That Classic Decor on Old Ships Now Is a Fire Hazard

On Sept. 12, the posh old Rotterdam, one of the world’s classic cruise ships, embarks on what is expected to be its final scheduled voyage. Loyal fans of the vessel already have booked every cabin for the 19-day trip from Vancouver, Canada, to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., and there is a long waiting list of hopefuls eager to be a part of the nostalgic farewell sailing.

Although the Rotterdam has continued to exude the romance and glamour of the bygone days of ocean liner travel, it is being retired on Sept. 30 by its owner, the Holland America Line--perhaps to become a floating hotel. The line has decided not to invest the $8 million to $15 million estimated necessary to bring the 1,300-passenger ship into compliance with the new international maritime fire safety standards that go into effect Oct. 1.

The Rotterdam is one of what may be a number of such casualties, as all the major cruise lines rush to complete the obligatory safety upgrades on the older ships in their fleets. Cruise Travel magazine calls the new standards “the most comprehensive safety requirements in the history of the maritime industry.”

For ships carrying more than 36 passengers in international waters, the regulations mandate:

* Installation of automatic sprinkler and smoke detection systems in cabins and public areas.

* Placement of “low-location” emergency lighting along escape routes, similar to the exit lights lining the aisles of passenger planes.

* Replacement of combustible materials, such as wood, with noncombustibles.

* The enclosing of stairways.

The newest cruise ships generally incorporate most of these safety measures, but older ships--some of them built 35 years ago or more--do not. The U.S. Coast Guard is charged with enforcing these requirements on all cruise ships sailing out of American ports.

Passengers probably won’t notice the changes, which are expensive, but they “should feel more at ease now if anything goes wrong at sea,” says Ron Bitting of Leaders in Travel, a Great Neck, N.Y., travel agency specializing in cruises.

The requirements “are a step in the right direction,” says a somewhat less enthusiastic Alan Pollock of the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), but implementing them “is taking longer than we would like.” He notes the new standards are only a minimum, a “floor,” that some vessels already exceed.

“If there’s a fire on a cruise ship,” he says, “it’s worse than a fire in a hotel. You want to have the most modern systems and the best-trained personnel.”

About 110 to 120 cruise ships regularly call on U.S. ports, and by one authoritative estimate, the majority of them will have to undergo at least some modification to meet the new safety standards. .

Built in 1959, the Rotterdam has remained a favorite of passengers who prefer old-fashioned elegance over the high-tech attractions of more modern cruise ships. But it was the oldest ship in Holland America’s fleet, and the line wants to concentrate on operating a younger fleet, says spokesman Larry Dessler. Newer ships seem to appeal to young families, an important segment of the cruise market, and travel agents often steer first-time cruisers to new ships. A new Rotterdam, now almost completed, debuts in Venice almost simultaneously with the retirement of the old Rotterdam. It will be the sixth ship to carry the name.

But there were other factors that weighed heavily in the decision to retire the Rotterdam. Cruise line officials felt the required modifications would detract from the ship’s appearance, Dessler says. In particular, the grand curved staircase would have to be enclosed, “and that would take away one of the major visual and identifiable trademarks of the ship.”

Laments Dessler: “One of our greatest fears was that we would end up with a ship about which passengers would say, ‘Gee, you should have seen her when.’ ”

The international agreement, or “convention,” requiring the safety upgrades is called SOLAS, for Safety of Life at Sea. The new requirements were set in 1992, but they are being phased in over a 16-year period that began in 1994. The most significant and expensive changes are those that go into effect Oct. 1 of this year. Additional safety upgrades in the world’s cruise fleets must be completed by 2000, 2005 and 2010.

SOLAS agreements are reached under the auspices of the International Maritime Organization, a London-based agency of the United Nations created in 1948 to improve international maritime safety and prevent maritime pollution. About 150 countries are members. The U.S. Coast Guard represents the United States at IMO meetings. The original SOLAS agreement came into force in 1965, and this year’s new safety requirements, called SOLAS 97, are among the many amendments to it that have been adopted over the years.

Compliance with SOLAS requirements is monitored by each member country, and some countries presumably are stricter than others.

The SOLAS agreement covers only ships that sail in international waters. Ships plying domestic waters may meet the new safety standards, but they are not required to do so. If you are concerned about fire safety aboard an older ship sailing only from foreign ports, ask the cruise line if the ship meets SOLAS ’97 standards before you book.

Christopher Reynolds is on assignment.