Here are two photos of her from Ted Scull

[ 11-21-2007: Message edited by: dmwnc1 ]

Pictures frome here.

To be sure, I know these only from pictures, and sadly not from own experience, so my view is purely an estetical one of the exterior.

THe "N" ships have a no-nonsense, sturdy "industrial" look, SotS is a modern megaship with reference to the past, and RP is a child of her time.

The Eighties are really a transition period, with some interesting ships - are they becoming classics ?

Second place goes to EUROPA. Of course she has never been the same inside or out since Star Cruises bought her. I hope her style and elegance is revived to some extent when she becomes BLEU DE FRANCE.

Third place goes to my dear FAIRSKY. In this case Princess was the culprit in ruining her interiors, but at least she still looks good outside.

HOMERIC was not a bad-looking ship but I've always felt her bow was too small. I'm also not terribly fond of her funnel when seen from aft, or the aft pool deck that overhangs the hull.

Nevertheless, I have always felt her an interesting ship (and reasonably attractive outside), when she was WESTERDAM, always wanted to try her. She looks nice now as COSTA EUROPA, too - I would certainly not mind a cruise in her, and she goes to more interesting places now than she did with HAL!

Especially when we did Europe in 1989 for the first time she was a big attraction in every port.

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Originally posted by Magic Pipe:
I've always found the Atlantic (MSC Melody) an appealing ship. I believe she was one of the last passenger ships to be built with an enclosed crow's nest on her mast, which was unusual by the 1980's

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Sorry to disagree with you but she's one of the few ship I really hate the appearance...
That said, I don't really know which ship I'll choose as my favorite 80's one... There are a few vessels I "like" (Europa, Song of America, SOTS...) but none I really love.

[ 11-22-2007: Message edited by: Pascal ]

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Originally posted by Tim Agg:
I had the pleasure of sailing three times on HAL's Westerdam. He interiors were like a classy club - nothing overdone, and comfortable. On board, her vast aft deck was wonderful, but I missd tghe lack of a Crow's Nest lounge. From some angles, she looked a bit ungainly, but on my office wall is a very handsome photo I took of her almost bow-on, with Alaska mountains behind. Almost liner-ish!

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We sailed on Westerdam about 6 times - 2 before stretch and the rest after. I loved that ship and the vast aft deck also. Actually I thought she looked better after stretch than before but that's my opinion.

Tim - check your private messages. Sent you one the other day.

On the other hand, it is a pity that during the stretch the forward-facing lounge was replaced by a balcony for the show lounge.

She definitely has her unusual features - the dining room location was not that unusual for a 1980s ship (see TROPICALE) but the cinema was definitely in an odd spot (now replaced by balcony suites). And since the stretch she has had the distinction of possessing two entirely separate Lido Restaurants, one by each pool - not very space efficient but certainly convenient!

One thing I have never understood is why on the port side, on the highest of the three decks of cabins with windows, there is one less large window than on the two below it. (See here.) This is not the case on the other side. (Of course, the larger windows indicate the new section of the ship.)

[ 11-23-2007: Message edited by: dougnewman ]

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Originally posted by Tim Agg:
Diane - did you get my reply? I wasn't certain that it went through (technology is not my strong suit!)

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It's taken a long time, but I will finally sail on SOS class ship on December 14. It's a short 3-day cruise but I'm looking forward to it.

I was never a fan of the interior layout of these ships. I'm so glad the "cabin forward" arrangement never took off, except perhaps in ferries and luxury vessels. I prefer having the lounges stretched from fore to aft on a single deck.

Ernie

[ 11-24-2007: Message edited by: eroller ]

1. FAIRSKY (now SKY WONDER): "classic", almost linerlike appearance, and a steamship to boot! In fact, I used not to care much about this ship, recently I've take more and more of a liking to her, so much even that she has surpassed my next candidate:

2. SOVEREIGN OF THE SEAS: I remember being SO impressed by this vessel as a small kid, and I still think she looks great.

3. NOORDAM/NIEUW AMSTERDAM: no-nonsense, form-follows-function looks, but still elegent. She has many design features which are similar to container ships of the 70s (funnel, radar mast, the "knuckle" in the bow). I believe the design was already drafted in the 70s (shortly after PRINSENDAM) and then "put on ice".

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Originally posted by rd77:
My list:

3. NOORDAM/NIEUW AMSTERDAM: no-nonsense, form-follows-function looks, but still elegent. She has many design features which are similar to container ships of the 70s (funnel, radar mast, the "knuckle" in the bow). I believe the design was already drafted in the 70s (shortly after PRINSENDAM) and then "put on ice".

Brgds.

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The N ships where based on the 9.000+ grt Prinsendam of 1973. The Prinsendam was the first of 4 sister ships who where designed to take a full passenger load of the Boeing 747 on cruising. But the oil crises the other 3 where never build. At the end of the 1970's cruising was up and HAL decided to build 1 big cruise liner instate of 3 smaller ones. They based this design on the Prinsendam and together with the Merwede shipyard the Netherlands they designed what to became the Nieuw Amsterdam of 1983. The order + option finally and with much thanks to the Dutch government was was placed at Chantiers de l'Atlantique, St Nazaire France. The burning of the Prinsendam and technical difficulty's with the Statendam and age of the fleet. HAL turned the option to a firm order which was to became the Noordam of 1984. They where hailed as in that time as two of the most advanced and beautiful decorated cruise liners build.