ssMaritime
With
Reuben Goossens
Maritime
Historian
MS
Tjiwangi the first of the pair to enter service
All
images, unless stated otherwise are from the author’s
private collection
These two compact
liners were considered the most beautifully proportioned
passenger cargo liners seen in Australian waters, becoming the
most popular ships to sail between
Company background: After the turn of the
century the Koninklijke Java-China Paketvaart Lijnen (KJCPL) and
Royal Interocean Lines (RIL) was founded in
In 1948 KJCPL decided to build two intimate 9,000
Tjiwangi
launching on
Built
for KJCPL, but now operating for RIL, one of their larger
passenger liners the 14,304-ton MS Ruys
(Three
identical ships sailed between
For the next ten years, Tjiwangi and Tjiluwah
operated on the Dutch East Indies to Hong Kong service, until
1960 a decision was made to change their service and commence
them on the
A
KJCPL postcard of the MS Tjiwangi
Ports of call:
RIL
Postcard of the
Accommodations on the Tjiwangi and Tjiluwah as
built: All cabins were outside with one or two portholes.
First Class cabins were located on B Deck,
which had 2 single cabins with private facilities. 17 Twin bedded
cabins all with private facilities, and 20 Twin bedded cabins
that offered a sofa that converted into a third bed if required,
as well as 1 two berth cabin, but the 20 Twins with the sofas and
the two berth cabin had share facilities. First Class was fully
air-conditioned throughout.
Second/Tourist Class cabins were located on C
Deck and comprised of 40 four berth cabins all having shared
facilities. Tourist Class had Gyro fan-forced air-cooling.
Photo
Gallery
First
Class
Above
& Below: The elegant Main Lounge
The
Wintergarden surrounded the Main Lounge – starboard looking
aft
The
Bar
(At
the same location starboard was the library/card/games room)
Twin
bedded cabin with a sofa that converted to a third bed
Second
/ Tourist Class
The
Main Lounge
The
delightful Verandah Lounge
The
Library
The
swimming pool
Cover
of a Cabin Plan
See
my other Deck Plan via the links below
Screws:
Two
Service
speed:
16 knots
Passenger
Decks: Three
Passengers:
1950/1963:
98 First Class - 160 Second Class
1963:
104 First Class - 118 Tourist Class
1950/1963:
First Class fully air-conditioned
1963:
Ship fully air-conditioned
Crew:
200
Livery
1950/1963: Black
hull / white superstructure with red boot-topping
black funnel Dutch flag with white triangle & gold crown
Livery
1963/1972: White
hull & superstructure
MS
Tjiluwah seen in 1963
In
1962/63, both ships received a refit, and had their hulls painted
white, after which they became known as the “Elegant White
Yachts.” The after end of the starboard Promenade Deck was
glass enclosed creating the delightful Tourist Class Verandah
Lounge.
Even
though Tjiwangi and Tjiluwah had considerable competition from
the well established Dominion Lines George Anson and Francis
Drake, later the Chitral, Aramac and other vessels, however, the
two Dutch flagged RIL ships were the more favoured, for they were
renowned for their refined atmosphere and superb service.
Today
these wharves have now been rebuilt as upmarket apartments,
boutiques, cafes and restaurants
whilst
the famed historic wool stores have been converted into luxury
apartments
Photograph
by R. Goossens
The
Australian to
MS
Tjiwangi seen in
Photograph
by & © Graham-Emery
In
November 1973 RIL finally decided to sell the Tjiwangi, which was
sold by Singaporean PIL, and she was handed over at the end of
January 1974 and was dult renamed Kota Bali and she joined her
sister Kota Singapura.
With
the sale of the two popular “Elegant White Yachts” as
ship lovers called the Tjiluwah and Tjiwangi, Nieuw
Holland’s days were rather short. For: 1. Cargo loading
where changing to containers, and 2. Many tourists were choosing
vacations by air, thus the Nieuw Holland was sold just three
years later due to declining loadings.
MS
MS Tjiluwah and Tjiwangi offered the very best
in traditional cruising with an emphasis on comfort, service, and
excellent food. Entertainment was minimal to today’s
standards, but both ships had a small band and a pianist. The
emphasis was very much a voyage of quiet relaxation, enjoying the
ships excellent facilities, comfortable lounges, two pools and
the spacious decks. It was a time where we enjoyed a drink on the
promenade, reading a book in the Wintergarden or enjoying a drink
in the bar and the main lounge engaging in interesting
conversations with those who had cruised the world, or on their
very first ocean voyage. Tjiluwah and Tjiwangi offered the very
best in traditional cruising. Many of today’s vacationers
would not enjoy this style of elegant cruising as the preference
these days is to be entertained all day and night, private
balconies, towering atriums, rock climbing walls, ice skating
rinks, etc, etc, and sailing with a herd of 2,000 to 6,500
passengers on a floating hotel/resort which can hardly be
described as ships.
A
superb looking MS Tjiwangi seen on one of her rare visit’s
to
A
stern view of the pristine MS Tjiwangi in
MS
Tjiwangi and Tjiluwah will always be remembered as the
“Elegant White Yachts”
Page
One:
NEW:
Page
Two:
Kota Singapura, ex Tjiluwah – Kota Bali, ex
Tjiwangi
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