Most progressive ship of the fifties is anchored

The Rotterdam returned to the city forever

Han Cochlovius started his career on big ships when he was about 17 years old. Nowadays he is a ship host on "Rotterdam". After half of century, from the beginning of 2010, "Rotterdam", the Dutch pride and joy, is open to the public as a unique hotel, restaurant, museum and congress location, and will never be sailing anymore


By GERBEN SOLLEVELD (gerben.solleveld@wavemagazine.net)
from Rotterdam, NETHERLANDS


"I made the sound of a chicken to explain the waiter that I wanted to eat chicken. After waiting a while I got my plate full with octopus." Trying to explain it again by using his arms, legs and the sound of a chicken, in the end he got his long-awaited meal: "After a few minutes I took another bite," meanwhile his face is going scary, "and I saw a chicken's eye. They gave me a complete chicken!" Han Cochlovius tells about his experiences when being abroad during his time at one of the most sophisticated ships of the fifties. At the beginning of this century, due to financial problems, the Rotterdam was not allowed to sail any longer.

Steamship "Rotterdam" was baptized on 13 September 1958 by Queen Juliana. A special one, different from other, already built ships. Crossing the Atlantic Ocean from the Netherlands to New York City is not always a pleasant trip. The sea could be raw, and the weather sometimes unpredictable. The Holland America Line (HAL) made great demands to its newest ship. For many people, the construction was controversial. The most striking part is the absence of traditional chimneys, while this ship is designed with two modern flues. Due to this special architectural building, the streamline was perfect. Its beautiful hull and sharp bow made the Rotterdam sea-proof.

Two stairwells

Its outside look is special, but famous artists and architectures were responsible for a special design inside the ship. On the one hand it had to be luxuriant, but on the other hand its usefulness was necessary. One of the designers was Han van Tienhoven. Cochlovius (67) tells about the double stairwell in the Rotterdam, which was meant to separate the upper class from the tourists. "The idea came from his castle that Van Tienhoven was living in. He used two different stairwells, just to be sure that his mistresses wouldn't see each other."

Nowadays 90% of its interior is still intact. Han Cochlovius speaks to WAVE Magazine in the Card Room. You feel the luxury hanging in the air. On the right side a small table where people were playing Klaberjass reminds the atmosphere of the Card Room. According to Cochlovius, the Rotterdam feels like home: "It is a special smell when you enter the ship."

All over the world

Nowadays Cochlovius, who is originally from Dutch India, is a part-time ship host on the Rotterdam. But his career on ships like these started when he was about 17 years old. "I finished my study and decided that I wanted to see the world. I went to several companies to apply for a job, but most of them hadn't. In the end the HAL admitted me." The old ship worker is very enthusiastic about his job: "I felt great, I had a job. It didn't matter that I had to clean toilets." During all his journeys the staff of the ships saw how Cochlovius did his job, so they gave him the possibility to climb the corporate ladder. "If you want something, you need to invest."

During his career at the Rotterdam and some other ships of the HAL Cochlovius visited many places: "During the sixties British Guyana fought its independency. Bullets were flying around us when we were there," he tells with a serious face.

On board there was no time for jokes: "You dare not to do any joke. It was also forbidden to keep in contact with passengers. But sometimes something happened between a crew member and a passenger", he adds with a sneaky smile.

Cochlovius himself started with the dirtiest job on a ship, but grew up to a waiter in the eating room. In the end at the purser's office he had to translate foreign newspapers, given that his language skills were very good.

Art work

After Cochlovius' stories it is time for the finishing touch, a tour through the Rotterdam. Not only the spherical ball rooms, beautiful grand piano, and enormous dimensions - its length is about 230 metre, the ship contains 13 decks - but also the amazing paintings and other art work. The dance floor of the Grand Ballroom has a pattern of the waves of the sea. A painting of about fifteen metres shows all exotic cultures the ship has been sailing to, the handrail contains fishes swimming into the net.

Walking to the cockpit a former engine worker tells that, due to the streamline of the Rotterdam, it was possible to turn 360° in no-time. Walking on the bridge deck you have a good overview on the sea. Behind the wheelhouse is the captain's room situated. The captain was the only crew member who had a separate shower, a bath as well. After visiting the engine room almost thirty metres downstairs you are back on the mainland, with another sail experience. The Rotterdam is back in the Rotterdam centre, the place where it left home in the fifties, and will never be sailing anymore.



(Published: 10.05.2010.)