SS Nieuw Amsterdam: The Darling of the Dutch

The SS Nieuw Amsterdam, launched in 1937 by the Holland America Line, quickly became one of the most beloved ocean liners to ever sail the Atlantic. She was beautifully designed, often called the Darling of the Dutch, and designated a ship of peace. But when the Netherlands fell to German occupation in World War 2, she was converted into a troopship for the allied war effort. After the war, she returned to regular passenger service and her beauty earned her wide popularity among travelers for nearly 3 decades.

Sources:

Video Credits:
Prelinger Archives
US National Archives
Internet Archive

Music:

Autonomic Sensations - Deepstate Beta
Jo Wandrini - Act I Fluvial
Nocturnal Spirits - That Second Kiss
Howard Harper - Life in Pieces
Wendel Scherer - Growing Doubt
Mochas - Keflavik
Lofive - Shakedown

Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:56 Chapter 1: Dutch Resurgence
5:11 Chapter 2: Designing the Ship of Peace
7:37 Chapter 3: War & Peace
12:07 Chapter 4: Darling of the Dutch

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[BigOldBoats]

What do you think? Greatest liner ever? She's near the top for me.

[TonysGym]

"She may not have been the largest or the fastest but she was just really good; and sometimes that's all you need."

[Roverman]

My uncle served on her from the maiden voyage through the war years until her last, my Father, Mother & I immigrated from the Netherlands to America and came across on the Nieuw Amsterdam in November 1960. I remember some of the crew playing games with me and taking me into the food storage walk in refrigerator for oranges. Back in those days you had to tip everyone as you received services, when we got off the ship in NYC my uncle took us out for a steak dinner and handed my father a pouch with money …..it was a gift from the crew to us ….every tip my father gave was given back to wish us luck in our new home . It brings tears to my eyes remembering that love . Thank you so much for producing this wonder documentary.

[tomservo]

My friend and I helped Holland America celebrate its 150th anniversary with an Atlantic Canada cruise on the ZUIDERDAM...we had a marvelous time.

[zeddeka]

What a beautiful ship. Very balanced and aesthetically pleasing exterior, and a rightly renowned interior.

[monsieurcommissaire]

Queen Wilhelmina sounds awesome. A head of state investing heavily in her country, what a novel idea!

[pieterbossers]

As a Dutchman and retired ship's captain, this story really touched me. Thanks for this beautiful piece if history!

[HEDGE]

3:24 “Ever heard of it? It’s relatively obscure.”

This was a great episode, and I love your injections of dry humor into this series!

[asa]

My parents sailed on her from England to New York I’m back in the early 1960s. I have some wonderful cine footage of the ships interior somewhere in a box that hasn’t been watched for over 40 years.

[anthonywatts]

Interesting story of a long lived ship. Being profitable in the into late 60s was evidence of the loyalty of her passengers. Thanks.

[donaldlampert]

On September 26, 1987…. Friends and I boarded the old Holland America Lines 1951 Maasdam, for it’s last westbound crossing to Montreal, under the Polish Ocean Line, as their “TS Stefan Batory”. The Maasdam, and sister Ryndam had been midclass tourist ships, for Holland America after WWII.
At the time in 1987, we feared that it would be one of the last classic old ocean liners to do a crossing… and we wanted to experience it. Of course the QE2 was still in operation, but who knew for how long….. we did get to see the QE2 in South Hampton as she prepared to set sail!!
What a thrill do actually do a traditional crossing …… a dream come true!
Thanks for these great remembrances of the glory days…. Most of todays shops look like “Holiday Inns”on a barge!

[GlamorousTitanic]

It would have been so awesome to have both Rotterdam and Nieuw Amsterdam preserved together as a hotel complex.

[ronaldbiver]

Those were the days my friend, I thought it would never work & sail on it in the 1960's, thank you for the memory of this GRAND OLD

[joevalentine]

My uncle was head of first class passenger bookings in NYC and this enabled me to visit the great Holland America Line ships in New York harbor.
While never getting to sail on them these visits left a lasting impression on me as a young boy. Thanks for the trip down memory lane.

[DavidMannMD]

I was on it three times: two Caribbean cruises in the 60s, and a transatlantic in 1970. Dutch crew the first cruise, replaced by a Filipino crew the next voyages. Remember seeing the film "Kind Hearts and Coronets" in the movie theater. She was my favorite ship.

[GeneraIKurt]

Such a wholesome Story. Just a good, basic liner designed for Lining.

[ExestentialCrisis]

My grandmother was named after Queen Wilhelmina, and while not famous, was an equally powerful force. ❤

Cruised on the most recent version of the Nieuw Amsterdam a few years back. I am sure she upholds the proud tradition.

[awatt]

Thank you for this excellent tribute to the New Amsterdam! I crossed the big pond on this ship in the early 60's and I much enjoyed seeing her again in this video.

[petetk]

Thank you for this. My parents traveled on this ship! Excellent video.

[AWx]

A great video about a practically perfect little ship. The Dutch didn't go for the biggest or the fastest, but Nieuw Amsterdam and Rotterdam had some brilliant design details that made them the rivals of any of the great ships of state. Maybe even more successful looking at it objectively as the superliners went to the breakers one by one and the little Dutch ships sailed on.