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Passenger Conveniences: Comfort and Service were a priority only second to safety aboard the Big U. The SS United States was the first passenger liner of her size to be completely air-conditioned. Each passenger stateroom had its own heating and air-conditioning controls in order that each passenger could regulate their own conditions. The air conditioning system aboard the Big U could easily chill three theatres the size of New York's Radio City Music Hall. Why so much cooling? In case the Big U was called up as a troopship - she would need to keep 14,000 soldiers cool and alert. Passenger Spaces. There are over 40 public rooms aboard the SS United States including two ultramodern theaters. The First & Cabin Class Theater, seating 352, is located aft aboard the ship on the Promenade deck. The Tourist Class Theater, seating 199, is located forward on Promenade deck. Trivia: As you watched a movie or stage performance aboard the ship, you were facing backwards (aft). Comfort by Size. In comparing the Queen Mary with a displacement of 77,400 tons, to the Big U's displacement of 43,500 tons, one might think the Mary to be nearly twice as big. But in fact, the SS UNITED STATES accommodated nearly the same number of passengers and crew. Just 29 feet longer than the SS UNITED STATES, the Queen Mary was, well - a bit Rubenesque. In terms of comfort, the lighter Big U with a much lower center of gravity offered a much more comfortable ride than the Mary - particularly in challenging seas. Accommodations: By design the SS UNITED STATES was built with a total of 693 passenger staterooms, plus 340 crew quarter spaces. There were 14 suites aboard ship, six on the Upper Deck and eight on the Main Deck. These 3-room suites have three staterooms, three bathrooms, a dressing room and a trunk room. The trunk room had it's own door so porters could easily place/move luggage without disturbing guests. 19 Ship Elevators. Getting around, up and down. If your daily job was to clean the call-button plates at each elevator door aboard the SS UNITED STATES you'd find yourself visiting 105 different elevator doors on-ship every day. That's the total enty/exits for the 19 elevators on ship. As follows:
Getting Wet. The SS United States swimming
pool, located on C deck is made of Communications/Telephones. The Big U was the first liner of her size to have a telephone in each stateroom in all three classes. Calls could be made to any telephone aboard the ship as well as any ship-to-shore calls. Throughout the ship loudspeakers were installed in a network that allowed the Bridge, Captain or Damage Control Officer to speak to specific areas or all of the ship to communicate announcements or emergency instructions. Even from his private quarters the ship's captain could make announcements throughout the SS UNITED STATES. The SS United States was the first luxury passenger liner built to high standards of the U.S. Navy. At the time of her build the power output of the ship’s boilers was more than twice that of the next most powerful American passenger ship. Largest Liner Ever Built in the USA. To the present day, the SS United States is the largest passenger ship ever constructed in America - and to this day she remains the world's fastest ocean liner - period. She is as tall as a 12 story building and is approximately five city blocks long. If tipped end on end she would tower more than 10 stories above the Rockefeller Center Building in New York City. Because the SS United States was built in a graving dock (dry dock) she was far more complete than any previous major passenger vessel build by the time of her christening. Approximately 70% complete. Building the Big U in drydock removed weight limitations that are put on traditionally launched vessels. At 990 feet in length she actually was longer than the drydock she was built in, extending stem and stern beyond her graving dock by 30 feet. Fastest Liner Ever in the World. To the present day, the Big U remains the fastest ocean liner in the world. It is unlikely that any ocean liner the size of the SS UNITED STATES will ever take her record away. The Blue Riband (Hales Trophy) speed title belonged to the Big U from her maiden voyage until the 1980's, when it was awarded to Richard Branson (Virgin Atlantic) for his speed crossing record in a specially built 65-foot speedboat. Currently the speed record is held by a catamaran (small passenger ferry) modified for the speed record attempt. Bottom line: The SS UNITED STATES is the fastest passenger liner to ever sail.
Learn more: Specs
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Crew member Joe Rota stands at an elevator on board the Big U (July 2001). On his first SS UNITED STATES ride Joe was assigned as an Elevator Operator in the mid 50s. His station? The elevator for the ship's swimming pool. In all there are 19 elevators aboard the Big U. |
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SS UNITED STATES at sea. Lifeboats on the starboard side could each accommodate 140 passengers. There were 12 lifeboats on each side of the ship. The forward two lifeboats were motorized, while all others used hand levers that passengers could "row" to drive the lifeboat's propellor. The life boats were double hulled aluminum- virtually unsinkable. In addition to these lifeboats, there were life rafts on the top decks that could support up to 700 more passengers or crew if needed.
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SSUS Enthusiast Steve Swanson tends bar on the ship - in the Tourist Class Lounge - one of ten different passenger lounges aboard the SS UNITED STATES. |
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