I'm not sure what the SS US fate will be. NCLA owns her now, and has since April 14, 2003. Recently, Star Cruises/NCL CEO has been quoted as saying that the SS US will be NCLA's next project during the Pride of Hawaii christening.
Meanwhile, NCL is busy completing the last two 92,000 tons ships, and have ordered two larger "F3" 150,000 tons ships, with an option for a third.
NCLA's startup costs have been dragging NCL's profits like an anchor recently. I doubt NCLA will do anything to the SS US until NCLA starts making profits that warrants expansion of its operations.
Here's a few links with statements/quotes attributed from NCL: Dated April 14, 2003 http://www.ncl.com/news/pr/pr041403.htm Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) announced today it has purchased the S/S United States, one of the country's most venerable ships built in the glory days of trans-Atlantic sea travel. NCL intends to convert the vessel to a state-of-the art, modern cruise ship and to add her to NCL's planned US flagged fleet. NCL is now evaluating options for use of the ship under US flag and determining the extent of renovations needed to convert her to a state-of-the-art, modern cruise ship that will appeal to today's vacationer. The ship is expected to offer mainland US itineraries where cruise products are not currently available. The refurbishment of the hull and superstructure will be done at US shipyards with the outfitting completed overseas.
Dated March 4, 2004 http://www.ssunitedstates.org/latestnews.htm Excerpt: "Recently, NCL sent a project team to Philadelphia to conduct an extensive technical review of the venerable ship. We would like to report that she is in good shape and we are taking very good care of her. We have also cataloged over a hundred boxes of blueprints that we received from the previous owners. Although not a complete set, the drawings will be of real help to our technical team with their work. When we announced the purchase of the S/S United States in April last year, we talked about her potential to become a state-of-the-art modern cruise ship in our U.S. Flagged fleet. We also talked about the fact that the purchase and restoration of the vessel would be a long-term project as we focused on Project America and our work to restore a new U.S. flag operation to the cruise industry. We intend to do our part to return the U.S. maritime industry to the greatness it once enjoyed.
Dated July 31, 2004 http://www.ss-united-states.com/i2.html Excerpt: In a July 31, 2004 article in the Philadelphia Inquirer NCL's CEO, Colin Veitch, says he believes the SS UNITED STATES will be successful sailing on a east coast to west coast cruise route via the Panama Canal. Veitch says NCL is talking to ship yards about Big U refurbishment and that the ship could be sailing in six years.
Dated July 10, 2005 for August edition of Cruise Travel Magazine http://www.ssunitedstatesconservancy.org/ConservancyUpdate3 Excerpt: "Once we have three ships [in the Project America fleet], we can have a look at other opportunities to grow the brand. The big one we have in mind is to rebuild the SS United States. If and when we can rebuild her, she would not be confined to any geographic area. That would be a far-ranging ship. We're in the midst of a technical evaluation to see what we could do with her. She was built in the 1950s, and there are lots of new rules, and we are doing a feasibility study on two grounds: What condition is she in, which appears to be rather good, and how can we meet today's construction rules and safety standards within the existing hull. We would not change the shape of the hull. We're talking about rebuilding the inside. As long as we can determine it's feasible, then we'll work up a complete plan and then take her up and down the coast, trans-Atlantic, Europe, around the world - wherever we can generate demand. This would be a one-off product, and I think people would sail on the ship wherever we would go."
Dated May 21, 2006 http://www.cruisecritic.com/news/news.cfm?ID=1664 Excerpt: Mr. Lim talked about the power of friendship that was required to see NCL America through to this point. Interestingly, he noted that NCL America's next project would be the refurbishment and relaunching of the S.S. United States, an American-flagged ship currently in wet-dock in Philadelphia.
What has NCL been doing, and how much has been the bill? From http://ssunitedstatesconservancy.org/ConservancyUpdate2.html Excerpts: NCL is paying some $500,000 per year for docking fees, insurance, security and other expenses as stewards of the SS United States. Generally speaking, sitting water aboard the ship is pumped at least twice per month, but more frequently as weather conditions dictate. NCL generously made available to the Conservancy recent underwater footage of the ship that the company had commissioned to assess the hull's condition. The video showed a layer of sea grass growing on the hull but otherwise the hull appeared remarkably free of marine growth. Of particular interest to NCL was the point at which vertical hull plating met the keel plates. Apparently the hull condition appeared promising enough to warrant a dry-docking and further direct inspection.
NCL has bene spending resources upon the SS US. Let's hope they release their plans for her soon.
oops - you forgot to include NCL's most recent announcement in regards to their expansion plans [sic] for NCL America:
Dated September 7th, 2006 http://www.ncl.com/news/pr/pr090706.htm Excerpt: NCL’s President and CEO, Colin Veitch, said: "[...] Our U.S. flag start-up costs have obscured, for the past two years, the attractive financial returns on the international fleet of ships that we have built since Star Cruises bought NCL. All our growth from now on will be in this strongly profitable sector of our fleet[...]"
Hmm - so no further growth for NCL America, I guess. No further NCL America growth = no addition of the "United States" to the NCL America fleet = no reconstruction of the "United States".
Hello- Just wanted to correct something. Thankfully NCL DOES NOT OWN THE SS UNITED STATES WHOLLY- They only hold a promissory note to the actual owners- The Cantor Family. With all the lies NCL has been getting away with so far that is regarding the SS NORWAY. I would not beleive one word they say regarding either the SSUS or the SSI. They only wanted those two ships to be able to get the NCL America approved.
oops - you forgot to include NCL's most recent announcement in regards to their expansion plans [sic] for NCL America:
Dated September 7th, 2006 http://www.ncl.com/news/pr/pr090706.htm Excerpt: NCL’s President and CEO, Colin Veitch, said: "[...] Our U.S. flag start-up costs have obscured, for the past two years, the attractive financial returns on the international fleet of ships that we have built since Star Cruises bought NCL. All our growth from now on will be in this strongly profitable sector of our fleet[...]"
Hmm - so no further growth for NCL America, I guess. No further NCL America growth = no addition of the "United States" to the NCL America fleet = no reconstruction of the "United States".
As I wrote earlier, NCLA is going to have to turn higher profits before you'll see anything done with the SS US. Two of the last three ships built were for NCLA. Now, it appears the tetter has totter the other way, with four or five of the next ships being built for NCL. By the end of 2010, will NCL need more ships, or NCLA? Let's not give up hope so quickly.......
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OK... to unburden the SS Norway/France thread... I'll move my thoughts on the SSUS over to this thread. Perhaps, as many have suggested, it's time to move attention slowly from the virtually hopeless situation of saving the Norway to the less hopeless, but still grim-looking, task of saving the SS United States.
Where and how should we begin the effort?? Suggestions welcome!
I really worry about the future prospects for SS United States. The two organizations set up to help preserve her, though well intentioned, seem to have no clear plan about saving her. The bottom line is that it's going to take money to buy and preserve her should NCL give up on her. Neither organization has the sufficient funds to do this. What is needed is a campaign similiar to what Lee Iacocca started to restore the Statue of Liberty. This ship, carrying our country's name, should be given the attention it deserves and corporate sponsorship should be developed to incur proper funding for her restoration and preservation. As much as I'd like to see her sailing the seas again, I'd be satisfied to have her preserved as a static display for future generations to enjoy and marval at.
Great to see this thread taking shape. Folks, teh best thing we can do right now is make a contribution to one of the foundations already set up. That contribution will maintain websites on SSUS and aid in getting the needed exposure/publicity. Another more important thing to do would be to write your senators and congressman about forming a suitable tax policy/credit/etc to encourage the restoration of the ship. This needs to be done before January though...remember Jimmy Carter sold off the Sequoia! Seriously, if NCL could gain tax credits for SSUS restoration, and other incentives, the project could actually become viable.
Next Cruise: Carnival Fantasy 10-27-08
03/08 Carnival Fantasy 10-07 Carnival Holiday 03-07 Carnival Holiday 11-06 Carnival Triumph 03-06 CaribbeanPrincess 01-04 Carnival Victory 09-03 Carnival Destiny 05-03 Carnival Imagination 11-02 Carnival Imagination 01-02 RCCL Rhapsody of Seas 02-01 RCCL Sovereign of Seas 02-00 RCCL Empress of Seas 01-99 RCCL Sovereign of Seas 01-98 RCCL Majesty of Seas
Originally posted by tncruiseman: Great to see this thread taking shape. Folks, teh best thing we can do right now is make a contribution to one of the foundations already set up. That contribution will maintain websites on SSUS and aid in getting the needed exposure/publicity. Another more important thing to do would be to write your senators and congressman about forming a suitable tax policy/credit/etc to encourage the restoration of the ship. This needs to be done before January though...remember Jimmy Carter sold off the Sequoia! Seriously, if NCL could gain tax credits for SSUS restoration, and other incentives, the project could actually become viable.
I believe it will be easier to get those tax incentives once the SSUS is designated a historic place. Shucks, as tight as NCL is, a tax incentive of some sort would probably mean they could refurbish it, and put it back into service.
From NCL's third quarter earnings statement,
The third quarter of 2006 represents the first full quarter with three vessels deployed in our inter-island Hawaii cruises. While the Company expects the stabilization of this fleet to ultimately result in cost efficiencies, the significant increase in capacity deployed in our inter-island Hawaii cruises represented a larger portion of our fleet in the third quarter of 2006 than in 2005, and this has therefore resulted in higher payroll and related expenses. “Our rapid expansion in inter-island Hawaii cruises and increased fuel costs continue to impact our results,” said Colin Veitch, president and chief executive officer of NCL Corporation Ltd. “In the near term, we still have a challenging road ahead of us in Hawaii, but with the stabilization of our NCL America fleet we expect to achieve operating improvements in 2007. We are in the process of implementing measures to reduce crew turnover and accelerate the rate at which product delivery scores have been improving.
What's promising is that NCL posted a third quarter profit of $49 million. That's with three NCLA ships in operation with all their higher expenses. That's reduced the red ink for the year down to losing almost $15 million. A good fourth quarter might change this year's red ink into black. So it isn't all doom and gloom at NCL this year. But I wish I could say the same for NCLA. Let's hope Colin's plans for NCLA work.
Then maybe, NCL will allow NCLA to expand once more. When and if that occurs, the SSUS will be an asset instead of a corporate liability.
Originally posted by Sky KIng: What is needed is a campaign similiar to what Lee Iacocca started to restore the Statue of Liberty. This ship, carrying our country's name, should be given the attention it deserves and corporate sponsorship should be developed to incur proper funding for her restoration and preservation.
This sounds like a reasonable approach... however, it's a matter of identifying the national figure of influence to get the movement started. Any multi-billionaire candidates to get the ball rolling??
Donald Trump? (ugggh... he'd want SSUS as a big casino and rename it "Trump US" or something like that)
I agree with Ron... I don't think Richard Branson would be interested in the SSUS... heck, he's even the guy that funded the high-speed catamaran that "broke" the SSUS transatlatic record for a "Passenger Ship" and now technically holds the Blue Riband/Hales Trophy. (Though whether his "ship" was a "passenger vessel" in the vein of what the Blue Riband is about is open to question.)
Given that I think most would agree that the ideal situation would be "rescue" or "preservation" of the SSUS as part of American maritime heritage, I'd think an American billionaire would be optimal. However, ANY multi-billionaire from ANY country committed to the SSUS rescue would be fine with me!!! (...just don't think it would be Branson)
I beleive that preservation is the only true answer.
Pjswansea
" Le paquebot France est lancé. Il va épouser la mer. (...) Sa mission sera de transporter d'un bord à l'autre de l'Atlantique des hommes, c'est-à-dire des pensées et des activités, des foyers de connaissance et des sources de travail, de l'art et de la richesse."
Général De Gaulle, le 11 mai 1960
Posts: 206 | Location: Swansea, Wales, United Kingdom | Registered: November 21, 2006
Originally posted by CGT: I beleive that preservation is the only true answer.
Preservation isn't cheap! Look at other US ship preservation efforts. Just about all the battleships on display around the country have sunk next to their piers, even the aircraft carrier Intrepid is stuck in Hudson River mud in New York. Preserved ships require drydock more often than every 20 to 25 years, for optima health. Even the stuck in the mud Intrepid, which is barely profitable in New York with almost a million visitors per year to its museum can't get to drydock as often as it should. Because they don't go to drydock as often as they should, the costs for each drydock is significantly higher when they do. Taking these ships to drydock is so expensive, Texas is looking at placing the Battleship Texas permanently into drydock, by building a $20 million drydock for it. It's next overhaul in drydock will require another $20 million, or $40 million total. Other states will be facing similar decisions soon. The Battleship Texas hasn't made $20 million in approximately 60 years, it's always a drain on the Texas Parks Department, whose budget today is just $20 million per year.
What has worked in the past, is what Long Beach has done with the Queen Mary. Converting the ship into a Convention Center Hotel, where those attending conventions at the Center keep the Queen Mary's cabins fully booked. Even it doesn't go to drydock often enough.
I believe the best way to keep these grand old passenger ships in good order is to keep them in operation as a passenger ship. This also requires keeping them updated with technology so they can stay competitive. When the ship can't make a profit anymore, it's time to scrap them. A quick death is better than a prolonged and slow one.
Hi Ron, If Long Beach had left the ship intact, the Queen Mary would have made even more money than it is right now, due in part to the fact that the developers in 1968-1971 remove so much of the ship's powertrain and lower decks.
The Big U has great potential to become a 5-Star Hotel ship and museum. If the SS Norway is saved, then the Big U is next on the list.
Another ship that I love to see get saved is the MV Augustus because of it close association to the Andrea Doria. If someone wants an idea of what the Andrea Doria looked like in its heyday, the Augustus is the closest ship that the world will ever get to that ship.
Too many good ships have gone to the scrapyard in recent years. It's time to turn back the clock and spear a few ships from that dreadful fate. There is still time to save the following:
SS Norway SS United States SS Independence MV Augustus
There might be other ships as well. I didn't add the QE2 because it's not in any danger at this time. That's all for now.
Dan Lague
Posts: 345 | Location: Florida | Registered: May 16, 2006
SS Independence has been renamed Oceanic and is now owned by some company operating inside NCL Americas headquarters, weather or not its 2 be broken up or not i dont no. 4 fuller details go 2 www.ssmaritime.com/newsupdates.htm
