Holland America's Noordam in New York

With more than 1,000 spectators on hand here to partake in the festivities, Holland America Line officially inaugurated its newest ship, the Noordam yesterday. The ceremony included Academy Award-winning actress Marlee Matlin, the ship’s godmother, christening the vessel with the traditional breaking of a Champagne bottle on the ship’s bow. The Noordam, an 81,769-ton ship with a 1,918-person capacity, also left on its maiden roundtrip voyage to the Caribbean.