The second former Holland America Line cruise liner to call at Malta within 3 days was the 1997 built liner BOREALIS that passed Grand Harbour breakwaters at 0804 hrs coming from Alicante Spain during her maiden call on Monday 8th November in South Easterly weather.
She’s the second ship to be named in the Fred Olsen Line and the first ship named with the Fred Olsen Cruise Lines (FOCL) and she’s been sailing since July 2021.
She was built in 1997 by Fincantieri at Trieste, Italy as yard no 5980 for Holland America Line (HAL) – ROTTERDAM of which she started her maiden voyage on 11th November 1997. In March 2020 when the Pandemic Disease Coronavirus spiked , she was dispatched to transport medical supplies to sister vessel ZAANDAM after 4 passengers died with ZAANDAM crew & passengers were found positive with the COVID-19 virus. During July 2020 after ROTTERDAM spent 4 months as a Hospital Ship for the fleet it was announced that she will be sold to FOCL for September 2020 delivery and will be renamed as BOREALIS wearing FOCL livery. In fact she visited her homeport Rotterdam for the last time on 10/11th August, 2020 and later on she was handed over.
She berthed at Pinto 1 and 2 wharves, Valletta Cruise Port of which exchanging of memorabilia from both sides happened with the CEO Mr. Stephen Xuereb and Head of Operations & Projects Mr. Mark Cauchi Garzia
During the afternoon of 5th July 2021 she left Liverpool, UK marking her first voyage to FOCL. Unfortunately she suffered a technical issue that caused the cancellation of the cruise and headed to Portsmouth.
She left later in the evening at 2024 hrs bound to Palma Di Majorca with 655 Passengers.
FRED OLSEN CRUISE LINES are represented in Malta by Medsea Shipping Agency – http://www.medsea.com.mt
Watermarked Photos are by Capt. Lawrence Dalli otherwise stated. Do not use these images without my permission. © All rights reserved. Malta Ship Photos & Action Photos – www.maltashipphotos.com
Published – Tuesday 9th November ,2021