rotterdam class shares many similarities with the Statendam class, the class of cruise ship before the Rotterdam class.

In 2020, Holland America sold the Rotterdam and Amsterdam to Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines.

They were bought as a way to modernize their fleet. The two sister ships are distinctive from the other ships in the class as they have two funnels at the aft instead of the single funnel seen on Zaandam and Volendam.

The ships where delivered to Fred Olsen in September 2020, and both ships underwent refits to become the MS Borealis and MS Bolette.