Cruising the past. Just a long weekend away – Aboard the SS United States or SS America – During the heyday of trans-Atlantic travel in the 1950s – before the Jet made “getting there” what it is today! A living nightmare.
Just a long weekend away – Aboard the SS United States or SS America
June 14, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Gary Cooper, Marlon Brando, Salvador Dali and the Windsors aboard the SS United States
May 14, 2009 By Leave a Comment
Gary Cooper and family. From an ad in Holiday Magazine – 1950s.
The SS United States, when it came to passengers, had a lot of cruise and social history. The list of celebrities, artists, musicians and heads of state that have sailed this great trans-Atlantic liner in it’s 1950′s heyday is impressive (the likes of the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Marlon Brando, Salavador Dali, Kim Novak, Cary Grant, President Harry Truman, Judy Garland, Joan Crawford, Gary Cooper)…That alone is enough to declare this ship a historical treasure.
The SS United States was the brainchild of one of the world’s foremost marine architects, William Francis Gibbs. His dream was to build a passenger ship that was faster, safer and more technologically advanced than anything else afloat.
Marlon Brando and Salvador Dali.
Duke and Duchess of Windsor – Regular Passengers.
When ships had passenger lists.
April 15, 2009 By 1 Comment
Cruise History: Looking back at passenger lists – “the bible” of travelers aboard the great liners and cruise ships.
Passenger lists were given to all those booked aboard liners and cruise ships up until the 1970s.
From Cunard to the French Line, the Lurline to the Queen Mary – these were an important source of information regarding who would be aboard for your liner voyage or cruise.
Every time I traveled with my parents, the list would include my name – Master Michael L. Grace. The following is a great article by Theodore W. Scull – probably one of the great historians in maritime passenger history.
From CRUISE TRAVEL by Theodore W. Scull
ONCE, WAY BACK WHEN, UPON ENTERING ONE’S CABIN, the first order of business was a quick look at the Passenger List laid out on the table alongside the dining reservation card, telegrams, and the first batch of invitations.
On a two- or three-class ship, the names usually included only those in one’s own class, minus some celebrities or a recluse that explicitly asked not to be listed.
On a one-class cruise, of course, there was but one list.
End Of An Era – The merchant fleets, passenger liners, diminished after the 1950s and 1960s.
April 12, 2009 By Leave a Comment
End Of An Era – The merchant fleets – passenger liners – diminished after the 1950s and 1960s.
Passenger ships, flying European and American flags, such as the United States, France, QE 2, Rotterdam, Lurline, would soon be under foreign flags and served by foreign nationals. Stewards were no longer young Brits or Italians or French – but from Indonesia or the Philippines.
Lines such as American Export, Union-Castle, Orient, Italian Line, Swedish America – would be gone.
The once great merchant marine of Britain, America, France, Germany and Italy was over.
These are photos of British seamen taken during the heyday when the British merchant marine sailed the world.
The 1950’s and 60’s arguably saw the heyday of the world’s merchant fleets. [Read more...]
SS AMERICA – United States Lines famed liner sailed in 1940 on maiden voyage.
April 3, 2009 By Leave a Comment
SS AMERICA – Sailing from New York on her maiden voyage.
The SS America was an ocean liner built in 1940 for the United States Lines. She carried many names in the 54 years between her construction and her 1994 wrecking, as she served as the SS America (carrying this name three different times during her career), the USS West Point, the SS Australis, the SS Italis, the SS Noga, the SS Alferdoss, and the SS American Star
The SS AMERICA leaving New York.
She served most notably in passenger service as the SS America, and as the Greek-flagged SS Australis for Chandris. In 1941, she carried two Nazi spies from the Duquesne Spy Ring in her crew: Erwin Wilhelm Siegler and Franz Joseph Stigler. Both men were charged by the FBI with espionage and sentenced to 10 years and 16 years imprisonment, respectively.
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: 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.
Cruise Ship History: Menus by Eugene Savage used on Matson Line’s SS LURLINE during the 1950s are the inspiration for a striking mural located in the new trendy Tropicale Restaurant in Palm Springs, California.
January 9, 2009 By 1 Comment
Menus by Eugene Savage used on Matson Line’s SS LURLINE during the 1950s are the inspiration for a striking mural located in the trendy Tropicale Restaurant in Palm Springs, California.
The mural seen over the bar at the Tropicale Restaurant is based on the Savage menu designs for Matson Line’s SS Lurline .
The SS Lurline sailed from San Francisco and Los Angeles to Hawaii into the early 1960s when it was replaced by her sister-ship the SS Matsonia. The menus were also discontinued and replaced by a smaller design.
The original Savage menu cover designed for the SS Lurline and used for the mural dominating the bar area of the Tropicale. “Fesitval of the Sea” was the title for this menu.
You would never think a desert restaurant in Palm Springs would be the place to find something so associated with steamships, cruising and the sea. Especially such an excellent representation of mid-century modernism.
The modern 1950s Cathay Bar aboard American President Line’s SS President Wilson. Similar in style to the modern Tropicale design with mid-century influence.
The Tropicale has the feeling of the upbeat supper clubs and lounges of the 1950′s and 60′s.
Another view of the mid-century designed Tropicale. Bar, lobby and dining room in background.
There is a strong mid-century influence. What is ironic is that a 1950s nautical feeling, besides the mural, is found in the public rooms.
The decor parallels the design of American passenger liners following World War 2. Especially those operated by Matson, United States and American President Lines (The lobby of the President Wilson is seen to the left).
The menus were used for dinner service on the SS Lurline. The ship would take five nights to reach Hawaii from the West Coast.
Eugene Savage (1883-1978) was born in Covington, Indiana. In 1940, Savage completed a two-year mural project for the Matson Co. to be used as menu covers for the passenger ship S.S. Lurline.
The SS Lurline at sea from San Francisco to Honolulu – 1950s.
He produced 4 x 8 foot murals that went right into Matson’s basement, never used in the building or on the ships. The menus were never used before World War Two, because, at the outbreak of the war, Matson ships were requisitioned as U.S. transport ships. The six menu covers were finally used on the maiden voyage of the refurbished “White Ship” Lurline in the year 1948.
The original menu set consisted of nine images, three of which are rare and not seen often. In 1950, the Printing for Commerce exhibit of the American Institute of Graphic Arts honored the menu covers with its highest award, and in 1951 the menu designs were included in a display of American lithographs at the Smithsonian Institution.
Due to the increased demand, Matson at that time produced a set of six prints, which were given away to passengers at the end of the voyage. This was the custom on all steamship lines. This stopped in the 1980s aboard most ships when menus were standardized.
It is estimated that over a quarter of a million sets of the Matson Savage menus were printed as blanks or as actual menus. Collectors should be aware that copies are being made today of very good quality. Prices will vary according to brightness of each image; fold lines, foxing, etc. From 1948-1956, the Savage menu designs were also produced on Aloha attire.
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.
