Original Holland America Line building?

[elmsliebev]

We've just been to Rotterdam with another cruise line. There was a lovely guy from the Tourist Information office in the port building and he suggested we could get the water taxi across to the stop by the Maritime Museum, which is a 10 min walk from the Market hall and the Cube Houses.

 

The water taxi was a 5 min walk from the cruise terminal and took us past what I assume is the original Holland America Line building, next door to the New York Hotel. To a cruise geek like me this was a bonus point! Is it the original terminal building?

 

For info the water taxi was 4.50e pp. It was a quick and fun ride across the water - so much so that we got it back again. As they are a proper taxi service, you are supposed to book the return journey online but we didn't know and just turned up and got on, but I don't know if that's always possible.  

 

 

[ShipsAreTheBest]

Yes, it was the “head office” for a number of years.  It was positioned at the end of the Wilhelminakade, where the Holland America ships sailed from (and location of the cruise terminal today in Rotterdam)

[VMax1700]

Did you venture into the hotel or restaurant.  The inside is really interesting.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[firsttimer1971]

Dutch National Airline KLM gives it Business Class passengers on international flights a Delft Blue miniature house (filled with Gin) representing a real Dutch building. One of them is the former Holland Amerika Line head office. I actually have this one myself.

 

 

Text from the website  of KLMhouses.com:

"Hotel New York Koninginnehoofd 1, Rotterdam Hotel New York is situated in the former head office of the Holland America Line, also known as 'The Grand Old Lady'. From here thousands of emigrants left for North America, hoping for a better life. Nowadays, people come here to sleep, celebrate, eat, drink and do business in a special atmosphere. In earlier times, many Europeans escaped poverty and/or religious persecution by leaving from Rotterdam. These emigrants usually left for North America, hoping for a better life. In 1873 the NASM company was founded, officially renamed 'Holland America Line' in 1896. In 1971, after more than 100 years of transporting passengers, the Nieuw Amsterdam left the city on the Maas for its last crossing. An important episode in Rotterdam's nautical history had come to an end. The building in which hotel New Yorkis situated was built in the Jugendstil style during the period 1901-1917 by the architects J. Muller, Droogleever Fortuin and C.B. van der Tak. In 1977 the Holland America Line's head office moved to Seattle and in 1984 the building on Wilhelmina Pier was put on sale. One fine day in the early nineties, a few people regarded the building from across the water. With its tall towers and spinning weathercock, the building seemed to say: "Yes, I’m still here!" That is when the idea of a hotel and large café-restaurant first took shape, leading to Hotel New York opening its doors on May 5, 1993. Hotel New York has 72 rooms (some of them are old boardrooms from the directors of the HAL), 7 conference rooms, a big caf&eactu;-restaurant for 400 people and an exclusive restaurant for 100 guests named NY Basement in its souterrain. The 97th miniature was revealed at a festive event aboard the Steamship in Rotterdam. KLM President & CEO Pieter Elbers presented the first miniatures to Ahmed Aboutaleb, the Mayor of Rotterdam, and Mr and Mrs Westers, who run Hotel New York. After the official presentation, the guests were brought by boat to Hotel New York for drinks and snacks." 

The Delf Blue miniature can actually be bought online (that's how I got it) and send to the UK/US:
https://www.klmhouses.com/miniatures/97-klm-miniature-97.html
(Size: 8cm x 5,5cm x 4cm)
 

 

Edited March 20, 2023 by firsttimer1971
Added direct link to the website

[OlsSalt]

Never forget our first HAL cruise that came into Rotterdam, before the recent port terminal expansion

 

We  could still directly view  the old godowns dockside, with those wonderful sounding names: Sumatra, Celebes, Java ....... Over time HAL look us to nearly all of them. Thank you HAL.

 

To be on the Rotterdam ship in Fort Rotterdam, Indonesia was truly coming full circle in celebration of Holland's East Indies heritage.

Edited March 20, 2023 by OlsSalt

[3rdGenCunarder]

We saw the HAL building from the water when your river cruise went through Rotterdam. Saw the ship, too!

 

[elmsliebev]

6 hours ago, VMax1700 said:

Did you venture into the hotel or restaurant.  The inside is really interesting.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

no we didn't, but we intend to return to Rotterdam for a wekend, so will check it out then, looks amazing. 

[elmsliebev]

thanks everyone for the lovely information, much appreciated.

[RuthC]

5 hours ago, firsttimer1971 said:

Dutch National Airline KLM gives it Business Class passengers on international flights a Delft Blue miniature house (filled with Gin) representing a real Dutch building. One of them is the former Holland Amerika Line head office.

A CC friend  sent me one of those---with the gin still in it!---for which I will always be grateful. Thanks, Gerry.

[Sir PMP]

3 hours ago, elmsliebev said:

no we didn't, but we intend to return to Rotterdam for a wekend, so will check it out then, looks amazing. 

Make sure you have a coffee with appelgebak met slagroom, you will remember that.

[Sir PMP]

Just now, Sir PMP said:

Make sure you have a coffee with appelgebak met slagroom, you will remember that.

[elmsliebev]

14 hours ago, Sir PMP said:

wow, looks amazing! 

[5swetsen]

For the best Appelgebak of Rotterdam you need to go to Dudok at the Meent 😉 

 

Tomorrow and the day after the new Rotterdam will be at the Rotterdam Cruise Terminal. The best photo someone can make will be de 'old' SS Rotterdam with Hotel NewYork/HAL HQ in one shot, taken from the new Rotterdam 😉

[kazu]

On 3/20/2023 at 11:53 AM, firsttimer1971 said:

Dutch National Airline KLM gives it Business Class passengers on international flights a Delft Blue miniature house (filled with Gin) representing a real Dutch building. One of them is the former Holland Amerika Line head office. I actually have this one myself.

 

 

Text from the website  of KLMhouses.com:

"Hotel New York Koninginnehoofd 1, Rotterdam Hotel New York is situated in the former head office of the Holland America Line, also known as 'The Grand Old Lady'. From here thousands of emigrants left for North America, hoping for a better life. Nowadays, people come here to sleep, celebrate, eat, drink and do business in a special atmosphere. In earlier times, many Europeans escaped poverty and/or religious persecution by leaving from Rotterdam. These emigrants usually left for North America, hoping for a better life. In 1873 the NASM company was founded, officially renamed 'Holland America Line' in 1896. In 1971, after more than 100 years of transporting passengers, the Nieuw Amsterdam left the city on the Maas for its last crossing. An important episode in Rotterdam's nautical history had come to an end. The building in which hotel New Yorkis situated was built in the Jugendstil style during the period 1901-1917 by the architects J. Muller, Droogleever Fortuin and C.B. van der Tak. In 1977 the Holland America Line's head office moved to Seattle and in 1984 the building on Wilhelmina Pier was put on sale. One fine day in the early nineties, a few people regarded the building from across the water. With its tall towers and spinning weathercock, the building seemed to say: "Yes, I’m still here!" That is when the idea of a hotel and large café-restaurant first took shape, leading to Hotel New York opening its doors on May 5, 1993. Hotel New York has 72 rooms (some of them are old boardrooms from the directors of the HAL), 7 conference rooms, a big caf&eactu;-restaurant for 400 people and an exclusive restaurant for 100 guests named NY Basement in its souterrain. The 97th miniature was revealed at a festive event aboard the Steamship in Rotterdam. KLM President & CEO Pieter Elbers presented the first miniatures to Ahmed Aboutaleb, the Mayor of Rotterdam, and Mr and Mrs Westers, who run Hotel New York. After the official presentation, the guests were brought by boat to Hotel New York for drinks and snacks." 

The Delf Blue miniature can actually be bought online (that's how I got it) and send to the UK/US:
https://www.klmhouses.com/miniatures/97-klm-miniature-97.html
(Size: 8cm x 5,5cm x 4cm)
 

 

 

Aren’t those terrific?  I know of no other airline that does something like this.

I have 2 of them and yes, the gin is still in them.  We never had the heart to break them open.  Adorable.

[MAVIP]

On 3/20/2023 at 11:11 AM, elmsliebev said:

 

The water taxi was a 5 min walk from the cruise terminal and took us past what I assume is the original Holland America Line building, next door to the New York Hotel. To a cruise geek like me this was a bonus point! Is it the original terminal building?

It is the former Holland Amerika Lijn building and the whole building is now Hotel New York. Nice hotel just accross the street of the Rotterdam Cruise Terminal.