The piers along Manhattan's west side, known in the past as "Luxury Liner Row" and currently as the "New York City Passenger Ship Terminal", have been the prime location in the port for ocean liner photography. This photo essay will include photographs taken of the bows of several famous passenger ships beginning in the middle of the last century and continuing to the present time.

Italian Lines M.V. SATURNIA of 1927 is shown on the left docked on the south side of Pier 84 North River in July 1953.

The liner on the right is her sistership
M.V. VULCANIA of 1928, shown docked at the same location on July 15, 1952.

Two photographs of the Cunard "Queens" docked at their berth on the north side of Pier 90 North River. On the left is QUEEN MARY on July 30, 1952, no longer the fastest ship in the world. The photgraph on the right shows QUEEN ELIZABETH docked at the same location in July 1953, still the largest ship in the world.

Pier 88 North River in July 1952.
Two photographs of French Line passenger liners. On the left is the venerable ILE-DE-FRANCE of 1927 and on the right is the new FLANDRE docking in New York for the first time on July 30, 1952.

Above on the left the new S.S. UNITED STATES is shown docking for the first time at Pier 86 North River on June 23, 1952 when she arrived directly from her builders in Newport News, Virginia. Above on the right the new Italian Line flagship ANDREA DORIA arrives in New York for the first time on January 23, 1953. She ties up on the north side of Pier 84 North River after a rough crossing from the Mediterranean.

On this day - June 2, 1983 - two ships are tied up at adjacent West Side Piers - BRITANIS of 1932 (former MONTEREY, MATSONIA, LURLINE) is on the left and the QUEEN ELIZABETH 2 of 1969 during her period with a gray hull is on the right.

                                                                                                                                                                                                          
On two September days two years apart but at the same West Side berth, the south side of Pier 88 - we have, on the left, the NORWAY (formerly the FRANCE of 1962) on September 3, 1996 prior to her eastbound crossing and, below, the brand-new GRAND PRINCESS on September 28, 1998 here for her christening.