by Shawn J. Dake

The s.s REMBRANDT is a work in progress. A classic cruise ship from near the end of the Trans-Atlantic era, the former s.s. ROTTERDAM (v) is still sailing the seas with a new name and a new operator. When Premier Cruises first took over the ship in October, 1997, there was much speculation as to what would happen to her beautiful wood paneled interiors and wonderful double grand staircase. After all, it was the new fire safety regulations of SOLAS 97 that forced her retirement from Holland America Line service. Happily, it can be reported that little has physically changed on this comfortable ship. But, that is not to say that things are not quite different on board.

Having maintained a twenty-five year love affair with the old ROTTERDAM it was with both a sense of excitement and trepidation that I once again set foot aboard my favorite ship in Barcelona, Spain. This review is based on the May 4, 1998, 8-Day cruise in the Mediterranean (normally the cruises are 7-Days, but more about that later).

The busy port of Barcelona is an excellent place to begin a European voyage. This day the REMBRANDT shared the port with the modern profiles of the AIDA and COSTA VICTORIA along with an assortment of ferries and freighters. The embarkation process was quick and efficient. Stepping aboard the gangway on B-Deck I was once again in the familiar lobby between the two-deck high dinning rooms and facing a bank of four elevators that would take me to my compact but comfortable stateroom on the Boat Deck. Had I been weighted down with luggage I would have elected to climb the staircase, admiring as I went, the blue-tinted glass abstracts designed by W.J. Allermans depicting life from the bottom of the sea beginning on B-Deck, ascending up to the cosmos on Boat Deck. It is the artistic touches like this that make the ship so magnificent; and those works of art are everywhere.

As I explored the ship my first impression was what a great job Premier has done in preserving the unique character of the vessel while bringing her into compliance with new fire safety standards. What Holland America Line had stated would cost over $20 million to accomplish, Premier did reportedly for under $3 million. Strips for low -level emergency lighting are barely noticeable. The most extensive work has been in the stair landings that now enclose the grand staircase with fire-safe walls. Yet even that has been accomplished with a minimal disruption to the original plan. There are only two places that will stand out as different to passengers. On Promenade Deck just outside the Ocean Bar, where the lobby once opened onto the Lybaan Shop is now a solid wall. On Main Deck where the main foyer connects the Front Office, that is now dissected by a wall with two large openings. There are of course other fire walls on each deck but these have been placed at angles where corridors meet the lobby, lessening their visual impact. All in all, these changes seem a small concession in exchange for increased safety and preserving a magnificent ocean liner.

The accommodations on the REMBRANDT vary greatly among eleven categories of cabins offered. The minimum category "K" rooms, found mainly on B-Deck aft can be as small as 90 square feet. This contrasts to the twelve category "A" Deluxe Suites situated on Lower Promenade Deck at over 400 square feet with three or even four portholes. Cabin size and layout can also vary within a category; part of the charm and frustration of older ships. All outside cabins on the four lowest decks have portholes while those on Sun Deck and Boat Decks have windows. All cabins feature private facilities with shower and/or bathtub, a dresser and chair, adequate closet space, telephone and television.

IN addition to the ship itself, probably the two most important elements in a successful cruise are the food and service levels. Both of these areas were somewhat deficient aboard the REMBRANDT. However, there was a notable improvement as the week progressed so they do get an "A" grade for effort. Much of the service staff, particularly in the dining room, seemed to be brand new. It would surprise me very much if the waiter, bus-girl and wine steward that served me the first night had ever provided a meal on land or sea. The table was not properly set with even the most basic necessities. Plates had to be passed over fellow passengers only to have dirty forks handed back to be used again. Combined with extremely poor quality food it did not make for a very pleasant dining experience. But surprisingly after getting off to a bad start, things improved. A change of tables brought a steward with over 20 years experience in the cruise industry who was outstanding. The food improved each day and, in the dining room, it got to be very good. The poor showing on the early days was blamed on low quality products that had been taken aboard in South America prior to the ship’s Trans-Atlantic crossing. Whether true or not the food from Barcelona did seem much better and of course much fresher. Dinner is served in two sittings in the two dining rooms still named Odyssey and La Fontaine and unchanged in decor. Alternatively, breakfast and lunch can still be taken in the Lido Restaurant or on deck. The quality of the food here was disappointing. Even simple fare like hamburgers and hot dogs were not of the type Americans are used to. This was surprising as the chef was from California. Service personnel in the cabins and public rooms while somewhat inexperienced, was certainly pleasant and enthusiastic.

Two other items that round out the cruise experience are the entertainment and the itinerary. This is where Premier excelled. The cruise staff, led by Cruise Director Lynda Konarski, did a superb job of helping pass the limited time at sea on this port intensive itinerary. The shows in the Theater were well produced, high energy affairs, especially those featuring a troupe of Brazilian singers and dancers. Other evening diversions included musical combos nightly in the Ritz Carlton and Ambassador Lounges. From 11:00pm the Sky Room Disco opened until the "wee hours" and was a much more lively place than in her previous incarnation, enhanced by lasers and lighting effects and a new D.J. booth. The most pleasant surprise was that the Smoking Room has become yet another evening entertainment venue. A piano has been moved into this lovely room and a versatile entertainer simply named Bert, holds the audience enthralled by his vast repertoire of songs and comedic sense. The first night a few passengers were listening. By the final evening the room was packed. While some of the public rooms may be used for different purposes than when the ship was the ROTTERDAM, nothing has been done which detracts from the decor or ambiance and in the case of the entertainment, it has been enhanced.

It would be difficult to find a Mediterranean itinerary better than Premier’s. Leaving on Mondays from Barcelona at 4:00pm, the REMBRANDT sails to Villefranche, a picturesque small coastal town and the jumping off point for side trips to Nice or Monaco. Next is Civitavecchia, the port for Rome. Here a ship’s shore excursion, or train ride, allows for a quick glimpse of this magnificent city. One note of caution of traveling on your own; train schedules seem to be a very flexible concept in Italy and it is wise to allow a lot of extra time to get back to the ship. I also experimented with using Europass train tickets and found that was not the way to go. The call at Messina, Sicily is only five hours and there the best plan is a side tour of the lovely town of Taormina. The next day the ship is docked in Naples where trips can easily be arranged to Pompeii, the Isle of Capri or the Amalfi Coast. After four solid days of touring the full day at sea on Saturday is a welcome relief. For most veteran cruise passengers few things in life are more enjoyable than a relaxing day cruising the blue Mediterranean Sea. The final port before returning to Barcelona is Palma de Mallorca, a beautiful Spanish island and popular resort destination.

There is a mix of international passengers aboard the REMBRANDT. On this sailing the countries of origin ranged from Brazil, Spain, USA, Great Britain, Germany and Holland. Somewhat unusual is that the ship picks up passengers at most of the ports along the way and they the make their one week cruise circuit to their respective port of origin. At Barcelona we started with about four hundred passengers but this climbed to around nine hundred by the time we returned. British tour companies fly their guests in for the cruise primarily at Naples and Palma de Mallorca. The mix of passengers seemed to work well, however all the coming and going did disrupt the continuity of the cruise slightly.

As mentioned earlier, the May 4th sailing lasted 8 days, but not intentionally. Upon reaching Palma de Mallorca the REMBRANDT suffered a complete failure of her four boilers causing the ship to be without power. Electricity was maintained to the cabins by use of an auxiliary diesel generator that is presently housed in a container situated aft on the top deck above the Ritz Carlton Lounge. But there was no air-conditioning and no food preparation in the galley. The evening dinner was made enjoyable with a barbecue out on the aft deck and a warm, comfortable evening. Inside it was hot. I was indeed fortunate to have my cabin on Boat Deck with a window that would open and an old fashioned wall fan that worked. By the second evening in Palma de Mallorca the ship was again able to get up steam and sail to Barcelona, one day behind schedule.

This cruise also had a rough beginning in more ways than one. Besides the problems with the meal service the REMBRANDT ran into a force 10 gale a few hours after leaving port the first evening. In summary, with the exception of the start and the finish the middle portion of this cruise was a very enjoyable experience. Premier is to be commended for having the courage to operate a fleet of older, classic vessels that many passengers prefer. While they still have a ways to go before they deliver a great cruise product, they are well on the way and, with a little fine tuning and crew training, they will reach their goal. For those of us who prefer our ships with wood and brass instead of plastic and chrome, the s.s. REMBRANDT is the finest surviving example.