The world’s oldest passenger ship is going through a major facelift and will soon become a heritage hotel with resort-style facilities, berthed in Bintan. The owner, Singaporean businessman Eric Saw, initially had plans for it to be a floating hotel in Singapore but finally settled on Bintan after failing to find a suitable berthing spot.
Eric first bought the 100-year-old ship from a scrapyard in 2010 and later renamed her to Doulos Phos, which means “servant light” in Greek. Doulos Phos first set sail in 1914 (2 years after Titanic sank) and boasts a rich history. Luckily, guests can look forward to revisiting the ship’s colorful heritage with an onboard maritime museum and the eight decks transformed to pay homage to the ship’s different eras—she first started out as an onion carrier and most recently was a mission ship and the world’s largest floating book exhibition.
The 130m-long vessel will also feature all day diners, approximately 100 cabins and (on land) will be surrounded by a piano lounge, swimming pool and alfresco dining area. Renovations are expected to be completed next March and there are plans for the grand opening to happen Christmas 2015.
