Holland America Line celebrated the keel laying of its new 2,650-guest Pinnacle Class ship on Aug. 22 at Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard in Italy. A 680-ton block was lowered by crane into the yard’s building dock, marking the official beginning of construction. The 99,500-gross-ton ship is scheduled for delivery in February 2016.
 
The event was attended by Holland America Line’s Keith Taylor, senior vice president, fleet operations and Cyril Tatar, vice president, newbuild and technical operations.
 
“The keel laying of our new Pinnacle Class vessel heightens the anticipation for delivery because very soon we’ll see the ship begin to take shape,” said Stein Kruse, president and CEO of Holland America Line. “As the largest ship ever built for Holland America Line, the vessel features many innovations and new features, and we’re excited to see it all come together over the next year and a half.”
 
The ship will showcase decors by leading hospitality designer Adam D. Tihany, based in New York City, and designer and architect Bjorn Storbraaten, based in Oslo, Norway.
 
For more information about Holland America Line, contact a travel professional or call 1-877-SAIL-HAL (1-877-724-5425) or visit www.hollandamerica.com.
 
Editor’s note:  Photos are available at https://www.cleanpix.com/cleanpix/portal/W1106-rWH-7QB.