The Cunard Line ocean liner 'RMS Queen Mary' in New York City, circa 1965. Once the pride of a nation and a symbol of American ingenuity, the SS United States still holds the record for the fastest transatlantic crossing by an ocean liner. B igger than the Titanic, she embodied the spirit, ambition, and technological progress of her time.
But after nearly 30 years of sitting idle and rusting at a Philadelphia pier, this monument to the age of the ocean liner is now facing her final voyage—to the bottom of the ocean. Not so long ago, the ocean liner was the undisputed leader of global travel. For decades, ships continually set new standards for speed and luxury, symbolizing an era when crossing the ocean was as much about the experience as the destination.
Today, Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 stands as the last remaining ocean liner making regular transatlantic crossings , recalling the grandeur and great journeys of old. From their introduction in the 1800s to their peak in the mid-20th century, these majestic vessels embodied innovation, luxury, and national pride. They transported millions across oceans, drastically reducing travel times and revolutionizing the way people saw the world.
Yet, the advent of commercial aviation in the 1950s rendered these icons of the seas obsolete almost overnight. Before the advent of the ocean liner, transoceanic travel was a perilous endeavor on sailing ships that were at the mercy of the elements. The arrival of steam engines in the 19th cent.
