what a beautiful ship!.in holland we saved an old oceanliner ,the ss rotterdam.it is a ship from 1959 and now it is a hotelship.her home is rotterdam.the whole interieur is in original shape.there was only one problem they thought the retaurationcosts where about 25 million euro but in the and it was around 250 million.but it is a great ship with a great history[see the videos on youtubegreetings from rotterdam
Shes been saved Thanks to Philadelphia philanthropist H.F. Gerry Lenfest, who will contribute up to $5.8 million to fund the purchase and associated costs.
I recognize the legacy of this ship [ I built a model of it , when I was a kid ] But . . . aside from the pride and glory of it all , the idea of restoring it and preserving it , can only be to the extent of displaying the ship [ like the Queen Mary ] , but not to take her out on ocean voyages - in my opinion !
But I must admit , that I'd rather see her sunk off the coast, and used as a tour , for divers , than to be dismantled and sold for scrap !
I wish you the greatest of luck. What you are working to do is admirable.
There will always be people telling you that things arent worth doing, but those peoples comments are not worth the time it took them to type them.
It always amazes me that when you ask for help, people think they are helping by cruticising. You have to ask yourself if their expertise in this project is as good as yours!! And somehow I expect not!!
Best of luck, and will keep my fingers crossed you suceed!!
@MarkYoungIW When I say putting her out at sea again is not worth it, I mean beacause too much of the Big U's original design would be so changed. I don't think anyone wants to see her a completely different ship.
I know you probably aren't specifiying me (I ain't that vain), I just want to make my point clear. Anything is possible, especially when something deserves a possibility.
The comment was more because I know how hard it is trying to preserve anything with people saying things like 'inevitable'.
Just wanted to push home the thought that people who air on the scrap it and inevitable side really probably shouldnt comment.
I take my hat off to anyone that spends their time and efforts trying to preserve something for everyone!! Their selflessness should be an inspiration to all.
Sure, the Big U is gutted, but her exterior is still her original exterior. And though she is gutted, it is still the original space that hosted so many passengers; not to mention the outside decks, that of which you don't see on modern cruise ships.
Out at sea again is most unlikely. With all that will have to be changed onboard, I'm not sure it is worth it either. A hotel/convention center like QM is much more plausible, and would keep her historic integrity intact.
Yes, she has been stripped down inside, but that actually might make it easier to repurpose her as convention space, hotel rooms, even office space if she is brought to NY's west side. this ship is worth saving, and NCL won't get my business if they scrap her!
Great thinking!! Once repaired, she could even make money (that could be part of the problem since the government is against profit). If we let this ship go, we may as well scrap the Liberty Bell. It's that important!
I really don't understand WHAT it is you good folks are trying to save. The SSUS is nothing more than an empty shell, a skeleton. Nothing remains of her interiors except the bare steel. There is NOTHING to "restore". What would be the point of recreating what is long gone? I think your money, effort, and love for the SSUS would be better put to use creating a first class permanent exhibit in a maritime museum like South Street Seaport or some such place. Your passion is admirable but misplaced.
i've written to both the Pennsylvania State Senators today, pleading with them. and i wrote a second e-mail to President Obama, and i will continue to e-mail him every day until i get a response
i wrote a letter to President Obama, urging him to declare the Big U a National Monument, that way we can get the funding we need to save this grand old ship
@TheWaterman7 I'd like to say that that would help, but I've even tried calling him; he doesn't care. What you really need to do is donate to the Plank Owner Program. Help save this lost American Icon.
so much for supporting a grand ship. do you even know anything about this ship? do you know that she still holds the Blue Ribband? that award was for the fastest crossing of the atlantic ocean by a steamship. she still holds the title to this day
Sure I would like to see her refit and put back into service, but come on be realistic. They'll give 2 million for her steel, but imagine how much it would cost to repair that hull . . . If you've ever restored a classic car, or replaced old rusty floor pans - just multiply that by ten million. If your offended by my little comment, I don't see how you can face the music when they decide to scrap your grand legend of ship.
I was on the ship in 1963 and had a great time as a kid. Sad to say, I agree with your comments. And as a later commenter states, the inside of the ship was gutted. Have you seen the video of the boiler room? It would cost millions just to fix that area. Still, I would love to visit the restored SS United States should it happen.
we aren't talking about refitting here, we're talking about making her a stationary attraction, like a hotel. even mayor nutter in philadelphia is behind that measure
When the United States was up for sale the owners wanted too much money for her. When the interior was sold...that signaled the end was only a matter of time. [The Queen Mary only cost Long Beach around three million dollars but her upkeep over the years have been costly.] I love old ships but they are VERY expensive to maintain.
I have posted a link to this video on my Facebook and Myspace profiles, in the groups I'm part of, an in mass emailings. WE MUST SAVE OUR MARITIME LEGACY!
Ladies and gentlemen, I regret to inform you that even though there are many of us around the world that have a sentimental interest in what happens to this great liner, we must realize that business has no emotion. The men of NCL don't care about your cries to 'Save Our Ship.' They only care about money...it is what makes the world go around. Sale to anyone with the most money is the way she will go. If nobody can step forward with millions of dollars to save her, she's doomed.
You forgot to mention NCL and Genting have kept the ship available for purchase..giving the Conservancy a window of opportunity to come in and purchase her. At this point it would appear the Conservancy isn't in a position to do that. Lets not forget had NCL not bought the Indy and the US when they did..they'd be gone already. The window has been wide open for anyone to take the ships off their hands and nobody has done so. Lets be accurate..this anti NCL rhetoric is getting old.
@homeric9 Lies. They wanted more for the ship than she was worth, to pay off the docking fees. It costs sooo much to do that that they got tired of it and saif, that anyone can buy it now, Conservancy or Scrapper. LEts hope it doesnt happen.
Spreading hysteria like that doesn't help..if you don't want to deal in facts that is your perogative. But by doing so won't help your cause. Sadly, it is that whipped up rhetoric that has turned people away from helping.
Actually she is not broken up. She lies 10 miles south of the Alang yards, beached when she was initially denied entry into Alang. Her hull was breached and will remain where she lies..perhaps scrapped on the spot. Interestingly..the hull cracks were first reported on Maritime Matters upon discovery by NCL awhile back. One of the reasons why she was uneconomical to put back into service.
NCL is criiminal operation run by chinese look what they did to Norway and sale of Independence to indian scrap merchants was illegal Now Independence lies off shore of india with cracked hull
Of course the easiest and probably the most economical thing would be to scrap her. But this isn't just another rusting relic from the past. This ship carries the name of our country, for crying out loud! I was sickened to see pictures of the beautiful France beached and torn apart in India. We CANNOT allow this to happen to the United States! I want to hold out hope that someone will come to her rescue but I'm afraid there are too many forces working against her.
@bassbaritoneguy i agree. i feel that NCL has spit on the United States by even getting scrappers to submit bids. i urge everyone here to support this grand old lady, and save her from the scrap yards. i have a fan page on facebook, and i have provided a link from my page to the conservancy. the fan page is called "Coastal Ventures" i urge everyone to visit my page, and see the link, do what you can!
I think the death of the SS United States was the asbestos removal and sale of her interior years ago. It would be so expensive to replace the interior as well as restore the rest of the ship. The United States could make some investors alot of money if it was used as a hotel and dining as well as tours like the Queen Mary in New York City, her home port. The United States should be preserved as a reminder how great the USA once was as well as how proud people used to be to be American
I'm honestly surprised that she's been allowed to deteriorate as far as she has. It just puzzles me how we'll preserve a foreign icon (Britain's RMS Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA) but we'll let our own flagship fall into ruin.
@majaorca100 The RMS Queen Mary was preserved by private investors for profit, it wasn't a government thing even though it should have been. The SS United States should be in New York City, her home port and I bet investors could make alot of money on the project too.
The Mary was preserved by the City of Long Beach, financed through the income they had from oil reserves just off their coast. Bringing QM into the picture doesn't do much to help your arguement..she has not been a great success as is. Still with us and that is great but financially she has been an issue for the City of Long Beach.
You really ought to look at her financial history...she has been a money pit since her arrival in Long Beach. She is getting some WAY overdue maintenance now thankfully by her current leaseholder.
Yes..back in 1964, lived a successful life as the Australis before going into decline..because of her age. She too was for sale for MANY years before the tragedy of her grounding.
BTW..it was her last American owners as "America" with Venture Cruise Lines that was her most humiliating moment ending up in embarassing headlines. That service ending as quickly as it started.
@homeric9 What in the World are you talking about? the SS Australis or American Star, is completely gone now. She ran aground off the Canary Islands, and dissappeared under the ocean surf after many years of rust and decay.
Are you even aware of this ship's history before she beached in Fuerteventura? When Chandris sold her, she reverted to the name America and did a series of cruises that were an unmitigated disaster back in the 70s? These cruises under AMERICAN ownership?
If my memory is correct, the Queen Mary went from being a viable ocean liner direct to hotel/tourist attraction. She didn't languish, was not stripped of the insides, etc. That saved a lot of money. If you are in the LA area, the ship is well worth the tour.
@ULTRA1BOB: You are mostly correct, although many things were changed. The ship was largely gutted below R Deck to make way for the originally planned ship museum (today leaving behind large gutted spaces of former Engine and Boiler Room space). Still though, her condition is vastly superior to that of the SSUS right now. But yes, she is definitly worth a visit... especially if you can sneak down below! =P
My parents came over on the Big U! Check out their story at: Gertrude Kerschner's Life Story at LadyRider2007 - thanks! :)
LadyRider2007 1 month ago
I feel so sad and powerless. The ship is fading away in the same manner as the nation that built it
llanamejia 10 months ago
what a beautiful ship!.in holland we saved an old oceanliner ,the ss rotterdam.it is a ship from 1959 and now it is a hotelship.her home is rotterdam.the whole interieur is in original shape.there was only one problem they thought the retaurationcosts where about 25 million euro but in the and it was around 250 million.but it is a great ship with a great history[see the videos on youtubegreetings from rotterdam
jankonijn 1 year ago
Shes been saved Thanks to Philadelphia philanthropist H.F. Gerry Lenfest, who will contribute up to $5.8 million to fund the purchase and associated costs.
Lilyankee2424 1 year ago
I say have the head of NCL arrested for lying to Congress, lying to the American people, and for Treason!
phoenix1985 1 year ago
We must save her! It's a crime aganist history if we do not!
buickboy92 1 year ago
do NOT scrap this ship or i will never sail on NCL ever. especially if it ends up on a sandbar like american star and left to rot
zequelll 1 year ago
why in the hell did they drydock her in the northeast??? I support this 110% but for ^#(&^$sakes, move her to socal!
Eric2221 1 year ago
I say save her!
thrummer1953 2 years ago
I recognize the legacy of this ship [ I built a model of it , when I was a kid ] But . . . aside from the pride and glory of it all , the idea of restoring it and preserving it , can only be to the extent of displaying the ship [ like the Queen Mary ] , but not to take her out on ocean voyages - in my opinion !
But I must admit , that I'd rather see her sunk off the coast, and used as a tour , for divers , than to be dismantled and sold for scrap !
rolynstone48 2 years ago
I support the SS United States 100%
i will share this with all my friends and hopefully we can save our nation's lady from the scrap heap!
carsbuff 2 years ago 2
If they scrap her,I would like to know before they tow her. I want to go see it in person.
vargas37 2 years ago
Comment removed
MarkYoungIW 2 years ago
I wish you the greatest of luck. What you are working to do is admirable.
There will always be people telling you that things arent worth doing, but those peoples comments are not worth the time it took them to type them.
It always amazes me that when you ask for help, people think they are helping by cruticising. You have to ask yourself if their expertise in this project is as good as yours!! And somehow I expect not!!
Best of luck, and will keep my fingers crossed you suceed!!
MarkYoungIW 2 years ago
@MarkYoungIW When I say putting her out at sea again is not worth it, I mean beacause too much of the Big U's original design would be so changed. I don't think anyone wants to see her a completely different ship.
I know you probably aren't specifiying me (I ain't that vain), I just want to make my point clear. Anything is possible, especially when something deserves a possibility.
ManWhoLovesTheMary 2 years ago
@ManWhoLovesTheMary
Hi, no wasnt at anyone particular.
The comment was more because I know how hard it is trying to preserve anything with people saying things like 'inevitable'.
Just wanted to push home the thought that people who air on the scrap it and inevitable side really probably shouldnt comment.
I take my hat off to anyone that spends their time and efforts trying to preserve something for everyone!! Their selflessness should be an inspiration to all.
MarkYoungIW 2 years ago 2
Sure, the Big U is gutted, but her exterior is still her original exterior. And though she is gutted, it is still the original space that hosted so many passengers; not to mention the outside decks, that of which you don't see on modern cruise ships.
Out at sea again is most unlikely. With all that will have to be changed onboard, I'm not sure it is worth it either. A hotel/convention center like QM is much more plausible, and would keep her historic integrity intact.
ManWhoLovesTheMary 2 years ago
Comment removed
ManWhoLovesTheMary 2 years ago
Bonjour from Paris!!! Unfortunately, after the SS NORWAY (ex FRANCE), it's hard to read it. Best wishes from France to our American friends!!!
thd75008 2 years ago
Yes, she has been stripped down inside, but that actually might make it easier to repurpose her as convention space, hotel rooms, even office space if she is brought to NY's west side. this ship is worth saving, and NCL won't get my business if they scrap her!
TheGrakenverb 2 years ago
With all the money being spent on "Stimulus", why not put a shipyard to work repairing her instead of paying for unemployment checks.
TheGrakenverb 2 years ago 2
Great thinking!! Once repaired, she could even make money (that could be part of the problem since the government is against profit). If we let this ship go, we may as well scrap the Liberty Bell. It's that important!
jessedowns 2 years ago 4
I really don't understand WHAT it is you good folks are trying to save. The SSUS is nothing more than an empty shell, a skeleton. Nothing remains of her interiors except the bare steel. There is NOTHING to "restore". What would be the point of recreating what is long gone? I think your money, effort, and love for the SSUS would be better put to use creating a first class permanent exhibit in a maritime museum like South Street Seaport or some such place. Your passion is admirable but misplaced.
videovoodoo 2 years ago
maybe you should get involved, then you wuld understand more of what we're doing
TheWaterman7 2 years ago
i've written to both the Pennsylvania State Senators today, pleading with them. and i wrote a second e-mail to President Obama, and i will continue to e-mail him every day until i get a response
TheWaterman7 2 years ago
i wrote a letter to President Obama, urging him to declare the Big U a National Monument, that way we can get the funding we need to save this grand old ship
TheWaterman7 2 years ago
@TheWaterman7 I'd like to say that that would help, but I've even tried calling him; he doesn't care. What you really need to do is donate to the Plank Owner Program. Help save this lost American Icon.
TheYarxia 2 years ago
i think her days are numbered, Rust in peace lol.
rekkapower 2 years ago
so much for supporting a grand ship. do you even know anything about this ship? do you know that she still holds the Blue Ribband? that award was for the fastest crossing of the atlantic ocean by a steamship. she still holds the title to this day
TheWaterman7 2 years ago
@TheWaterman7 Yes, they know that, it's from the SS United States COnservancy, they just didnt want to bore everyone with long details.
TheYarxia 2 years ago
Sure I would like to see her refit and put back into service, but come on be realistic. They'll give 2 million for her steel, but imagine how much it would cost to repair that hull . . . If you've ever restored a classic car, or replaced old rusty floor pans - just multiply that by ten million. If your offended by my little comment, I don't see how you can face the music when they decide to scrap your grand legend of ship.
rekkapower 2 years ago
I was on the ship in 1963 and had a great time as a kid. Sad to say, I agree with your comments. And as a later commenter states, the inside of the ship was gutted. Have you seen the video of the boiler room? It would cost millions just to fix that area. Still, I would love to visit the restored SS United States should it happen.
ULTRA1BOB 2 years ago
we aren't talking about refitting here, we're talking about making her a stationary attraction, like a hotel. even mayor nutter in philadelphia is behind that measure
TheWaterman7 2 years ago
When the United States was up for sale the owners wanted too much money for her. When the interior was sold...that signaled the end was only a matter of time. [The Queen Mary only cost Long Beach around three million dollars but her upkeep over the years have been costly.] I love old ships but they are VERY expensive to maintain.
DouglasUrantia 2 years ago
I have posted a link to this video on my Facebook and Myspace profiles, in the groups I'm part of, an in mass emailings. WE MUST SAVE OUR MARITIME LEGACY!
BlueEyedCubTN 2 years ago
Ladies and gentlemen, I regret to inform you that even though there are many of us around the world that have a sentimental interest in what happens to this great liner, we must realize that business has no emotion. The men of NCL don't care about your cries to 'Save Our Ship.' They only care about money...it is what makes the world go around. Sale to anyone with the most money is the way she will go. If nobody can step forward with millions of dollars to save her, she's doomed.
BlueEyedCubTN 2 years ago
You forgot to mention NCL and Genting have kept the ship available for purchase..giving the Conservancy a window of opportunity to come in and purchase her. At this point it would appear the Conservancy isn't in a position to do that. Lets not forget had NCL not bought the Indy and the US when they did..they'd be gone already. The window has been wide open for anyone to take the ships off their hands and nobody has done so. Lets be accurate..this anti NCL rhetoric is getting old.
homeric9 2 years ago
@homeric9 Lies. They wanted more for the ship than she was worth, to pay off the docking fees. It costs sooo much to do that that they got tired of it and saif, that anyone can buy it now, Conservancy or Scrapper. LEts hope it doesnt happen.
TheYarxia 2 years ago
Spreading hysteria like that doesn't help..if you don't want to deal in facts that is your perogative. But by doing so won't help your cause. Sadly, it is that whipped up rhetoric that has turned people away from helping.
homeric9 2 years ago
The Independence is gone, pal. Broken up at Alang. So much for NCL caring.
TheGrakenverb 2 years ago
Actually she is not broken up. She lies 10 miles south of the Alang yards, beached when she was initially denied entry into Alang. Her hull was breached and will remain where she lies..perhaps scrapped on the spot. Interestingly..the hull cracks were first reported on Maritime Matters upon discovery by NCL awhile back. One of the reasons why she was uneconomical to put back into service.
homeric9 2 years ago
Comment removed
glazsmn31 2 years ago
Help me please, when I go, I will be gone forever, I am a LINER, now in an age and life that does not care.
When I am gone I will be gone forever.
I am still here, just. Help me please...
psari 2 years ago
thank you for this, that is so incredible that you have given a human voice to this ship, almost like a poem
TheWaterman7 2 years ago
NCL is criiminal operation run by chinese look what they did to Norway and sale of Independence to indian scrap merchants was illegal Now Independence lies off shore of india with cracked hull
jers59 2 years ago
Of course the easiest and probably the most economical thing would be to scrap her. But this isn't just another rusting relic from the past. This ship carries the name of our country, for crying out loud! I was sickened to see pictures of the beautiful France beached and torn apart in India. We CANNOT allow this to happen to the United States! I want to hold out hope that someone will come to her rescue but I'm afraid there are too many forces working against her.
bassbaritoneguy 2 years ago 4
it was terrible indeed to see what they did to the France...I really hope the beautiful ssus won't end that way
majaorca100 2 years ago 2
@majaorca100 not only the france, but the norway as well
TheWaterman7 2 years ago
And Canberra, Michaelangelo and Rafaello, and Independence, and next...the QE2.
BlueEyedCubTN 2 years ago
@bassbaritoneguy i agree. i feel that NCL has spit on the United States by even getting scrappers to submit bids. i urge everyone here to support this grand old lady, and save her from the scrap yards. i have a fan page on facebook, and i have provided a link from my page to the conservancy. the fan page is called "Coastal Ventures" i urge everyone to visit my page, and see the link, do what you can!
TheWaterman7 2 years ago
I think the death of the SS United States was the asbestos removal and sale of her interior years ago. It would be so expensive to replace the interior as well as restore the rest of the ship. The United States could make some investors alot of money if it was used as a hotel and dining as well as tours like the Queen Mary in New York City, her home port. The United States should be preserved as a reminder how great the USA once was as well as how proud people used to be to be American
soccercleatscrush 2 years ago 3
I'm honestly surprised that she's been allowed to deteriorate as far as she has. It just puzzles me how we'll preserve a foreign icon (Britain's RMS Queen Mary in Long Beach, CA) but we'll let our own flagship fall into ruin.
Dragan3rd 2 years ago 4
yeah that's pretty strange...the USA did preserve a British ship, but not their own greatest ship...
majaorca100 2 years ago 4
@majaorca100 The RMS Queen Mary was preserved by private investors for profit, it wasn't a government thing even though it should have been. The SS United States should be in New York City, her home port and I bet investors could make alot of money on the project too.
soccercleatscrush 2 years ago 2
The Mary was preserved by the City of Long Beach, financed through the income they had from oil reserves just off their coast. Bringing QM into the picture doesn't do much to help your arguement..she has not been a great success as is. Still with us and that is great but financially she has been an issue for the City of Long Beach.
homeric9 2 years ago
@homeric9 How? She's been great. Last I was there, everything was fine, and that wasnt long ago.
TheYarxia 2 years ago
You really ought to look at her financial history...she has been a money pit since her arrival in Long Beach. She is getting some WAY overdue maintenance now thankfully by her current leaseholder.
homeric9 2 years ago
Not to mention how the SS America was allowed to be sold and then later wrecked.
carsmasher 2 years ago
Yes..back in 1964, lived a successful life as the Australis before going into decline..because of her age. She too was for sale for MANY years before the tragedy of her grounding.
Lets be accurate here.
homeric9 2 years ago
BTW..it was her last American owners as "America" with Venture Cruise Lines that was her most humiliating moment ending up in embarassing headlines. That service ending as quickly as it started.
homeric9 2 years ago
@homeric9 What in the World are you talking about? the SS Australis or American Star, is completely gone now. She ran aground off the Canary Islands, and dissappeared under the ocean surf after many years of rust and decay.
TheYarxia 2 years ago
Are you even aware of this ship's history before she beached in Fuerteventura? When Chandris sold her, she reverted to the name America and did a series of cruises that were an unmitigated disaster back in the 70s? These cruises under AMERICAN ownership?
homeric9 2 years ago
@homeric9 How about you go find someone else's video to blog on and ruin their prospects? Let us deal with saving the ship while you just do nothing.
TheYarxia 2 years ago
If my memory is correct, the Queen Mary went from being a viable ocean liner direct to hotel/tourist attraction. She didn't languish, was not stripped of the insides, etc. That saved a lot of money. If you are in the LA area, the ship is well worth the tour.
ULTRA1BOB 2 years ago
@ULTRA1BOB: You are mostly correct, although many things were changed. The ship was largely gutted below R Deck to make way for the originally planned ship museum (today leaving behind large gutted spaces of former Engine and Boiler Room space). Still though, her condition is vastly superior to that of the SSUS right now. But yes, she is definitly worth a visit... especially if you can sneak down below! =P
Dragan3rd 2 years ago