Built at the end of what historically is often called the “golden age” of ocean liners and cruise building in 1952, the SS United States is a special ship for many reasons.
The ship, at 990 feet long, is 100 feet longer than the Titanic and the largest ocean liner ever built in the United States. To this day, its maiden voyage from New York to Cornwall in the United Kingdom, at an average speed of 35.59 knots over three days and 10 hours, holds the all-time Blue Riband record for the world’s fastest transatlantic ocean crossing.
What at the time was the ultimate standard of cruising luxury attracted illustrious passengers such as Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco, Marlon Brando, and Marilyn Monroe, as well as U.S. Presidents Harry Truman, Dwight Eisenhower, and John F. Kennedy.
Sailing at the height of the Cold War between the Soviet Union and the United States, the SS United States was also equipped with a fire-resistant interior and a width that would allow it to squeeze through the Panama Canal in case of war.
A sinking date has been set for the historic SS United States
With the ship decommissioned from active passenger cruises since 1969 and docked in Philadelphia since 1995, a sinking date has been set for what was once the most luxurious cruise liner ever built.
A spokesperson for Okaloosa County in Florida confirmed that a sendoff ceremony for the SS United States will be held at Destin-Fort Walton Beach on Nov. 11, CBS News reported. The liner will be permanently deployed approximately 22 nautical miles off the coast of Florida in the Gulf of Mexico the following day.
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The plan announced earlier in the year was to intentionally sink the liner to create the world’s largest artificial reef on the ocean floor, allowing algae, corals, and other marine organisms to attach over time. Such reefs are also an attraction for deep-water divers.
Prior to the sinking, a small viewing party at the nearby AJ’s Seafood and Oyster Bar in Destin will offer one last look at the historic ship.
An historic photo shows the SS United States arriving in Le Havre, France in 1952.Walter Bellamy / Getty Images
“Her story will continue to be told”: SS United States will be sunk on Nov. 12
“Her story will continue to be told by thousands of people who visit her in tandem with the SS United States Conservancy’s land-based museum,” Okaloosa County Board Chairman Trey Goodwin said in a statement on the sinking.
The ship was transported from its longtime docking place in South Philadelphia to the Port of Mobile in Alabama in March 2026.
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Okaloosa County bought the ship in 2024 with the plan to sink it for the purpose of creating an artificial reef, while opening a land museum celebrating its history, CBS News noted.
The ambitious project has been criticized by historical preservation groups and opponents concerned about pollution and other environmental hazards associated with sinking it in the Gulf of Mexico, Fox10 News reported.
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