Fred Olsen Cruise Lines has announced today (Thursday 16 July) that it is purchasing two Holland America Line cruise ships.

The ships are being bought from the Carnival Corporation‘s cruise line, who announced they are selling a total of four ships.

Holland America Line is selling the four cruise ships in pairs, Amsterdam and Rotterdam and Maasdam and Veendam.

While the buyer for the other two ships remains undisclosed, Fred Olsen Cruise Lines confirmed that it is the buyer for the line’s Amsterdam and Rotterdam ships.

Both R-Class ships, Amsterdam and Rotterdam will be given the names of Bolette and Borealis after previous Fred Olsen ships.

The purchase will bring Fred’s fleet up from four ships (Boudicca, Braemar, Balmoral and Black Watch) to six. In their new lives, Amsterdam and Rotterdam will still carry 1,380 and 1,404 guests respectively.

Announcing the news, chairman of Fred Olsen Cruise Lines, Fred Olsen Junior, said:

“We have chosen these vessels as they will fit seamlessly into our existing fleet of small ships, each carrying under 1,500 guests, bringing with them new and larger public areas whilst not compromising on our small ship experience.

“This increase in our capacity demonstrates our confidence in the future. With these new additions to the fleet, we will come out of this current situation stronger than ever, ready to deliver the award-winning itineraries that we are famous for.”

We have a very exciting announcement we would like to share with you from our chairman Fred. Olsen Jnr.#newships #FredOlsenCruiseLineshttps://t.co/SvO1GFON1B pic.twitter.com/4bX8fdtr7X

— Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines (@FredOlsenCruise) July 16, 2020

Future cruises aboard these four HAL ships have now been cancelled, with the 2021 Grand World Voyages aboard Amsterdam now postponed until 2022. The world voyage will now sail aboard the line’s ship, Zaandam.

The Grand Africa Voyage departing October 10, 2021, on Rotterdam will sail aboard Zaandam on the same dates.

Cancelled sailings include Amsterdam‘s Canada/New England and Grand Voyages itineraries, Maasdam‘s Mexico, South Pacific, Austalia and Asia itineraries, Caribbean, Europe, Panama Canal, Hawaii and South American cruises on Rotterdam and Caribbean and Europe cruises on Veendam.

Chief executive officer of Holland America Group and Carnival UK, Stein Kruse, commented:

“It’s always difficult to see any ship leave the fleet, especially those that have a long and storied history with our company.”

“However, Holland America Line has a bright future ahead that includes recent Pinnacle-Class additions, with a third sister ship next year that will continue to maintain our overall capacity in the marketplace.”

Amsterdam and Rotterdam will join Fred Olsen’s friendly family of ships later this year in their new identities as Bolette and Borealis.