SS IndependenceToday, from Reuben Goossens :cry: :cry: :cry:
Do you have the feeling that he does NOT get free cruises on NCL :roll:
http://www.ssmaritime.com/
And he probably never will. :lol: :lol:
Lifted this from CND today...United States buyer???
* So Long to an Old Friend
Since NCL purchased it shortly after NCL America began,
the classic ship SS Independence has been sitting at the
dock and waiting for her time to return to service in
NCLA livery. That time is not now going to come. NCL
confirmed to CND today that the ship has been sold to
another US owner.
Independence, which last saw service with American
Hawaii Line in Hawaii, was purchased when the opportunity
presented itself because it was a US-built hull (one of
the last remaining cruise ships) and could therefore be
US-registered. NCL saw Independence and United States
(which was acquired about the same time) as one of their
few options if they were ever going to expand their
US-flagged fleet.
From the outset, NCL CEO Colin Veitch told us that
Independence's condition made it questionable if it could
ever actually sail again. He also said that the game plan
would be for United States to enter service first
followed by Independence. But, he always stressed, before
either ship would see service, NCLA had to have their new
American-flagged fleet in place and operating
successfully.
NCLA has faced a number of challenges in the operation
of the American-flagged fleet, and as you know from our
coverage of the financial calls, the operation has yet to
be successful financially. In the last quarter, things
improved, but the Hawaii operation's losses are dragging
down the entire company's profitability.
Meanwhile, Independence has been sitting waiting
patiently in San Francisco, and NCL has been providing
tender loving life support for the classic liner. At one
point in the last year or so, they even gave her a new
name, Oceanic.
It must have become apparent to NCL that given the
ship's questionable condition (of ever being able to be
put into sailing condition and meeting future SOLAS
laws), and the long time it is taking for NCLA to become
financially successful, that the former Independence's
time to sail again would be too far in the future to make
it economically feasible to continue to keep the ship in
storage. It costs a lot to maintain a ship, even one that
is just tied up at the pier.
When we talked with Steve Ciccalone, the project
director who oversees Oceanic and United States, he
confirmed the sale, but could only say it was sold to
another US owner. As it usually works with these things,
the new owner will have to be the one to identify himself
and talk about any possible plans for the ship.
Ciccalone pointed out that just because Independence
is out of the picture, it doesn't mean that NCL is
looking for a buyer for United States. "That's simply not
the plan," he said. The ship is still a prized possession
of the line, and NCL hopes it can become part of the
future NCLA fleet.
As we reported in the past, NCL has had engineering
studies performed on United States, and it looks feasible
that it could one day return to service in NCLA colors,
but everything is at a standstill waiting for that day
when the Hawaii operation is financially successful. Then
things can start moving again for United States.
Ciccalone said the biggest news about "Big U" at the
moment is that a couple of hawks have taken up uninvited
residence on the ship. The unintended benefit is they are
successfully helping to control "Big U's" growing pigeon
population.
Meanwhile Ciccalone says he's just waiting for his
dream job - the day he's named superintendent for
reconstruction on United States. And you can tell, he's
planning on that day coming.
===========
Sad though it is that QE2 is being sold in 2008, this kind of story just reminds me how bad things could be. :(. My heart goes out to all those who loved her :cry:
But then...How long has it been since she last sailed??? those folks might be pretty old now...CJ
:shock: :shock: :shock:
Independence was my first transatlantic crossing :cry: :cry:
I was 17 :D
I cruised the Hawaiian islands on Independence, a classy, beautiful ship! :D
Sorry, I was confusing her with others who had been mothballed...and with Patriot, who was Nieuw Amsterdam, and is now Thomson Something...CJ
A picture from SS Maritime....Reuben Goosens's site
How incredibly sad.
If the fates be guarding her hopefully she will die a dignified death sinking mysteriously as her sister ship Constitution did while being towed to the breakers by the infamous De Da. Or perhaps as the SS America did breakng loose from her ropes and washing up on a beach on the Canary Islands and be taken by the sea after many years and storms.
I feel it is so much more fitting for great great ships.
My first trans-atlantic crossing was in 1953 on Constitution and two more times in the years after that. I remember the excitment the day when the two great liners would pass mid atlantic, one eastbound, one westbound and now into our memories.
Farewell to a great ship.
Yes, I can only hope that Pacific Hickory will prove to be another DeDa :!: :!: :!:
Didn't work with Norway, though :cry: :cry: :cry:
Maybe some good news for Independence :?: I guess we will have to wait and see what happens. I'll keep my fingers crossed! Maybe "recycling" means "refurbishment" rather than "scrap" :?:
From Travel Weekly newsletter...
"The fate of the Independence may not be the scrap yard after all. Capt. Yogesh Rehani, the director of operations for Global Marketing Systems, which claimed to be the agent of the new owner of the Independence, said that the vessel was "heading towards the Far East for a conversion project," possibly a floating hotel or casino. On its Web site, Global Marketing Systems describes itself as "one of the largest cash buyers of ships for recycling in the world." According to the U.S. Maritime Administration, the current owner of the ship is Global Shipping LLC."
www.TravelWeekly.com
:D :D :D That would be WONDERFUL news :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: .....but I don't see the article in Travel Weekly :?: :?: