From SSmaritime.com

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End of the Line in 2010!

2010 will be her final year as from a report received from one of her crew member’s; she will not pass SOLAS, being the new “Safety Of Life At Sea” regulations that will cone into effect in September/October 2010. Thus after a busy year, she will be 62 years old and will most likely be sold for scrap. As I love classic liners of yesteryear, it is sad, but this ship was a rare beauty to look at when built, there is no doubt about that, but the fact is, she was without doubt the worst SAL ship ever built and she had the worst hull design in history for a passenger liner, it was one that was more suitable for a naval frigate, thus her poor sea handling capabilities, which has plagued her 60 plus years! Nevertheless, it will be sad to see what was once “a pretty looking ship” go!

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Originally posted by Rex:
Then why would they say she isn't?

From SSmaritime.com

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Well Goosens and his site are not the most trustful around on internet. His site is full of wrong news, claims and actions. Above all he's a notorious copyright abuser.

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Originally posted by Neil Whitmore ( Bob ex P&O Cruises):
It is nice to see one Dutch man decrying another Dutch man.

Ben - Are you perfect ?

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Well he's no longer Dutch since he immigrated as boy to Australia. And then he's not the Dutch emigrant to be proud of. He's a notorious lair and that is not new. he claims on his site he started the action of preserving the Rotterdam. Handing over the action to Steamship save SS Rotterdam foundation. Fact is that he contacted the foundation some years in the action, to ask if he could help. They refuse knowing who he is.

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Originally posted by Cunard Fan:
The Athena has been so heavily rebuilt that I would be very surprised if SOLAS 2010 was a problem for her. Also hasn't CCI spent a lot of money to make sure their fleet would be compliant.

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Originally posted by lasuvidaboy:

I agree. She is basically a 15-year-old ship and was completely rebuilt-inside and out during that massive re-building in Italy.

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Have she receive during this rebuilding new engines to? I remember that there was a plan to give here 3 funnels?

yes, she received new engines, as well. The only thing which is left from her early days is the hull. Otherwise she is a 1990s cruise ship, which - of course - is fully compliant with SOLAS 2010.

Best,

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Originally posted by r.fiebig:
Ben,

yes, she received new engines, as well. The only thing which is left from her early days is the hull. Otherwise she is a 1990s cruise ship, which - of course - is fully compliant with SOLAS 2010.

Best,

Raoul

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Thanks Raoul, fore the information. So no worry about here futere.

As for ATHENA, Reuben's source is just plain wrong. The ship was rebuilt to all the SOLAS requirements current at that time which means she is the same as a ship built in the 1990s.

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Originally posted by r.fiebig:
The only thing which is left from her early days is the hull.

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Actually her bow is newer than the rest of the hull.

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Originally posted by Neil Whitmore ( Bob ex P&O Cruises):
Ben

Using this website to make a personal attack on someone just shows what you are really like !

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Neil, from personal experience I can tell you that Ben is telling the truth !

In my dealings with Reubens I have had no problems.

I have two big articles about classic ships on his website and have been given due recognition, so I speak as I find !

These articles are about the ss Oriana and the ex Dutch built Oranje when she caught fire in St Thomas while sailing for Costa Cruises.

Last week I sent some information in to him.

Rueben is not the only person to publish wrong information about classic cruise ships !

As Ben chooses to use this website to attack Rueben, then there is no reason why someone should not say what they think about Ben.

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Originally posted by Brian_O:

Actually her bow is newer than the rest of the hull.

Brian

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She's actually Cher of the cruise industry
A remarkable vessel she is.

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Originally posted by Neil Whitmore ( Bob ex P&O Cruises):

As Ben chooses to use this website to attack Rueben, then there is no reason why someone should not say what they think about Ben.

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So in your words, Goossens is the only one who is allowed to attack people on his website, who do not think the way he does.

Reminds me to his attack to Peter Knego, Karen Segboer and some other people.

We had this conversation some time ago and most of the people here on this site, agree that you cannot trust Goossens.

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Originally posted by Neil Whitmore ( Bob ex P&O Cruises):
Rueben is not the only person to publish wrong information about classic cruise ships !

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Whether you like it or not, most of us here do not like him and do not trust him.

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Originally posted by Neil Whitmore ( Bob ex P&O Cruises):

Rueben is not the only person to publish wrong information about classic cruise ships !

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True. Even well respected historians like Arnold Kludas have some glaring errors in their work. But given the size of the task in putting together a work like "Great Passenger Ships of the World", this is hardly surprising and the number of errors is actually remarkably low. Can the same be said of Goossens who seems to have a tendancy to copy without attribution from people like Kludas, including the errors.

Brian

[ 03-18-2009: Message edited by: Brian_O ]

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Originally posted by Neil Whitmore ( Bob ex P&O Cruises):
[QB]Dougnewman

Rueben is not the only person to publish wrong information about classic cruise ships !
QB]

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