S.S. United States Purchased by Crystal Cruises

Crystal Cruises has taken a step that may potentially save the iconic ocean liner, S.S. United States. To be sure, there has been much fanfare and excitement around the announcement, and rightly so. But before we get carried away with all of the hype, some issues need to be addressed.

• The deal signed by Crystal is conditional.

The agreement penned  by Crystal Cruises with the ship's current owners has them taking over all preservation costs of the ship while a comprehensive study will be done to determine the feasibility of returning her to a seaworthy status as a cruise ship. This study is to be conducted by the end of 2016. What happens at the end of 2016 should it be revealed that the feasibility was not particularly feasible?

Have they actually seen the ship? I mean, in person? It's a rusting train wreck. It is virtually nothing more than a rusting, empty hulk.

"SS-United States" by Lowlova - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:SS-United_States.JPG#/media/File:SS-United_States.JPG

""United States" - Hampton Roads, 1989" by René Beauchamp - http://www.shipspotting.com/gallery/photo.php?lid=2027961. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:%22United_States%22_-_Hampton_Roads,_1989.jpg#/media/File:%22United_States%22_-_Hampton_Roads,_1989.jpg

• The United States was an ocean liner, not a cruise ship.

The ship will need a complete rebuild and modernization effort. She has a deep draft which means she can't get in close to some locations. She will need new power plants, azimuth pods, bow thrusters, decks of suites added, a completely new bridge... It's not like they're buying an old car and they're going to run the sander on it, paint it, new tires and away she goes.

• An American ship registered in New York, not anymore.

Cruise ships typically are registered in countries without excessive taxes and other huge expenses. Guaranteed (as far as I am concerned) the United States would not be an American ship.

• Who will be doing the actual work?

The United States was designed by American marine architect William Frances Gibbs and was built by the Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company by American workers. Without knowing any details (my opinion?) it would be a good bet that the ship would be towed out of country - perhaps to Hong Kong - where it would undergo conversion. Once again, because of costs and other reasons cruise ship companies do not build ships at American ship building facilities.

Over the years there have been numerous attempts at saving the great ocean liners - Olympic, Mauretania, Aquitania, Queen Mary, Queen Elizabeth, Norway... Of these only the latter was returned to service. And what about the reincarnation(s) of Titanic? It sounded good. Not going to happen. It may seem that I am being overly skeptical of the notion that Crystal - or someone else - is going to board the United States, have a look around, decide that it can be done and commit to a long-term project that would involve towing the ship to another country and essentially completely rebuilding her. Of course the amateur (that's me) might want to not jump to unwarranted skepticism. If the big guy on the block with all of the expertise and resources says so, it must be true. And I am not saying for one iota that Crystal is pulling a fast one. Indeed, I am sure they are hoping for the best and that the ship will join their fleet. But the skepticism is nonetheless warranted. More than likely, the United States will be towed to a location overseas because a "more detailed examination of the ship must be conducted at a facility not in America" and upon completion of this "examination" it will be determined that her condition is too poor and off to the breakers she goes. Let's hope for the best despite my skepticism. 

 

And many thanks to those folks that kept her alive all of these years.

In the mean time I'll stick with the ship as she was in her heyday, thanks.

"Colorful SS United States" by Frederic Logghe - http://www.ibiblio.org/maritime/media/displayimage.php?album=8473&pos=8. Licensed under GFDL via Wikimedia Commons - https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Colorful_SS_United_States.jpg#/media/File:Colorful_SS_United_States.jpg