Plans underway to restore SS United States

[Rockstar]

Crystal signs exclusive purchase option agreement to begin work on returning the historic vessel to service as the fastest cruise vessel in the world

NEW YORK, February 4, 2016 – Already in the midst of the most significant expansion in the company’s celebrated history, Crystal Cruises’ next step in expanding its award-winning fleet is truly an historic endeavor. Together with the SS United States Conservancy, Crystal today announced it will save “America’s flagship,” the SS United States, and embark on the enormous undertaking of bringing the ship into compliance with the latest standards, and returning her to oceangoing service. During the announcement, made at a press conference at the Manhattan Cruise Terminal in New York City, Crystal also committed to covering all costs associated with preserving the ship while undertaking a technical feasibility study, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2016.

http://www.ssusc.org/category/news/

You know what they say, if it's too good to be true...

[Torplexed]

A little sanding and buffing. Maybe some varnish. It'll be just fine. :rolleyes:

http://www.wired.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/SSUS-4.jpg

[limkol]

For an old girl, shes still got great lines. It would be tragic to lose her. Just the sight of her from the road is enough to take you back in time. Totally surreal.

Thanks for sharing the article and picture:up:

[Admiral Halsey]

Love to see this happen though the concept are of her restored makes me sad. Gibbs would be pissed at what they did to his ship. However if they can restore her original power plant I would love her second maiden voyage(or is that only for ships that have been renamed?) to be her trying to break her own Blue Ribbon record.

[Reece]

I thought someone was going to make a replica of the Titanic, I wonder what ever happened to that venture?:hmmm:

[Commander Wallace]

It would be great to see it restored. Thanks for sharing .

[Oberon]

I thought someone was going to make a replica of the Titanic, I wonder what ever happened to that venture?:hmmm:

Supposedly still on track but the guy who was financing it has run into some financial difficulties and the official website hasn't updated in two years so take from that what you will.

There is a non-sailing replica under construction for an amusement park in China though.

Until then, your best bet is to keep an eye on this project to recreate the whole ship in virtual form:
http://www.titanichg.com/

[Rockstar]

Sling a few coats of 'blue death', 'red lead' and some 37038 black and she'll look like new.

[U505995]

She'll need a lot of work, but I hope they make some progress soon.

[Eichhörnchen]

I've always loved these old ocean liners and to be truthful, I had absolutely no idea she was still in existence; she looks like a huge apparition from the past floating there.

[Aktungbby]

Looks tough and $800 million is a lot of money. Warning: depressing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxIgkgBbpQg (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxIgkgBbpQg)

[Nippelspanner]

http://www.wired.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/SSUS-4.jpg

Still 100x more beautiful than the abominations of liners we have today,
who have no soul, nothing distinctive nor special, they are just floating hotel blocks. :nope:

[Rockstar]

Looks tough and $800 million is a lot of money. Warning: depressing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxIgkgBbpQg (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxIgkgBbpQg)


SP-SP-SPOOKY. :o

I'm guessing the superstructure is aluminium? Wonder too how much of the hull plate they would end having to replace once things got going. Too many unkowns IMO, cheaper to build a new boat.

[Aktungbby]

SP-SP-SPOOKY. :o

I'm guessing the superstructure is aluminium? Wonder too how much of the hull plate they would end having to replace once things got going. Too many unkowns IMO, cheaper to build a new boat.
Correct; which presented galvanizing problems to the hull. Furthermore, some engineering areas contain toxic PCBs. It is a common problem for ships of the period, but one that means the Environmental Protection Agency will take an interest. Frankly, being renovated for a maximum of 800 passengers against an original cost of $724 million (adjusted to today's dollars) just doesn't appear feasible to me; It was estimated that it would take one billion (USD) to put the United States back on the high seas.....Cruise companies are economically competitive and this vessel was built with the navy's wishes in mind as a troop ship with myriad compartment etc. Allegedly $600,000 has been raised. The great steam engines of her Blue Riband crossing record are long gone. EDIT: here's where the scheme falls apart for me: The Conservancy's grant specifies that the refit and restoration must be done in the Philadelphia Navy Yard (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philadelphia_Navy_Yard) for the benefit of the Philadelphia economy, regardless of her eventual mooring site; the Conservancy continues to negotiate with possible stakeholders in the New York area. @ Nipplespanner: all the while, the USS Olympia, in the nearby Maritime Museum in Philly continues to 'soulfully' decay. A legendary vessel and ADM Dewey's flagship at the Battle of Manila Bay...someone in charge of the waterfront needs to straighten out their prioritie$https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/5b/USS_Olympia_2.jpg/300px-USS_Olympia_2.jpg (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:USS_Olympia_2.jpg)(enlarges) The Olympia received multiple grants including(a mere:down:) $169,850.00 from the National Park Service's Maritime Heritage Program to continue work on interim repairs of deteriorating hull plates and deck leaks. Between April and August 2015, Four 4-foot by 7-foot sections of the hull at the waterline were cleaned, scaled to bare metal, and treated with ceramic epoxy and new bottom paint. This was accomplished using a custom-made mobile surface-piercing cofferdam (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cofferdam). Further work is planned for the Summer of 2016. :wah:

[Jimbuna]

Still 100x more beautiful than the abominations of liners we have today,
who have no soul, nothing distinctive nor special, they are just floating hotel blocks. :nope:

Rgr that :yep:

[Platapus]

Making the crossing in 4.5 days? :o:o Wow

Some Hollywood director should plan on filming an action movie inside this ship. The fees charged should go a long way to restore this beauty.

[Kapitan]

My own wonder is will she even pass SOLAS 2015 regulations? the QE2 couldnt even make the 2010 ones !

[Mr Quatro]

I just did a quick search and found out the bad news ... the deal is busted: http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/06/business/ss-united-states-ocean-liner.html?_r=0

Crystal Cruises luxury travel company commissioned a feasibility study to return the S.S. United States to oceangoing service — an idea that astonished even the vessel’s most optimistic supporters.

Now, however, the verdict is in: It’s not going to happen. After an outlay of about $1 million on the study, Crystal has decided that the obstacles are too great.

There was “a lot of really sincere disappointment, we really tried to make a go of it,” said Tim Sullivan, a retired Coast Guard rear admiral and a consultant to Crystal who led the assessment. There were “no huge showstoppers,” he said, but a combination of engineering and regulatory obstacles ultimately put commercial success out of reach.

https://static01.nyt.com/images/2016/08/05/business/06SHIP/06SHIP-master768.jpg

I hope she can still go to dry dock and hopefully her birth place of Newport News shipyard in Newport, VA to get an overhaul minus the engine of course.
She would make a great grand hotel somewhere :yep:

[Nippelspanner]

God damnit... :shifty: