From AUSTRALIS to AMERICA

~~~
The Summer of 1978

by Brad Hatry


Venture Cruise Lines AMERICA in New York June 17, 1978.
(Photograph Ted Scull)

S.S. AMERICA was originally the United States Lines’ flagship prior to S.S. UNITED STATES. She was sold in 1964 to Chandris Lines and became their flagship; the beautiful S.S AUSTRALIS. AUSTRALIS was used primarily to carry emigrants to Australia and by late 1977, Chandris’ government contract ended, she was laid up at an anchorage in New Zealand. Sold in spring 1978 to fledgling Venture Cruise Lines, she sailed for New York where her new owners intended to sail her on a variety of short "budget" cruises.


Another view of AMERICA in New York.
(Photograph Ted Scull)

After a brief dry-docking at Bayonne, New Jersey, and renamed AMERICA, she transferred to Pier 92. While docked at Berth 5, her exterior was thoroughly repainted. In still deplorable condition from her neglected last years and layup, she sailed anyway on June 30th, with many passengers still to be assigned a cabin. When reaching only as far as Upper New York Bay, and with insufficient habitable cabins available, many of her passengers were returned ashore by tenders. She continued her inaugural cruise and most of her remaining passengers reported inadequate food, plumbing problems, ill-trained staff, uncleanliness and, perhaps most damaging, cockroaches and vermin.


A closeup of the former pride of the U.S. Lines.
(Photograph Ted Scull)

Remarkably, she managed a second five-night cruise to Halifax. The same deplorable conditions were reported and her remaining schedule was suspended indefinitely. AMERICA berthed at Pier 92 and Venture Cruise Lines worked feverishly to refurbish her. But funds ran out and they declared bankruptcy before the work could be finished. The worn-out AMERICA was bought back by Chandris Lines for a fraction of what they had sold her and she left New York for good on September 6th. Soon renamed ITALIS, her passenger service was, quite amazingly, continued for a short while.

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