s.s. "Santa Rosa".Owner Grace Line, New York, United States.
Flag United States.
Built 1958 by Newport News Ship Building & Dry Dock Company Inc., Newport News, USA.
Grt. 15.371, l.o.a. 177.93 mt, beam 25.61 mt.
Engine type Steam Turbines, General Electric, 22.000ihp., speed 20 knots.
Vessel type Passenger.
In 1970 the Grace Line Inc. amalgamated with Prudential Lines Inc. to form Prudential-Grace Lines Inc.
In January 1971 the "Santa Rosa" was laid up at Hampton Roads, in 1975 to the U.S. Department of Commerce. Remained laid up.
In 1976 the vessel was sold to the Vintero Corp., New York and renamed "Samos Sky", in South America services.
I grew up with Grace Line with both the "Santa Rosa" and "Santa Paula 1958 - 1971. I did the layup preparations for both ships, as was closer to the "Santa Rosa" I rode her to Hampton Roads Virginia in January 1971, The "Santa Paula" had already, a week earlier. I di much of both ships deck inventory for MARAD before being sold to Ventero Company in New York in 1972. It was a sad departure for the "Santa Paula, as it was if this ship didn't want to leave Pier 40 New York, when th licenced deck officer's union MMP had a dispispute with Prudential Grace Line. She finally sailed for layup in Virginia a day later. It was quite a sad experience seeing these two great American passenger ships go out of service. They always had good cargo and passenger bookings right to the end. i got to go on the former "Santa Rosa" as "Regent Rainbow, owned by Regency Cruises out of Tampa Florida in 1994. We had a Grace Line former crew members and shore side staff reunion, being a very memoraible and enjoyable cruise. Not long after Regency Cruises went bankrupt and the ship was resold to Emerald Cruise in the Mediterranean seas. In 2012, the "Emerald was laid up aneventually scrapped in Alang, India. The "Emerald" was in perfect sailing condition when sold for scrap' This was the ultimate sad ending of two great former American passenger ships. The "Santa Paula was eventually sold to Marriot Hotels in the 1970's and eventually ended up as a perment hotel in Kuawait and destroyed during the invasion of Kuwait in 1991 and eventually scrapped on sight.
ReplyDeleteI grew up with Grace Line with both the "Santa Rosa" and "Santa Paula 1958 - 1971. I did the layup preparations for both ships, as was I closer to the "Santa Rosa" and rode her to Hampton Roads Virginia in January 1971, The "Santa Paula" had already been laid up a week earlier. I did much of both ships deck inventory for MARAD (U.S.Government.) before being sold to Ventiro Company of New York in 1972. It was a sad departure for the "Santa Paula, as it was if this ship didn't want to leave Pier 40 New York, when the licenced deck officer's union MMP had a dispute with Prudential Grace Lines. She finally sailed for layup in Virginia a day later. It was quite a sad experience seeing these two great American passenger ships go out of service. They always had good cargo and passenger bookings for the Caribbean Countries right to the end. I got to go on the former "Santa Rosa" as "Regent Rainbow", owned by Regency Cruises out of Tampa Florida in 1994. We had a Grace Line former crew members and shore side staff reunion, being a very memorable and enjoyable cruise. Not long after, Regency Cruises went bankrupt and the ship was resold to Emerald Cruise in the Mediterranean seas. In 2012, the "Emerald" was laid up and eventually scrapped in Alang, India. The "Emerald" was in perfect sailing condition when sold for scrap' This was the ultimate heart break ending of the last two great former American passenger ships. The "Santa Paula" was sold to Marriot Hotels in the 1970's and eventually ended up as a permanent hotel in Kuwait and destroyed during the invasion of Kuwait in 1991 and scrapped on sight in 1992.
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