SS FRANCE

[FNS]

Haven't been paying much attention to the big liners in recent years. I have only learned today that we have lost another great ship in Trans-Atlantic maritime history. This was the SS FRANCE.

She was launched in 1960 and entered service in 1962. She did her trips for the French Line until 1974. She did cruises for the Norwegian Cruise Line from 1980 until 2004 as the SS NORWAY.

Renamed one more time as SS BLUE LADY, she was finally beached at Alang and you will pretty well know the rest of the story after what we have learned of the fate of the QUEEN OF VICTORIA and PRINCESS MARGUERITE II.

More of the life of the SS FRANCE can be read at:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_France_(1961)

And other sites.



After the cutters finished her off at the end of 2008, her bow piece remains and is on display in Paris, France.

[Northern Exploration]

Before they modified the ship adding the lounges and windows above the bridge, the ship was one of the most elegant on the seas. I saw her just once when I was in Florida.

Another ship the United States, I fear will end up the same way. Repeated stories about new owners and uses never seem to materialize into a use that would help preserve her.

[Mirrlees]

SOLAS 2010 unfortunately will spell the end of SS United States as upgrades would prove cost prohibitive.

[Barnacle]

Jan 31, 2010 0:19:35 GMT -8 Mirrlees said:

SOLAS 2010 unfortunately will spell the end of SS United States as upgrades would prove cost prohibitive.

Oh, man, I hadn't even thought of that.