One for the Old Timers.

[tokyo]

I am going to Rotterdam in a few days time and will be staying at the SS Rotterdam hotel. She is an ex HAL ship from the 60's (I think) Just wondering if anyone has sailed on her when she was in her glory days.

 

Regards Phil.

[shipgeeks]

In 1998, we sailed on her as Rembrandt, Premier Lines, just after she left HAL. One of our all-time favorite ships. We were booked for another cruise on her at a later date, when we got the phone call that all the future Premier cruises were cancelled. That was heartbreaking, not only for the two cruises we were scheduled for, but for the loss of a number of wonderful ships.

I hope you will have access to the many public rooms, the promenade deck, the two-way staircases, the open decks. Please come back and let us know how she looks. Do you know what cabin you will be in?

[Homosassa]

Yes, my husband did a trans -Atlantic on her as a child. He remembers the ship as being ultra modern and beautiful.

[RuthC]

I sailed on her several times, for a total of either 75 or 77 days (I forget at the moment), including her final cruise.

 

She is probably my most favorite ship of all time, and I certainly had some of my best cruising times on her. I would happily sail her again, including being in one of those teeny-tiny cabins I had aboard, if the atmosphere was the same. Her décor was unique, and the grand staircase was a work of art.

She was a grand lady.

[Copper10-8]

I am going to Rotterdam in a few days time and will be staying at the SS Rotterdam hotel. She is an ex HAL ship from the 60's (I think) .............................

 

Rotterdam V was delivered to HAL in August 1959 after having been built at the N.V. Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij (Rotterdam Dry-dock Company) in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. She operated for HAL until September 1997 when she became 'Rembrandt' for Premier Cruise Line. Her HAL godmother was HRH Queen Juliana of the Netherlands. Her first master was Commodore Coenraad Bouman and her last master, Captain Pieter Bos, one of the current captains of Noordam.

 

Premier Cruises went belly up in September 2000 and Rembrandt was laid up at Freeport, the Bahamas. After refitting in several European ports, the renamed Rotterdam was towed to her birthplace of Rotterdam in August 2008 where she opened in the Maashaven (Maas harbor) as a permanent hotel, museum and training ship in February 2010.

 

 

In May 2013, Captain Bos, accompanied by Captain Edward van Zaane, himself a former Rotterdam V master, visited the bridge of Rotterdam V at her current location in Maashaven

 

[ski ww]

Not sure how many Rotterdam's there where, but my first HAL cruise was on the Rotterdam in Nov of 1980.

Allan

[Copper10-8]

Not sure how many Rotterdam's there where, but my first HAL cruise was on the Rotterdam in Nov of 1980.

Allan

 

With the current co-flagship Rotterdam, there have been six

[Radbooks]

My mom and I took an Alaska cruise on the Rotterdam in 1984. It was our first cruise and we were blown away by the beauty and elegance of the grand old lady and became hooked on cruising! :) We took her again in 1992 and enjoyed it just as much. I loved the unique spaces, both public spaces and the staterooms, much more than the cookie cutter ships of today.

 

I'm looking forward to someday going to Rotterdam and staying on the Rotterdam once again!

[Sir PMP]

I am going to Rotterdam in a few days time and will be staying at the SS Rotterdam hotel. She is an ex HAL ship from the 60's (I think) Just wondering if anyone has sailed on her when she was in her glory days.

 

Regards Phil.

 

Sailed on her between '91 and '97, a fabulous ship!! Stayed on her last year for 4 nights, try to get a room in the old officers quarters. Dine in the Lido, great food and service, the ocean bar is only open on the weekends, I believe, and don't forget to walk to the old HAL Headquarters now Hotel New York and have a coffee with 'appelgebak met slagroom. (apple tort)...

[HarR]

You can walk through the SS Rotterdam on Google street view.

 

http://ssrotterdam.nl/over-het-schip/sfeerimpressie/streetview/

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Edited September 11, 2016 by HarR

[tokyo]

HI all, thanks for the replies. I am staying on the SS Rotterdam on the 15th and 16th of this month. I am looking for to doing the guided tour around her, I think the stairway is still in place, but I dare say there has been some modernizing done.

 

The oldest ship I have been on was the Cunard Queen Elizabeth Two, which I imagine would have the same feel of luxury as the Rotterdam.

 

I have been to Rotterdam a few times and have visited a number of HAL related buildings, there is also a museum containing stuff about HAL.

 

Best Wishes Tokyo

[RuthC]

Not sure how many Rotterdam's there where, but my first HAL cruise was on the Rotterdam in Nov of 1980.

Allan

That would have been ss Rotterdam V, the subject of this thread. She was in service from 1959 until 9/30/97 under that name. She was removed from service as she was not going to meet the new SOLAS regulations, and it was felt it would cost too much to bring her in compliance.

The new ms Rotterdam VI (current Rotterdam) was to enter service in the same port (Ft. Lauderdale) the same day, but she was late being completed.

[Copper10-8]

HI all, thanks for the replies. I am staying on the SS Rotterdam on the 15th and 16th of this month. I am looking for to doing the guided tour around her, I think the stairway is still in place, but I dare say there has been some modernizing done.

 

The oldest ship I have been on was the Cunard Queen Elizabeth Two, which I imagine would have the same feel of luxury as the Rotterdam.

 

I have been to Rotterdam a few times and have visited a number of HAL related buildings, there is also a museum containing stuff about HAL.

 

Best Wishes Tokyo

 

Enjoy the tour of Rotterdam V and yes, the stairwell is still there! ;) . The guide will also show you her engine room and boiler room. The Rotterdam Maritime Museum at Leuvehaven 1, as well as the adjacent open-air Maritime Museum Harbor, is definitely worth a visit and, being that Rotterdam is the birthplace of HAL, has lots of HAL historical items on display.

 

If you ever make it to L.A., a visit to the RMS Queen Mary hotel and museum ship in Long Beach harbor is worth a visit as well

[tokyo]

[color="

 

If you ever make it to L.A., a visit to the RMS Queen Mary hotel and museum ship in Long Beach harbor is worth a visit as well[/color]

 

It's on my TO DO list.

 

Thanks.

[rkacruiser]

My first two cruises were on Rotterdam V in 1970 and 1971. Then, again in 1996 when I learned that she was going to be taken out of service by HAL.

 

I had the distinct pleasure and joy of visiting Rotterdam V in August of this year and participated in the tour. Those responsible for her preservation are to be commended! She is in excellent condition! Walking into the Ambassador Lounge and the Smoking Room was a step back into history: they are exactly as I left them in 1996.

 

As Rotterdam VI sailed by her namesake upon leaving Rotterdam, she saluted Rotterdam V. Somehow, Rotterdam V responded. It was a very emotional moment for me.

[Tampa Girl]

Rotterdam V was delivered to HAL in August 1959 after having been built at the N.V. Rotterdamsche Droogdok Maatschappij (Rotterdam Dry-dock Company) in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. She operated for HAL until September 1997 when she became 'Rembrandt' for Premier Cruise Line. Her HAL godmother was HRH Queen Juliana of the Netherlands. Her first master was Commodore Coenraad Bouman and her last master, Captain Pieter Bos, one of the current captains of Noordam.

 

Premier Cruises went belly up in September 2000 and Rembrandt was laid up at Freeport, the Bahamas. After refitting in several European ports, the renamed Rotterdam was towed to her birthplace of Rotterdam in August 2008 where she opened in the Maashaven (Maas harbor) as a permanent hotel, museum and training ship in February 2010.

 

 

In May 2013, Captain Bos, accompanied by Captain Edward van Zaane, himself a former Rotterdam V master, visited the bridge of Rotterdam V at her current location in Maashaven

 

 

Thank you for posting the picture. What a beautiful ship!

[kazu]

Rotterdam V was such a beautiful ship. We really enjoyed it.

 

I do believe they have made some modifications for "hotel purposes". (I have looked as we are arriving in Rotterdam next year and I am sorely tempted to stay there before we head to Paris post-cruise).

 

But the most of the main features of the ship seem to be there.

 

I think it is fabulous that the ship has been kept in her home port.

 

enjoy your stay there :)

[easyboy]

You can walk through the SS Rotterdam on Google street view.

 

http://ssrotterdam.nl/over-het-schip/sfeerimpressie/streetview/

Thanks.

[Copper10-8]

Thank you for posting the picture. What a beautiful ship!

 

She was known as a "ship of State" to the Dutch :) They're keeping her in fine condition in Rotterdam in her retirement

 

[earljr]

According to HAL history we were aboard Nov. 86 and Dec.96--- Still have my SS Rotterdam wind breaker that will come in handy on our Oct. Rotterdam cruise.

[SoCal Cruiser78]

I am going to Rotterdam in a few days time and will be staying at the SS Rotterdam hotel. She is an ex HAL ship from the 60's (I think) Just wondering if anyone has sailed on her when she was in her glory days...

 

I didn't, unfortunately, but my 87 year-old mother did an LA to FLL trans-canal on her back in the late '80s or early '90s. She has cruised many times, and says this was her favorite ship and sailing.

Edited September 14, 2016 by SoCal Cruiser78
clarity

[SoCal Cruiser78]

She was known as a "ship of State" to the Dutch :) They're keeping her in fine condition in Rotterdam in her retirement

 

 

A bit off-topic: It is too bad that America's unofficial ship of state, the SS United States, doesn't have the same widespread support. A small but dedicated group is trying hard, though!

[Btimmer]

While on a layover of the Koningsdam on its Christening cruise, we walked over to and toured the Rotterdam (self-guided) in Rotterdam. It was a cool experience and it was surprising that the feel to us of the ship was so similar to the current HAL fleet. Some friends are staying on her when they are in Rotterdam next year.

[Copper10-8]

A bit off-topic: It is too bad that America's unofficial ship of state, the SS United States, doesn't have the same widespread support. A small but dedicated group is trying hard, though!

 

You're right; that is a shame. I guess, for now, she's safe until the end of this year but the future looks bleak again for ss United States :(

[frankc98376]

I remember inside cabin 185 and 188 -the only two inside cabins that had a double bed. They were right next to the "suites" on Lower Promenade I believe.

 

She had some really small inside cabins :)