The Rotterdam (VII) is ready for the water

[2inSETexas]

The Rotterdam VII, Pinnacle Class, was readied today:

 

https://www.cruisecritic.com/news/5637/

 

also

 

https://www.hollandamerica.com/blog/ships/ms-rotterdam/rotterdam-reaches-next-building-milestone-with-coin-ceremony-celebration/

Edited October 1, 2020 by 2inSETexas
Intro

[Copper10-8]

Couple of more pics of Rotterdam VII at Marghera, Italy

 

 

[rkacruiser]

OP, Thanks for the post and the links!  Great pictures and commentary!

 

I realize the need for the ceremony's participants to have masks available.  I would have preferred that the participants be photographed as they participated in the ceremony without their masks.  

[JeffElizabeth]

Never knew about the coin ceremony before. Good to see the Rotterdam still on schedule. We have a September cruise scheduled on her in 2021. (Fingers crossed)

[sfocruiser]

OP, Thanks for the post and the links!  Great pictures and commentary!  

I realize the need for the ceremony's participants to have masks available.  I would have preferred that the participants be photographed as they participated in the ceremony without their masks.  

 

 

 

Photos from the ceremony. In situations where they were in close proximity they wore masks. As it should be

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

[ski ww]

12 hours ago, JeffElizabeth said:

Never knew about the coin ceremony before. Good to see the Rotterdam still on schedule. We have a September cruise scheduled on her in 2021. (Fingers crossed)

Here is the coin on the Maasdam.

 

[Tampa Girl]

17 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

OP, Thanks for the post and the links!  Great pictures and commentary!

 

I realize the need for the ceremony's participants to have masks available.  I would have preferred that the participants be photographed as they participated in the ceremony without their masks.  

 

So you understand the danger of not wearing masks and still prefer that they risk this danger?

[Lady Arwen]

We’ll be on-board for the TA in October 2021 and we are so excited to do so.  We love this class of ship and Rotterdam VII will not disappoint.  Thanks for posting the newest photos!

[Copper10-8]

19 hours ago, JeffElizabeth said:

Never knew about the coin ceremony before. Good to see the Rotterdam still on schedule. We have a September cruise scheduled on her in 2021. (Fingers crossed)

 

Nieuw Statendam's coin ceremony with her madrina, Anne Marie Bartels. The madrina is a different position than the ship's godmother

 

 

[rkacruiser]

48 minutes ago, Copper10-8 said:

Nieuw Statendam's coin ceremony

 

Where on the ship is the coin placed?

[Copper10-8]

6 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Where on the ship is the coin placed?

 

Base of the main mast

[rkacruiser]

16 hours ago, sfocruiser said:

Photos from the ceremony. In situations where they were in close proximity they wore masks. As it should be

 

 

As it should be and was:  I agree.

 

5 hours ago, Tampa Girl said:

 

So you understand the danger of not wearing masks and still prefer that they risk this danger?

 

Please see my comment to sfocruiser.

 

The ceremony was in the open air.  The risk of being infected by the virus or for one exposing others to the virus if you are a carrier is less than in close quarters.  At least, that is what I understand.  That was my thinking for posting the comment that I did.  

[rkacruiser]

Just now, Copper10-8 said:

 

Base of the main mast

 

Thank you.  Are guests able to get to that area?  

[Copper10-8]

Just now, rkacruiser said:

 

Thank you.  Are guests able to get to that area?  

 

Yes via the exterior stairs

[chengkp75]

1 minute ago, rkacruiser said:

 

Thank you.  Are guests able to get to that area?  

Traditionally, this was under the mast in wooden ships.  Since there is no true "main mast" on a ship today, on cruise ships it is inside a glass front box on the side of the mast over the bridge.  Usually it is the highest guest area forward, and as John says, it is on the outside.  The coins were placed under the mast, so that only when the mast came out of the ship as she was sinking, the coins could be used to pay the ferryman to take the seafarers to the underworld.

[Tampa Girl]

53 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

As it should be and was:  I agree.

 

 

Please see my comment to sfocruiser.

 

The ceremony was in the open air.  The risk of being infected by the virus or for one exposing others to the virus if you are a carrier is less than in close quarters.  At least, that is what I understand.  That was my thinking for posting the comment that I did.  

 

A reasonable thought.  Thanks for the explanation.

[rkacruiser]

3 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

the coins could be used to pay the ferryman to take the seafarers to the underworld.

 

That reminds me of something that I have read in classic literature about ferrying the souls across a river.  Was it in Dante's Inferno?  Simply can't recall enough to even try to Google it.  

[chengkp75]

1 hour ago, rkacruiser said:

 

That reminds me of something that I have read in classic literature about ferrying the souls across a river.  Was it in Dante's Inferno?  Simply can't recall enough to even try to Google it.  

Yes, Dante, but going back to the Romans believed that Charon was the ferryman who took the dead across the river Styx.

[ronrythm]

4 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

Yes, Dante, but going back to the Romans believed that Charon was the ferryman who took the dead across the river Styx.

And if you didn’t have the coins to pay Charon, you had to wander the banks of the river for 100 years before being allowed to cross.

enjoy

Ron

[Himself]

18 hours ago, Copper10-8 said:

 

Yes via the exterior stairs

I will have to look it up when I sail on her.

[Himself]

This article was the most poitive news I have heard since the bloody  30 day puaed that has been going on since mid march pause that is still going on.

[MAVIP]

15 hours ago, ronrythm said:

And if you didn’t have the coins to pay Charon, you had to wander the banks of the river for 100 years before being allowed to cross.

enjoy

Ron

And if I remember well that is the reason that sailors wore golden earrings: to pay the ferryman. In more recent times is was to pay for a coffin etc when a sailor drowned in foreign waters. I our country some fishermen still wear one. 

[JeffElizabeth]

Love to see old traditions continue! Been reading Horatio Hornblower while our cruises are cancelled. Was supposed to be in the Northern Pacific today. 

[rkacruiser]

20 hours ago, chengkp75 said:

Yes, Dante, but going back to the Romans believed that Charon was the ferryman who took the dead across the river Styx.

 

20 hours ago, ronrythm said:

And if you didn’t have the coins to pay Charon, you had to wander the banks of the river for 100 years before being allowed to cross.

enjoy

Ron

 

Thank you both for refreshing my memory!  I read the Inferno in a Junior level Humanities Class in college.  Enjoyed it and decided then that I wanted to read the rest of the trilogy.  Hasn't happened.  (Something called "life" kept intervening.)  2021 marks the 700th anniversary of Dante's death.  It's time to get this task done to mark this occasion.