Westerdam embarked on a seven-day Alaska Explorer cruise roundtrip from the US port, which will position it in Alaska through the end of September.

To mark the occasion, HAL held a ceremony in the terminal attended by the ship’s captain and senior officers, with flag-waving fanfare from team members lined up to greet guests as they boarded.

"Today is an emotional day that’s been more than a year in the making, and Westerdam is the final puzzle piece to make our fleet of ships in service complete," said Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line.

"Every ribbon cutting has brought us one step closer to today, and everyone in the Holland America Line family worked with passion and determination to achieve this milestone. We are excited to welcome guests and overwhelmed with what today means for our company."

Following its season in Alaska, Westerdam will embark on a 36-day South Pacific Crossing sailing, repositioning from Seattle to Sydney. The ship will then offer a season of roundtrip Sydney itineraries to the north and south islands of New Zealand, along with southern Australia.

In December 2022, the ship sails along the east coast of the continent up to Singapore via the Great Barrier Reef. In early 2023, Westerdam offers cruises to Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Japan, China and the Philippines before crossing back to North America for another season in Alaska.