Originally She was the SS France. This beautiful ship was bought by Norwegian ship lines and then only used as a simple small vacation cruise ship. She was not built for that. This Grand Lady was built like the Cunard lines Q-Mary, Q-Elizabeth, and Q-Victoria who were all built for cross Atlantic cruise crossings. When the Norwegian cruise lines bought her they simply did not keep her up as far as mechanically or painted to stay beautiful as the largest cross Atlantic liner in the world. She will always be the SS France to me with her unusual beautiful superstructure and stacks which was different than any other ship ever built. She was a beauty to behold and one that should have been kept for worldwide cruises.
+John Kemper From the beginning the French CGT line always got subsidies from the French government to operate the SS France. She was never profitable even if she was popular. After the Oil crisis hit in 1973 the government ended their subsidies and the France was laid up and later sold to the NCL. They had to make her more fuel efficient, therefore they e.g. reduced the four propellers to two and the top speed was reduced to 25 knots. The SS Norway was successful at the beginning but the rising competition in the cruise market made her unprofitable partially because of her still to high fuel consumption. The lack of maintenance led to the boiler explosion and her death. PS The Name Queen Victoria was never used on any ocean liner.
SS France was built to replace the Normandie, hence her graceful lines. As the Norway, two additional decks were added which made her look top heavy. Also, two of her four engine rooms were shut down and two of the four shafts and propellers removed in order to save on operating costs.
Alfredo Sierra No the new Cunard ships such as Victoria and Elizabeth will never be true ocean liners... they are borrowed cruise ship designs with strengthen bows. Queen Mary 2 is the last true ocean liner
I'm a little older now, though I wouldn't consider myself old (35). This was my favorite ship, I remember every summer going on a cruise on the Norway with my parents and it honestly was the best ship on the water. Sure Royal Caribbean had ones that were more modern and everything, but they just didn't stand up to this one looking back. It had everything you could ever want for a cruise ship. I remember they had "Formal Night" on every cruise where everyone would dress in their best clothes, guys in suits (some even wearing a tux) and women in their nicest dresses. It really gave you the feel of the scenes from Titanic where the first class passengers would gather for dinner. The dining rooms were five stars, and I'll always remember the one staircase with the clock at the top of it. It kind of gave you a nice feeling (though it was a little inconvenient) that it was the only ship that couldn't dock in a lot of ports, which is why it had it's own two tenders that it would transport along with it, because the ship was simply just so massive.
+Brian it's just a rumour. If she is restored it certainly will not be to sea going condition. She is well beyond that, I'm afraid. At best she will end up being a floating hotel/casino. Rather undignified if you ask me.
+Brian I've just read your attachment. Interesting. I'll believe it when I see it. There are numerous videos on her, one which definitely states she will never be seaworthy.
It's more than a rumour. In fact the Crystal Cruises are doing a nine month feasibility study on the ship now. They are paying the docking costs ($ 60 000 / month) so they are serious. They will not really "restore" her, the whole superstructure and everything inside will be new, new diesel engines, new propulsion (azimuth) system. It will be about $ 100 million cheaper than a new ship. We will see, never say never.
+Adrian Larkins I watched the press conference. Their intent is to spend $800,000,000. to basically rebuild her and put her back in service. However, there are more inspections of the ship that needs to be done first to make sure it is possible. I hope they will be able to do it. I don't want to see her scrapped or even a hotel.
Sailed on the France, including the last East-West crossing. I still have the complete set of menus for the "Chambord" restaurant on that last trip. There was not a pepper mill to be seen, ever single one had been stolen! Never to be repeated. A vanished age. My Cabin Steward, Louis, brought my wife his very own cure for seasickness, a bottle of Dom Perignon and a plate of Longue de Chat biscuits. On the last day we ran up to "flank speed" for three hours, a shade over 35 kts, never done before in service I'm told. "Quoth the Raven, nevermore".
lAngue de chat! :-) (cat's tongue if you want :-) very nice biscuit ! (fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langue_de_chat_%28cuisine%29) but often with champagne ladies used to eat not a plate biscuit but one like a finger with sugar grains around, called "champagne biscuits" or "boudoirs" (fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boudoir_%28biscuit%29). Both resists a few seconds into the champagne :-) Some people enjoys also "biscuit à la cueillère" (fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biscuit_%C3%A0_la_cuill%C3%A8re) (picture here: www.atelierdeschefs.com/media/recette-d26269-biscuits-a-la-cuillere.jpg )but you cannot put this one into the champagne as it becomes too smooth instantaneously. Good appetite :-)
john jackson “this is much better than the floating blocks of flats they call cruise liners today” 1: have you ever heard about the phrase “never judge a book by its cover”? 2: have you ever been inside a cruise ship? 3: Marco Polo
Cheburek Republic My comment was two years ago. I was complementing real liners. All,the modern cruise ships resemble blocks of council flats on water. With far too many passengers. And yes I have been on real cruise liners, like P&o Oriana and Canberra.
A Real Ocean Liner is an Eagle. A cruise ship is a sort of a duck. A Liner is a heavy duty , ocean going steamship, capable of 30 knots or more in horrible bad weather. In the North Atlantic. Even converted to diesel electric. as was Norway, the ocean going seaworthyness of a Liner could take her anywhere on this Planet. I have been on a nice new Cruise Ship. They're OK. An Ocean Liner is a veritable Battleship of Luxury and seagoing capability. Cruise Ships are luxurious, but they ain't Liners.
I was a casino dealer on this beauty in 1985 when we did a Atlantic crossing taking it to Norway to show it off. The fjords of Norway should be a destination for everyone.
I was working on a music film in Bremerhaven (West Germany as was) in the mid-70s when SS France was in dry dock being converted into the Norway. What caught my attention was the eye-watering shade of blue they'd applied to the hull. I asked my boss if we could get her in shot somehow and was firmly told NO! Why? Because the film company didn't want to associated with some old relic - which I thought was somewhat unfair. It's beautiful lines were breathtaking.
Era lindo, tive a oportunidade de estar a bordo, viajar neste belíssimo navio no reveillon de 1990/1991, fiquei surpreso com a explosão e seu fim....memorias eternas!!!! Obrigrado SS Norway (Eduardo - Brazil!!)
You youngsters need to appreciate these old Ships of Yore. They were the precursors to the massive Liners of today. It is all History, expand you're Knowledge base and don't be so quick to Defame or Dismiss their Story / History. All old Ships have/had a story to relate, appreciate them all.
+Baron Brown These ships have surved their time and need to be ripped apart for scrap. No need to reminisce etc . Cut them to pieces, and let's move on to the next ships of the future.
+Mr Groomes. Fair enough comment, but who pays to maintain them as "museum ships". It has been tried and the revenue as museums or hotels nowhere near covers the upkeep of these huge rusting hulks. Even ships with a famous history like the Queen Mary and QE2 are struggling. What chance does the average routine old cruise ship stand if these famous ships struggle? That's why they are cut for scrap, it's the only financially viable option.
She really was a beautiful ship. I sailed on her in the early 1980's on a family cruise over Christmas and New Years. At the time, I believe she was the largest passenger ship afloat. Beautiful lines. I wish modern cruise ships looked more like these old ocean liners.
+Herman Lucero Unfortunately, by 08-05-2016 the Crystal Cruises announced that they abanoned the project so the SS US is back "sleeping" again. And they didn't buy the ship, they just hired her for a feasibility study.
The end of a noble lady. One of the last of the great trans Atlantic liners and truly one of the great beauties. I saw her when my grandmother sailed on her maiden voyage from New York. The cruise ships of today are floating cities devoid of any personality. The France tried to carry on the tradition of the Normandie, perhaps the best liner every built. By the time she sailed there was no longer a need for her. Jet travel had made her redundant. If you look closely at the pictures you will see the additional decks that were added to try to wring the most profit out of the ship in the cruise trade. They only served to destroy the graceful lines of the ship. It is heartbreaking to watch her go the route of so many other classics. Thankfully, it looks like the SS United States will not share her fate as she is slatted for a return to the luxury market.
I had the pleasure of sailing on this magnificent ship back in 2001 to Tahiti, and it was probably the most smoothest cruises i've experienced. Saddened that it's no longer sailing!
@@nielskjr5432 They are going to (probably) build a replica of the Titanic in China. But you are doing the right thing. Ship enthusiasts should get together and do stuff. Instead of moaning about scrapping, they can do something positive. A word of warning though, it will cost far more than you ever imagine!
Just all about profits, quantity over quality. Too many oversized cruise ships, too many people with gargantuan appetites and too little class!!!!!! Sailed on the France from Le Havre to New York in 65 and have nothing but wonderful memories of our crossing.
Instead of letting old ship like the Norway or any other cruise ship that is taken out of commission should be turned into floating hotels, or housing for the homeless, or ships sent overseas with medical supplies, it beats letting it die.
+Debbie Parker you are so right!!!!!! We live in a crazy world who spends money on crazy things. These ships were works of art compared to modern art which sometimes sell for millions. People have no taste at all. Build, tear down and rebuild is the practice of the day.
+Debbie Parker yeah, like the queen mary. the ss Norway was a too beautiful ship to let waste like that. but she blew a boiler and that is probably the reason she was left to rot in the ocean and then scrapped...
They are way too expensive to maintain for such a purpose. As for turning them into a homeless shelter how long before the homeless turn it into a rat infested abomination.
So sad to them break such a beautiful lady down. Liners today have profiles that look like hotels with hulls. I do so miss the beautiful lines of the old liners.
You'll all lose a shedload of cash. The designs are based on what the current market wants. Lots of balconies, atriums, lido decks, amusement decks etc. With the possible exception of the QM2 which is a hybrid, catering to a much smaller more exclusive market.
She was my FIRST EVER cruise liner, and in a career of 30 years one of my four most favorite ships. She was so majestic and luxurious. I remember looking up at her from the Portside and thinking "I'll never find my way around THAT!". Well, I did, and many more, but she will always be so special, as will the crew I worked with. BTW, this was back in the halcyon days when there was no IPM, no 'spy' cameras, you did the necessary training, not hours and hours of the same wasteful bullshit meetings and you felt you were a real person, not a number, AND musicians were treated with the respect they deserved! It was one of the most brilliant careers imaginable. Tragic that the politicians and lawyers came along and changed it forever.
Why sad? All ships have to be scrapped some day, and the life of France/Norway was long and extremely successful. You can´t fend off corrosion for ever, boilers and turbines can only run so far, and the time inevitably comes when keeping the rusty hulk going is both extremely expensive and extremely dangerous. Not to speak of the endless tonnes of asbestos used in this and many other ships of her era before being banned for being a serious cancer hazard. All things must pass and so must SS France/Norway. Her metal is now being used in new, more useful things. The cycle of life....
MrKnockaloe maybe I misunderstand. perhaps you are not referring to what the living possess. This ship is a man-made machine. just nuts and bolts with plenty of paint and metal. nothing living at all. it might be you are referring to a nostalgic history as the ship's soul. if so, then to this I can nod my head in agreement.
Yeah, everybody wants a cabin with a balcony now, so cruise line owners have thrown aesthetics out the window.... Hardly even call them ships now, just floating people-warehouses. The SS United States is still around, but since it will cost $500 million to restore her (and even then she won't be economically competitive with the new ships) she is unfortunately destined for the scrap heap as well...
Sailed on this in the late seventies. One of the neat things is this carried its own tenders on the bow because at this time many Caribbean ports could not dock this ship. Just very classy. Sorry for its fate.
alas, only one true ocean liner is on the water, that being the Queen Mary 2. The architects have tried to recreate the beauty of those fantastic liners of years ago. A wonderful ship to sail on, especially if one can do the legendary "crossing", from Southampton to New York City.
This is so sad(crying),listening to the song they played on the Titanic,as this was my 1st cruise with my late husband..we boarded in Miami I believe in '93 as our travel agent recommended it....I cant believe they destroyed her...she was a beauty, fond memories....my husband & I took 22 cruises after the Norway, b4 I lost him to tragedy in '08...I will never 4get the Norway...RIP😪😥
For those of you complaining about the cruise ships of today and how you want the ocean liners back: Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened. You guys are just making yourselves look childish like those people complaining about music of today. Sure they were super important and beautiful, but that doesn’t mean you should just complain about it in a comments section. Just face it that they’re not going to be coming back anytime soon, and appreciate what’s left and that there are at least some efforts going into saving a handful of them.
I sailed on this ship. Still had the three classes of service. Mid section was first, aft second, forward third. Had separate dining rooms as well. It was a beautiful gun metal blue, you had to tender at most ports because of it size. Great experience. You could feel the spirit of the SS France.
It is sad when an ocean liner is lost. There are not to many super liners left. If the SS United States is lost we will not only lose an amazing ship but a part of history as well. Farewell SS France/Norway.
Saw her at anchor just outside of St Thomas in 1991, what a beautiful ship. She had 4 huge tenders to ferry the quest ashore as she had too much draft to come to the docks. What a shame.
rich sheehan rich when I was on the Norway in the mid 80s she only had 2 tenders up front and yes she was to big and heavy to dock at Saint Martin I remember the captain telling us she takes up too much water 4-port
What a perfect illustration and symbolism of the vanity of man , coupled with the inevitable fact that time will out last men or anything they created !
She was one of the last steam powered trans- Atlantic Ocean liners when launched as the SS France.When flight became cheaper the ship for trans ocean trips, she was sold to Norwegian Cruise Lines. They converted her to Caribbean cruising, by removing two of eight boilers. At dock in Miami in May of 03 , one boiler ruptured, killing 8 crew. After the NTSB investigation found neglect and shortcuts to save money, a repair or retrofit would far outstrip the possible revenue return. This fact and the standard amount of asbestos and PCB`s contained in her insulation and other areas, sentenced her to the scrap pile. RIP
She was a beautiful ship as France and as Norway, even after the extra cabins were added. Just as nice inside as well, and lots of French influence still. I had 3 cruises, the 3rd with the extra cabins for my honeymoon. Too bad NCL refused to take proper care of her.
I was on this ship like probably 1979 or 1980. I was middle school age. I will be 50 this September. It was very nice ship. Although, in my old age I get claustrophobic and always need a cabin with a balcony on the new ships.
Agree with all esspecially Mr. Kemper! I was fortunate enough to be on her(as the France) out to liverpool to NYC as a teenager. Truly a gorgeous ship!A nice tribute, thank you however sad
+Aces FN France should have bought the ship back and restored her to her original condition (by removing those ugly extra decks and painting her in the original colors) like Holland did to the SS Rotterdam. She would have been an awesome tourist attraction today.
HEART BREAKING!!! This once proud "SS France" pickup the torch of the ill-fated "SS Normandie" as the ocean liner of its day. Through decades of service rein inconspicuously supreme among her competitors, name change as acquisition by Norwegian Cruise Lines gave her a second life as a cruise ship, she live on as the "SS Norway" to have this sad ending is HEART BREAKING!!!!!
I agree, but it was pretty close. It's nice to see that she now looks like new after an extensive refurbishment, that also included a complete repainting in a dry dock. I hope that similar things would have been done with Queen Mary in Long Beach. She has been sitting there without dry docking a longer time than QE2 ever existed. The real problem is under the waterline. A detail they most likely don't tell visitors about.
Unfortunately I think SuperTitanicfreak is right. The S S United States is probably going to be heading for a beach real soon. The Conservancey is paying 60 grand a month in docking fee's. How much longer can they keep paying that outragous amount. And to think the dock owner has been collecting this since 1996?? It just blows me away all the money thats been wasted on that hulk??
@ 0:43 yessss I remember clear as day those port holes in the disco that looked into the swimming pool. I must have been about 13 years old when I sailed and the big thing for us would be if we got kicked out of the night club or were allowed to stay. great memories from this ship
I believe it was 1977 when the Norway was stranded south of Key West, FL and I was one of the mechanics flown to it to do repairs. The engines and generators were old and tired then!! I only saw parts of it going onto an open deck to cool off and the engine room but it was not a ship shape vessel in my book!
@@annettehadley9718 Yes it was. And French songwriter/singer Michel Sardou wrote an elegiac song full of wrath in 1975 denouncing her retirement from the French Line because she was losing tons of money every month. This song even says it would be more "glorious" to sink her with cannon fire.... ua-cam.com/video/NYvRp8VVxNU/v-deo.html. Less mawkish and more efficient, the Norwegians bought her a short time later to give this magnificent ship a second, extremely successful lease of life of many years as a cruise ship. If only Michel had invested in her....!
I viewed the ship when her UK cruise bought her to Greenock in Scotland around 1999. Biggest Ocean giant ever in the Clyde estuary. PS Waverley saluted the ship alongside this paddle steamer was only a fifth the size of the monster.
It says something about modern society it could not find a use for such a beautiful, elegant ship, and replaced it with an armada of ugly, bloated sea-slugs.
I agree she will probably be broken up soon, but that "Hulk" is one of the last living ocean liner's. not only that, I am british but im just pointing this out, she was entirely made in America, unlike all other american ocean liners, that makes her a National Icon, something america lack's today. But yeah she's going to be turned into toaster's and napkin rings soon =/
My wife and I celebrated our 5th anniversary on the Norway in 1987. I spotted out table in one of the dining room photos and several other areas I remember. I think that NCL did good by her during her prime years, but it is a shame she was ripped apart rather than refitted (again) in favor of buying newer, soulless ships.
The former France, back when top-of-the-line liners were very fast and quite seaworthy. Built to stay on schedule (or nearly so) regardless of the big winter storms in the North Atlantic. Complex, powerful, steam turbines, not diesels. Then she was bastardized for the cruise ship trade. But on the plus side, it extended her life . . . for awhile. I once saw her in Nassau but never sailed on her.
SUS INTERIORES,SUS SALONES,SUS MUALES., MAGNIFICOS,LOS DOS SALONES COMEDORES COMEDORES MAGNIFICOS., EN ESPECIAL EL DEL TECHO CIRCULAR.,TODOS IMPONENTES....
I feel so dark right now. It seems all my favorite Ocean Liners have gone to the scrapyard. And sadly, for every Ocean Liner that gets scrapped, I get darker & darker. Now, I'm so dark that there is almost nothing of what I used to be.
@@haechiwr I used to be steamlocoscrapper but people didnt like the name so I changed it for them. I have worked on a heritage railway and know far more about steam locos than the average TTTE inspired foamer on here. So in some way it fits, but one can't please everyone.
i think off a ship like a person if i was was a ship i would remember every voyage that i made and all my life all those memories would come down to this point when a life of a ship ends its so comovent!
Such a picture at 3.04. When the Norway was France she and QE2 shared the best bow in the world. And there they are together. SS Frances livery was similer.
I've only taken one cruise and that was on the Norway in 1991,I remember going to the top deck between her funnels after midnight and watching the night sky in the Caribbean,it was an incredible site.
Originally She was the SS France. This beautiful ship was bought by Norwegian ship lines and then only used as a simple small vacation cruise ship. She was not built for that. This Grand Lady was built like the Cunard lines Q-Mary, Q-Elizabeth, and Q-Victoria who were all built for cross Atlantic cruise crossings. When the Norwegian cruise lines bought her they simply did not keep her up as far as mechanically or painted to stay beautiful as the largest cross Atlantic liner in the world. She will always be the SS France to me with her unusual beautiful superstructure and stacks which was different than any other ship ever built. She was a beauty to behold and one that should have been kept for worldwide cruises.
+John Kemper From the beginning the French CGT line always got subsidies from the French government to operate the SS France. She was never profitable even if she was popular. After the Oil crisis hit in 1973 the government ended their subsidies and the France was laid up and later sold to the NCL. They had to make her more fuel efficient, therefore they e.g. reduced the four propellers to two and the top speed was reduced to 25 knots. The SS Norway was successful at the beginning but the rising competition in the cruise market made her unprofitable partially because of her still to high fuel consumption. The lack of maintenance led to the boiler explosion and her death. PS The Name Queen Victoria was never used on any ocean liner.
QE2 I know this might be old but yes there actually was, search it up she's a member of Cunard lines.
Never call her France any longer: France dropped her.
Never call her France: it's her last will
SS France was built to replace the Normandie, hence her graceful lines. As the Norway, two additional decks were added which made her look top heavy. Also, two of her four engine rooms were shut down and two of the four shafts and propellers removed in order to save on operating costs.
Alfredo Sierra No the new Cunard ships such as Victoria and Elizabeth will never be true ocean liners... they are borrowed cruise ship designs with strengthen bows. Queen Mary 2 is the last true ocean liner
I'm a little older now, though I wouldn't consider myself old (35). This was my favorite ship, I remember every summer going on a cruise on the Norway with my parents and it honestly was the best ship on the water. Sure Royal Caribbean had ones that were more modern and everything, but they just didn't stand up to this one looking back. It had everything you could ever want for a cruise ship. I remember they had "Formal Night" on every cruise where everyone would dress in their best clothes, guys in suits (some even wearing a tux) and women in their nicest dresses. It really gave you the feel of the scenes from Titanic where the first class passengers would gather for dinner. The dining rooms were five stars, and I'll always remember the one staircase with the clock at the top of it. It kind of gave you a nice feeling (though it was a little inconvenient) that it was the only ship that couldn't dock in a lot of ports, which is why it had it's own two tenders that it would transport along with it, because the ship was simply just so massive.
woah it mustve been nice travelling in the ss norway
So sad to to see another beautiful ship die. The new cruise ships are fat, ugly, top heavy apartment blocks with Butlins holiday camps attached.
+Brian it's just a rumour. If she is restored it certainly will not be to sea going condition. She is well beyond that, I'm afraid. At best she will end up being a floating hotel/casino. Rather undignified if you ask me.
+Brian I've just read your attachment. Interesting. I'll believe it when I see it. There are numerous videos on her, one which definitely states she will never be seaworthy.
It's more than a rumour. In fact the Crystal Cruises are doing a nine month feasibility study on the ship now. They are paying the docking costs ($ 60 000 / month) so they are serious. They will not really "restore" her, the whole superstructure and everything inside will be new, new diesel engines, new propulsion (azimuth) system. It will be about $ 100 million cheaper than a new ship. We will see, never say never.
+Adrian Larkins I watched the press conference. Their intent is to spend $800,000,000. to basically rebuild her and put her back in service. However, there are more inspections of the ship that needs to be done first to make sure it is possible. I hope they will be able to do it. I don't want to see her scrapped or even a hotel.
+QE2 True, and she will not look exactly the same either. Did you see the rendering photos.
Sailed on the France, including the last East-West crossing. I still have the complete set of menus for the "Chambord" restaurant on that last trip. There was not a pepper mill to be seen, ever single one had been stolen!
Never to be repeated. A vanished age. My Cabin Steward, Louis, brought my wife his very own cure for seasickness, a bottle of Dom Perignon and a plate of Longue de Chat biscuits.
On the last day we ran up to "flank speed" for three hours, a shade over 35 kts, never done before in service I'm told.
"Quoth the Raven, nevermore".
lAngue de chat! :-) (cat's tongue if you want :-) very nice biscuit ! (fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langue_de_chat_%28cuisine%29) but often with champagne ladies used to eat not a plate biscuit but one like a finger with sugar grains around, called "champagne biscuits" or "boudoirs" (fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boudoir_%28biscuit%29). Both resists a few seconds into the champagne :-) Some people enjoys also "biscuit à la cueillère" (fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biscuit_%C3%A0_la_cuill%C3%A8re) (picture here: www.atelierdeschefs.com/media/recette-d26269-biscuits-a-la-cuillere.jpg )but you cannot put this one into the champagne as it becomes too smooth instantaneously. Good appetite :-)
This is much better than the floating blocks of flats they call cruise liners today
john jackson “this is much better than the floating blocks of flats they call cruise liners today”
1: have you ever heard about the phrase “never judge a book by its cover”?
2: have you ever been inside a cruise ship?
3: Marco Polo
Cheburek Republic My comment was two years ago. I was complementing real liners.
All,the modern cruise ships resemble blocks of council flats on water. With far too many passengers.
And yes I have been on real cruise liners, like P&o Oriana and Canberra.
Miss canberra
A Real Ocean Liner is an Eagle. A cruise ship is a sort of a duck. A Liner is a heavy duty , ocean going steamship, capable of 30 knots or more in horrible bad weather. In the North Atlantic. Even converted to diesel electric. as was Norway, the ocean going seaworthyness of a Liner could take her anywhere on this Planet. I have been on a nice new Cruise Ship. They're OK. An Ocean Liner is a veritable Battleship of Luxury and seagoing capability. Cruise Ships are luxurious, but they ain't Liners.
Took my first cruise aboard the Norway out of Miami, sailed her a total of 4 times. She was a grand lady and will be missed.
First f many cruises, 4 or 5 on the Norway. Classic ship. Shooting skeet of the aft deck, something you cant do anymore.
andrew franks she was my first Cruise as well. Simply Beautiful!
Andrew franks,my first cruise as well...
I was a casino dealer on this beauty in 1985 when we did a Atlantic crossing taking it to Norway to show it off. The fjords of Norway should be a destination for everyone.
I was working on a music film in Bremerhaven (West Germany as was) in the mid-70s when SS France was in dry dock being converted into the Norway. What caught my attention was the eye-watering shade of blue they'd applied to the hull. I asked my boss if we could get her in shot somehow and was firmly told NO! Why? Because the film company didn't want to associated with some old relic - which I thought was somewhat unfair. It's beautiful lines were breathtaking.
Al Stokes Veteran Film Maker Amen! She was Stunning!
Era lindo, tive a oportunidade de estar a bordo, viajar neste belíssimo navio no reveillon de 1990/1991, fiquei surpreso com a explosão e seu fim....memorias eternas!!!! Obrigrado SS Norway (Eduardo - Brazil!!)
was on the ss Norway in the mid 80s she was fun to be on and the staff was awsome. have been on other ships since then but I miss the old style.
You youngsters need to appreciate these old Ships of Yore. They were the precursors to the massive Liners of today. It is all History, expand you're Knowledge base and don't be so quick to Defame or Dismiss their Story / History. All old Ships have/had a story to relate, appreciate them all.
Baron Brown
Very well said!
Baron Brown ]
+Baron Brown These ships have surved their time and need to be ripped apart for scrap. No need to reminisce etc . Cut them to pieces, and let's move on to the next ships of the future.
heelfan1234 save a few old ships for museum ships, maybe have an historical Cruise ship month
+Mr Groomes. Fair enough comment, but who pays to maintain them as "museum ships". It has been tried and the revenue as museums or hotels nowhere near covers the upkeep of these huge rusting hulks. Even ships with a famous history like the Queen Mary and QE2 are struggling. What chance does the average routine old cruise ship stand if these famous ships struggle? That's why they are cut for scrap, it's the only financially viable option.
She really was a beautiful ship. I sailed on her in the early 1980's on a family cruise over Christmas and New Years. At the time, I believe she was the largest passenger ship afloat. Beautiful lines. I wish modern cruise ships looked more like these old ocean liners.
Amen. New ships look like some stuff out of Star Trek, we need ships like SS Norway, HMS Queen Mary, and RMS Titanic again
+Herman Lucero Unfortunately, by 08-05-2016 the Crystal Cruises announced that they abanoned the project so the SS US is back "sleeping" again. And they didn't buy the ship, they just hired her for a feasibility study.
The newer ships are ugly, top-heavy pig boats. This ship had such beautiful lines and was much faster than what they use today.
Cruise ships aren't ocean liners. They're entertainment, not transport.
Fuck you for saying newer ships are ugly
Your a bitch
Dorian Rios
The proper word is "you're which is a contraction of you are.
Grow up and watch your language you pathetic little mouth breather
dougeroo1- If only ships now had that old victorian look.
The end of a noble lady. One of the last of the great trans Atlantic liners and truly one of the great beauties. I saw her when my grandmother sailed on her maiden voyage from New York. The cruise ships of today are floating cities devoid of any personality. The France tried to carry on the tradition of the Normandie, perhaps the best liner every built. By the time she sailed there was no longer a need for her. Jet travel had made her redundant. If you look closely at the pictures you will see the additional decks that were added to try to wring the most profit out of the ship in the cruise trade. They only served to destroy the graceful lines of the ship. It is heartbreaking to watch her go the route of so many other classics.
Thankfully, it looks like the SS United States will not share her fate as she is slatted for a return to the luxury market.
jordanfrye frye i
The best liner sank at the dock! I wouldn't call her the best at anything.
I had the pleasure of sailing on this magnificent ship back in 2001 to Tahiti, and it was probably the most smoothest cruises i've experienced. Saddened that it's no longer sailing!
One day I will try my hardest to rebuild the Olympic Class Liners... Titanic, Olympic, Britannic, Etc
I'll help you. Promise. 💪
@@nielskjr5432 They are going to (probably) build a replica of the Titanic in China.
But you are doing the right thing. Ship enthusiasts should get together and do stuff. Instead of moaning about scrapping, they can do something positive.
A word of warning though, it will cost far more than you ever imagine!
Just all about profits, quantity over quality. Too many oversized cruise ships, too many people with gargantuan appetites and too little class!!!!!! Sailed on the France from Le Havre to New York in 65 and have nothing but wonderful memories of our crossing.
The SS Norway was an incredibly long and beautiful liner, and I was lucky enough to have sailed her to the Virgin Islands, back in 1996.
I was on the Norway for the 1995 superbowl won a free cruise 6 months earlier
@@rickythompson2858 COOL!😎
Instead of letting old ship like the Norway or any other cruise ship that is taken out of commission should be turned into floating hotels, or housing for the homeless, or ships sent overseas with medical supplies, it beats letting it die.
+Debbie Parker you are so right!!!!!! We live in a crazy world who spends money on crazy things. These ships were works of art compared to modern art which sometimes sell for millions. People have no taste at all. Build, tear down and rebuild is the practice of the day.
+Debbie Parker yeah, like the queen mary. the ss Norway was a too beautiful ship to let waste like that. but she blew a boiler and that is probably the reason she was left to rot in the ocean and then scrapped...
They are way too expensive to maintain for such a purpose. As for turning them into a homeless shelter how long before the homeless turn it into a rat infested abomination.
@@arisgod2749 indeed. That is not how the World Works. Pitty i must say.
I was invited by the master in 1998 to get her under way from Saint Thomas. The former SS France. Great Ship great memories.
So sad to them break such a beautiful lady down. Liners today have profiles that look like hotels with hulls. I do so miss the beautiful lines of the old liners.
kunekune they’re cruise ships. Also, what’s wrong with hotels?
If I ever own a line of ships, they will all be styled after classic ocean liners.
TheLastGentleman same!!😸
I wanna rebuild Titanic, Olympic, Britannic
I’ll defiantly go on the classic ocean liners & not ugly cruise ships
You'll all lose a shedload of cash. The designs are based on what the current market wants. Lots of balconies, atriums, lido decks, amusement decks etc.
With the possible exception of the QM2 which is a hybrid, catering to a much smaller more exclusive market.
Instead of the floating atrocities seen today
She was my FIRST EVER cruise liner, and in a career of 30 years one of my four most favorite ships. She was so majestic and luxurious. I remember looking up at her from the Portside and thinking "I'll never find my way around THAT!". Well, I did, and many more, but she will always be so special, as will the crew I worked with. BTW, this was back in the halcyon days when there was no IPM, no 'spy' cameras, you did the necessary training, not hours and hours of the same wasteful bullshit meetings and you felt you were a real person, not a number, AND musicians were treated with the respect they deserved! It was one of the most brilliant careers imaginable. Tragic that the politicians and lawyers came along and changed it forever.
Oh how I Hate to see such majestic ships left to rust and ultimately be scrapped.
A sad ending for such a grand lady of the Sea's.
Why sad? All ships have to be scrapped some day, and the life of France/Norway was long and extremely successful. You can´t fend off corrosion for ever, boilers and turbines can only run so far, and the time inevitably comes when keeping the rusty hulk going is both extremely expensive and extremely dangerous. Not to speak of the endless tonnes of asbestos used in this and many other ships of her era before being banned for being a serious cancer hazard. All things must pass and so must SS France/Norway. Her metal is now being used in new, more useful things. The cycle of life....
Far more stile than the new mobile block of flats that pass for liners today.
Every Ship has a Soul
MrKnockaloe maybe I misunderstand. perhaps you are not referring to what the living possess. This ship is a man-made machine. just nuts and bolts with plenty of paint and metal. nothing living at all. it might be you are referring to a nostalgic history as the ship's soul. if so, then to this I can nod my head in agreement.
Rest In Peace Norway we will miss you
Yeah, everybody wants a cabin with a balcony now, so cruise line owners have thrown aesthetics out the window.... Hardly even call them ships now, just floating people-warehouses. The SS United States is still around, but since it will cost $500 million to restore her (and even then she won't be economically competitive with the new ships) she is unfortunately destined for the scrap heap as well...
Thanks for the video she should not be forgotten
Sailed on this in the late seventies. One of the neat things is this carried its own tenders on the bow because at this time many Caribbean ports could not dock this ship. Just very classy. Sorry for its fate.
I was lucky to be a crew member of SS Norway in 1988/1989....
alas, only one true ocean liner is on the water, that being the Queen Mary 2. The architects have tried to recreate the beauty of those fantastic liners of years ago. A wonderful ship to sail on, especially if one can do the legendary "crossing", from Southampton to New York City.
This is so sad(crying),listening to the song they played on the Titanic,as this was my 1st cruise with my late husband..we boarded in Miami I believe in '93 as our travel agent recommended it....I cant believe they destroyed her...she was a beauty, fond memories....my husband & I took 22 cruises after the Norway, b4 I lost him to tragedy in '08...I will never 4get the Norway...RIP😪😥
Should include the video of the boiler explosion that was her actual death as well as that of several crew members.
For those of you complaining about the cruise ships of today and how you want the ocean liners back:
Don’t cry because it’s over. Smile because it happened.
You guys are just making yourselves look childish like those people complaining about music of today.
Sure they were super important and beautiful, but that doesn’t mean you should just complain about it in a comments section. Just face it that they’re not going to be coming back anytime soon, and appreciate what’s left and that there are at least some efforts going into saving a handful of them.
I sailed on this ship. Still had the three classes of service. Mid section was first, aft second, forward third. Had separate dining rooms as well. It was a beautiful gun metal blue, you had to tender at most ports because of it size. Great experience. You could feel the spirit of the SS France.
every liner is magnificent today and from the past only an idiot would not appreciate a ship no matter what era it is from
Bro please all the modern vessels are filled with bars and water slides and nothing else you know the ships are ugly these days
In Bremerhaven konnte ich das Schiff besichtigen als Einzelperson,es war mal ein Traumliner,die Form,kaum zu toppen...🎉😊
This was my first cruise ship and it was beautiful, there were brass fittings and lovely rooms❣️
It is sad when an ocean liner is lost. There are not to many super liners left. If the SS United States is lost we will not only lose an amazing ship but a part of history as well. Farewell SS France/Norway.
There is a few super liners that stay in service as of right now and some are just hotels.
Aaron Wicklam ss united states isnt saved? they sayd they could restour her to a hotel
Ships back in those days were beautiful! Now today's cruise ships are horrible looking.
Saw her at anchor just outside of St Thomas in 1991, what a beautiful ship. She had 4 huge tenders to ferry the quest ashore as she had too much draft to come to the docks. What a shame.
rich sheehan rich when I was on the Norway in the mid 80s she only had 2 tenders up front and yes she was to big and heavy to dock at Saint Martin I remember the captain telling us she takes up too much water 4-port
Can't believe yet another ship left to rot just like that...
No more retrofitting, no new power plant, she is declared dead 😢and now gone forever.
So sad to see her go. Was going to go on a cruise for singles only back in the 80's. Sorry to have not gone
I remember sailing on the Norway as a kid. Love this ship.
What a perfect illustration and symbolism of the vanity of man , coupled with the inevitable fact that time will out last men or anything they created !
She was one of the last steam powered trans- Atlantic Ocean liners when launched as the SS France.When flight became cheaper the ship for trans ocean trips, she was sold to Norwegian Cruise Lines. They converted her to Caribbean cruising, by removing two of eight boilers. At dock in Miami in May of 03 , one boiler ruptured, killing 8 crew. After the NTSB investigation found neglect and shortcuts to save money, a repair or retrofit would far outstrip the possible revenue return. This fact and the standard amount of asbestos and PCB`s contained in her insulation and other areas, sentenced her to the scrap pile. RIP
She was a beautiful ship as France and as Norway, even after the extra cabins were added. Just as nice inside as well, and lots of French influence still. I had 3 cruises, the 3rd with the extra cabins for my honeymoon. Too bad NCL refused to take proper care of her.
I was on this ship like probably 1979 or 1980. I was middle school age. I will be 50 this September. It was very nice ship. Although, in my old age I get claustrophobic and always need a cabin with a balcony on the new ships.
Agree with all esspecially Mr. Kemper! I was fortunate enough to be on her(as the France) out to liverpool to NYC as a teenager. Truly a gorgeous ship!A nice tribute, thank you however sad
The inside looks like a 1970's disco and I was expecting a pic of Tony Montana (Al Pacino) to complete the vision!
The sh*tty music ends at 4:09.
no ohb god no no no not the friends theme song
Yet another masterpiece scrapped. Happens all too often nowadays
+Aces FN France should have bought the ship back and restored her to her original condition (by removing those ugly extra decks and painting her in the original colors) like Holland did to the SS Rotterdam. She would have been an awesome tourist attraction today.
This is really sad, but at least it had 40+ years.
My first ever Cruise was on that ship in the mid 90s.....Loved every minute of it!.
I wonder if my truck contains steel from this ship. Ya never know
Unlikely. The steel from these ships goes mainly to make low grade reinforcing bars for buildings.
I'm still betting against it, unless his truck is used to reinforce concrete in a building!
HEART BREAKING!!!
This once proud "SS France" pickup the torch of the ill-fated "SS Normandie" as the ocean liner of its day. Through decades of service rein inconspicuously supreme among her competitors, name change as acquisition by Norwegian Cruise Lines gave her a second life as a cruise ship, she live on as the "SS Norway" to have this sad ending is HEART BREAKING!!!!!
WHEN IT HASNT BEEN YOUR DAY, YOUR WEEK, YOUR MONTH, OR EVEN YOUR YEAR. That song made this video 😭
That ship was powered by a Chevy small block 350. I changed the spark plugs once and installed some headers and a k&n.
Andy Ballard Did you add nitrous oxide when the captain wanted to ski.
Do you know what you're actually talking about?
paulkazjack Its a joke.
Thank god QE2 didn’t suffer this fate
I agree, but it was pretty close. It's nice to see that she now looks like new after an extensive refurbishment, that also included a complete repainting in a dry dock.
I hope that similar things would have been done with Queen Mary in Long Beach. She has been sitting there without dry docking a longer time than QE2 ever existed. The real problem is under the waterline. A detail they most likely don't tell visitors about.
@SamhaunBe There are no "liners" today (except the QM2). Today's passenger ship is the cruise ship. Liners and cruise ships are not the same.
Gone but not forgotten sad
Unfortunately I think SuperTitanicfreak is right. The S S United States is probably going to be heading for a beach real soon. The Conservancey is paying 60 grand a month in docking fee's. How much longer can they keep paying that outragous amount. And to think the dock owner has been collecting this since 1996?? It just blows me away all the money thats been wasted on that hulk??
@ 0:43 yessss I remember clear as day those port holes in the disco that looked into the swimming pool. I must have been about 13 years old when I sailed and the big thing for us would be if we got kicked out of the night club or were allowed to stay. great memories from this ship
and we have another friggin slide show... :-(
It's always nice to see pictures of the Norway in her heyday.
This slide show is good!
TBH the inside of this ship looks no different then a cheap hotel. But some of the places on the ship are beautiful
I believe it was 1977 when the Norway was stranded south of Key West, FL and I was one of the mechanics flown to it to do repairs. The engines and generators were old and tired then!! I only saw parts of it going onto an open deck to cool off and the engine room but it was not a ship shape vessel in my book!
I was the last Master on this ship
@javid modac
She look very stylish I must say
Wasnt her previous name the France ?
@@annettehadley9718 Yes it was. And French songwriter/singer Michel Sardou wrote an elegiac song full of wrath in 1975 denouncing her retirement from the French Line because she was losing tons of money every month. This song even says it would be more "glorious" to sink her with cannon fire.... ua-cam.com/video/NYvRp8VVxNU/v-deo.html. Less mawkish and more efficient, the Norwegians bought her a short time later to give this magnificent ship a second, extremely successful lease of life of many years as a cruise ship. If only Michel had invested in her....!
I viewed the ship when her UK cruise bought her to Greenock in Scotland around 1999. Biggest Ocean giant ever in the Clyde estuary. PS Waverley saluted the ship alongside this paddle steamer was only a fifth the size of the monster.
No you wasn't.
I can easily see Ross, Rachel, Chandler, Monica, Joey, and Phoebe, sailing on Norway.
legends live in memories. steel simply rust and then being reprocessed. that's life.
It says something about modern society it could not find a use for such a beautiful, elegant ship, and replaced it with an armada of ugly, bloated sea-slugs.
I was lucky to sail her last voyage. The accident happened after I disembarked
I agree she will probably be broken up soon, but that "Hulk" is one of the last living ocean liner's. not only that, I am british but im just pointing this out, she was entirely made in America, unlike all other american ocean liners, that makes her a National Icon, something america lack's today. But yeah she's going to be turned into toaster's and napkin rings soon =/
the Queen Mary 2 is cheaper than to restore the Queen Mary. Rebuild the hull new engines etc.
Sadly, when I finally had enough money to cruise, the Norway was gone. Now I cruise on Carnival, Princess, and Royal Caribbean.
Wow what a beautiful ship
My wife and I celebrated our 5th anniversary on the Norway in 1987. I spotted out table in one of the dining room photos and several other areas I remember. I think that NCL did good by her during her prime years, but it is a shame she was ripped apart rather than refitted (again) in favor of buying newer, soulless ships.
I worked on this ship in the early 90's. Such good memories
Absolute insanity. £2m on a cosmetic makeover and Moor her up as a floating hotel. She would have made her money back easily.
It's even more sad when nearer my god to thee is playing 😔
Nearer my god to thee
Titanic…
@@MaddoxsLaundromatAdventures it's been four years and I haven't released I made a spelling mistake
Wasn't this the ship that caught fire in port in Miami?
Yes it was
I love both the Friends theme and Nearer My God To Thee.
some of the best jazz was played live on the Norway.
The former France, back when top-of-the-line liners were very fast and quite seaworthy. Built to stay on schedule (or nearly so) regardless of the big winter storms in the North Atlantic. Complex, powerful, steam turbines, not diesels. Then she was bastardized for the cruise ship trade. But on the plus side, it extended her life . . . for awhile. I once saw her in Nassau but never sailed on her.
I loved this ship. I took 2 cruises on it. Sure looks old fashioned now but it was ran kind of like the Titanic days
1:25 Friends Theme starts playing 😂
Lol
SUS INTERIORES,SUS SALONES,SUS MUALES., MAGNIFICOS,LOS DOS SALONES COMEDORES COMEDORES MAGNIFICOS., EN ESPECIAL EL DEL TECHO CIRCULAR.,TODOS IMPONENTES....
I feel so dark right now. It seems all my favorite Ocean Liners have gone to the scrapyard. And sadly, for every Ocean Liner that gets scrapped, I get darker & darker. Now, I'm so dark that there is almost nothing of what I used to be.
I hope for scrapping to be abolished for the highly sought after ships
It's always sad when a ship is scapped.
No I don't think so, I think it is fun.I love busting up shit!
Thanks for that Dynamo! I only like smashing up crap though, I'm not
into harming people, so they don't need to tread too carefully.
PreservationEnthusiast you want an ugly world,
I see.
You want a world where everything doesn’t exist, because they are all destroyed.
@@PreservationEnthusiast the name doesnt suit u
@@haechiwr I used to be steamlocoscrapper but people didnt like the name so I changed it for them. I have worked on a heritage railway and know far more about steam locos than the average TTTE inspired foamer on here. So in some way it fits, but one can't please everyone.
I'll never understand why they scrapped her.
Who in the blue balls heck picked the music for this video? Jesus! I couldn’t even get past the Friends theme song...
i think off a ship like a person if i was was a ship i would remember every voyage that i made and all my life all those memories would come down to this point when a life of a ship ends its so comovent!
Such a picture at 3.04. When the Norway was France she and QE2 shared the best bow in the world. And there they are together. SS Frances livery was similer.
40 years in service and the ships structure suffers from metal fatique that's why the burn then to get a new replacement from the insurance.
Nice use of Brothers in Arms
NCL made the interiors hideous compared to the original luxury fittings.
Don't forget this was first and foremost the SS France which was one of the most beautiful of the French Line! For me it died when it was sold.
i had my first encounter with an older women on this great ship. i was 17 she was26
all those memories.
I've only taken one cruise and that was on the Norway in 1991,I remember going to the top deck between her funnels after midnight and watching the night sky in the Caribbean,it was an incredible site.