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With
Maritime Historian
Postcard
from the author’s private collection
To this day SS Nieuw Amsterdam is still regarded as
one of the most beautiful ships to be built.
Originally she was to be named Prinsendam, however
during construction, Holland America Line (
-Left: Nieuw Amsterdam under construction – Right: Ready for
launching
Nieuw Amsterdam was delivered to
SS Nieuw Amsterdam departs on her maiden voyage
From the author’s private collection
Nieuw Amsterdam quickly became famed for new
standards being set, with her interior design and magnificent Art Deco décor was
far superior to anything seen before. Her interiors were decorated in pastel
colours and although she had spacious public rooms, the colour scheme used gave
her an even larger feel. Her first class restaurant was her most celebrated
room, having a Moroccan leather ceiling and Murano-glass
lighting fixtures, columns overlaid in gold leaf, her walls were in Ivory, all
this and with tinted mirrors, and superb satinwood furniture, this was one of
the finest Art Deco restaurants afloat. Located on Promenade Deck immediately
aft of the Smoking Room was the delightful Stuyvesant Cafè,
a popular venue indeed. There were two swimming pools onboard, one outdoor and
the other indoors on E-deck. It featured an expensive
She is seen here with the addition of the famed
Postcard
from the author’s private collection
Nieuw Amsterdam was one of the most modern,
contemporary liners of her day, she set the standard
for
Postcard
from the author’s private collection
Specifications
Built
by:
Yard
No: 200
Launched:
Tonnage: 36,287
Length: 758ft - 231.2m
Beam: 87.9ft – 26.8m
Draught: 31.6ft
Engines: Parsons geared turbines
– De Schelde
Screws: Twin
Service
speed: 20.5 – Max 22.8
Passenger
decks: 11 - accessible by lifts
Passengers
as built: 556 First
Class
455 Tourist
209 Third
Crew: 694
Partially
air-conditioned – 1957 fully air-conditioned
Denny Brown
stabilisers
Nieuw Amsterdam goes to war
Having made 17 ½ Trans-Atlantic voyages she was
laid up in New York’s Hoboken Pier in September 1939 due to the
commencement of World War II. However, she did manage to undertake several
cruises out of 
8,000
troops.
SS Nieuw Amsterdam painted in Military grey
– bunks stacked three high in the first class dining room
During the next six years she
carried over 378,631 troops, sailing some 530,452 miles, being the equivalent
of 21 times around the world. In July 1941, she was used to transport the Greek
Royal Family into Wartime exile in
Postcard from the author’s prvate
collection
In May 1944, while Nieuw Amsterdam was berthed in
She is seen here toward the end of the war
Photographer unknown
The “Darling of The Netherlands,”
having had her funnels repainted in their
With the
Photographer unknown
Refit and return to service
A massive operation began removing her war-time fittings,
taking around 12 weeks she was then fully refitted, including rewiring and
replacing many fittings including all the brass onboard. Some fourteen months
later the refit had been completed and she had regained her original beauty.
Now at 36,667
Specifications
Built
by:
Yard
No: 200
Launched:
Tonnage: 36,287
Length: 758ft - 231.2m
Beam: 87.9ft – 26.8m
Draught: 31.6ft
Engines: Parsons geared turbines
– De Schelde
Screws: Twin
Service
speed: 20.5 – Max 22.8
Passenger
decks: 11 - accessible by lifts
Passengers
as built: 556 First
Class
455 Tourist
209 Third
Crew: 694
Partially
air-conditioned – 1957 fully air-conditioned
Denny Brown
stabilisers
Seen after the war and refit
Postcard
from the author’s private collection
In 1957,
Nieuw Amsterdam’s new livery in 1957
Postcard
from the author’s private collection
In 1961 Nieuw Amsterdam received major alterations to
her accommodations, including more cabins with private facilities, and became a
two class ship accommodating 574-first class and 538-tourist class, however
many cabins were interchangeable. Tourist class was greatly improved, with new
public rooms, a new shopping gallery and a cinemascope theatre being added.
When completed she as registered at 36,982
SS Nieuw Amsterdam and SS Rotterdam together in
Postcard
from the author’s private collection
She became one of the most loved ships on the
This fine aerial view shows her vast deck space
Postcard
from the author’s private collection
In August 1967, she suffered mechanical
difficulties, which sent a shiver throughout The Netherlands being fearful that
the Darling of The Netherlands was to come about her end and be sold for scrap.
However,
Photographer unknown
Due to the Trans-Atlantic traffic rapidly
declining, Nieuw Amsterdam operated Trans-Atlantic crossings during the summer months and operated cruises throughout
the Caribbean,
SS Nieuw Amsterdam the Cruise Ship
SS Niew Amsterdam seen
here as a fulltime cruise ship – note
Late in 1971, she was operating with low loadings
across the
Postcard
from the author’s private collection
The end is near
She continued cruising around the
A fine silhouette
Photographer unknown
There was a massive outcry in The Netherlands and
it was suggested that she returned to
In 1973, having plied the oceans for 36 years, SS
Nieuw Amsterdam was sold to Taiwanese breakers. In January 1974, she departed
Port Everglades, passed through the Panama Canal, called at
On February 25, SS
Nieuw Amsterdam arrived at the Nan Fong
Steel, breakers yard at
The great SS Nieuw Amsterdam at the Nan
Fong Steel Yard in
All those who have sailed on her,
and admired her from the shore, will never forget the beauty and elegance of SS
Nieuw Amsterdam, a ship that that set new standards in maritime shipbuilding
design!
Memories
Postcard
from the author’s private collection
This is one of my favourite postcards of the
Nieuw Amsterdam
Postcard
from the author’s private collection
The ships bell
Owned and photographed by Chris Appel
Page One
Photo Album
… View her
fine interiors as well as exterior shots
Photo Album … Photographs provided by Ton van der Meer
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Commenced
in the passenger Shipping Industry in May 1960
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