Crystal to 'Revive' the SS United States

[prescottbob]

Just an FYI.

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3576779/Inside-rusting-hulk-SS-United-States-Eerie-images-reveal-huge-task-restore-majestic-ship-played-host-Hollywood-stars-former-glory.html

 

Bob

[rafinmd]

I have to strongly disagree with the title of this thread. What Crystal has done is book a 90 day study of the feasibility of reviving the United States. I think it is EXTREMELY unlikely that anything will come of the study. This has been widely discussed on the Crystal and Cunard forums.

 

Roy

[joepeka]

Wasn't there a thread here recently on this same topic? :confused:

[iflyrc5]

My grandparents took the USS United States from New York to Europe back in the early 1950s. My dad and I went over to see them off and were able to get on the ship for a visit. I was about 4 or 5 at the time but remember it well and when the ship left the port all the paper streamers people would throw over the side.

[rafinmd]

I have to strongly disagree with the title of this thread. What Crystal has done is book a 90 day study of the feasibility of reviving the United States. I think it is EXTREMELY unlikely that anything will come of the study. This has been widely discussed on the Crystal and Cunard forums.

 

Roy

 

Wasn't there a thread here recently on this same topic? :confused:

 

One correction to what I said. The study is not 90 days but is expected to be completed "by the end of 2016". There probably was a thread here; I don't remember it but the original announcement was February 4 and I was at sea until March 5 (on the Crystal Symphony) and probably not following the HAL forum much in that time frame.

 

Roy

[chengkp75]

One correction to what I said. The study is not 90 days but is expected to be completed "by the end of 2016". There probably was a thread here; I don't remember it but the original announcement was February 4 and I was at sea until March 5 (on the Crystal Symphony) and probably not following the HAL forum much in that time frame.

 

Roy

 

While I think that the possibility of the SSUS returning to US flag service is remote at best, and that Crystal will lose money on this venture regardless of the ship's registry, the Crystal CEO has been quoted as saying that "failure is not an option" and that they are fully committed to the venture. As I've stated on a couple of threads about the SSUS, Tan Sri Lim, the CEO of Genting HK, which owns Crystal, and is a major holder and previous owner of NCL, has had a fascination (almost a fixation) on the SSUS for decades, and I think that the Crystal plan is just the most recent incarnation of this, and for this reason it may well go ahead.

[visagrunt]

I'm inclined to file this story under, "pipe dreams."

 

The Rotterdam was laid up for 4 years, and it took 6 years and 250 million euros to restore her to her present use, which involves no sailing, whatsoever.

 

The United States has been laid up for 47 years. Even if the $800 million price tag is realistic, the two year time frame seems woefully optimistic.

[sppunk]

There is an extensive thread on the Crystal forum about this.

 

I'm with Roy and have posted it: I don't believe this ship will ever sail under her own power again. If anything it gets permanently moored in NYC / NJ and is a hotel / conference center / restaurant / gambling boat.

 

The owners are a gambling empire, so yeah.

[Cruzin with BQ & CQ]

I had my first birthday on this ship in 1953! I still have my Mom's steamer trunk with the paper luggage tag attached!

[thinfool]

Maybe they are planning to have it ready to sail on opening day of the new (Chinese built) canal from the Caribbean to the Pacific through Nicaragua. ;):p

[mariner]

Why? When QE2 is younger and mostly ready to return to service? Good luck operating under a US flag.