September 7, 2019
Anchors aweigh! While we’re all dreaming of walking along the freshly painted decks of America’s Flagship and gazing at the waterfront from her dazzling promenade, the SS United States Conservancy is pleased to announce the next best thing: we are again partnering with the Pollin Group and offering a week-long Saving Our Maritime History Cruise.

This voyage aboard Royal Caribbean 's "Brilliance of the Seas" will depart from Boston on October 11, 2020 and travel along the coast of New England and Canada, offering opportunities to explore the historic coastal cities and towns of Portland and Bar Harbor, Maine, and Saint John, New Brunswick, and Halifax, Nova Scotia.

We will honor the legacy of the Big U and explore broader cultural, historical, and environmental topics, with activities including:

  • Onboard film screenings
  • Festive social gatherings
  • Fascinating maritime history and stewardship presentations
  • Exciting shore excursions

Each cruise booking will generate a generous donation to the Conservancy.

The Conservancy's inaugural cruise with the Pollin Group traveled to Bermuda in May 2018: view the cruise program guide for a flavor of the events and activities offered on that unforgettable voyage. And we promise that the 2020 cruise will be even better! For more information, please visit:

#FlagshipFacts — The SS United States could travel for 10,000 miles without stopping for fuel. She was also designed to transport 15,000 troops in the event of war.
A page from the United States Lines-produced recipe book, The Captain's Table.
Donated by Kingston Winget.
"The ocean's breeze is a sauce you cannot duplicate ashore," reads  The Captain's Table   — the recipe book published by United States Lines and distributed to passengers of the SS  United States  and SS  America . 

Whenever we have posted about this beloved, yet long-out-of-print tome on our social media accounts, we have received requests from supporters who would like to see a new edition of the recipe book published.

As any author or publisher will attest, printing and distributing a physical book is quite an undertaking. For now, we're planning to do the next thing by regularly sharing recipes with you on our blog!

We recently added to our collection of recipes from the SS  United States — thanks to a very generous donation from Robert Scofield, in honor of Michael Persico. Michael had collected a number of typewritten recipes from the ship's early files, many requested by grateful passengers. We are so grateful for this recent archival donation, and are excited to share the images with you in the weeks ahead. 

Each dish we'll be sharing was crafted and prepared by none other than the Big U's master chef, Otto Bismarck. The selections are representative of the fine dining enjoyed by passengers of the SS United States in her heyday, clearly detailed and explained so that you can prepared them in your own kitchen.

To start, we've posted the recipes for a two-course meal that includes the ship's signature dish, Lobster A L'United States. CLICK HERE to view it over on our blog. And, for more recipes, be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter .
Help Us Save America's Flagship!
The SS United States in Norfolk, Virginia.
Photo courtesy of Wayne Forth/PhotoScenics.us
The SS United States is admired the world over for so many reasons — from her impeccable design and unparalleled performance as a liner to the fond memories she left her many passengers.

Today, we are excited to showcase a pair of DVDs, produced by Wayne Forth and PhotoScenics, which document the iconic interiors of America's Flagship.

The first of these, SS United States : The Way She Was , is the final video footage of the ship's interior spaces, as they appeared in the ship's active service days. It was filmed in 1986, prior to the Big U being "gutted to the bulkheads" and towed to Turkey for remediation. The video was produced by a professional cameraman and, because of its historical significance, has had minimal editing.

The second DVD is entitled The SS United States Collection at Windmill Point . Amassed in 1984 by Dr. Sarah Forbes, this vast collection filled the Windmill Point Restaurant in Nags Head, NC, for over 20 years. In July 2008, Dr. Forbes allowed PhotoScenics inside the closed restaurant to document this incredible collection. The entire collection was later donated to the Mariner's Museum in Newport News, VA, which subsequently donated some of the items to the SS United States Conservancy (more on that in a future issue of this newsletter).

CLICK HERE to add these amazing DVDs to your personal collection. A portion of all DVD sales will be donated to the SS United States Conservancy.
 
A plaque spotted in Little Dog Coffee Shop, Brunswick, Maine.
Photo courtesy of Conservancy President Susan Gibbs.
More than 67 years after her unforgettable, record-breaking maiden voyage, the SS United States continues to inspire people of all ages and from all walks of life. The Conservancy remains committed to giving this magnificent vessel her long-awaited second act, and we cannot do this without your continued support.

With that in mind, we are calling on all of our supporters to renew their commitment to America's Flagship with a donation of $35 or more during the month of September. Your generous contributions will help us preserve the physical vessel that is the SS United States , while making it possible for us to continue expanding our educational and curatorial efforts.

As a token of our appreciation, we will be extending a special opportunity to one random supporter who joins or renews their Conservancy membership with a donation of at least $35:

A special tour of the SS United States for you and a guest, to take place on a future, mutually agreeable date.

To be considered, join or renew your Conservancy membership with a donation of $35 or more by clicking  HERE .

Eligible members must donate at least $35 to the Conservancy between now and midnight (EDT) on September 30, 2019. The tour participant will be drawn at random and notified on October 3, 2019. Each chosen participant will be allowed to bring one guest, age 18 or older. Best of luck!

*Public access to the SS  United States  is highly restricted. Please be advised that all tour participants must be at least 18 years of age and sign waivers. The tour involves extensive walking, including a climb up a narrow spiral staircase.  Also, since having been stripped down to her bare structural essentials, the ship poses numerous tripping hazards.  Finally, because the ship is docked at a working pier, the Conservancy must submit identification credentials to pier security in advance for each person who will be accessing the pier and boarding the ship.
"[The SS United States ] was built at a time when 'made in America’ really meant something, and that is a legacy that cannot be lost."  — H.F. “Gerry” Lenfest (1930-2018)