Sailing in Navy Blue: MS Zaandam Cuts Quite a Dash

Freo welcomes Zaandam!

MS Zaandam arrived this morning around 7.30 am. As she glided into port, the morning sun glinted on her distinctive navy-blue hull.

She was officially launched in 2000 and had a major refurbishment in 2025. Quite the dasher!

This current cruise is a 61-days, one-way from San Diego to Sydney and began on January 4 and ends March 6; coming round the Top End, her last ports of call were Broome, then Exmouth.

Onboard are 1046 transit passengers; 9 passengers will leave the ship while in Fremantle and 10 new passengers will join. Number of crew: 838.

She is part of Holland America Line’s ‘Signature Class’, with identical sister ships: MS Amsterdam, MS Rotterdam & MS Volendam. The ship is named after the Dutch city of Zaandam; Holland America Line has a long-standing tradition of honouring Dutch cities—several of their ships bear the names of places in the Netherlands, as you can see.

MS Zaandam is designed with a focus on elegance and luxurious amenities and has a distinctive art deco style throughout the vessel. It’s a stunning ship and known for its musical-themed design. The ship features various nods to music and the arts, with music-inspired artwork in the public spaces. There’s even a “music walk” onboard, a hallway dedicated to different genres of music, where you can enjoy performances from live musicians, covering everything from classical to jazz and rock. It’s like stepping into a floating concert hall!

The ship boasts an impressive collection of art, with over 2,100 pieces of artwork from around the world. The most notable piece is a life-sized model of a grand piano that hangs from the ceiling of the atrium, adding a dramatic flair to the interior design.

MS Zaandam is a mid-sized ship, with a capacity to carry up to 1,432 guests and 607 crew members.

Holland America Line has invested heavily in sustainability, and the Zaandam is equipped with advanced technologies aimed at reducing the ship’s environmental footprint. It has a state-of-the-art water treatment system, and its hull is designed for fuel efficiency, minimizing the environmental impact during cruises.

Here are more shots of her arrival this morning.

MS Zaandam leaves tomorrow, Saturday 21 February 2026, at 5pm.

* Words by Jean Hudson @jeansodyssey. Photographs by Staff Photographer.

Jean Hudson is our Shipping and Sailing Correspondent and also a regular feature writer, reviewer and photographer here on the Shipping News. You may also like to follow up her informative Places I Love stories, as well as other feature stories and Freo Today photographs, right here.

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