Today marks the official 50th anniversary of the maiden voyage of Holland America Line’s TSS ROTTERDAM V. On September 3, 1959, the Rotterdam departed on her maiden voyage to New York, carrying HRH Princess Beatrix (now HM Queen Beatrix) on her first official visit to the USA.

One month before, on August 3, 1959, her mother, HM Queen Juliana, sailing on a special delivery voyage, raised the company’s house flag to mark the delivery of the ROTTERDAM V to the NASM/Holland Amerika Lijn. With this symbolic ceremony, the ROTTERDAM V became the official flagship of both Holland America and The Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Dutch newsreel footage of the Royal delivery voyage of TSS ROTTERDAM V, August 5, 1959:

Greetings from the home port Rotterdam.

Ben van Zeijl