Rotterdam Flawed???

[Cruise Arizona]

Ok I'm sure this is just someone who is misinformed, but someone asked me today if the Rotterdam has a serious design flaw that has caused it to loose power mid ocean.

I did a quick forum search and nothing showed up. So I'm sure there is nothing to it.

We sailed on the old Rotterdam for our honeymoon 15 years ago, but that one is now a museum in Rotterdam. How has her replacement turned out?

[Jemima]

They must mean something that happened once for a short period about four years ago. September 2004? I think it was a couple of months after we did a transatlantic on her & our cruise had no problems. We've sailed on her twice although not recently. The Rotterdam does not have a "serious design flaw".
Now for your name, Cruise Arizona. How? We keep looking for a nearby port and find only desert.

[KAKcruiser]

The Rotterdam hit storms and high seas in the Atlantic in the summer about 3 or 4 years ago. The engines lost power for a short time. I don't think it had anything to do with a design flaw.

[Copper10-8]

Ok I'm sure this is just someone who is misinformed, but someone asked me today if the Rotterdam has a serious design flaw that has caused it to loose power mid ocean.

I did a quick forum search and nothing showed up. So I'm sure there is nothing to it.

We sailed on the old Rotterdam for our honeymoon 15 years ago, but that one is now a museum in Rotterdam. How has her replacement turned out?

Nope, nothing flawed with Rotterdam VI - great ship to be on! Close but not yet on Rotterdam V. She's still in Wilhelmshaven, Germany getting refurbished and back in her gray/white color. Latest plan has her berthed in the Maashaven, Rotterdam sometime in late Summer with festivities planned for 01 SEP 08

http://media.shipspotting.com/uploads/thumbs/Ship+Photo+ROTTERDAM+%281959%29/294974_800.jpg

[hammybee]

Is there a ship anywhere, that has not lost power, at some point in time?

If RuthC is in the neighborhood today, she has a story to end most stories and it was not on the Rotterdam.

[RuthC]

If RuthC is in the neighborhood today, she has a story to end most stories and it was not on the Rotterdam.
:confused: A story of mine that wasn't on the Rotterdam? Can't place what you're referring to.

The story of the 38 hours of 45' seas, with the flooding of the show lounge, was on the Rotterdam, although we didn't lose power (except for the forward and aft elevator banks). The losing power story was the next year, and I wasn't aboard for it. I had disembarked shortly before, though.

[hammybee]

:confused: A story of mine that wasn't on the Rotterdam? Can't place what you're referring to.

The story of the 38 hours of 45' seas, with the flooding of the show lounge, was on the Rotterdam, although we didn't lose power (except for the forward and aft elevator banks). The losing power story was the next year, and I wasn't aboard for it. I had disembarked shortly before, though.

I stand corrected. :o

Perhaps one of these sailings is what Cruise Arizona had heard about through the grapevine.

[Bill S]

I was not on the Rotterdam, but read an article about what happened. The Rotterdam was in very heavy seas and, IIRC the movement of the ship caused sediment in the fuel tanks to clog one or more fuel filters. The only way to resolve the situation was to shut down the engines and remove/replace or clean/ the filter(s). I forget how long the engines were shut down, but the guests sure had an exciting and tense time in the storm without engine power. I think they were in the dark for a period of time during the shutdown.

Maybe someone else can shed some more information on the incident. Again, my recollection may not be totally accurate.

[RuthC]

Again, my recollection may not be totally accurate.
What you've posted is close to the way I remember the story.
I was under the impression, though, that the engines weren't shut down deliberately---that they couldn't be restarted. I have seen (and have copies of) pictures showing some of the destruction---the piano in the Explorers Lounge turned over, casino tables toppled, the shops looking as if a tornedo had gone through.
I remember they were dead in the water for several hours, and the passengers were told to sit down where they were, and not move. Some did, and were injured as a result.

It must have been a terrifying experience. Bet they're still dining out on it!

[sail7seas]

Rotterdam is a beauty IMO. I'm too lazy to go look it up but my guess is she's been sailing since about 1996. We sailed New Years cruise her Inaugural year. Sure there have been episodes aboard her just like every ship has had one thing or another. She definitely is not a flawed ship. Would she still be sailing safely for so many years if she were so flawed?

She and Amsterdam are sister Flagships of the Fleet. While Amsterdam is a lovely ship, to me Rotterdam has always been the Flagship. (Just my personal viewpoint. ;) )

We've sailed her about 5 - 6 or so cruises and I'd sail her again in the blink of an eye.

[RuthC]

I'm too lazy to go look it up but my guess is she's been sailing since about 1996.
This Rotterdam was to have entered service on October 1, 1997, but was late. I don't remember if her inaugural was later that month, or in November.

Her predecessor left service September 30, 1997, and this one was to have started the next day. There was supposed to be no break in having a Rotterdam sail.

[sail7seas]

Thanks, Ruth. I do recall she was delivered late.

Like I said, I was too lazy to look it up and 'get it right'. :)

[mamaofami]

What you've posted is close to the way I remember the story.
I was under the impression, though, that the engines weren't shut down deliberately---that they couldn't be restarted. I have seen (and have copies of) pictures showing some of the destruction---the piano in the Explorers Lounge turned over, casino tables toppled, the shops looking as if a tornedo had gone through.
I remember they were dead in the water for several hours, and the passengers were told to sit down where they were, and not move. Some did, and were injured as a result.

It must have been a terrifying experience. Bet they're still dining out on it!


That's sure a harrowing story. I would not have been a happy camper, or cruiser, as the case might be.

[bepsf]

What you've posted is close to the way I remember the story.
I was under the impression, though, that the engines weren't shut down deliberately---that they couldn't be restarted. I have seen (and have copies of) pictures showing some of the destruction---the piano in the Explorers Lounge turned over, casino tables toppled, the shops looking as if a tornedo had gone through.
I remember they were dead in the water for several hours, and the passengers were told to sit down where they were, and not move. Some did, and were injured as a result.

It must have been a terrifying experience. Bet they're still dining out on it!

The parts of the story that we've only touched on were the amazing efforts of the engineering crew to resolve the mechanical malfunction in such heavy seas and the staff's hard work to clean up the resulting mess in such a fashion that one would have had to look very hard to see any remnants of the destruction the following day.

[Cruise Arizona]

Now for your name, Cruise Arizona. How? We keep looking for a nearby port and find only desert.

I picked my screen name with a sense of irony in mind. It would take a horrible amount seismic activity in order to create a cruise port in AZ. So I hope that we will not be on any itineraries for at least a couple billion years.

I moved to AZ just about 9 years ago, and I am still overwhelmed by the diversity and beauty of this state. We have snow capped mountains, rolling grass lands, pine forests, desert dunes, lush desert vegetation, and beautiful fauna like the endangered Sonoran Prong Horn Antelope and the hearty coyote. (Lately both of those darn species have been walking around just outside my fence and causing my dog to wake me up at 5:00 in the morning. ) My only big complaint is that they can't seem to get grass to grow on Little League baseball fields. Dust is a big congestive.

[tomc]

Re: The engine shutdown and storm incident.

I was on the Rotterdam either the next cruise or the one after that. Except for one cracked or covered shop window, you'd never know anything had gone wrong.