April 27 1992: Marmar Marine buys SS
United States for $2.6 mill.
June 4 1992:
United States leaves for Turkey
July 9th 1992:
United States arrives of Istanbul in Bay of Tuzla. Runs into trouble regarding disposal of waste with Greenpeace.
Aug 9 1992:
QE2 runs aground nr Martha’s Yineyard. Ship taken out of service and patched in Boston. Sails Atlantic to get proper fix in Hamberg.
October 4:
QE2 back in service.
Nov 5th 1992: POD Bush wins Presidency
November 20 – December 12, 1992: QE2 Refitted in Blohm and Voss Shipyard, Hamberg.
A secret report is presented to Trafalgar House management concerning the state of the
QE2 hull and Cunard in general. The Board agrees to seek a buyer immediately.
January 21, 1993: Cunard takes over marketing, sales and reservations for Florida based Crown Cruise Line (owned by Effjohn International) in 10-year deal. The
Crown Jewel, Crown Dynasty, Crown Monarch are to be run by Cunard.
March 2, 1993: Knut Kloster of Norwegian Cruise Line and Frederick Mayer of Effjohn International announce they have brought 64% of the Cunard Line between them. The Royal Viking Line name is to be transferred to Cunard and the
Royal Viking Sun transferred to the Cunard fleet.
QE2 to be withdrawn at the end of the 1993 season for a major refit and overhaul.
April 11, 1993: Marmar Marine proposal for
United States/QE2 Stablemates deal. Cunard’s new owners are interested.
April 23, 1993: Greenpeace protestors get on-board SS
United States and stop work in Turkey. Owner Fred Mayer manages to call a meeting between Greenpeace, the Turkish government, and representatives from the Lloyd shipyard in Bremerhaven, Germany that had converted the SS
France into the successful
Norway.
April 28, 1993: At a press conference in Istanbul the owners of the
United States outline the deal they have reached with the Turkish government, Greenpeace and other interested parties. The removal of asbestos from the
United States will go ahead, with the material safely disposed of at Greenpeace approved sites. All removed walls; fittings etc. are to be carefully catalogued and what can be saved of the
United States interior will be used in the refurbishment of the ship.
June 30, 1993: Marmar Marine sells its stake in
United States to Effjohn International in exchange for the restoration of
United States being performed in Turkey. The restoration is expected to take until mid-1996.
August 5, 1993: HM the Queen and Prince Andrew visit the
QE2 in Southampton to mark the 175th anniversary of The British Sailor’s Society.
October 15, 1993: Work to remove asbestos from the
United States is completed. A huge collection of panels and fittings have been saved from scrap and catalogued on-board. Work begins to convert the
United States to a modern ship under the direction of engineers from Cunard and Lloyd shipyards.
November 14, 1993: QE2 arrives at Blohm and Voss Shipyard, Hamberg Germany for a major re-engineering overhaul to her engines and machinery, including a rebuild of the starboard propeller shaft, hydroblasting all the bottom plating, boilers cleaned, new pumps, new A/C, new integrated bridge systems, overhauls for the bow thrusters and stabilisers, and a new automatic sprinkler system was added to the public and service areas of the ship.
A refit of the passenger areas codenamed ‘Project Lifestyle’ was also started; the scope of the work included the redesign of nearly every public room aboard, introducing a two-storey Midships Lobby atrium space, as well the replacement of every passenger bathroom, furniture upgrades, and rearrangement of the existing cabin space on more modern lines. The concept drawings alone lead to a jump in bookings for her first cruise, scheduled for May 4th 1994, her 25th anniversary crossing to New York.
February 7, 1994: Cunard buys American Hawaii Cruises. The planned refit of
Independence is continued in Newport. Cunard receives permission to operate a USA flagged cruise line via the Crown Cruise Line deal.
February 14, 1994: A leaked concept drawing of the SS
United States as a Cunarder draws international ire in the Marine press- the extra decks are called ‘ugly’ ‘boxy’ and calls are made to leave the
United States profile as intact as possible. Cunard and Effjohn International claim repeat that the leaked drawing is just one of many concept pieces, not the final plans. Fred Mayer reveals that architects from Gibbs & Cox who originally designed the SS
United States are now involved.
May 2, 1994: With the extended refit is complete,
QE2 sails from Hamberg for Southampton with the international press on-board. Her Captain Ronald Warwick reports to the visiting press that she ‘handles like a new ship’. The Press response to the ‘New
QE2’ is positive, though some poke fun at the ‘go faster’ stripe painted on her superstructure.
May 4, 1994: QE2 sails from Southampton on her silver anniversary crossing to New York. She is fully booked for the next year.
June 13, 1994: Cunard issues a request for crew of the RMS
Queen Mary to get in touch regarding a visit to the restored liner in her home in Long Beach California.
Sept 26, 1994: QE2 arrives at the Disney Cruise Terminal at Long Beach California bringing with her many of
Queen Mary’s former crew, including several Captains in time for the celebrations of the reopening of the
Queen Mary Resort.
October 21, 1994: Norway is withdrawn from service and returned to the Lloyd shipyards in Bremerhaven, Germany for her delayed overhaul. Similar to the
QE2 this would be a substantial re-engineering and refit to correct many ongoing issues and upgrade her to current Safety of Life At Sea (SOLAS) regulations.
November 28, 1994: To compensate
Murder, She Wrote fans for being right about the new Thursday timeslot being deadly to the show, CBS moves the show back to Sundays and commissions
Murder, She Wrote: Death on the QE2 a TV movie filmed onboard
QE2 during a Transatlantic voyage – Jessica Fletcher has to solve a murder and foil a conspiracy onboard before the ship reaches Britain.
March 23, 1995: EffJohn International is having some financial problems – Knut Kloster of the Norwegian Line suggests a full merger between his Line, Cunard and EffJohn. The resulting company would continue to operate its various brands separately, but the merger would allow for less duplication of effort and costs. Cunard Execs are happy to agree as part of the deal would see the last part of their company brought from the ailing Trafalgar House. EffJohn waiver considering consolidating down to their core Baltic Sea market, but finally agree. FarStar International is formed.
April 30, 1995: Norway leaves the Lloyd shipyards with the press on-board. She sailed smoothly to Oslo, and then after picking up passengers, Southampton and New York. Mid Atlantic
Norway passes in sight of
QE2 and the two ships exchange signals.
July 12, 1995: Disney Cruise Line and Cunard agree a berthing agreement that allows Cunard ships to use the Disney Cruise Terminal in Long Beach near the
Queen Mary.
September 11, 1995: QE2 is hove-to in wind speeds up to 100 knots during Hurricane Luis. The seas are 40-50 foot, when at 2.10am
QE2 is hit by a 90-100ft wave, bending rails and denting foredeck plating. Most passengers are asleep and not disturbed.
November 7, 1995: Twenty-six years since she last sailed as a liner, the SS
United States engines are fired up while in dry-dock in Istanbul. The plant turned over perfectly, and under perfect filming weather the propellers are allowed to turn under her own power. FarStar International holds a press conference on the dockside to reveal the
United States new profile, deck layouts, and schedule for a return to service on July 3 1996.
The owners also announce the acquisition of the United States Line name and brand from the owner Janus Industries. The ships of the American Hawaii Cruises will sail under the Line as will
United States.
January 2, 1996: A camera crew from Prince Edward’s Ardent Productions is on-board SS
United States making a documentary about her when a major fire breaks out in a stairwell. The film crew, and the ship’s crew are unharmed, but the footage would be invaluable for investigators. The Turkish shipyard was eventually fined a considerable amount for negligence. Questions were raised in the shipping press regarding the safety of the
United States refit in Turkey.
April 4, 1996: United States line retire the
Constitution after 46 years of service. Edward Cantor and Fred Mayar, who’s Marmar Marine had saved
United States buy the old ship, intending to set her up as an educational ship touring the Hawaiian Islands.
April 15, 1996: United States Lines begins advertising in New York for staff to work on the restored SS
United States.
April 23, 1996: Before the world press SS
United States is retuned to water and begins sea trails.
United States will travel to the USA before commencing her first voyage for certification, stocking of equipment, and new crew.
April 26, 1996: SS
United States has passed all trails at a level to cover local Turkish requirements, and to the satisfaction of US, and UK officials, though they cannot issue certification.
United States departs Turkey – to a huge crowd- towards New York. There is Press on-board. Once in the Atlantic Captain Wagner orders her engines opened up and
United States was soon cruising at 36.1 knots, equalling the speed she made in 1952 when she captured the Blue Ribband.
May 1, 1996: United States sails into New York harbour to a rapacious reception covered live on TV. New York comes to a standstill as the great ship glides into Pier 92. Over the next few weeks an army of workers will descend on her to stock and fit her cabins and public spaces to the highest standards.
July 3, 1996: SS
United States sails from New York bound for Southampton. The ship is fully booked. As she is leaving the harbour
Norway is entering it and the ships exchange whistles of greeting.
July 7, 1996: SS
United States passes Bishop’s Rock marking the eastern end of the traditional transatlantic voyage.
United States has done the crossing in 3 days, 8 hours, and 34 minutes, beating her own record. Jubilant crowds meet her in Southampton.
QE2 happens to be leaving harbour at the same time and the two ships exchange whistles in greeting. Fred Mayer raises the Blue Ribband on the
United States aft mast as is tradition.
July 10, 1996: After being open to the public the SS
United States returns to New York. On her return leg she breaks her own speed record for the Bishops Rock to Ambrose Light run making the trip in 3 days, 6 hours and 2 minutes.
United States get a triumphal welcome in New York harbour.
