1959 Rotterdam to be sold

[Krazy Kruizers]

Just read this:

Holland - Uncertainty!

 

The 1959-built, 38,500-grt Rotterdam has been a museum, hotel & entertainment center in Rotterdam harbor for the past year. But while attendance has been good, she's lost money, lots of money. Her owners, Woonbron, a housing developer, has decided to sell the historic ship, valued $100 million. The 748-ft long former flagship of the Holland America Line is cherished and most likely will find other buyers.

[sail7seas]

Oh my..... I hope there's a good buyer that will maintain her. What a shame to see the present owners having to sell.

 

Thanks for passing along the information, KK.

[Krazy Kruizers]

You are welcome.

[bepsf]

Queen Mary in Long Beach has been through so many ownership/management changes over the years, it's like a revolving door...

Fact is: Old ships that are turned into hotels/etc never make money.

[K2DangerGirl]

I went on my first HAL cruise on that ship, in 1990 with my mom. The staterooms and bathrooms had really high sills you had to step over to get into the room. We may have had a "real" key to our door and paper ID cards, but that would have been more due to the technology of the time than the ship.

 

We were in a far-forward inside room right under the main show lounge and we were usually up late enough that the shows didn't bother us, but we could definitely hear the late-night rehearsals for the Indonesian crew show! :-)

 

I remember seeing it in its current incarnation when the Tour de France started in Rotterdam a few years ago.

[George C]

I took the Rotterdam in 1977 and 1978 from NYC, just loved the ship, this is the ship that made me addicted to cruises. Elegant ship. (have cruised every year since)

[KirkNC]

We saw her from the current Rotterdam on the sail away last summer. Hope she doesn't end up as scrap.

[Himself]

She was a Grand Ship for HAL. I hope someone can buy her and make use of her. We don't want this ship to meet the feat of the "Enchanted Isle" and her sister ship.

[LAFFNVEGAS]

I was looking to see if I could find any nice interior pictures and I found this on YouTube.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Koshlong]

Interesting video, Lisa! She looks lonely!

[Johanna7]

We saw her from the current Rotterdam on the sail away last summer. Hope she doesn't end up as scrap.

 

We saw the ship from the current Rotterdam in June on the way to the Baltics. It was quite a sight and we have the pictures we took from the ship.

 

As we went to Rotterdam early, we walked over to the Hotel New York and had a meal there but didn't walk as far as the ship itself.

 

The hotel had lots of Rotterdam Memorabilia as well, including post cards.

[English_in_Spain]

I wish I had the money to buy her and not mind if she lost money.

 

I would have her docked in Alicante port and keep her just for Cruise Critic members to visit :).

 

[Krazy Kruizers]

I was looking to see if I could find any nice interior pictures and I found this on YouTube.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you for sharing.

[Globaliser]

Rotterdam 5 would make a fitting location for a pre-cruise or post-cruise stay for anyone cruising on Rotterdam 6 from Rotterdam!

[Ine]

The Rotterdam project was a too big project for Woonbron as was clear already some years ago. The renovation of the ship has cost far too much money for them. Woonbron by origin is a firm that rents out/supervises etc. housing facilities in the commercial as well as social sectors.

Hopefully the ship will be bought by a firm with plenty of money, but it seems to be difficult to make a decent profit out of it.

[cmdchiefthom]

This isn't meant to be negative, but I remember five or six years ago when the NCL Norway ex SS France, was talked about with such fond reverence, and looked what happed to here, broken up on a beach in Alang. :( It would be a sad ending to a great ship, but all ships have some end in their future.

[bepsf]

...it seems to be difficult to make a decent profit out of it.

 

Especially since it's so out of the way - Nowhere near the main part of town...

[Sir PMP]

Years ago cpt van Zaane told me that it would cost $150.000.000 to make her in great shape again and continue on sailing (the keel of this ship is just fabulous) seems like a bargain to me now...

[mariner]

Dont buy her. Go stay on her. That's what they need. It's a hotel, not a ship

[Bramcruiser]

While we stayed in Rotterdam this summer awaiting our transatlantic on the current Rotterdam, we visited the Rotterdam V. While beautifully restored it seemed that to me that the ship had a wonderful soul but current management was making sure no one really got to know the ship well. Some people who actually stayed at the onboard hotel (we decided to do the Hotel New York instead) mentioned that the experience was so antiseptic - allowed only to go so far and do so much, look but do not touch, etc. They all like the look of the ship but after staying at the hotel they all said there are better options in town.

 

I think the current management tried hard but really just are not in the know how and perhaps a new owner and management will make her a more enjoyable place to stay while visiting the city of Rotterdam.

 

I give the current owners full marks for the restoration. She is definitely a beautiful ship and I can imagine what a beauty she must have been in her glory days. I just think it needs a new set of owners who actually know how to capitalize her uniqueness and not treat her as some top-secret government operation that she isn't.

[Ine]

Years ago cpt van Zaane told me that it would cost $150.000.000 to make her in great shape again and continue on sailing (the keel of this ship is just fabulous) seems like a bargain to me now...

 

This was one of those projects that by the end cost far more then planned.

Also because while taking parts away a lot of asbestos was found and it needed to be removed by specialists.

I agree with Brian also the location where the ship is docked isnot the best.

The ship can never sail again since the engines were taken out long time before it came back to Rotterdam.

[luv2travel06]

Thanks for the photo of the ship!

 

The ship looks like a work of art. Beautiful!

[Krazy Kruizers]

While we stayed in Rotterdam this summer awaiting our transatlantic on the current Rotterdam, we visited the Rotterdam V. While beautifully restored it seemed that to me that the ship had a wonderful soul but current management was making sure no one really got to know the ship well. Some people who actually stayed at the onboard hotel (we decided to do the Hotel New York instead) mentioned that the experience was so antiseptic - allowed only to go so far and do so much, look but do not touch, etc. They all like the look of the ship but after staying at the hotel they all said there are better options in town.

 

I think the current management tried hard but really just are not in the know how and perhaps a new owner and management will make her a more enjoyable place to stay while visiting the city of Rotterdam.

 

I give the current owners full marks for the restoration. She is definitely a beautiful ship and I can imagine what a beauty she must have been in her glory days. I just think it needs a new set of owners who actually know how to capitalize her uniqueness and not treat her as some top-secret government operation that she isn't.

 

Interesting -- thank you for the information.

[SeaDays]

Dont buy her. Go stay on her. That's what they need. It's a hotel, not a ship

 

Good one. And the additional comments about the antiseptic feel should be seriously considered.

 

(Last HAL cruise - Eurodam two weeks ago. First HAL cruise - Rotterdam V 1973, Cabin U62).