SS Rotterdam

The fifth SS "Rotterdam", known as "The Grande Dame", was launched by Queen Juliana in a gala ceremony on 13 September 1958, and completed the following summer. The "Rotterdam" was the last great Dutch "ship of state", employing the finest artisans from Holland in her construction and fitting out process. [ [http://www.maritimematters.com/rembrandt-SOS.html SS REMBRANDT Maritime Matters ] ] With a career spanning forty years, she was also one of the most successful passenger ships of all time. She sailed from 1959 until her final retirement in the fall of 2000.

Originally she was conceived as running mate to the popular "Nieuw Amsterdam" of 1938, but work was put on hold at the outbreak of war in Europe. When economic conditions once again became favorable for completion of the new ship in early 1954, the beginning of the end of ocean liners as basic transport was visible on the horizon. The designers took this in mind and created a groundbreaking vessel, a two-class, horizontally divided ship with movable partitions and a unique double staircase allowing for easy conversion to cruising. "Rotterdam"'s machinery was shifted aft, to the now-traditional two-thirds aft position, and in lieu of a funnel twin uptake pipes were fitted. To provide balance, a large deckhouse was built atop the superstructure in the midships position of a typical funnel. While very controversial at the time, "Rotterdam"'s appearance became groundbreaking, and her unique design features can be found on cruise ships today.

After retiring from transatlantic service in 1969, the ten year old "Rotterdam" got a small refit for permanent cruising and began her new life as a full-time cruise ship. By the 1980s the ship had settled into a routine of winters in the Caribbean and summers in Alaska, with the occasional (and very popular) world cruise.

Much to the dismay of the ship's loyal fans, Holland America Line announced that changing safety regulations made it necessary to retire the ship, and a replacement, the sixth "Rotterdam", was ordered from Fincantieri shipyards in Italy. A gala finale cruise ended her final season on September 30, 1997.

Picked up by Premier Cruises and re-named SS "Rembrandt", the ship continued on in cruise service until the sudden financial collapse of the company forced the ship's layup in Freeport, Bahamas and then Gibraltar. After years of laying idle, a new destination was found for the former SS "Rotterdam" as a hotel and tourist attraction in her old home port of Rotterdam. She was restored in Poland and Wilhelmshaven, Germany and on August 4, 2008 returned to the city of Rotterdam.

References

External links

* [http://www.ssrotterdam.net Steamship Rotterdam Foundation]
* [http://www.derotterdam.com/ "de Rotterdam" BV - Owners of the SS Rotterdam]
* [http://www.cruiseportalia.com/ship_detail/11/rotterdam-v Cruise Portalia info and gallery on SS Rotterdam]
* [http://www.maritimematters.com/rembrandt-SOS.html Maritime Matters - SS Rembrandt]
* [http://www.vdleek.nl Willem's Maritime Pages]
* [http://www.verenigingdelijn.nl Vereniging "De Lijn"]