, ▁in ▁which ▁she ▁w eld ed ▁an ▁ 1 8 9 8 ▁Dutch ▁gu ilder ▁to ▁the ▁ship ' s ▁forward ▁m ast . ▁The ▁dry ▁dock ' s ▁gates ▁were ▁also ▁briefly ▁opened , ▁allowing ▁the ▁h ull ▁to ▁touch ▁water ▁for ▁the ▁first ▁time . ▁Short ly ▁after , ▁on ▁ 2 1 ▁December ▁ 2 0 1 7 , ▁the ▁ship ▁was ▁flo ated ▁out ▁from ▁the ▁ship yard , ▁where ▁she ▁would ▁begin ▁final ▁out f itting . ▁▁ ▁Nie uw ▁Stat end am ▁successfully ▁completed ▁her ▁two ▁sets ▁of ▁sea ▁tri als ▁in ▁August ▁ 2 0 1 8 . ▁She ▁first ▁left ▁Marg h era ▁on ▁ 1 0 ▁August ▁for ▁two ▁days ▁before ▁arriv ing ▁at ▁F inc ant ieri ' s ▁Tri este ▁ship yard ▁to ▁review ▁the ▁sea ▁trial ' s ▁data ▁and ▁perform ▁h ull ▁maintenance . ▁She ▁left ▁for ▁her ▁second ▁set ▁on ▁ 1 8 ▁August ▁and ▁arrived ▁in ▁Marg h era ▁on ▁ 2 2 ▁August ▁for ▁continued ▁work ▁prior ▁to ▁her ▁delivery . ▁ ▁D elivery ▁and ▁christ ening ▁ ▁On ▁ 2 9 ▁November ▁ 2 0 1 8 , ▁Nie uw ▁Stat end am ▁was ▁delivered ▁to ▁H AL ▁in ▁Marg h era . ▁She ▁was ▁christ ened ▁by ▁Op rah ▁W inf rey ▁on ▁ 2 ▁February ▁ 2 0 1 9 ▁at ▁Port ▁Ever gl ades ▁in ▁Fort ▁La ud erd ale , ▁Florida , ▁after ▁performing ▁a ▁three - night ▁sail ing ▁to