NCL has been swamping the cruise media with its new ship the Norwegian Epic. If you frequent this blog then you know its been THE news lately. But what about NCL’s oldest ship, the one they bought in 2003. I am of course talking about the most famous ship of the US Merchant Marine; the SS United States. The group that wishes to restore the SS United States has issued the following statement for the 4th of July:
Dear Conservancy Members and Supporters:
As many of you already know, the SS United States Conservancy made an important announcement at our July 1st National Flagship Celebration. Philadelphia philanthropist H.F. (Gerry) Lenfest has pledged up to $5.8 million to the SS United States Conservancy. These funds will be used to purchase the vessel from its current owner, Norwegian Cruise Line/Genting Hong Kong and maintain the ship in its current berth for up to 20 months while redevelopment plans are solidified. To read the Conservancy’s media advisory containing the key details on this important development, please CLICK HERE.
On this Independence Day, we are celebrating several important milestones. We are paying tribute not only to the spirit of our great country, but also to the 58th anniversary of the maiden voyage of our national flagship. We would like to express our gratitude to everyone, from Gerry Lenfest to our newest Plank Owner, for the spirit of unity and commitment which made our recent public announcement possible.
To all of our supporters, we convey our deepest gratitude and ask for your continued faith and support as we work to redevelop the SS United States. While we are deeply relieved that our national flagship has been granted an 11th hour reprieve, the Big U has not been saved. She has been granted a crucial 20-month stay of execution. Her story is far from over. We have a long and complicated journey before us, and there are no guarantees that our dreams for the ship will be fulfilled. We need your support now more than ever if we are to achieve our goal of securing the ship’s future for generations to come.
In gratitude,
SS United States Conservancy Board of Directors