Holland America Line (HAL): Books - History and Ships

Holland America Liners 1950-2015

Founded in 1873, the Holland America Line provided services carrying passengers and freight between the Netherlands and North America. When the Second World War ended, only nine of Holland America Line's twenty-five ships had survived and the company set about rebuilding.

The pride of HAL's post-war fleet was SS Rotterdam, completed in 1959, which was one of the first ships on the North Atlantic equipped to offer two-class transatlantic crossings and single-class luxury cruising.
However, competition from the airlines meant that in the early 1970s Holland America ended their transatlantic passenger services; in 1973 the company sold its cargo-shipping division.
Now owned by the American cruise line Carnival, Holland America offers round-the-world voyages and cruises in the Mediterranean, the Caribbean and Asia.

In this book, renowned ocean liner historian and author William H. Miller takes a look at the Holland America Line and its post-war fleet up to 2015.

SS Nieuw Amsterdam (Classic Liners)

This book traces the distinguished career of the Holland America Line flagship Nieuw Amsterdam. One of the most popular liners on the Atlantic, she regularly visited Southampton, Hoboken-New York, Rotterdam and latterly Fort Lauderdale and the Caribbean.

The Dutch art deco flagship was named for the settlement of New Amsterdam, modern-day New York. Her pre-war life was short and with the fall of Holland in the Second World War she was requisitioned by the British Ministry of Transport under Cunard. After conversion she served as a British troopship, carrying thousands of Allied troops to all corners of the world.

She remained in Holland America Line service after the war until 1974, the last ship to retain the company's green, yellow and white funnels. Despite boiler problems in 1967, she was refitted with US Navy-surplus boilers and sailed on, cruising, until withdrawn from service in 1974.

Enhanced with original artefacts and spectacular colour images, this comprehensive narrative provides a full account of the ship's wartime exploits - when she was fitted out with guns and depth charges - to her resurrection as a successful cruiser after the war and her eventual demise in a scrap yard.

SS Nieuw Amsterdam - The Darling of the Dutch

Entering service in 1938, the Nieuw Amsterdam was the Holland America Line flagship until the construction of the Rotterdam in the late 1950s. Her prewar life was short and she was used as a troopship during the Second World War, carrying many thousands of Allied troops to all corners of the world. Of 36,000 tons, she was the largest vessel built in Rotterdam and was launched by Queen Wilhelmina in April 1937.

A perennial favourite of the Dutch and their finest Ship of State, Nieuw Amsterdam remained in Holland America Line service until 1974, the last ship to retain the Holland America Line's familiar green, yellow and white funnels.
Despite boiler problems in 1967, she was refitted with US Navy-surplus boilers and sailed on, cruising, until withdrawn from service in 1974. Sailing to the breakers, the art deco 'Darling of the Dutch', as she was affectionately known, was broken up.
Today, she still has a following, from those who sailed on her but also from those who have grown to appreciate the importance of the Nieuw Amsterdam in terms of ocean liner design.

ss Rotterdam - Een beknopte scheepsbiografie

Al in 1938 kregen ontwerpers van de Holland Amerika-Lijn de opdracht een 'running mate' van de beroemde Nieuw Amsterdam te ontwerpen maar door het uitbreken van de Tweede Wereldoorlog volgde de definitieve bouwopdracht pas in 1955. Het luxe turbinestoomschip moest zowel voor de Transatlantische passage (in twee klassen) als voor cruises geschikt zijn. Het uiteindelijke ontwerp van het schip wekte in de gehele nautische wereld zowel verbazing als bewondering.

De Rotterdam - het vijfde HAL-schip met deze naam - werd hét vlaggenschip van de Nederlandse koopvaardij. Na de tewaterlating in 1958 volgde een leven van Atlantische oversteken, afgewisseld met exotische cruises in de wintermaanden. De divisie toerisme van de HAL werd in 1989 verkocht aan Carnival Cruises en de Rotterdam ging als begeerlijk 'asset' mee naar Miami.
In 1997 kwam het schip onder de naam Rembrandt in handen van Premier Cruises. Die rederij ging echter failliet en het schip werd in 2000 in Freeport (Bahamas) aan de ketting gelegd.

Na tal van verwikkelingen besloot men dit stuk Nederlands maritiem erfgoed terug te halen naar haar thuishaven. Via Gibraltar, Gdansk en Wilhelmshaven keerde het schip - wederom Rotterdam genaamd - terug naar de Maasstad. Daar beleeft zij in maritiem opzicht momenteel een rustige 'oude dag', niet bekommerd om de financiële en politieke perikelen die haar afmeren aan het 3e Katendrechtsehoofd met zich meebrachten.
Zij is evenwel springlevend en volop in gebruik als hotel, bijzondere evenementenlocatie, attractie, trouwlocatie en meer. Voor iedereen die de ss Rotterdam een warm hart toedraagt is er nu deze rijk geïllustreerde scheepsbiografie.