Build : 1945 by Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Company, Chester, Pennsylvania, U.S.A., nr 357 as Marine Star, a Liberty type troop carrier (C4-S-B5)

Converted: 1955 by Todd Shipyard Corporation drydock, Brooklyn, New York to a cruiseferry, renamed Aquarama.
She started life as a Liberty-type troop carrier (not being famous for being the most beautiful vessel in the world) but only made one trip crossing the Atlantic and then the war ended. Laid up for about 8 years, after that, a Detroit industrialist bought her in 1954 and converted her into the cruise ferry.

She cruised the Lakes between Cleveland and Detroit where she was immensely popular, entertaining thousands of passengers on their “cruise” with the latest technology, theaters, 2 dance floors, 4 restaurants, a cafetaria and loads more. An ocean liner on the Great Lakes, unfortunately she wasn’t really economical.

The Ship was also renowned for the troubles she encountered: She rammed the sea wall of what is now Windsor’s Dieppe Gardens, crashed into the Detroit News Docks, bumped into a U.S. Navy cruiser near Cleveland and a little 2 year old girl got pulled of the beach by her wake, nearly drowning her.

In 1962 she was mothballed and in 1987 a syndicate of businessmen, bought her to be converted into a floating casino.
But all the plans they had with her went tits up by various reasons, leaving the vessel being towed all over the place until the syndicate found a spot for her near Windsor where she was laid up for 6 years.

After that she she was towed to Buffalo, seen here in above photo, and berthed at an unused grain elevator for another 12 years. Until in 2007 the whole story ended when she was sold to ShipBreakers in Aliaga , Turkey in September 2007 to be Broken Up.

NOTE: During her lifespan of 62 years she only sailed the seas for about 8 years.

Looking rather forlorn there !

IMO 5021114

Shine on, you crazy diamond.

Amazing image Matt. Modern Day Gothic.. time standing still.. could've been a Pink Floyd album cover.. :)

Tom