The SS United States has cost its various owners over $40 million during the nearly three decades it has been docked in Philadelphia, write Ximena Conde and Nick Vadala for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
The former luxury cruise liner, slated to be sunk into the Florida Panhandle to become an underwater tourist attraction, once hosted major stars such as Marlon Brando and future presidents like John F. Kennedy. The cost to build the ship was $78 million, or $928 million in today’s dollars.
With the advent of air travel, interest in the SS United States declined, as did its value. The ship has been docked in Philadelphia since 1996.
In 1998, the ship sold at an auction for $6 million, despite the asking price being $30 million. Developer Edward A. Cantor became its new owner.
The ship changed ownership in 2003 after being purchased by Norwegian Cruise Lines for an undisclosed sum.
Six years later, the company put the ship up for sale for $20 million.
In the end, the ship was bought by the SS United States Conservancy nonprofit for $3 million.
In October, the ship got its last owner when officials in Okaloosa County bought the vessel for $1 million.
Read more about the story of the SS United States and how much money has been spent on it over the years in The Philadelphia Inquirer.
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Editor’s Note: This post first appeared on DELCO Today in November 2024.
