Rotterdam

After a delivery delay, Holland America Line's new flagship Rotterdam VI was christened in Fort Lauderdale Dec. 9 by Princess Margriet of the Netherlands. The ceremony had been scheduled for Venice on Oct. 19, but the ship was only finished in time to make a scheduled transatlantic crossing from Barcelona Nov. 11, arriving in Fort Lauderdale Dec. 4.

Unseeded Omar Camporese of Italy upset top-seeded Ivan Lendl, 3-6, 7-6 (7-4), 7-6 (7-4), to win the ABN Amro World tennis tournament Sunday. Camporese, 22, ranked 42nd in the world, came back from a sluggish start to defeat Lendl, ranked third, in 2 hours 48 minutes. "I think I'm dreaming," Camporese said, adding that his game plan was to "take the lead and not give Lendl any room."

Global warming and a resulting rise in sea levels present a direct threat to the world's seaports -- and many of California's harbors are nowhere near ready, state officials say. Sea levels in California are expected to increase 16 inches over the next 40 years, causing flooding and endangering facilities throughout the state, according to a report by the California State Lands Commission. By 2100, the ocean could rise as much as 55 inches, the report said. Most of the 40 ports and shipping hubs surveyed by the state said they were not prepared for the rise in sea levels.

As had been rumored for weeks, the classic cruise ship Rotterdam has been purchased by Premier Cruises. Considered one of the grande dames of the old-style luxury liners, the Rotterdam's Art Deco interior will be refurbished, its safety equipment updated and its name changed to the Rembrandt when it joins the Premier fleet in December. The Rotterdam, which debuted in 1959, was for 38 years the flagship of the Holland America Line.

Holland America's new Rotterdam cruise ship, which had been expected to make its maiden cruise Oct. 30 after cancellations for Oct. 6 and Oct. 18, has been delayed again. Its first sail, from Barcelona to Fort Lauderdale, now is scheduled for Nov. 11. The more than 1,300 passengers booked for the Oct. 30 cruise, in the western Mediterranean, are being offered alternate bookings at a 25% discount, a spokesman said. He attributed the cancellations to construction delays.

In the 10 years since the Rotterdam Philharmonic last visited Southern California, the Dutch orchestra's profile has come into focus, solidified and expanded. James Conlon, the 37-year-old U.S. conductor, is now in his fifth season as music director, with a contract extending through 1991; and what had been described as a bland orchestra has become a brilliant one.

The city council of this Dutch port could soon own a brothel with up to 100 prostitutes, under a plan enabling it to set prices and tighten health checks. Council spokesman Dolf van der Winkel said Thursday that the city will also control hours of operation but that day-to-day running of the brothel will be left to the prostitutes' managers. The main purpose of the plan is to take the prostitutes off the streets and maintain public order and health, he added.

Though founded nearly 70 years ago, the Rotterdam Philharmonic is in many ways the quintessential orchestra of the '80's. It has a young conductor--American James Conlon, appointed in 1983--and a new recording company, Erato, which has issued nine well-received discs by the orchestra. The Rotterdam Philharmonic also has the taut, brilliant sound and clarified textures of the CD generation. Friday evening, the Dutch orchestra displayed its manifold virtues at Marsee Auditorium, El Camino College.

Henri Leconte was the only seeded player to lose Wednesday as top-seeded Stefan Edberg and second-seeded Jimmy Connors scored opening-round victories in the Grand Prix tennis tournament at Rotterdam, Netherlands. Unseeded West German Christian Saceanu eliminated fifth-seeded Leconte of France, 6-4, 6-2, in a second-round match. Connors defeated Jaro Navratil of Czechoslovakia, 6-3, 6-2, and Edberg beat fellow Swede Frode Waern, 6-4, 6-4.

The best rock 'n' roll has always been characterized by a willingness to flirt with anarchy. Hendrix was most amazing when he snatched songs back from the brink of chaos; so in their way were the Stones, James Brown and the Velvet Underground. Punk-rock bands, the Sex Pistols and the Germs, raised the chaotic moment to an institution.