By now you know that if we’re traveling we like to share entertainment choices in the various cities or ships we’re on. Well this one is completely different. This past Friday we were in Philadelphia to take a tour of the classic ocean liner, S.S. United States. The ship sailed trans-Atlantic voyages from 1952 until she was laid-up in 1969 and it has been docked at several docks in the country ever since then. She’s been docked in Philadelphia for decades now but there is a court order against her owner for the ship to be removed by September of this year!The options for the ship are to move her to a new city that’s willing to provide space for her, to sink her to create an artificial reef or take her to the breakers in India for scrap. Actually, there’s a fourth option which is for someone rich to purchase her and refurbish her for use as a hotel similar to the RMS Queen Mary which is docked in Long Beach, California. Given the condition of the ship, the latter seems impossible.It was finally my group’s turn to walk the gangway onto the ship.After signing a Disclaimer, the tour began.There were numerous displays such as this one scattered along the tour route.We began at the 1st Class swimming pool. Deep in the bowels of the ship, this is where most ocean liners kept their pools. The north Atlantic routes were no place for outdoor pools typically seen nowadays on cruise ships. Steam rooms and exercise rooms were nearby. We next visited the aft engine room. This is an example why the ship could never be refurbished for sailing again. The ship set a trans-Atlantic speed record. The actual speed the ship could attain would remain a military secret.Nearly anything of value on the ship has been stripped but this display of gauges was surprisingly intact.Most of the interior walls were also removed by prior owners. These were 1st Class staterooms at one time.The only thing one can make out were the locations of en suite bathrooms. One can see the former shower pan and locations of the bathroom sink and toilet.Looking down one deck to the 1st class main dining room.The bar from the former Tourist class lounge remains.The Tourist class theater.The 1st Class theater. Unfortunately, no DJ was playing during our visit.The bandstand within the 1st class ballroom.An impressive dance floor once occupied this space.Also in the 1st class ballroom, the location of the former bar. Sadly, nearly everything removed.One of the stairwells in the ship.And across from the stairwell, a pair of lifts. Moving from indoors to outdoors and out on deck. Everything is rusted. My tour group rummaging around. My interest in seeing the S.S. United States arises from having once sailed on her smaller sister ship, S.S. America. Looking aft. The ship is docked along the Delaware River with the state of New Jersey over there on the opposite shore.Forward view from the bridge.View inside the bridge.View of the twin stacks.The condition of the floor at the aft end of the ship.One of the props is sitting on the aft deck. We were told that if the ship ever gets towed out of here as is required by the court order, they would have to wait until high tide to back her out and then have the ship sit out in the river for 8 hours until low tide so it can then be towed beneath the neighboring Walt Whitman Bridge. The ship is otherwise too tall.This aft sports deck was used for games such as shuffleboard and deck tennis (using rings, not balls). Nice view of downtown Philadelphia from up here.Deck chairs used to line the ship’s Promenade deck on both the port and starboard sides. Because of the cold temperatures along the north Atlantic sea routes, this area was an indoor area too.The ship’s aft end.Sadly, rusting away. If you’d like to read more about the S.S. United States, click here.We thank the S.S. United States Conservancy for allowing us onboard for this rare tour. Our tour guide Friday was Stanton Daywalt (center), co-author of “SS United States: An Operational Guide to America’s Flagship“. It’s available on Amazon here. Of course, the final chapter for this ship has yet to be written.
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