Cruise Talk: Holland America's new ships

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Topic: Holland America's new ships

Thad
First Class Passenger
Member # 1224

posted 04-11-2000 08:10 PM

Holland America announced that they were ordering another 84,000GRT ship. That makes five now on order. My questions is what are they going to name them. I know that they try and name their new ships after former members of their fleet, but since they are growing so rapidly, they are running out of names. Does anyone have any suggestions as to what HAL should call their new giants? I think that some of their old names, such as Schiedam and Spaarndam, are not too bad, but others, such as Obdam, Didam, and Dubbeldam, are pretty bad. Nieuw Amsterdam will soon be freed up, but since they will already have the Amsterdam, that seems a little redundant. They could use Prinsendam, but that is a bit morbid. What do you all think?

Posts: 1967 | From: Boston, MA | Registered: Apr 2000 | IP: Logged

sympatico
First Class Passenger
Member # 797

posted 04-11-2000 08:44 PM

HAL will NEVER name another ship Prinsendam. Once a ship goes down the name is never used.
There has been no mention of the new names and probably won't be for quite a while. Right now they are project #'s.

[This message has been edited by sympatico (edited 04-12-2000).]

Posts: 3305 | From: Toronto, Ont. Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

Grant
First Class Passenger
Member # 1000

posted 04-12-2000 12:40 AM

In the past years, Holland America had a series of pax/cargo vessels with "dyk" rather than "dam" incorporated into their name. There are several such names they could use, such as Dinteldyk and Diemerdyk. Perhaps there are others.

[This message has been edited by Grant (edited 04-12-2000).]

Posts: 834 | From: Victoria, BC, Canada | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

Bernard
First Class Passenger
Member # 1038

posted 04-12-2000 06:46 AM

How about

Leerdam, Boschdam, Beemsterdam, Loosdam, Hilverdam, Pollendam, Vliedam, Nederdam, Oosterdam, Diemerdam, Dinteldam, Koningsdam, Helderdam and Kinderdam

I know most of them are not very good, but these names are possible (I think).

Bernard, The Netherlands

Posts: 94 | From: The Netherlands | Registered: Jan 2000 | IP: Logged

NAL
First Class Passenger
Member # 1102

posted 04-12-2000 10:32 AM

Bernard......

Bravo!! I've eagerly awaited your choices.
I knew you would have some good ones.

I will try to provide some after I think
about it.

Posts: 2243 | From: Watsontown, PA | Registered: Feb 2000 | IP: Logged

NAL
First Class Passenger
Member # 1102

posted 04-12-2000 11:58 AM

Here are a few more.....some better than
others: Edam, Grotedam, Werkendam, Andam,
Waaldam, Eemdam, Breedam, Gaasterdam,
Grootendam, Sloterdam, Kloosterdam....

In addition to Nieuw Amsterdam being freed
up, I would think Noordam will be available
before too long.

Perhaps some of the royal family could be
used: Queen Beatrix, Prince Willem, Princess
Margriet, etc.....with the Dutch spellings.

Posts: 2243 | From: Watsontown, PA | Registered: Feb 2000 | IP: Logged

sympatico
First Class Passenger
Member # 797

posted 04-12-2000 02:22 PM

I got the following names from The Unofficial Holland America site - www.unofficial.net/hal
Edam (aleady listed), SCHIEDAM, OBDAMO WERKENDAM, SPAARNDAM, DIDAM, LEERDAM, DUBBELDAM (I love that one) and POTSDAM (nicknamed Funneldam - sold and renamed Stockholm).
As NAL said, Noordam will probably be the next to go and then the Westerdam so these 2 names will be available. I don't think they will name one the Nieuw Amsterdam for quite a while - can you imagine how confusing that could be with the Amsterdam coming at the end of the year - would be a nightmare in the reservations dept. It will be really interesting to see what they will name the new ships. I may find out more at Christmas.

Posts: 3305 | From: Toronto, Ont. Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

NAL
First Class Passenger
Member # 1102

posted 04-12-2000 03:32 PM

sympatico.....

I wouldn't be surprised if they add Nieuw
to the Amsterdam when she is christened.
The present N.A. will be gone and Nieuw
Amsterdam is probably the most famous name
in the fleet.....arguably....with Rotterdam.
I cannot quite think of HAL's fleet without
a Nieuw Amsterdam, can you?

Posts: 2243 | From: Watsontown, PA | Registered: Feb 2000 | IP: Logged

sympatico
First Class Passenger
Member # 797

posted 04-12-2000 06:00 PM

No I don't think they will add Nieuw to Amsterdam. There was an Amsterdam and I think they will wait, maybe 10 years before they bring out another Nieuw Amsterdam, but I may be wrong and they will do it. I think it would be too confusing to have two ships with almost the same name.

Posts: 3305 | From: Toronto, Ont. Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

Tim in Fort Lauderdale
First Class Passenger
Member # 953

posted 04-13-2000 10:56 AM

These are the names that I have (unofficially) been given for the 5 Cruise 9000 Newbuilds:

Nieuw Amsterdam (2002)
Stellendam (2003)
Schiedam (2003)
Leerdam (2004)
Noordam (2005)

It is wholly expected that Noordam will be out of the fleet by 2005 and the name Westerdam may also be freed up as their is a very good chance she will be gone from the fleet within a few years.

In regards to the close in recycling of names, HAL is currently marketing both the Nieuw Amsterdam and Amsterdam and marketed the old Rotterdam and new (current) Rotterdam concurrently and it caused little confusion.

--Tim

Posts: 1468 | From: Fort Lauderdale, FL | Registered: Dec 1999 | IP: Logged

NAL
First Class Passenger
Member # 1102

posted 04-13-2000 11:11 AM

sympatico......

Sorry, I guess I didn't make myself clear. I
was thinking that the ship to be Amsterdam would by its christening time be named
Nieuw Amsterdam, not just Amsterdam.

From what Timber just told us I guess there
will be an Amsterdam and a Nieuw Amsterdam as fleet mates. Thanks Timber for your news.

Posts: 2243 | From: Watsontown, PA | Registered: Feb 2000 | IP: Logged

Will
First Class Passenger
Member # 472

posted 04-13-2000 11:15 AM

Sympatico,
What is story of the Princendam? I have never heard of it.

Posts: 46 | From: Columbus, Ohio | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

sympatico
First Class Passenger
Member # 797

posted 04-13-2000 12:10 PM

Will - the Prinsendam went down somewhere in the north part of the South Pacific. There was no loss of life, thank goodness. It was quite a while ago, before I started sailing with HAL in '81, but can't remember the whole story. Maybe someone else does. I remember reading about it in Reader's Digest. Will see if I can find out more. The captain was relieved of his duties and did not return to HAL.

Posts: 3305 | From: Toronto, Ont. Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

joe at travelpage
Administrator
Member # 622

posted 04-13-2000 12:53 PM

Here's a picture of the Prinsendam:

and a blurb from the HAL site:

October 1980 - At the conclusion of the Alaska season, the Prinsendam is repositioning to Indonesia when a fire breaks out in its engine room. Passengers and crew are evacuated with no loss of life. While under tow, the ship sinks in the Pacific Ocean west of Sitka.

and a blurb from the Navy:

"Serious peril" accurately describes the Prinsendam incident, which started early in the morning of 4 October 1980, 120 miles southwest of Sitka, Alaska. The 427-foot cruise ship caught fire and began flooding. During the 18-hour rescue operation that followed, weather conditions rapidly degenerated: 35-foot seas, freezing rain, and 40-knot winds. The closest Coast Guard assets were 170 nautical miles away when the distress call came in. Coordinating with the U.S. Air Force, Canadian forces, and several merchant vessels in the area, Coast Guard cutters and long-range helicopters rescued 563 people from almost certain death. The liner eventually sank, but without loss of life, in what has been called the most successful large-scale marine rescue in peacetime history.

and a blurb from the Coast Guard:

In October 1980, the Sikorsky HH-3F Pelican, the service’s medium range helicopter, was the primary rescue vehicle when hundreds of individuals, mostly senior-citizens, were plucked from bobbing lifeboats some 200 miles out in the Gulf of Alaska. This followed a fire on board the cruise ship Prinsendam and was one of the most successful maritime rescues in history

another blurb from a Morse Code site with a link to a copy of the actual SOS message:

ms Prinsendam (call sign PJTA) was burning out of control in the Gulf of Alaska on Oct. 4, 1980 when James N. Pfister, NS1L and David J. Ring, Jr., N1EA, both Radio Officers on the USA flagged 'super-tanker' Williamsburgh (Call Sign WGOA) picked up her SOS . See the Manuscript Log of WGOA ! According to Mr. Jack van der Zee the Chief Radio Officer of the Prinsendam, the satellite communications failed during the rescue, but Morse Continued to operate. SOS signals from this rescue were received as far away as New Zealand (ZLB).
http://www.qsl.net/n1ea/sos.jpg

Joe at TravelPage.com

Posts: 29976 | From: Great Falls, Virginia | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

sympatico
First Class Passenger
Member # 797

posted 04-13-2000 01:44 PM

Joe - thanks for the info. I have just spent an hour trying to find something on the internet. I knew it was in the Pacific, but I was a little south, wasn't I. While searching I did find an article about lifeboat drill and why they tell you to wear warm clothes and sturdy shoes. These certainly would have helped in the bad weather that was encountered on the Prinsendam. On one of my cruises I did meet a crew member who was on the ill-fated ship, but I can't remember who it was. I didn't realize that it happened just one year before we started sailing.

Posts: 3305 | From: Toronto, Ont. Canada | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

Will
First Class Passenger
Member # 472

posted 04-14-2000 09:41 AM

Thank you Sympatico and Joe for the information. I can't believe I had never read or heard anything about this.

Posts: 46 | From: Columbus, Ohio | Registered: Jul 99 | IP: Logged

Terri Lee
First Class Passenger
Member # 942

posted 04-14-2000 08:09 PM

Once more I have had to re-register!Why,Joe?

Anyway,Joe,thanks for such an interesting post.This surely the most incredible cruise site going....the things we have all learned is nothing short of amazing.

You are doing a great job,Joe,keep it up!!

Posts: 292 | From: Burlington Ontario Canada | Registered: Dec 1999 | IP: Logged

LizB
First Class Passenger
Member # 1243

posted 04-18-2000 11:29 AM

Joe - enjoyed reading your information on the Prinsendam from that October 4, 1980 dreadful day. It brings back to me a very emotional day -- heard the news on the car radio as I was on my way to the hospital where my mother had just been diagnosed with cancer. She and I knew a few of the officers on board the Prinsendam that day, and as sick as she was, we stuck by the radio all day in her hospital room to hear the news. Thankfully everyone was successfully rescued by helicopter -- even those on the Bridge.

Posts: 133 | From: S.Dennis,MA, USA | Registered: Apr 2000 | IP: Logged

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