SS United States May Sail Again

The skipper of the cruise line that owns the long silent SS United States says he's not giving up on the ship.

Colin Veitch, chief executive officer of Norwegian Cruise Lines, said in an interview yesterday that he still believed that bringing the ship back to life would be "a fantastic project." He has rough-draft plans to maintain the ship's classic look while adding a deck or two and modern amenities.

In years to come, he said, the storied 55-year-old ship will sail around the world, make trips from the East Coast to California through the Panama Canal, cruise the Hawaiian Islands and, possibly, make an occasional run on its old transatlantic route. And it will earn a profit.

Because of its history, the ship will command premium fares, he said. But none of that will happen this year - or next.

While NCL Corp. Ltd. has made no announcement about the vessel, which it bought in 2004, Veitch said that he had no interest in selling the ship and that a caretaker had been hired to "look after her." He made his comments in response to a reporter's questions.