Prinsendam 1980
The Prinsendam fire

Remember here.

Greetings Ben.

[ 10-03-2005: Message edited by: Maasdam ]

We will never know,

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Originally posted by sslewis:
It is a pity she wasn't replaced.
Competition was swift and many small vessels were built since, but not under HAL banner.

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I think that HAL originally planned to have several ships in PRINSENDAM's class, for cruising to exotic destinations. Financially, they weren't able to do this through the mid to late 1970s, so she ended up as a "one-off." But she does resemble the fleet of ships in Indonesia, in size and general appearance, although PRINSENDAM would have been much more luxurious.

Onno

Fact was that both design came frome the Merwede the yard was also in the running to build the N class but lose out against Chantier st. Nazair.

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Originally posted by Onno:
Here are some images from an article in the Dutch magazine “KIJK” published in 1981.

Onno

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Thanks Onno.

Fore the sad great pictures.

Strange that whene you are so young those images and storys stays in ones mind.

Greetings Ben.

[ 10-05-2005: Message edited by: Maasdam ]

She was originally slated to enter service on June 2 1973 from Southampton to Singapore on the 41 day maiden Voyage thus she entered service on November 30th from Rotterdam to Singapore and on January 14. 1974 she commenced her first 14 day cruise in Indonesian Archipelago.

[ 10-05-2005: Message edited by: Ocean Liners ]

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Originally posted by Ocean Liners:
Whlist Prinsendam was fitting out at the Wilton-Fijenoord, she caught fire on April 24, 1973.

She was originally slated to enter service on June 2 1973 from Southampton to Singapore on the 41 day maiden Voyage thus she entered service on November 30th from Rotterdam to Singapore and on January 14. 1974 she commenced her first 14 day cruise in Indonesian Archipelago.

[ 10-05-2005: Message edited by: Ocean Liners ]

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Ocean Liners she was not build at the Wilton yard buth at the Merwede Yard. She was at the yard whene the fire brooke out. The Maiden voyage was planned frome the start onwards frome Rotterdam not Southampton. According my information.

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Originally posted by Maasdam:
I cane remember (at the time i was 9 years old) That the Dutch media was reporting fore days. Every day there was a report on the national NOS news on t.v. Remember seeing on t.v. The burning Prinsendam and the lifeboats later showing on tow.

Strange that whene you are so young those images and storys stays in ones mind.

Greetings Ben.

[ 10-05-2005: Message edited by: Maasdam ]

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I have the same memories, 11 years at the time : it was also on Flemish radio and TV. I think I have some where a clipping out of De Standaard of those days of the same pic as Onno posted with the life boat. And then the final news when Prinsendam sunk. And the reports of the rescuing tankers.

The Flemish Automobile/tourism Association had every year its club cruise on board a HAL-ship, preceded by a gala - evening here in Antwerpen : it was advertised as "Balnacht op de Prinsendam" - the last advert was in the October edition of the magazine, in the next one it was "Balnacht op de Veendam"...

PS : 4 october is a bad day for Dutch transportation : on this day in 1992 the El Al Boeing 747 crashed in the Bijlmerappartmentblock, with many deaths as a result.

J

[ 10-05-2005: Message edited by: Johan ]

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Originally posted by Maasdam:

Ocean Liners she was not build at the Wilton yard buth at the Merwede Yard. She was at the yard whene the fire brooke out. The Maiden voyage was planned frome the start onwards frome Rotterdam not Southampton. According my information.

Greetings Ben.

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In December 1970 HAL announced that an order was placed with N. V.Scheepswerf en Machinefabriek "De Merwede" v.h. van Vliet & Co for the construction of Prinsendam.

Her first Kneel was laid down on September 21, 1971 and on July 7, 1972 the ship was christened and launched at "De Merwede" but I stand by correct that fitting works carried at Wilton-Fijenoord* and returned to "De Merwede" to repair and completion.
At the time She was added 16 cabins on Sun Deck.
The deliver of the ship took place at "De Merwede" on November 12.

Her maiden voyage was originally slated from Rotterdam on June 1 and Southampton on June 2.

*According to the Marine News.

[ 10-05-2005: Message edited by: Ocean Liners ]

quote:

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Originally posted by Ocean Liners:

In December 1970 HAL announced that an order was placed with N. V.Scheepswerf en Machinefabriek "De Merwede" v.h. van Vliet & Co for the construction of Prinsendam.

Her first Kneel was laid down on September 21, 1971 and on July 7, 1972 the ship was christened and launched at "De Merwede" but I stand by correct that fitting works carried at Wilton-Fijenoord* and returned to "De Merwede" to repair and completion.
At the time She was added 16 cabins on Sun Deck.
The deliver of the ship took place at "De Merwede" on November 12.

Her maiden voyage was originally slated from Rotterdam on June 1 and Southampton on June 2.

*According to the Marine News.

[ 10-05-2005: Message edited by: Ocean Liners ]

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October 4 1980 was also the same day that Skana, Vancouver's beloved killer whale died.

Not a good day.

By the way, I am eagerly awaiting the publication of a new book about the Prinsendam (due out in April 2006) called "Saving the Prinsendam: The Story of the Coast Guard's Greatest Sea Rescue". In Canada it will be sold by Chapters ... I've pre-ordered.

Regards, Kaiser

[ 10-06-2005: Message edited by: kaiser ]

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Originally posted by joe at travelpage:
This is also done in Skagway, Alaska on the rock face near where the cruise ships dock. A description of the practice:

Now passengers in excited clusters ondeck swapped binoculars to study the cliffside inscriptions--Prinsendam, 1977; Xanadu, 1976; Daphne, 1980.

Source

Joe at TravelPage.com

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Originally posted by PRDM100480:
Kaiser, you have made me very curious about the publication of the book you mentioned. Any idea who the writer is ? Is it going to be non-fiction ? I heard a rumor that a documentary is in the works as well. Do you know anything about this ?

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Paul,

I did a bit of research and it looks like you were 3rd mate on Prinsendam. Can you share the experience from the perspective of the crew?

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Originally posted by PRDM100480:
Kaiser, you have made me very curious about the publication of the book you mentioned. Any idea who the writer is ? Is it going to be non-fiction ? I heard a rumor that a documentary is in the works as well. Do you know anything about this ?

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It is non-fiction, written by a H. Paul Jeffers and should be published in April of 2006. The publisher is Motorbooks International. That is about all I know. Haven't heard about any documentary, but would love to see it when/if it comes out.

My guess is that the focus of the book will be the Coast Guard's rescue and will probably have relatively less info from the Prinsendam's passengers and crew. But I'm only guessing this from the title.

By the way, thanks Ocean Liners for posting Joe's previous mention of that cliff in Skagway.

[ 10-07-2005: Message edited by: Ocean Liners ]

The Prinsendam is a typical ship of the early '70's.
But you cane see the typical HAL futeres of yet to be build HAL vessels.

I wonder iff this sympatic little vessel would surfive the big ship boom of the '80/90's and the take over frome Carnival. Probebly she would have end up with Eperiotky ore Sun and by now Louis?

[ 10-09-2005: Message edited by: Ocean Liners ]