1954 VIDEO CRUISE TO ALASKA – During the last year of the Alaska Steamship Company’s Passenger Operation.
This is a wonderful historical video of a 1954 sailing aboard the SS ALASKA on a cruise to Alaska and the Inside Passage.
1954 VIDEO CRUISE TO ALASKA – During the last year of the Alaska Steamship Company’s Passenger Operation.
January 13, 2010 By Leave a Comment
Labor Day – SS United States, SS America and SS Constitution
September 5, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Labor Day – SS United States, SS America and SS Constitution – From our collection of photos – busy liners – New York City in the 1950s:
SS United States (US Lines) sailing from New York Harbor.
SS America (US lines) docked in New York.
SS Constitution (American Export Lines) docked in New York.
Part One – Handbook of American-flag passenger ships in 1955.
May 2, 2009 By Leave a Comment
In 1955 America’s fleet of ocean-going passenger ships was fast diminishing. The year before, Alaska Steamship Lines had gone out of business with the loss of four passenger ships and the Bull Line serving Puerto Rico laid up their last passenger ship. In examining cruise ship history in 1955, there were still 40 active American-flag ships with a total passenger lift of 12,168 passengers and directly employing 8112 officers and men.
Currently, there the Pride of America is the only ocean going passenger ship flying the American flag. She was the first new U.S.-flagged cruise ship in nearly 50 years. She operates on a 7-Day Hawaii Cruise for Norwegian Cruise Line.
Here is part one of the passenger ships operating under the American flag in 1955:
African Endeavor (Farrell Lines) New York to South Africa
African Enterprise (Farrell Lines) New York to South Africa
Alcoa Cavalier (Alcoa Steamship Co.) New Orleans to the Caribbean
Alcoa Clipper (Alcoa Steamship Co.) New Orleans to the Caribbean
Alcoa Corsair (Alcoa Steamship Co.) New Orleans to the Caribbean
America (United States Lines) New York trans-Atlantic to UK and Europe
Ancon (Panama Canal Co.) New York to Panama Canal
Argentina (Moore-McCormick Lines) New York to West Indies, (East Coast) South America
Brazil (Moore-McCormick Lines) New York to West Indies, (East Coast) South America
Chiriqui (United Fruit Co.) New Orleans to Cuba and Guatemala
Cruise Ship History: When going by ship from San Francisco to Portland was faster than the train and cost $38.40 round-trip first class.
February 18, 2009 By
The Great Northern Pacific Steamship Company was formed by James Hill on September 30, 1914.
The line was to compliment the passenger train service on the Astoria Line and compete with the Southern Pacific trains to San Francisco.
The company operated two ships, the S.S. Great Northern and S.S. Northern Pacific.
The ships proved faster than the Southern Pacific’s express trains until bridges replaced much slower ferries in the northern area of San Francisco Bay.
During the winter season of 1915-6, the ships also ran to Hawaii.
Eventually the service was not a success and the line was for sale when World War I intervened.
The U.S. government commandeered the ships on September 17, 1917, ending the line. Both ships survived the war, but the Northern Pacific burned and sank on while being towed to be refit.
Dining Salon aboard the H. F. Alexander.
The Great Northern returned to coast wise liner service for many years with the (Admiral Line) Pacific Steamship Co. as their H.F. Alexander.
Noble Peace Price recipient — African-American Ralph Johnson Bunche, worked aboard the H. F. Alexander as a waiter.
He did this during summers while studying at the University of California in the 1920s.
African-Americans were employed as bellman, waiters and stewards. This was similar work as the Pullman Porters. There were no unions at that time. Hours were long but pay, including tips, was good enough to put your way through school. From the photos, it is obvious America was very segregated – even on the West Coast of the USA.
Scenes aboard the H. F. Alexander.
S.S. Great Northern (American Passenger Liner, 1915). Later renamed H.F. Alexander.
S.S. Great Northern, an 8255 gross ton passenger liner, was built in 1915 at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She maintained a fast (23 knot) passenger service along the Pacific Coast during the next two years and, in 1917-1922, was in U.S. Government service as the Navy transport Great Northern, Army transport Great Northern and Navy fleet flagship Columbia. Returned to merchant service following her March 1922 decommissioning, the ship was the Admiral Steamship Lines’ H.F. Alexander over the following two decades.
During World War I, as the USS Columbia officers are seen in the ward room. A former public room.
During World War II.
During World War II she was briefly under British ownership before rejoining the U.S. Army in July 1942. Renamed George S. Simonds later in that year, she was in Army service until March 1946. Regaining the name H.F. Alexander, she was laid up in the Maritime Commission’s reserve fleet facility at Lee Hall, Virginia, from then until sold for scrapping in February 1948.
S.S. H. F. Alexander (former Great Northern)
SS UNITED STATES is up for sale and could end up as scrap metal. Will the QE 2 be next?
February 16, 2009 By
The great ocean liner SS United States docked next to Ikea in Philadelphia has been put up for sale. A preservation group for the mothballed ocean liner fears a buyer could end up using it as scrap metal. Steven Ujifusa, who was a volunteer production assistant for the above video, published a story on Plan Philly about the ship’s possible sale and an awareness campaign launched by The S.S. United States Conservancy to save the ship.
This could be an ominous sign for Cunard Line’s former liner the QE 2.
The new owners of the QE 2 may scrap her because of the credit crunch. The ship, bought by the ruler of Dubai for £50million, sailed from Britain just three months ago. There had been plans for a major refit to turn her into a sixstar hotel, but those have been scuppered by the economic downturn.
But for the S.S. United States, the possibility of being scrap metal is very real as we learn from the following story.
IKEA AND SS UNITED STATES
By Steven B. Ujifusa
For PlanPhilly
The rusting but still magnificent ocean liner moored near the South Philadelphia IKEA might be on the move after more than a decade of sitting idle. Unless something is done quickly, the S.S. United States – once a floating symbol of American might – could be yanked from her pier, towed to Asia, and run aground on a foul, oil-smeared beach. There, she will be wrenched and sliced into piles of unrecognizable scrap metal.
As of Feb. 10, 2009, Norwegian Cruise Lines/Star Cruises, the S.S. United States’ Hong Kong-based owner, are preparing to sell America’s national flagship to the highest bidder. Judging by the current economic climate, it appears that the most likely purchasers will be Chinese or Indian ship breakers. Right now, it appears that the ship has been transferred from NCL to a holding company.
The glamour and speed of the SS United States attracted celebrity passengers, including Jackie Gleason (top left) and John Wayne (top right). Above: The first-class ballroom, which was auctioned with the rest of the interior fittings in 1984. (Jackie Gleason and John Wayne photographs by Big U Photos. Interior photograph by Mark Perry Collection)
In 2003, NCL purchased the ship with the intention of restoring her as a world-class cruise liner. But these promises have come to naught.
Today, many observers are terrified that the ship- which captured world headlines in July 1952 with its record-breaking maiden voyage from New York to Southampton – will make its final voyage. If she is towed to the breakers, there will be no streamers, cheering well-wishers, or Navy planes soaring overhead to give her a final send off.
Despite the announcement that NCL is listing the 990-foot long liner for sale, advocacy groups such as the (click here for information) S.S. United States Conservancy have not given up hope.
“The word is out that it is for sale,” said Joseph Rota, a board member of the S.S. United States Conservancy and former member of the crew. “We are continuing the battle to save her.” He added, “If the company has hoped to make purchasing the ship legally confusing by transferring her to a holding company, they have accomplished their goal.”
The S.S. United States sailing from New York in the 1950s…
The Conservancy’s webpage has an ominous warning: “The S.S. United States is once again in danger. Her owners, NCL/Star Cruises, intend to list her for sale. We must work together NOW to prevent our nation’s flagship from going to the breakers.” Click here to read more of the PlanPhilly story.
The S.S. United States and QE 2 could end up like the S.S. France (aka S.S. Norway and S.S. Blue Lady) scrapped on the beaches of India two years ago.
SS UNITED STATES: FIRST LADY OF THE SEA! Celebrating the inauguration of President Obama with a great video about a ship symbolyzing the USA.
January 20, 2009 By
This great video uses archival footage and a rare 78rpm recording of the SS United States theme song to highlight the glory days of this fabled ship. The song, “First Lady of the Sea,” was written by brothers Meyer & Emery Davis, who also conducted the ship’s orchestra, and is perhaps a one-of-a-kind demo cut at Apex Records just days before the ship’s maiden voyage in July of 1952.
Please help us save the SS United States by visiting www.ssunitedstatesconservancy.org.
The SS United States leaving New York during the 1950s…
Another video on the SS United States showing celebrity passengers…
Cruise Line History – PANAMA PACIFIC LINES finished – New York to California via Havana and the Panama Canal – From 1938 TIME MAGAZINE
January 15, 2009 By
Many American flag steamship lines — APL, Matson, Moore-McCormick, Grace, etc. — faced a similar fate as Panama Pacific Lines did when the US withdrew their mail and operating subsidies to carry military personnel in the 1960s. The same fate happened to the American railway system in the late 1960s when the US withdrew railway post offices. The result was that the USA has no real American passengers ships, is stuck with a struggling rail service called Amtrak and the mail continues to decline in service. So much for progress.
This is the Time Magazine announcing the end of the Panama Pacific Lines…
From the May 9, 1938 issue of TIME MAGAZINE
PANAMA PACIFIC LINES OUT
SS California – Transiting the Panama Canal – 1930s…
When the S.S. California was built for the Panama Pacific Line in 1928, she was the largest (17,833 tons) commercial ship ever constructed on U. S. ways, the largest in the world with electric propulsion.
Last week, when the California tied up at Pier 61, Manhattan, near her idle sisters, Pennsylvania and Virginia, it was the first time the three vessels had ever been in port together, the last time any one of them would slip a hawser for Panama Pacific.
Panama Pacific’s coffin had three big nails in it: Last June, after Congress withdrew all ocean mail subsidies, empowering the Maritime Commission to make a new deal, Panama Pacific lost its annual $450,000 mail subsidy and got nothing in its place.
Beginning nine weeks ago, the Panama Canal changed toll charges in such a way that Panama Pacific’s annual expenses would have been increased about $37,000. Third coffin nail was a rusty West Coast labor problem.
As the line prepared last week to dismiss 1,200 men for good & all, Panama Pacific expressed the hope that the Maritime Commission would buy the three idle ships, charter them for operation by other companies between New York and the east coast of South America.
From a 1937 magazine advertisement. A year before Panama Pacific Line ended service.
More advertisements and folders about Panama Pacific Line…
Cruise: Visiting Europe on an American Ship – Advertisement from the United States Lines in the 1920s.
January 13, 2009 By Leave a Comment
An advertisement tempting Americans Europe-ward, in the 1920s.
The SS United States: ultra-fast in the 1950s and 1960s — but just too late. “Crossing the Pond” by liner was killed by the Jet.
The Cruise Lines are Liars. The ship’s crews always have more fun. They are partying while the passengers are watching jugglers, ventriloquists or versions of old Broadway Shows!
January 7, 2009 By Leave a Comment
This site just isn’t about the past…
All those cruise lines advertise what great times the passengers are having. They’re wrong. You use to be able to hang out with crew members.
No more.
Most of the time the cruise lines are pitching junk like spas, art auctions, napkin folding, etc. Yet the crew are having a blast.
And the following youTUBE video proves it. This was shot aboard the Norwegian Sun several years ago cruising Hawaii. The cruise lines need to put this on the stage instead of rejects from Vegas showrooms.
Cruise Ship History – The SS United States. The fastest liner ever built. Video of celebrities and presidents. From Harry S. Truman to Elizabeth Taylor sailing aboard the great liner.
January 7, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Great youTube video on the SS United States from past to present.
The SS United States.
