We all know the SS United States is in "deep" trouble (rimshot)
. We also know that there are many people out there, myself included, who'd have loved to see her make a return to service. After all, the aircraft took away her chance to serve a good long life, forcing her to a mere 17 years.
Unfortunately, we all saw the results Crystal Cruises gave back when they attempted to do so: way too expensive (not much of a surprise though, considering how drastically they'd have changed her). Oh well, it'd be kind of unfair if she got to come back and ships who'd served in her time would not, such as the Queen Mary, even though she is a ship from another era and Big U is timeless (in my biased opinion).
But what if she did? Well I'd been working on multiple sketches for what the United States could look like if she was modernized for a return to service. Mine was based on this piece:
SS United States concept art by 121199 on DeviantArt
In order to look as close as possible to her original design. My original involved getting rid of the railing at her bow and replacing it with the full white part at the very front, with her superstructure being more streamlined to better her speed. Beneath the waterline she'd have a bulbous bow, bow thrusters, propulsion pods like on QM2, just with her type of propellers, and the necessary stabilizers. As for the life boats, there'd be ten larger ones in total, with five on each side, and they'd be lower on the hull instead of higher up like before.
This last part I decided to change, so the lifeboats would remain where they were with the same amount, but obviously improved. As for inside, her interiors would be the same with any changes for better entertainment and comfort being made, and her engines would be diesel-electric either keeping her original speed of 38 knots, or increasing it to 40-43 knots.
What do you think?
(P.S. Save the Big U
)
