SS Constitution

For the United States Navy frigate, see USS Constitution.

300px SS Constitution in Hawaii
History
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
Laid down:	1950
Launched:	September 16, 1950
Completed:	1951
Maiden voyage:	June 25, 1951
Fate:	lost while under tow to shipbreakers, 1995
Status:	sunk
General characteristics (as built)
Type:	Ocean liner
Tonnage:	23,719 gross register tons (GRT) 7,250 tonnes 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)
Type:	Cruise ship
Tonnage:	23,754 GRT
Capacity:	395 passengers
General characteristics (after 1974 refit)
Capacity:	950 passengers
General characteristics (after 1980 refit)
Tonnage:	20,221 GRT
Capacity:	1073 passengers

File:Ss Constitution1953.jpg

SS Constitution on a visit to Haifa on March 10, 1953

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).

External links

• History and photos of Constitution and Independence
• Photo page for Magnum, P.I. episode All Thieves on Deck