S.S. United States to be Reborn

[tankcommander]

This is great!

Before airplanes, the fast liners were the "Concorde" of their day.

Kudos, and good luck to Crystal Cruise Lines for their 700 million dollar plan to put her back to sea. Even better than just preserving her as a museum.

Personally, I'd much rather take a cruise on her than on one of the floating hotels you see running around here.

video.foxnews.com/v/4738700217001/fox-amp-friends-follow-up-historic-ocean-liner-saved/?intcmp=obnetwork#sp=show-clips

[101ABN]

I'll book on her.

Where do I sign?

(Who am I kidding? This will be one pricey ride.)

[Sailor]

There was an article on FOXNews.com earlier this week saying Crystal and the Conservatory were in talks, I'm glad they were able to reach an agreement.

2 years is a very ambitious timetable, 4 years would have been my guess. 4 years from the day she enters a shipyard until she boards her first passenger. Some of the major work has already been done however, all of the cabins and major interiors have been stripped to bare metal, much of the asbestos and other hazmat stripped several years ago in Turkey during a failed attempt to return the ship to service (money ran out.)

Unless there are major issues with the hull plating and framing the single biggest item in the refit package will be re-engining the ship with (I expect) large marine diesels to replace the high pressure steam plant. Her long fine hull will work in her favor in that there won't be as much hydrodynamic drag as there is with most other cruise ships, and lowering her top speed from over 40 knots to 25 to 28 means a considerable savings in fuel costs. This was done with the Cunarder QE2, diesels replacing steam for a major fuel savings.

Still, it'll be a pricey ride as 101 says.

I wonder if I'm too old and too long from the sea to earn a Merchant Mariner's license and sign on with them?