The Last American Ocean Liners
 

The days of the Ocean Liners are over. The Jet has won. Now we cross the ocean packed in a plane, and enjoy the wonders of Jetlag.

But me, I was not around for the era....or for 2 decades after it ended, but I would love to go back to it. Imagine it, being on a ship 990 feet long, 101 feet wide, you could walk around, enjoy a play, catch up on reading, anything that was possiable in the 1950's (sorry, no bigscreen TVs) you could do it

There were, and to some extent still are a large number of ex Ocean Liners in the world, however they are vanishing, but one ship remains. Hands down the Best Ocean Liner ever built.

She was once called the First Lady of the Sea's. She is still the largest passenger ship ever built in the United States (even Project America was shorter). She was, and still is, the fastest Passenger Liner EVER built anywhere in the world. She could carry over 2,000 passengers, across the Atlantic in 3 days 10 hours....10 hours faster then the famed RMS Queen Mary.

She is still the Last Liner ever to hold the Blue Riband. The Award for the fastest Transatlantic crossing. Even the modern Catamaran Ferrys that hold the record today.....less then 1/10th her size and carrying 3,000 less people could only top her record by 2 hours.

Still not sure which ship I'm talking about. If not, here you go

http://www.cunard-whitestarline.net/...ures/ssus1.jpg

I only learned of this ship about 4 years ago. During a school project on Maritime Engineering. I was looking up examples of ocean liners (at the time I was focused on the Titanic) when I learned of the SS American Star....A ship wreck that until recently was on one of the Canary Islands. some of you may know her as the SS OWND!

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...-_AmStar_7.JPG

I was sad to see such a great ship get wrecked like that. and as I started reading her history, I learned she had a much Larger Sister, the SS United States. I quickly learned about her speed, size, everything about how great she was. I was almost sure thats where it ended, but I was wrong. I learned that unlike the SS America (American Star) the United States was still around, and intact (minus interior)

at once I thought, how can such a great ship still exist and no one knows about it! I very quickly and very sadly learned, that after 17 years in service, she was laid up in 1969. and quickly forgotten.....

Today she sits, idle and rusted, in my place of birth...Philadelphia Pennsylvania. She is currently owned by Norwegien Cruise Lines, who promised to restore her, and another great American Liner the SS Independence (see photos below) to Cruise Service. that was in 2003. today, the Truth shows. NCL America is in service, the only US Flagged Cruise Line. The Independence has been sold to "someone", no one really knows who. the Great SS Norway (ex SS France) which was also promised to be redeemed in some sense, possiably a hotel, is currently being scrapped in Alang India

Sadly it seems not that NCL has lied to us. Although they still own the United States, their main promise has been broken. there will be no pair of classic ocean liners cruising American Waters, at this rate there will be no Ocean Liners Crusing American Waters at all. The Independence, in her almost pristine state of preservation based on pictures taken recently of her interior, has an unknown fate

the SS United States, rusted, empty, and static, also has an unknown fate. Maybe she will end up in India...but that has been asked for 30 Years...and has yet to come true.

One thing is for sure....SOMETHING must be done

I am Currently Working with Reuben Goossens, Corey Abelove, and Alex Naughton who are all part of the ssmaritime.com "Save a Classic Liner" Campaign, dedicated to Saving the SS United States, SS Independence, and any other Vintage ocean liners left in the world. and do not think it is a senseless fight!

the Campaign in the hands of Reuben, has Already preserved one ocean liner for the future, the SS Rotterdam

Who knows, with enough support, some day the SS United States hotel in New York City will open. Maybe the SS Independence Hotel in Oakland, or Honolulu, where she cruised up until 2001.

But without support, these last great AMERICAN ships, the Mighty United States, and the Delightful Independence could be scrapped, turned into "something else"

I urge anyone, everyone who loves the ocean and the Ships and Subs that sail it, contact every Senator, represenative, news agency, everyone. Tell them the Story I have shared with you, Americans espically, DO NOT let this ship, who has been called the "Flagship of America" for over 50 years now, fall into the hands of a steel worker in india. Dont Let the Independence, who could cheaply be restored and either returned to service, or made into a hotel, be turned into next years new cars.

Both ship Deserve to be Preserved. Any and All Americans should make an effort, even if just signing my petition, to protect this great ship

http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/s...igu/index.html

Email Senators, do your part

Edit #1

I would also suggest getting in contact with any 2008 hopefuls. If they are on the side of protecting the ship, it could easily become a campaign issue...with huge press....which would bring these great ships to the light once again

Best Regards
-Will Gant
Proud SS United States and SS Independence Supporter
http://www.ssmaritime.com/SS-United-States.htm

Below are images of the ships Mentioned

the SS Independence, and her current home at Pier 70 in Oakland

http://www.ssmaritime.com/indi-laidu...ick-race-6.jpg

The SS United States....Awaiting her fate in Philadelphia, such a sad sight, she has not been painted since 1968

http://www.ssmaritime.com/ssus-laidu...wherd-02-1.jpg

http://www.bu.edu/bridge/archive/199...hotos/ship.jpg

The SS Norway (ex SS France) who was disgracefully disgaurded by NCL, who neglected her boilers until one exploded, then lied about her destination and fate to the German Government to get her to a breaking yard in southeast asia....what a Disgrace for their fleets flagship for over 20 years!!

http://www.ssmaritime.com/norway-alang-break-2.jpg[IMG]file:///C:/DOCUME%7E1/WILL%27S%7E1/LOCALS%7E1/Temp/moz-screenshot.jpg[/IMG]

As a meaningful and needed tool of mass transportation, the days of cruisers are over, yes, but the holiday cruise buisiness is booming - practically all majopr shipyards in the world have filled books, and every major competitor is boosting up his fleet.

Me personally fail to see the fun in spending two weeks on a flying city with shops and shops and shops and more shops and promenades offering more shops and reaching from bow to stern.

If I would consider to make a holiday on the high seas, I would search for an adventure turn on a sailship, at least a very huge yacht. Something liike boarding the gorch fock. but it is unlikely I will ever feel tempted to do even this. Being close to the sea and spend some times in Lübeck and the coast in the Lübeck Bay is good enough for me.:D

How easy. :smug: I agree with every word you have written here. :yep: The whole concept of being stuck on a cruise liner has absolutely zero appeal to me.

Think you pretty much echo my sentiments too. :yep:

Modern liners are less ships more floating shopping malls and they look about the same too. The classic liners like the Queen Mary or the Titanic, I could go for but in a choice between a tall sailing ship and a modern liner, the tall ship would win everytime.:up:

Yeah but guys imagine all the single ladies running around in bikinis just waiting to meet someone just like you. Does not that appeal to you:hmm:

:lol:

Oh yes http://img163.imageshack.us/img163/7...bathingwl5.jpg:hmm:

Actually, the SS United States was purchased by NCL a few years ago, and at the time it was intended that she would return to service as a cruise ship. They were doing feasibility studies on repairing her, but I haven't heard anything in a while.

No because I'm married and value my life. :lol:

I worked on a cruise ship for a while, and I can assure you the average passenger is 30 years older and 100 pounds heavier.

And seriously, the "Classic liners", while they look good, didn't have accomodations that would fare competitively with today's offering... And conversion to meet USPH and USCG standards would be somewhere between Ouch and "Please stop!"

Plus, these babies are probably steam powered. Talk about a major drydock job.

While some of them are very good looking, ships are essentially tools. When a tool becomes obsolete or worn out, or when its purpose is no longer, it is discarded. That's pretty much the end of it.

That seems to be par for the course from what I've heard. I still want to make the Atlantic crossing once for the heck of it.

NCL has lied to us before:

SS Norway ex SS France now sitting on a beech in alang being cut up
SS Independance already in tow for alang as of mid january this year.

and guess what both owned by NCL

SS United states been laid up for a very long time i cant ever see her going back to sea, its full of rust and wont pass SOLAS 2010 for definate.

there are still two now three ocean liners about all belong to cunard Queen Elizabeth 2 Queen mary 2 and the new Queen Victoria and yes they are still classed as ocean liners.

actually thats not 100% true

Not sure what the first part is...but maintaining essential systems, dual engines rooms. and since the ship is gutted, adding safe area's is very easy

3rd part, once again, dual engine rooms

Fire alarms and fire saftey in general, gutted ship, easy to fire proof. and even before she was gutted, she was almost 100% fireproof. Gibbs was crazy about keeping her fireproof, even though there was no law asking for fireproofing to the extent he used.

Evacuation, the ship wqas built to US Navy standards as far as compartments. she was desinged to shot as should she ever need to be converted into a troop transport, which was suppose to take no more then 48 hours. she could take damage, and not sink, that remains true even today, as the watertight bulkheads have not been changed since the day she was built

NCL said they finished their feasabilty study, and they believe she could be brought back to service. But seeing how the treated the norway, I would much rather see the ship become a museum and hotel. and that I the goal that me and the rest of the "Save a Classic Liner" campaign are working to acheive

What part isnt ture?

maritime matters ships nostalgia have all reported independance been towed, i may have mis read im tired atm il respond tommorrow to any other post.

if its about the term ocean liners, cunard still calls them ocean liners however they more of cruise liners.

Cruise ship rarely get a decent end. I read about S.S. America not long ago and saw some recent photos of her, there isn't much left of her now and the rest will be gone soon.:cry:

It will be intresting to see how the QE2 is treated in retirement.:hmm:

SOLAS 2010 will likely only apply to ships whose keels was laid after a certain date, unless it's a large deviation from previous convention. The smaller stuff (IE, the stuff that donT require modifying the ship itself) would apply, but otherwise she'd still be classed under whatever rules and convention were in effect at the time her keel was laid.

Unless, of course, the recomissionning effort involves such major modification to the ship that it's considered a rebuilding.

In any case, it probably wouldn't be financially viable to put her back into service. Cripe, the boat is steam powered! With today's fuel cost, how can that ever be profitable? They have to compete with everybody else out there.

Nobody ever says anything when a cargo boat gets scrapped.