News

On September 13 1958 the ss Rotterdam was launched by Queen Juliana at the Rotterdam Drydock Company. The keel was laid at December 14 1956 and the maiden voyage to New York started on September 3 1959. The ss Rotterdam still is the biggest passenger liner ever that...

The officers bar on Sun deck was called the Meerpaal. In 1997 the bell of the bar was taken to the new Rotterdam VI. When that ship was sold to Fred Olsen Cruise Lines the bell was taken to the new Rotterdam VII. Captain Bas van Dreumel of the Rotterdam VII decided...

On August 4 2008 the ss Rotterdam arrived in her homeport after a long period of uncertainty and refurbishment. At  the end of the day she was moored in the Maashaven.

Holland America Line celebrates 150 years. In co-orperation with Holland America Line and WestCordHotels/ss Rotterdam the Society De Lijn organizes an exhibition in the Odyssee room on B deck. In one of the showcases our foundation exhibits historical materials of the...

Our volunteers have restorated the artworks Cock and Fish, made by the artist Dick ten Hoedt in 1959 for the grillroom tourist class. About 1980 captain Hans Mateboer saved both artworks from scrap when the grillroom was redecorated. Cock and Fish have a new home in...

In 1968 the Café de la Paix on Promenade deck has been transformed to the Lido-restaurant. In 1986 the interior has been replaced and the lamps were discarded. Fortunately one of them became part of the collection of Brian Porter, staff-member of Holland America Line....

Commissioned by the ss Rotterdam Saar Berks has restorated the dancing floor in the Ambassador lounge. The floor has been used intensively during the last 13 years, so a restoration was urgent. Master parquet-worker Saar Berks has skilfully accomplished the job....

Thanks to our volunteers the ss Rotterdam is dressed again. The ss Rotterdam staff has prepared the open decks for the summer season.

Yesterday we replaced the original painting by Martinus Schouman in the captain’s dayroom on Bridge deck. In our newsitem of May 9 2022 we reported the return of the painting to the ss Rotterdam. In order of our foundation the painting has been restored by...

During the last months of this year our team of volunteers has been very productive. The ropes of the derricks have been improved, the inventory of the original drawings is work in progress, the Christmas star has been prepared for placing between the smoke stacks and...

25 years ago, on September 30 1997, the ss Rotterdam ended her career of 38 years for Holland America Line (HAL). Her last voyage was from Vancouver to Fort Lauderdale. From december 1997 till September 2000 she sailed as ss Rembrandt for Premier Cruises. In 2008 she...

In July our volunteers finished two projects: the restoration of a locker with fire hose on C deck and the navigation lights on Boat deck. On the pictures you see our volunteers Ton Lenselink and Jan Tjassens Keiser restoring the firehose locker and Koos Sanderse...