Borealis is a cruise ship of Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines, sailing since July 2021. She was built as MS Rotterdam for the Holland America Line, for which she sailed for 22 years.

Construction and career

As Rotterdam

Commissioned in 1997 by the Holland America Line, the vessel was christened as Rotterdam by Princess Margriet of the Netherlands on December 9, 1997, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and made its first call at the Port of Rotterdam on June 10, 1998. Rotterdam was the sixth Holland America vessel to bear the name. She was named for SS Rotterdam of 1959, and also named after the city of Rotterdam, Netherlands. MS Rotterdam and her sister ship MS Amsterdam were co-flagships of Holland America Line (HAL).

Rotterdam carried an art collection on board worth over US$2 million and featured fine art and antiques.

During the summer of 2011, Rotterdam conducted Holland America Line's first standalone transatlantic crossing since 1971, making a single trip both eastbound and westbound.

Rotterdam sailed around Europe during the summer and South America in the winter. Commencing in 2012, the cruise ship was based year-round in Rotterdam.

As Borealis

The name Borealis refers to a ship of the same name that was part of the Fred. Olsen line in 1948, before it became a cruise line. The transformation of Rotterdam to Borealis started in August 2020 at Damen Shipyards in Schiedam, near Rotterdam with completion in July 2021.