Royal Rotterdam Lloyd

Another Dutch line was the Royal Rotterdam Lloyd (or Koninklijke Rotterdamse Lloyd) 

• A history of the line (in Dutch)

Willem Ruys

The Willem Ruys. completed in 1947, was Holland's second-largest ship.  Her construction had been interrupted by World War 2.  At 631 feet long, she had accommodation for 840 passengers in four classes.

In 1964, the Willem Ruys and one of her main competitors, the  Oranje of the Nederland Line, were sold to Flotta Lauro of Naples.  The Willem Ruys became the Achille Lauro and the the Oranje became the Angelina Lauro.  Both suffered fires during their renovation, and she began sailing from Italy to Australia and New Zealand in 1959.  Her accommodation was  revised to 1,167 in two classes.

In 1985, the Achille Lauro was hijacked by Palestinian terrorists.  Leon Klinghoffer, a disabled American tourist, was killed and his body thrown overboard.  Here is more information about the hijacking.

In 1994, tragedy struck the Achille Lauro again.  She caught fire and sank off the Somali coast.

• Here is a time line of the ship's history
• Another picture and info. of the Willem Ruys
• Another history of the ship (in Dutch) with good pictures.