Welcome to the website of the Friends of steamship Rotterdam
In 2001 we started striving for a new life for the ss Rotterdam in the Rotterdam harbour. The ss Rotterdam came into service for Holland-America Line as their flagship in 1959. Built by the Rotterdam Drydock Company, she is the largest passenger liner ever built in the Netherlands, numbered among the most successful liners ever sailing the seven seas. The ship has largely kept her original character and remains in good condition. Housing company Woonbron has given her a profound refurbishment by which she can service as a static liner for many years. Please explore our website for more information about the history of the ss Rotterdam. Steamship Rotterdam Foundation, alias Friends of steamship Rotterdam, continues her activities including securing a lasting preservation and use in a culturally and historically responsible manner. We are not the owners or operators of the ship. WestCord Hotels are the owners since June 2013.
Explore the ship in a 3D tour, made by Jaap Pameyer (www.fotorondleiding.nl): 3D tour ss Rotterdam
Please visit the website of the operators www.ssrotterdam.nl for information about possibilities on board.
Picture Jan-Willem Koene
Art-restoration fund for the ss Rotterdam
The ss Rotterdam has many artworks. Some of them have to be restorated in cooperation with the Cultural Heritage Agency and the training Conservation and Restoration of Cultural Heritage of the University of Amsterdam. We are raising funds for the restoration. Donations are very welcome on: INGB NL28 0000 0195 95; BIC: INGBNL2A. on behalf of Stichting behoud stoomschip Rotterdam. Please mention: Donation to Art restoration fund. When using Paypal please mention: info@stoomschiprotterdam.nl
The mural Aegean Sea in the Grand Ballroom, former Ritz Carlton, by Cuno van den Steene has partly been restorated (picture Klaas Krijnen).
Restorators Marjan de Visser and Noa Kollaard restorated the painting of Martinus Schouman that has been brought back to the captain’s dayroom.
We are investigating the posibilities to conservate and expose the artworks Cock and Fish of Dick ten Hoedt.
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News
New carpet in the Grand Ballroom
In the Grand Ballroom new carpet has been laid by WestCord Hotels. After 13 years of intensive use the carpet had to be renewed. Recently the carpet in the Ambassador Room has been renewed. Picture by Ryan Derks Picture by Reinier Paping
New museum in former linen storage
Our volunteers have been building and decorating a new museum in the former linen storage on C deck. Guests who visit the guided tour through the engineroom can visit the new museum fairly soon. Several original uniforms are shown as well a many other materials from...
50 years ago the ss Rotterdam has got a blue hull
During drydocking in October 1973 in Lisbon the color of the hull of the ss Rotterdam has been changed from grey to blue. After sailing with a grey hull during 14 years the blue hull lasted from 1973 until 2006. The removal of the grey paint by hand caused a lot of...