Author Topic: SS Rotterdam - The Venue  (Read 9041 times)

0 Members and 2 Guests are viewing this topic.

Online Rob Lightbody

  • Administrator
  • Queens Grill Diner
  • *****
  • Posts: 12331
  • Total likes: 15847
  • Helping to Keep The Legend Alive
    • Rob Lightbody dot com
SS Rotterdam - The Venue
« on: May 22, 2011, 06:21 PM »
Don't believe a historic ocean liner can make a successful come back in retirement?

Think again!


And I'm pleased to say that I will once again be staying on board in a few weeks time - can't wait!
Passionate about QE2's service life for 40 years and creator of this website.  I have worked in IT for 28 years and created my personal QE2 website in 1994.

RMS Queen Elizabeth 2

  • Guest
Re: SS Rotterdam - The Venue
« Reply #1 on: May 22, 2011, 07:11 PM »
She looks stunning!

Online cunardqueen

Re: SS Rotterdam - The Venue
« Reply #2 on: Jun 01, 2011, 10:24 AM »
Quote
   And I'm pleased to say that I will once again be staying on board in a few weeks time - can't wait!
Rob
It would be interesting to hear what, if any changes have been made to the onboard running/experience and how you enjoyed this visit to your previous visit..
Going by the video, l would be very keen to give her a try!
From the moment you first glimpsed the Queen,
 you just knew you were in for a very special time ahead.!

Online Bob C.

Re: SS Rotterdam - The Venue
« Reply #3 on: Jun 01, 2011, 07:58 PM »
I think the key to success is melding a cruise ship experience with history (museum) and business (conference center).  From the excellent video it looks like Rotterdam has achieved that. 

QE2 would be most suited for this especially in Glasgow or nearby Clydebank.

Online Isabelle Prondzynski

Re: SS Rotterdam - The Venue
« Reply #4 on: Jul 19, 2011, 06:19 PM »
Have a look at the kind of activities that the SS Rotterdam can host :

http://www.eurociett.eu/fileadmin/templates/eurociett/docs/Dispatch/dispatch_summer_20011.pdf

Latest newsletter of the European Conferation of Private Employment Agencies.

This sort of event must be very welcome to raise an income for the ship. Looking forward to the day when QE2 can do the same in a suitable venue...

Online cunardqueen

Re: SS Rotterdam - The Venue
« Reply #5 on: Jul 19, 2011, 07:17 PM »
Quote
  This sort of event must be very welcome to raise an income for the ship. Looking forward to the day when QE2 can do the same in a suitable venue...
   
   
Any sort of event will be a welcome income for a ship, But alas its bodies on beds that count.Its the rooms that bring in the money.
Events will probably bring in a room hire (or not depending on numbers ) the catering you might get the morning & afternoon teas out of them, and probably a lunch as well,Bottled water on the tables and probably equipment hire. If you can get them to spend the night before or after then your laughing, plus the spend in the bar, maybe a group dinner with wine, it all helps

Try and get a hotel room in Vegas in January, the place is packed with conferences and events, and some companies actually book entire hotels, I found it fasinating speaking with some of the staff about their side of hotel workings, its a world away from over here.

The times l'v stayed on the Queen Mary they have had various conferences on and annoyingly some of the rooms are out of bounds, But all 3 conferences had them staying onboard.
Weddings are an entirely different money making matter, you can enquire about a meal for a hundred and then pop in the word wedding and the prices go through the roof... with all manner of extra add ons..   :-X
From the moment you first glimpsed the Queen,
 you just knew you were in for a very special time ahead.!

Online Bob C.

Re: SS Rotterdam - The Venue
« Reply #6 on: Jul 19, 2011, 07:27 PM »
Don't believe a historic ocean liner can make a successful come back in retirement?

Think again!

I'm watching Rob's video and thinking that it if one didn't know better, it doesn't look like Rotterdam is out of service.  One could make the same sort of promo video for QE2 using existing (in service) footage and post it on this website for all potential QE2 entrepeneurs to get their ideas.  I'd be more than happy to volunteer to make it but I am 1) short on footage and 2) could not do it with anything less than Apple's "Final Cut" software - which I do not have.

Any other takers?

Online cunardqueen

Re: SS Rotterdam - The Venue
« Reply #7 on: Jul 19, 2011, 07:32 PM »
The Rotterdam Brunch

I do wonder also if perhaps they could make more of the Brunch idea, or is this not so popular in Europe?
Going by what they promote as brunch, it does appear a tad uninteresting...
Then again comparing the Sunday Brunch on Queen Mary anything else would appear quite tame....
< old image removed >
« Last Edit: Mar 19, 2022, 12:00 PM by Rob Lightbody »
From the moment you first glimpsed the Queen,
 you just knew you were in for a very special time ahead.!

Online Isabelle Prondzynski

Re: SS Rotterdam - The Venue
« Reply #8 on: Dec 13, 2011, 04:02 PM »
SS Rotterdam on Facebook

The SS Rotterdam has several pages on Facebook, and I have decided to "like" these :

Here is Het Stoomship Rotterdam (Steamship Rotterdam, i.e. the ship herself) :

https://www.facebook.com/#!/ssrotterdam

Here is CruiseHotel Rotterdam (the hotel business on the ship) :

https://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=100001698168765

Most of the Wall posts have so far been in Dutch, so I have asked them to translate them also into English and to remember that they have fans outside the Netherlands! They took up this suggestion immediately, and since yesterday, they have been giving most of the information bilingually.

If you are a Facebook member and also like the ship, you could perhaps occasionally say something in English on their pages, so as to confirm to them that the Rotterdam has fans in many countries!

In addition, there is a promotion right now, and if you "like" this among the first 500 to do so, you could win a night for two on board! Both sites are running this promotion. Good luck!


Offline Twynkle

Re: SS Rotterdam - The Venue
« Reply #9 on: Dec 13, 2011, 05:26 PM »
Thanks so much Isabelle
Keeping fingers tightly crossed!

Online Rob Lightbody

  • Administrator
  • Queens Grill Diner
  • *****
  • Posts: 12331
  • Total likes: 15847
  • Helping to Keep The Legend Alive
    • Rob Lightbody dot com
Re: SS Rotterdam - The Venue
« Reply #10 on: Apr 22, 2012, 07:32 PM »
This is a nice Youtube video to sum up the wonderful SS Rotterdam Cruise Hotel



Passionate about QE2's service life for 40 years and creator of this website.  I have worked in IT for 28 years and created my personal QE2 website in 1994.

Online Isabelle Prondzynski

Re: SS Rotterdam - The Venue
« Reply #11 on: Aug 21, 2014, 07:56 PM »
They do lovely events on SS Rotterdam. The latest of these is a 2-night mini holiday for about 60 children from Rotterdam, who would not normally have had the chance to go away during the summer. Have a look here:

http://ssrotterdam.nl/nieuws/binkies-minivakantie-jeugdjournaal/

If you click into the video, it contains this evening's television news, aimed particularly at young viewers. From minute 6.20, you will get an idea of how much the children enjoyed the ship.

http://jeugdjournaal.nl/uitzending/avond/2014-08-21

In case you are interested, the item preceding this is about very fast electric bicycles which a group of children are testing and enjoying.
« Last Edit: Aug 21, 2014, 07:58 PM by Isabelle Prondzynski »

Offline June Ingram

  • Global Moderator
  • Queens Grill Diner
  • *****
  • Posts: 9550
  • Total likes: 6487
  • Beautiful, elegant QE2 - forever Queen of the Seas
Re: SS Rotterdam - The Venue
« Reply #12 on: Aug 21, 2014, 08:27 PM »
Thank you, Isabelle, for this very fascinating information !  It is truly wonderful how SS Rotterdam was given a new life !  June   :)
QE2 - the ship for all of time, a ship of timeless beauty !

Online Isabelle Prondzynski

Re: SS Rotterdam - The Venue
« Reply #13 on: Sep 06, 2014, 08:58 PM »
The outdoor Lido deck has just won the top prize in this year's competition for the best "Terras" (outdoor restaurant / café) in Rotterdam this year :

http://ssrotterdam.nl/nieuws/lido-terras-winnaar-ad-terrassentrofee-2014/#.VAtl50ica11

They were awarded 10 out of 10 for the ambiance, 9 out of 10 for the view (!) and 9 out of 10 for service.

SS Rotterdam seems to be going from strength to strength... must try and get there again some time this year... :) .

Online Lynda Bradford

Re: SS Rotterdam - The Venue
« Reply #14 on: Sep 06, 2014, 11:23 PM »
Good news for the Rotterdam- lovely ship :)
I was proud to be involved with planning QE2's 50 year conference in September 2017 in Clydebank

Online Isabelle Prondzynski

Re: SS Rotterdam - The Venue
« Reply #15 on: Sep 11, 2014, 10:17 AM »
SS Rotterdam has been selected as one of the venues in this year's European Heritage Days (which take place in Rotterdam this coming weekend). All kinds of events have been organised for the general public, including children.

http://ssrotterdam.nl/agenda/open-monumentendag-rotterdam/#.VBFny0iLPvJ

Offline June Ingram

  • Global Moderator
  • Queens Grill Diner
  • *****
  • Posts: 9550
  • Total likes: 6487
  • Beautiful, elegant QE2 - forever Queen of the Seas
Re: SS Rotterdam - The Venue
« Reply #16 on: Sep 11, 2014, 05:07 PM »
Thank you, Isabelle, very much for letting us know that SS Rotterdam will be part of the European Heritage Days.  It is wonderful that she is being used in a marvelous way and being well cared for.

June   :)
QE2 - the ship for all of time, a ship of timeless beauty !

Online Lynda Bradford

Re: SS Rotterdam - The Venue
« Reply #17 on: Sep 11, 2014, 06:47 PM »
Good news for SS Rotterdam. She is a lovely venue!
I was proud to be involved with planning QE2's 50 year conference in September 2017 in Clydebank

Online Isabelle Prondzynski

Re: SS Rotterdam - The Venue
« Reply #18 on: Aug 03, 2015, 09:08 PM »
Video (In English) presenting the SS Rotterdam as a business and entertainment venue :


Online Michael Gallagher

How much life is there on SS Rotterdam now?
« Reply #19 on: Aug 28, 2018, 07:19 AM »
The Queens Lounge on Rotterdam...

Online Rob Lightbody

  • Administrator
  • Queens Grill Diner
  • *****
  • Posts: 12331
  • Total likes: 15847
  • Helping to Keep The Legend Alive
    • Rob Lightbody dot com
Re: How much life is there on SS Rotterdam now?
« Reply #20 on: Aug 28, 2018, 09:52 AM »
The Queens Lounge on Rotterdam...

Wonderful.  I'm actually arranging a trip to the Rotterdam now, all 3 previous visits were fabulous
Passionate about QE2's service life for 40 years and creator of this website.  I have worked in IT for 28 years and created my personal QE2 website in 1994.

Online Michael Gallagher

Re: How much life is there on SS Rotterdam now?
« Reply #21 on: Aug 28, 2018, 10:00 AM »
I loved my second longer stay on board earlier this year. Amazing. The ship was full of life and everybody was enjoying themselves. Great to see the outdoor decks throughout the days very busy with diners and drinkers. A lot of people going on tours. And a lot of people using the ship ...

Offline Alex Tarry

Re: How much life is there on SS Rotterdam now?
« Reply #22 on: Aug 28, 2018, 11:41 AM »
Agree entirely, we’ve stayed several times on Rotterdam too, from conversations onboard the QE2 their team have visited and do consider it something to take inspiration from.

One of the strategies employed there was to lease parts of the ship to (three?) different operators.  Also getting tours going helps footfall...

However the QE2 team’s strategy seems to be to create more and more rooms...hmm

Online Isabelle Prondzynski

Re: How much life is there on SS Rotterdam now?
« Reply #23 on: Aug 28, 2018, 11:44 AM »
It’s the same story on Rotterdam, her original lower deck restaurants are two spaces I’ve never seen used on her.

Odyssey Room in action :


Odyssey Room
by Isabelle Prondzynski, on Flickr

This, and the La Fontaine Room, are used for parties, events and occasions, not for individual diners. I think on this occasion it was a party for a major birthday.

Online Isabelle Prondzynski

Re: How much life is there on SS Rotterdam now?
« Reply #24 on: Aug 28, 2018, 11:46 AM »
One of the strategies employed there was to lease parts of the ship to (three?) different operators.

That was the initial strategy. Meanwhile, it is one operator only, the owners of a major Dutch up-market hotel chain, and that has worked out very well for them. They also draw on a lot of volunteers for the tours. It really helps that SS Rotterdam is in her home port...

Offline Twynkle

Re: How much life is there on SS Rotterdam now?
« Reply #25 on: Aug 29, 2018, 08:42 AM »
I loved my second longer stay on board earlier this year. Amazing. The ship was full of life and everybody was enjoying themselves. Great to see the outdoor decks throughout the days very busy with diners and drinkers. A lot of people going on tours. And a lot of people using the ship ...

Michael
Thank you - Did you get the impression that some people were also on board for just a brief visit (for example, lunch and a look round) - as if it was part of a 'tourists tour of Rotterdam'?
Also - do you think there would be fewer people depending on the weather / time of year...?
(I thought at first that you might have been referring to QE2! :( !)
Rosie