S.S. Independence

40 Photos in Set (newest photos first)

Thumbnail: Out to Sea Thumbnail: Shrouded in Mystery Thumbnail: Last Days Thumbnail: What's Wrong with Me? Thumbnail: Last Look Thumbnail: Crying Ship Thumbnail: Ghost Ship Thumbnail: Sun Room Thumbnail: Plant Remains Thumbnail: Presidential Suite Thumbnail: Children's Menu Thumbnail: Hawaiian Leis Thumbnail: Empty Lounge Thumbnail: Cranes and Pulleys Thumbnail: Goodbye, Indy Thumbnail: Twisting Staircase Thumbnail: Library Thumbnail: Swab the Deck Thumbnail: Hibiscus Thumbnail: Retro Stairway Thumbnail: Solarium Suites Thumbnail: Stacks Thumbnail: Funnels Echo their Reflections Thumbnail: Framed Thumbnail: My Old Friend Thumbnail: Life Boats Thumbnail: Tied Up Thumbnail: Oceanic Independence Thumbnail: Nokoa Thumbnail: Walk-in Thumbnail: Safe to Dring Thumbnail: Hear Here Thumbnail: Engine Room Thumbnail: Promenade Thumbnail: Suspended Pulleys Thumbnail: Mercury Ropes Thumbnail: Staircase Thumbnail: Obana Deck Thumbnail: Sun Deck Thumbnail: Washroom

12 Comments (S.S. Independence)

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  1. Ann said on February 27, 2008 at 12:26 pm

    These pictures are impressive and daunting - and they threaten to cover up the other pictures in my memory - of the New Years 2000 to 2001 cruise with my family on the Indy. We were thrilled with the ship and cruise and it brought back fantastic memories for my father who sailed on the sister ship, USS Constitution, in the mid-50’s from NY to Naples, Italy. What a glorious, grand ship and my heart is broken to learn she’ll likely be scrap (as the Constitution already is).

  2. Mark Bosch said on July 1, 2008 at 5:59 pm

    I was aboard this ship when I was 13. I remember it very well. I went with my grandparents to Hawaii. It is such a shame that I will never get to take my children on the great voyage like I had. I will miss this ship and all of it’s glory.

  3. Kevin said on July 11, 2008 at 8:25 pm

    Great and dramatic photos - It is so sad to see the waste of a truly beautiful ship. I was aboard for the the last cruise in October 2001. There are reasons that the bar smelled so bad - the last full day of the cruise (we couldn’t port) we just sailed around all day and all drinks were free - just tip the crew.

  4. CherylBeattie said on July 21, 2008 at 7:29 am

    I sailed on the Indy for more years than I can remember. Was on teh 50th anniversary cruise to Pearl Harbor. Was scheduled for a cruise in Oct. that never happened, I was actually on the way to the airport when a friend called from Calif. to let me know the rumors.

    It breaks my heart to see how this wonderful ship has ended her life. Your photos are wonderful but sad. I am lucky in that I have many of my own photos, souvniers and memories from my days cruising around the islands on my favorite ship.

  5. Anthony said on December 28, 2008 at 3:34 pm

    My mother and brother left Italy and arrived in New York in March 16 1957 on the ship,I was wondering if there was a way to see what the ship looked like back then and wondering what the captains name was and maybe the passenger list..I wanted to give my mother and brother a present on that special day they arrived..Thank you..Anthony

  6. JAMES NETZEL said on February 26, 2009 at 6:40 pm

    My Name is James Netzel- I started out on the Constitution in Sept 94 and in Jan 1995 I went aboard the SS INDEPENDENCE…. I have to say ’ WHAT A LIFE AND TIME THAT WAS”

    It was talked about with friend among the ship that people that chose ship life for a career that to be there, you must have been running away from something in your life! I have to say, I wasnt running away but rather running too!

    I worked on the ships for about 7 years as Bell Captain on the Connie, Night Manager and Cabin Steward on the Indy!

    The freinds that I made and the memories are what movies are made of! I can write a book on my friend Brian Thompson, and all the others like Mike Briscoe, Marwan Iesh, Robert Gamboia, My friends Natalie and Johnna!

    My den in my house in NYC looks like a cabin from the crusie ship from the SS INDEPENDENCE Directors chair at my desk, along with port hole mirrors on the wall!

    THANKS FRO THIS WEBSITE AS IT BRINGS BACK AWESOME MEMORIES! ANY FRIENDS AF JAMES NETZEL- PLEASE EMAIL ME AT ssindependence@hotmail.com or jimnetzel@hotmail.com ALOHA FRIENDS!

  7. Peggy said on March 10, 2009 at 6:19 pm

    These are beautiful photographs, but they make me sad. I was on the Independence when I was a child. We boarded in Naples, Italy on July 4, 1967. We stopped in several Mediterranean ports and then crossed to NY. The ship was all white with buff funnels then, and was operated by the American Export-Isbrandsen line. We were in first class and our cabins were on the Upper Deck, starboard, near the bow. The pool had a large ceramic frog which spouted water; it lost all its water during a storm. People cruise, but they don’t cross anymore, and it is a loss.

  8. Fernando Marenco ( Sommelier ) said on July 20, 2009 at 7:15 am

    86’-90’ both ships had the best wine service. A consistent weekly 98% customer satisfaction rate was due to the awesome crew. We had a saying, You either will make history, or you will be history. As Captain Kelly’s wine steward, he didn’t drink, I made sure he had his cranberry juice with him at his funeral. Mrs Kelly thanked me later with a note. Roosevelt Winchester, head waiter, who graduated from the same high school I did, passed away a couple of years back, had a beautiful Nat King Cole singing voice. I cherish a halloween photo of us together. Myself as the Blue Nun and Rosey as a Sheik. The money was good those years, but the memories are worth way more. I salute you all.

  9. Clint said on August 27, 2009 at 11:14 am

    I was on the 50th anniversary cruise in July 2001. We sailed through Pearl Harbor. Great memories. If anyone has pictures that show the passengers please email them to me. I would appreciate it.

  10. Clint said on February 1, 2010 at 6:26 am

    My email address for the above post:

    Clintmitchell72@aol.com

  11. Greg Williams said on February 7, 2010 at 5:13 pm

    I worked aboard the Indy and the Conny from late ‘86 to ‘90 in various capacities..porter, asst waiter, bellman and ordinary seaman. It was an incredible time in my life. As a night buffet porter I was off during the daytime and really got to see quite a bit of Hawaii. I remember many times being the first person off the gangway when we tied up. I especially enjoyed the Maui overnite on the Indy (I had a girlfriend there). I also remember the above poster, Fernando, as well as Rosey (we sang alot of “happy birthday/anniverserys” together, Meg (also my girlfriend..miss her lots), Tracy, Chris, Derek, Brent and Janice, Jimi and Jaye Kennedy, Marcus, Karriem, Donald Williams and even Stu he Maitre’d who made me cut my hair! What an ass…I’ll miss the Indy.

  12. H. Cardell said on July 12, 2010 at 5:48 am

    I sailed this great ship in the early 60s. My dad was in the Navy. We sailed to Naples on the SS Constitution and returned to NY 3 years later on the SS Independence. My mom was sea sick most of the trip and my parents allowed me to roam the ship, although I was only 6 or 7 years of age at the time. Unheard of nowadays. My parents became known on the ship as “Henry’s Mom and Dad” as I made so many acquaintances. Life was great. I met the Ships Captain on the Independence and he actually invited my parents to dine with him one evening. Have been searching on line for the ships passenger lists and lists of voyages, to no avail.