History | |
---|---|
Name: |
|
Owner: | P&O Cruises Australia |
Operator: |
|
Port of registry: |
|
Builder: | Fincantieri |
Yard number: | Monfalcone shipyard 5883 |
Completed: | 9 September 1994 |
Identification: |
|
Status: | In service |
Notes: | |
General characteristics | |
Class and type: | Statendam-class cruise ship |
Tonnage: | |
Length: | 219.4 m (720 ft) |
Beam: | 30.8 m (101 ft) |
Draught: | 7.71 m (25.3 ft) |
Depth: | 19.13 m (62.8 ft) |
Decks: | 10 |
Deck clearance: | 11.42 m (37.5 ft) |
Speed: | 22 knots (41 km/h; 25 mph) |
Capacity: | 1,258 passengers |
Crew: | 602 |
Notes: |
Pacific Aria is a cruise ship of P&O Cruises Australia. Built for the Holland America Line in 1994 as the Ryndam, in November 2015 it was transferred to P&O Cruises Australia and renamed.
Pacific Aria is the third Statendam-class ship ordered by the Holland America Line after the company's acquisition by Carnival. The preceding two ships in this class are Statendam (now Pacific Eden) and Maasdam, both of which are still active. The Holland America Line previously had a passenger ship named Ryndam, a 12,340 gross ton ship built by Harland & Wolff, Belfast in 1901 and scrapped in 1929.
Pacific Aria's styling builds upon that of the ships that were active for Holland America at the time of the purchase by Carnival, specifically the layouts of MS Noordam and MS Nieuw Amsterdam. Public rooms such as the Explorers Lounge, Crow's Nest and Lido Restaurant, as well as their placement on the ship, all are transfers from these previous builds.
In 2015, Ryndam spent her last season with Holland America Line cruising out of Harwich, UK before her transferred to P&O Cruises Australia, she departed Harwich on Saturday 12 November bound for Rotterdam, where she then further sailed to Singapore before being dry docked ready for her new life with P&O Cruises Australia. The ship was transferred to P&O Cruises Australia in 2015 and renamed Pacific Aria.
Built at Fincantieri, Ryndam features art specifically commissioned for the ship, including the sculpture featured in the central atrium that spans three decks—Lower Promenade, Promenade and Upper Promenade. Included amongst the art collection are pieces gleaned from previous Holland America ships from their more than 130-year history. Since Holland America recycles their ship names (new versions of Noordam and Nieuw Amsterdam are currently sailing), some references to previous ships that bore the name Ryndam can also be found.