SS United States Will Not Sail Again

A few months ago when Crystal Cruises expressed interest in sailing the SS United States and commissioned a feasibility study, it seemed like the ship may have a future. Today after announcing the results of that study, it puts the ship back in mothballs with funds available to keep it there only for a few months.

After an expensive (about a million dollars) six-month study in which Crystal brought in top engineers and experts, Crystal concluded it just isn't feasible to try to sail the classic liner again.

Our complete story appeared in the August 5 edition of Cruise News Daily. The Crystal press is published below.

CRYSTAL CRUISES CONCLUDES SS UNITED STATES TECHNICAL FEASIBILITY STUDY

America’s Flagship Found Structurally Sound But Technical Challenges Prevent

Her Return to Modern Seagoing Service

SS United States Conservancy Will Continue To Pursue Redevelopment Opportunities

LOS ANGELES, August 5, 2016 – Following an intensive, six-month evaluation, Crystal Cruises today determined that while the SS United States is structurally sound, the technical and commercial challenges associated with returning the historic liner to service as a modern cruise ship have unfortunately proven insurmountable. As a show of support for the vessel, Crystal Cruises will be making a significant donation of $350,000 to aid in the Conservancy’s ongoing mission to save the ship. The Conservancy intends to resume its pursuit of stationary redevelopment opportunities for America’s Flagship.

In February, Crystal and the SS United States Conservancy announced they had entered into an exclusive option agreement with the goal of converting the iconic 1950’s-era vessel into a modern, luxury cruise ship that would comply with all modern safety and technical standards – unprecedented for a single vessel refurbishment. Crystal commenced a comprehensive feasibility study and professional evaluation, convening a world-class team of engineers and experts while incurring over $1 million in costs.

“Over the past six months, Crystal has conducted an extensive feasibility study to restore 'America's Flagship' to oceangoing service. Unfortunately, the hurdles that would face us when trying to bring a 65-year-old vessel up to modern safety, design and international regulatory compliance have proven just too great to clear in both a technically and commercially responsible manner,” said Crystal President and CEO Edie Rodriguez.

“While it has been determined that Crystal’s exciting vision for the ship would have required overcoming various technical hurdles and major changes to her historic design, the studies performed have confirmed the ship is structurally sound,” said Susan Gibbs, Executive Director of the SS United States Conservancy. “America’s Flagship continues to hold enormous potential as a stationary mixed-use development and museum in New York or another urban waterfront setting. The SS United States Conservancy remains deeply committed to saving this unique and powerful symbol of the nation’s strength, history, and innovation.”

Led by retired U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral Tim Sullivan, Crystal’s impressive team of maritime experts and engineers conducted numerous assessments on the ship in the Port of Philadelphia, where it has been docked for 20 years. The evaluation and testing included in-depth assessments of the ship's structural condition; underwater inspections of the hull by divers; the examination of her fuel and salt water ballasting tanks; and a series of intensive engineering studies to deduce what would be needed to bring her back into service.

Regrettably, the technical feasibility study concluded that while the ship is remarkably intact and structurally sound, modifying the ship for today’s standards for oceangoing service (SOLAS) would require significant changes to the hull that would pose stability challenges. Additionally, the installation of a modern, state-of-the-art diesel electric propulsion plant would have necessitated altering of the existing shaft lines and rebuilding about 25 percent of the hull to reconfigure the ship to a twin shaft-twin rudder arrangement. While it was known that the vessel would need to have been essentially rebuilt from the inside out, these specific challenges, among others, collectively posed significant risk to the success of the project.

“Our company has great affection for this historic and irreplaceable vessel, and we will be making a $350,000 donation which will help support the Conservancy preserve the vessel through the remainder of the year,” said Rodriguez. “We firmly believe the SS United States is an American treasure and deserves to be preserved and redeveloped as a stationary destination for future generations to experience and enjoy.”

The Conservancy will immediately restart its aggressive outreach to qualified developers and investors to secure the ship’s future, while continuing its ongoing mission to educate the public about the legacy of the vessel and building its museum collection and archives. A national reunion of former crewmembers and passengers is planned in Philadelphia on September 17.

“The Conservancy is deeply grateful to Crystal Cruises for recognizing the SS United States’ historic importance and for working so hard on the ship’s behalf,” said Gibbs. “I would also like to thank our members and supporters from across the country and around the world for their continued support. Together we will continue to work tirelessly to save America’s Flagship and honor the legendary liner’s legacy.”

Crystal would like to thank partners and agencies involved in helping complete the feasibility study including: the U.S Coast Guard; Atlantic Logistics; the U.S Environmental Protection Agency; the American Bureau of Shipping; the U.S. Maritime Administration; the Seafarer’s International Union and multiple U.S. Congressional committees. Finally, Crystal urges the public to visit www.SSUSC.org to help the SS United States Conservancy continue its efforts to save America’s Flagship and advance its educational and curatorial programs to honor the nation’s only remaining ocean liner.


About SS United States Conservancy
A national nonprofit organization, the SS United States Conservancy leads the global effort to save and repurpose America’s Flagship, the SS United States. The Conservancy raises public awareness and financial resources for the maintenance, restoration and ultimate reuse of this iconic vessel and works to ensure that the fastest ocean liner ever to cross the Atlantic remains an inspiration for generations to come. For more information about the SS United States visit www.ssusc.org or on the Conservancy Facebook Page.

About Crystal Cruises
Crystal Cruises is the world’s most awarded luxury cruise line, having earned more “World’s Best” accolades than any other cruise line, hotel, or resort in history.  Crystal Cruises has won “World’s Best Cruise Ship” in Condé Nast Traveler’s Reader Choice Awards for 22 years; been voted “World’s Best Large Ship Cruise Line” by Travel + Leisure readers for 20 consecutive years; and the “Best Luxury Cruise Line” by Virtuoso for two-consecutive years (2014 & 2015). In summer 2015, Crystal embarked on the most significant brand expansion in the history of luxury travel and hospitality, introducing three new classes of cruising – the recently launched Crystal Yacht Cruises (December 2015), Crystal River Cruises (July 2016), Crystal Exclusive Class Ocean Cruises (late 2018) – and Crystal Luxury Air (March 2016). Visit www.crystalcruises.com for more information and join the thousands who follow the Crystal Cruises Facebook page and @crystalcruises on Twitter and Instagram to engage in the conversation with #crystalcruises.

Source: Crystal Cruises

Crystal Options the SS United States

Contrary to earlier plans and assumptions, the SS United States will not become a floating hotel or amusement center, permanently moored in some East Coast city. Plans now are to once again revive it as a cruise ship.

With great fanfare, Crystal Cruises today announced they have an option to buy the classic liner and restore it to sailing status. They are currently beginning a feasability study which they plan to complete by the end of the year.

The complete story appeared in the November 4 edition of Cruise News Daily.

There May Be Life in the United States

It appears that the SS United States Conservancy at last has firm plans to repurpose the classic ocean liner and a developer to do it, and it seems it will happen in New York.

The group advised news organizations of a press conference in New York on February 4. They said the announcement would reveal “an exciting future” for the ship.

This story appeared in the January 28 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Grand Theater or Is the End Nearing?

The SS United States Conservancy has released a statement on their website saying the board has reluctantly started the process to find a recycler for the ship, but they point out several times, that just because they are starting the process, it doesn’t mean that dismantling the ship is inevitable.

The complete story appeared in the October 7 edition of Cruise News Daily.

Cruise News Daily Headlines for December 16, 2014

* Insignia and Passengers Still Waiting
Oceania’s Insignia is still sitting at the dock on St. Lucia (Castries) waiting for the authorities to complete their investigation into the cause of last Thursday’s engine room fire that killed three crew members and disabled the ship.
   Teams from the Marshall Islands (who will lead the investigation since the ship is registered there), the US National Transportation Safety Board and the US Coast Guard are all participating in the investigation.

* Other Things You’ll Want to Know
CND subscribers also read about the Conservancy having a tentative agreement to save SS United States ... congratulations on the status quo ,,, and you ought to see what they do to the people who take their robes.

The complete articles appeared in the e-mail edition of Cruise News Daily delivered to our subscribers.

Cruise News Daily Headlines for September 25, 2014

* The SS United States May Finally Be Running out of Steam
Earlier this week the SS United States Conservancy (which owns the classic ocean liner) issued a press release.
   They said some interesting things, but it wasn’t crystal clear in what they wanted to say. It seemed to be both a pitch for funds, and it also may have been a maneuver to try to move some negotiations along in finding a new home for the ship.
   It was perhaps more interesting in what was being said between the lines.

* Other Things You’ll Want to Know
CND subscribers also read about those little rascals ... New York, New York ... and the alternate ending.

The complete articles appeared in the e-mail edition of Cruise News Daily delivered to our subscribers.

Cruise News Daily Headlines for June 17, 2014

* Live another Day
The SS United States will sit rusting in its Philadelphia berth for a while longer, thanks to the generosity of another donor. The hope is that during that time, before the money runs out to store her, the owners (the Conservancy) will find someone who wants the ship, has a place for her, and the money to restore and repurpose her.

* Seventy-five Seconds of Thinking Back
MSC has a new video commercial spot. It’s interesting in that on the surface it’s slightly humorous, but it sets you to thinking, perhaps on a deeper level.
   Check it out below.

The complete articles appeared in the e-mail edition of Cruise News Daily delivered to our subscribers.

Cruise News Daily Headlines for May 27, 2014

* Agreement after the Fact
Royal Caribbean said today they have hammered out an agreement with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to develop the next phase of Cape Liberty Cruise port at Bayonne (NJ) which will involve building a state-of-the-art cruise terminal needed to accommodate the next generation of the line’s ships, the Quantum-class. Never mind that they need the facility to be ready by the time Quantum of the Seas arrives there this November, so they already started construction months ago.

* Another Child Found Unconscious in Ship’s Pool
It has happened again. European media is reporting another child was found drowning in a cruise ship pool this afternoon.

* For Sale: One Slightly Used Propeller
The SS United States Conservancy is running out of money. It costs them almost $55,000 a month to keep the classic liner SS United States in storage while they try to find a viable use for the ship. Over the years, they have raised literally millions of dollars from private sources (they receive no government funding), but that money is drying up, and to continue to keep the ship laid up, they are selling one of their most prized possessions - and they have to do it fast!

The complete articles appeared in the e-mail edition of Cruise News Daily delivered to our subscribers.

Propeller from the SS United States

SS United States to Be Rescued - Maybe

The United States Conservancy is reportedly announcing today that they are receiving a $5.8 million donation which will be the first step in them buying the classic SS United States, The ship has of late been laid up in Philadelphia, and without this purchase it seems destined to be scrapped.

The funds will allow the group to enter into a preliminary agreement with Norwegian Cruise Line and Genting Hong Kong (formerly Star Cruises) that will give the group time to decide exactly what they will do with the ship and where they will put it, if they proceed with the purchase. The decision will be based in large part on if they find the ship could support itself in operation as a hotel.

Details were in the complete article which appeared in the June 30, 2010, edition of Cruise News Daily.

SS United States Memorabilia Collection Donated

A collection of memorabilia from the SS United States that has filled a Nags Head (NC) restaurant has been donated to the Mariners' Museum in Newport News (VA). The museum already has a propeller and other artifacts from the classic liner, according to WVEC in Newport News, but this will significantly expand the collection. Video accompanies the text story on the WVEC website.

SS United States Still for Sale

Frankly what attracted us to this Philadelphia Inquirer article is the stunning photo of SS United States, stored in Philadelphia, as seen from all places, the IKEA store.



The classic liner was acquired for NCL America when the line planned to expand their American-flagged operation. Market conditions never allowed the line to expand, and the cost of rehabilitating the ship has continued to escalate. With the change of ownership structure of NCL America, ownership of the vessel recently reverted to Star. They see no use use for the ship in the foreseeable future, and even simply storing it is a tremendous cash drain, so they put it on the market some time ago.

The subject of SS United States' future has come up in many of CND's interviews with NCL and Star management over the years since it was acquired in 2002. The principals seem to have a real understanding of both the business and historic value of the vessel, some of them taking a real personal interest. Although most outsiders don't believe it, we believe scrapping the ship, just to get rid of it, would be a last resort for Star.

As the Inquirer article indicates, there are people trying to raise money to purchase the ship, but that's only a tiny portion of the problem. If it were just a matter of buying the ship, there are a number of sources that could probably raise the cash quickly. The major battle would then be what to do with the ship. The cost of maintaining it is phenomenal.

Check out the Philadelphia Inquirer article and the article that appeared on Jaunted.

A United States Kind of Weekend

The following article appeared in the May 23, 2008, edition of Cruise News Daily and is provided as a sample of the types of feature articles we publish. (Please note: Links were valid at time of publication.)

It's the Memorial Day Weekend in the United States. In case your plans get rained out, we came across some interesting reading for you, appropriately about the SS United States, the classic American oceanliner, laid up in Philadelphia still seeming to be just waiting for its chance to sail again.

Over the past several weeks, there have been a couple of articles published about the legendary ship, which is still owned by NCL or some division thereof.

The first is in Popular Mechanics (and yes, they show you how to build your own model of the ship), and it is written by an author whose fascination with the ship began when he sailed on it as a child (classic picture included). He looks briefly at the history, at the ship today, and (probably less accurately) at its future. (More on that in a moment.) The article is available at http://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/transportation/4263478.html

An article, similar in tone, though slightly less pessimistic and also published in the last couple of weeks, appears on the ABC News website at http://abcnews.go.com/Travel/BusinessTravel/Story?id=4751136

And the final entry into the SSUS trifecta is a PBS special called "SS United States: Lady in Waiting." As with most PBS shows, they appear in your area when your local PBS station decides they should, and if PBS is smiling upon you, this production will be running in your area this weekend. If not, you can get a preview at the production company's website at http://www.bigshipfilms.com/ and watch a 3-minute preview. You can also purchase a DVD of the complete show at the same website.

As noted in the stories, Norwegian Cruise Line still owns United States, and they hold the keys to its future. Recently when we talked with NCL CEO Colin Veitch, he told CND that United States "is still there as a viable option for us - or for someone else."

The Popular Mechanics article seems to indicate that the possibility looms for United States being scrapped, and bases some of that on the fact that NCL recently sold Independence and Norway.

Norway was, of course, sold when it was finally determined that it could not be put back into sailing condition after its accident for a reasonable amount of money that could make it profitable. It was later resold for scrap.

United States and Independence were purchased by NCL at the outset of the NCL America operation as an investment in their future. Since the two ships were American-built, it was about the only way the company could ever expand its American-flagged fleet, short of getting another Congressional exemption, which seemed unlikely. Veitch said right from the start that they wouldn't be actively working to rebuild those ships or put them into service until NCLA was operating profitably and there was a need for them. He was also very candid in saying that Independence's future was more cloudy than United States.

Less was known about Independence, since over the years, there had been more engineering studies done on United States. Since the two ships were purchased by NCL, we've spoken with Veitch regularly about them. He's always said that it was rather questionable if Independence could ever meet maritime codes and ever sail for NCLA, but they have maintained it until last February when it was sold. He told CND at that time that "with the retrenchment of our modern-ship fleet in Hawaii, we could see no prospect of using the Independence again."

The purchaser has towed the ship toward the Middle East and insists that it is not being scrapped but has never made any plans for it public.

"[United States' status] is different," Veitch told CND. "We are looking at what to do with United States now. United States has much more of a name than Independence had and is frankly in much better condition than Independence was. The prospects for United States are ... different," he said.

Again, over the years, each time we've talked about United States, he's said that each step that has been done in studying the ship has shown them that bringing the ship to meet current passenger expectations and making it meet current maritime codes is a viable option which can be done at a cost that will allow them to operate it profitably. There are still more studies to be done, however, before they are certain of it. NCL has been taking their time having those done because there's no need for the ship at this point. Once a need can be seen on the horizon, then we can expect to see things move more quickly in determining the overall viability of the project.

But unlike the tone of the Popular Mechanics article, Veitch doesn't seem to see United States heading off to scrap. "United States is an intriguing enough property that we're still interested in it, and from time to time we get inquiries from others who are interested in it," Veitch said. That hasn't been the case with either of the other two classic ships they have sold. So if United States never sails for NCL America, it will probably end up in someone else's loving possession to restore.