HISTORIC LINERS 1.1

HAL HISTORIC LINERS

TSS NIEUW AMSTERDAM,

MS NOORDAM/WESTERDAM,

TSS RIJNDAM/MAASDAM,

TSS NIEUW AMSTERDAM 1938 - 1974

Build 1938.

36.287 grt.

21 knots.

556 First, 455 Tourist, 209 Thirt class passengers.

The NIEUW AMSTERDAM of 1938 became HOLLAND AMERICA LINE most famous and beloved passenger liner ever. The love affair starts whene she came in to service and never ended. Even whene she was sold fore scrap to Taiwan. She was The Netherlands ship of state in the late 1930's. Smaller among the large ship of state frome Great Brittan, Germany, France and Italy. She was a huge success.

During WW2 she carries allied troops around the world. She could carried up to 10.00 troops per voyage and at the end of WW2 she carried 378.361 troops and sailed 530.452 miles. Earning here the nick name Darling of the Dutch. After the war and return to Rotterdam, she was renovated to here pre war glorie.

She returned on the Transat on Ocktober 29 1947. Renewing here status as Ship of State and here enormous popularity among the traveling public. She sail on many Transat and cruise until November 1971 when she made the final Transat sailing fore HAL from Rotterdam to New York. She never returned to Rotterdam. becoming a full cruise ship she sailed on till 1974 when she finally withdrawn and sold of to Taiwan fore scrap.


Bar Ritz Carlton First class		Grand Hall First class


Library First class		Promenade deck First class


Foyer first class		Grand staircase First class


Main dinning room First class		Suriname suite First class


WW 2 Troop ship		WW 2 Troop ship

Darling of the Dutch

arriving home after war duty


Main dinning room Second class		Voyer Second class


Swimming pool Second class		Sport deck Second class


Cabin Tourist class		Library Tourist class


Main lounge Tourist class		Smocking room Tourist class

Last departure

Transat sailing Rotterdam New York

MS NOORDAM* 1938 - 1963 & MS WESTERDAM** 1946 - 1964

Build 1938*/1946**

10.726 grt*/12.149 grt**

18 knots.

148*/134** First class passengers.

The NOORDAM* was the first of 4 similar freight passenger liners,fore the direct service Rotterdam New York.

They where praised fore there service and interiors.

Decorated similar as the 36.000 grt flag ship NIEUW AMSTERDAM. There slower crossings attract mostly older travelers who wanted a more calm relaxing voyage. The NOORDAM became a troopship in WW2 she survived and she sailed till 1963.

The WESTERDAM** was still under construction when war came to The Netherlands. During the war work on here slowed down and finally stopped. The unfinished WESTERDAM was scuttled by the Dutch Resistance. Raised and bombed by the RAF sunk and raised again. The Resistance sunk here again and she was raised again by the Germans. Finally Resistance opened here seacocks to prevented the Germans to use here as a blockship in the Nieuwe Waterweg. After the war ended she was finally raised and sent back to here builders. Although similar faith here sister ZUIDERDAM also under construction was declared a total loss. The WESTERDAM was finished, and on June 28 she made here Maiden Voyage to New York and made HAL first Transat post war sailing. She sailed till 1964.

MS NOORDAM

MS WESTERDAM

TSS RYNDAM* 1951 - 1972 & TSS MAASDAM** 1952 - 1968

Build 1951*/1952**

15.015 grt.

16 knots.

39 First, 854 Tourist class passengers.

The HAL passenger fleet suffered badly during WW2. They lost 5 liners. STATENDAM, PENNLAND/WESTERNLAND (Red Star Line service) ZAANDAM, and the ZUIDERDAM still under construction. The 4 liners that survived the war NIEUW AMSTERDAM, VEENDAM, VOLENDAM, NOORDAM and the WESTERDAM still under construction. From the surviving liners VOLENDAM was not usable on the luxury Transat Rotterdam, New York run. Which left HAL with only two big and 2 small combination liners. Of which the VEENDAM was at the end of here commercial life.
HAL desperate need of new ships in order to answer the high demands of berths on the Atlantic.

At the suggestion of the Wilton Fijenoord Ship Yards to redesign on of the two freighters under construction in to a full passenger liner. HAL made a revolutionary decision. To construct the first liners where the tourist class occupied 90% of the usable space and first class 10%, in a so called penthouse section on the upper decks of the vessel. The already under construction DINTELDYK and sister to be DIEMERDIJK was finished as the Tourist liner TSS RYNDAM and TSS MAASDAM. The new ships was the first to be fitted with a new design Strombos aerofoil funnel. The RYNDAM made here maiden voyage Rotterdam - New York on July 16 1951. The ship introduced the new hull grey, yellow ribbon hull color to the fleet. Here sister MAASDAM fallowed on August 11 1952.

Both vessel where a giant succes and among the most succesfull liners ever owned by NASM/HAL. In the 60's The RYNDAM was transfered several times to HAL subsidirairys Europe Canada Line 1966 and Trans Ocean in 1967 and in 1968 renamed WATERMAN. Transfered back to the HAL that same year and was renamed back to here original name RYNDAM. She was finally sold in 1972 to Greece, after a refit and cosmetic rebuilding she became the cruise ship ATLAS. The MAASDAM was sold in 1968 to Poland and after a refit and upgrade she was named STEFAN BATORY and sailed until 1987 on the traditional Transat route Gdanya, Bremerhaven, Rotterdam Tilbury, Quebec, Montreal.