SS Constitution
 SS Constitution in Hawaii | |
| Career | |
|---|---|
| Name: |
1951—1974: Constitution 1974—1982: Oceanic Constitution 1982—1997: Constitution |
| Owner: |
1951—1974: American Export Lines 1974—1979: Atlantic Far East Lines 1982—1997: American Hawaii Cruises |
| Builder: | Bethlehem Steel Corporation's Fore River Shipyard, Quincy, Massachusetts, USA |
| Yard number: | 1619[1] |
| Laid down: | 1950 |
| Launched: | September 16, 1950[1] |
| Completed: | 1951 |
| Maiden voyage: | June 25, 1951[1] |
| Fate: | lost while under tow to shipbreakers |
| Status: | sunk |
| General characteristics (as built)[1] | |
| Type: | Ocean liner |
| Tonnage: |
23,719 gross register tons (GRT) 7,250 metric tons deadweight (DWT) |
| Length: | 208.01 m (682.45 ft) |
| Beam: | 27.18 m (89.17 ft) |
| Draft: | 9.20 m (30.18 ft) |
| Installed power: | 2 × Bethlehem Steel Corporation steam turbines; 40456 kW |
| Speed: | 23 knots (43 km/h) |
| Capacity: | 1000 passengers |
| General characteristics (after 1959 refit)[1] | |
| Type: | Cruise ship |
| Tonnage: | 23,754 GRT |
| Capacity: | 395 passengers |
| General characteristics (after 1974 refit)[1] | |
| Capacity: | 950 passengers |
| General characteristics (after 1980 refit)[1] | |
| Tonnage: | 20,221 GRT |
| Capacity: | 1073 passengers |
The SS Constitution was an ocean liner owned by American Export Lines. Commissioned in 1951, she started her long career sailing on the New York-Genoa-Naples-Gibraltar route to Europe. Constitution was a sister ship to the SS Independence.
SS Constitution was featured in several episodes of the situation comedy I Love Lucy starring Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz, starting with episode 140, "Bon Voyage," aired December 1, 1955. Lucy Ricardo missed the ship and had to be ferried by air by a then-novel helicopter.
American movie actress Grace Kelly sailed aboard SS Constitution from New York to Monaco for her wedding to Prince Rainier in 1956.
SS Constitution was featured in the 1957 film, An Affair to Remember starring Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr. She was also featured in the beginning and end of an episode of the Naked City TV series titled "No Naked Ladies in Front of Giovanni's House!" aired April 17, 1963. The ship also featured prominently in the Magnum, P.I. television series episode titled "All Thieves on Deck" aired January 30, 1986.
Following service on American Export's "Sunlane" cruise to Europe in the '50s and '60s the two ships sailed for American Hawaii Cruises for many years in the '80s and '90s; as U.S. ships with U.S. crews meeting the criteria of the Passenger Services Act they were able to cruise the Islands without sailing to a foreign port.
SS Constitution was retired in 1995; while under tow to be scrapped, the liner sank north of the Hawaiian Islands on November 17, 1997; 700 nautical miles (1,300 km).
References
External links
- History and photos of Constitution and Independence
- A story of a voyage on the Constitution
- Photo page for Magnum, P.I. episode All Thieves on Deck