Welcome to Cruise Talk the Internet's most popular discussion forum dedicated to cruising. Stop by Cruise Talk anytime to post a message or find out what your fellow passengers and industry insiders are saying about a particular ship, cruise line or destination.
>>> Reader Reviews >>> CruisePage.com Photo Gallery >>> Join Our Cruise Club.
Latest News...Carnival Freedom is returning to service following a 35-day dry dock at Chantier Naval de Marseille in France, emerging with a redesigned funnel, expanded casino space and a series of interior upgrades. The ship departed the shipyard en route to Barcelona ahead of its first post-refurbishment sailing. The dry dock marks one of the vessel’s most significant updates in recent years and prepares...
Latest News...Princess Cruises has released its 2028–2029 Americas program, a wide-ranging deployment featuring more than 250 sailings across North, Central and South America, the Caribbean, the Pacific and Antarctica. The season includes the line’s first return to the Amazon River since 2014, along with expanded offerings in Canada & New England, Hawaii, Mexico, the California Coast, ...
Latest News...Holland America Line has outlined a series of Pan Am-themed experiences that will be featured on its 28-day Pan Am 100th Anniversary Legendary Voyage aboard Zuiderdam, departing October 30, 2027. The sailing, roundtrip from Miami, will retrace portions of Pan American World Airways’ historic routes through the Caribbean and Central America, incorporating onboard programming and shore...
Woonbron (the owners) did suffer a huge loss in restoring the ship and is still forced to sell at least 80% of their interest.There are interesting parties within The Netherlands, but the amount involved is much, much lower that that from the Oman party.
It is big news on radio and newspapers.
They could start up a collection of vintage passenger ships in that area, with hotel facilities, and maybe also get ss Oceanic ! .
.
I am not sure she would like the climate in Oman, but probably fare no worse with good upkeep/maintenance in heat than continual damp. Does not the Sultan have rather sumptuous vessels already
Pam
quote:Originally posted by Johan:This is sad news, but not wholly unexpected.I feared it from the beginning.There were a lot of financial problems and even scandals, with RDM and the Woningcorporatie.I still remember vividly 'Rotterdam" being called " a "a rusty old cruiseship" as an asset of the failed RDM...It is a lesson that for old historic liners, preservation must be in mind, together with the knowledge that no real profits can be expected, at the most paying for the exploitation costs...I hope the contemporary parsimonious mood will allow to preserve this dutch icon to stay in Holland...
Johan,Aside from the expenditures, the SS Rotterdam actually made a profit of around 8 Million Euros. The problem with the SS Rotterdam renovation was the huge cost of removing the asbestos onboard the ship. Not to mention the specialized labor cost in Germany. Imagine if the owners were able to renovate the ship in Poland as expected?
I believe that this was why the The French leisure group, Pierre & Vacances, decided not to buy the SS Norway because the cost of removing the 1200 tons of asbestos itself onboard would have bankrupt them. It might have cost more to remove the asbestos from the SS Norway than the renovation budget itself. I believe that this is why we don't see too many ships following in the Queen Mary's footsteps as hotel ships. Asbestos: Once used to protect a ship becomes it's deterrent from ever becoming a hotel ship.
We should be very lucky that the QE2 was bought by Dubai as I am not sure if the folks in UK would have been able to finance the ship's renovation and the asbestos cost removal.
[ 10-03-2012: Message edited by: Donald Johnson ]
quote:Originally posted by PamM:Please can someone remind me just why all the asbestos had to be removed from Rotterdam? I do also recall at some point reading an article stating a lot of the work had been unnecessary and over zealous, as asbestos left in-situ undisturbed is safe. Only when disturbed and the fibres released does it become a risk.Pam
Hi Pam,I think that the European Laws stipulated that a non-active vessel must have all of it contaminants removed. I think that the best solution would have been to seal up the Engine rooms, along with the crew cabins from public view. The most important areas of the ship should have been the hotel areas and public spaces. But I do agree with you as to way the entire ship's asbestos had to be remove if it were sealed away undisturbed.
SS Rotterdam
quote:Cruiseschip ss Rotterdam blijft in havenstadDoor: redactie 2-11-12 - 09:20 bron: ANPCruiseschip ss Rotterdam is verkocht aan een Rotterdamse hotelketen. Woningcorporatie Woonbron heeft het schip verkocht aan WestCord Hotels voor 29,9 miljoen euro. Dat meldde Woonbron vrijdag. De hotelketen heeft in Nederland 14 hotels, waaronder het Rotterdamse Hotel New York....
Door: redactie 2-11-12 - 09:20 bron: ANP
Cruiseschip ss Rotterdam is verkocht aan een Rotterdamse hotelketen. Woningcorporatie Woonbron heeft het schip verkocht aan WestCord Hotels voor 29,9 miljoen euro. Dat meldde Woonbron vrijdag. De hotelketen heeft in Nederland 14 hotels, waaronder het Rotterdamse Hotel New York.
...
Ultimate Bulletin BoardTM 6.1.0.3
More Vacation & Cruise Specials...