"M.S. Fastdam" aka M.S. Rotterdam VI

[rkacruiser]

When Rotterdam VI was in the planning/building stages, she was given engines that would provide her with higher speeds than other cruise ships of her time could achieve. She was built for long range cruises whose ocean distances, I assume, could be sailed more quickly than other vessels.

 

She did sail on some long distance cruises earlier in her career, covering much of King Neptune's domain. But now, not so much. Her sailing distances seem to be much less more often than not. (A waste of the ship's potential?)

 

M.S. Amsterdam has assumed my expected role for the Rotterdam as HAL's Grand World Voyage ship. Yet, the Amsterdam's only advantage over the Rotterdam is her azipods. It is not for her engines or the speed for which she is capable. It's those pods that seemed to make the difference.

 

I think that marine engine technology changes are probably responsible for this demotion in "world cruise status" for the successor of Rotterdam V, but why could such not be anticipated prior to Amsterdam's building order?

[OlsSalt]

Interesting topic about ship speed capacity. Maasdam currently will be going 19 knots for the next few days to get from Peru to Easter Island on schedule. Whatever the combination of wind, wave and current, this does mean quite a bit of shuddering right now.

[john2003]

Nor sure that I have grasped your question correctly. The introduction of pods was a very significant change in engineering. The early adopters paid quite a price in schedule disruptions. I am sure HAL watched closely and jumped as soon as the risk reward lines crossed. A pod ship is I suspect more efficient and it certainly is way more independent when manoeuvring. I know this as i have a single screw sailboat!!

 

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[Krazy Kruizers]

Were azipods around when the Rotterdam VI was built?

[AD5ZA]

Were azipods around when the Rotterdam VI was built?

 

 

 

Yes, Carnival Destiny, now Sunshine, built 1996 was the first pod ship if I remember correctly.

Rotterdam VI built 1997.

 

 

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[chengkp75]

Nor sure that I have grasped your question correctly. The introduction of pods was a very significant change in engineering. The early adopters paid quite a price in schedule disruptions. I am sure HAL watched closely and jumped as soon as the risk reward lines crossed. A pod ship is I suspect more efficient and it certainly is way more independent when manoeuvring. I know this as i have a single screw sailboat!!

 

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Destiny was built in 1995, and does not have podded propulsion. I'm not sure when the first Rolls Royce Mermaid pod were installed, but the first ABB Azipod was in 1998.

 

Podded propulsion is about 8-10% more efficient than a standard propeller design, but there are also retrofits that can close the efficiency gap making results for shafted propellers almost equal to pods. A podded ship is not "way more independent" over the vast majority of cruise ships, even those with shafted propellers, as the use of the stern thrusters (that podded ships don't have), "splitting" the twin screws (running one ahead and one astern, and the use of "high lift" Becker-type rudders can maneuver a cruise ship with shafted propellers virtually undectably from a podded ship. The main advantage of pods is in initial capital investment.

[knittinggirl]

We got to tour the bridge on Royal Caribbean's Legend of the Seas, and they said it was the fastest in the fleet (2014) and it could do 25 knots.

[chengkp75]

We got to tour the bridge on Royal Caribbean's Legend of the Seas, and they said it was the fastest in the fleet (2014) and it could do 25 knots.

 

Both the Amsterdam and Rotterdam are designed for 25 knots as well. That was the standard design speed back in the 90's and 00's, but most ships, even those that can reach 25 knots, do not do so, and steam at slower speeds as the last couple of knots can require 18-25% more fuel.

[rkacruiser]

Both the Amsterdam and Rotterdam are designed for 25 knots as well. That was the standard design speed back in the 90's and 00's, but most ships, even those that can reach 25 knots, do not do so, and steam at slower speeds as the last couple of knots can require 18-25% more fuel.

 

Thanks for this information about the Amsterdam's designed speed. I don't recall ever reading that her designed speed could match Rotterdam VI.

[chengkp75]

Thanks for this information about the Amsterdam's designed speed. I don't recall ever reading that her designed speed could match Rotterdam VI.

 

Both ships share a near identical hull (only difference is the after section where the propellers/thrusters or azipods are. Amsterdam has two 15.5 Mw pods, and Rotterdam has two 18.7Mw propulsion motors, and the real controlling factor is the design hull speed, which would be almost identical for both ships as 80% of the hulls are identical, and when you try to push over the hull speed, the horsepower requirement goes skyrocketing up.

[cruisingrob21]

Carnival Paradise was one of the first, if not the first, mass market azipod propelled cruise ship...she was built 1997-1998.