A Question For the Old Cruise Line Buffs Here

[babyher]

I know there are a few folks on here that remember (and even have pictures of) the old ocean liners of years back. I hope they can answer a question.

 

The other night I was watching an old movie . "A Majority of One" which was made in 1961. In one scene the main characters sailed from San Francisco to Japan. They show them sailing away with all the fan fare and confetti throwing (like they always do in old movies :)) and on the gangway I noticed a banner "United States Presidents Line" .

 

Later on in the movie a crew member mentions they are aboard the "S.S. President Hoover".

 

Was there in fact such a line and/or such a ship?

 

 

Thanks in advance

[Atomica]

There was indeed a ship called SS President Hoover, but it sailed for the American Presidents Line (in a lot of older movies, brand names were always changed so this isn't surprising).

 

I found a picture of it from an old brocure on a site; don't know if it's the one in the movie or not as I haven't seen it.

 

[sail7seas]

It seems there was.

 

Here's a link I found with a quick google search:

 

http://www.theshipslist.com/ships/lines/americanpresident.htm

[babyher]

There was indeed a ship called SS President Hoover, but it sailed for the American Presidents Line (in a lot of older movies, brand names were always changed so this isn't surprising).

 

I found a picture of it from an old brocure on a site; don't know if it's the one in the movie or not as I haven't seen it.

 

 

 

Thank You so much.

 

You are right , My mistake , it was American Presidents Line

 

Looks like the picture they showed in the film, and it did in fact sail from SF like it says in the brochure to the orient. (I believe Yokohama in the film).

 

 

Not sure if they actually filmed onboard or just used a set. But the saterooms were massive. looked like a big apartment :) The character in the film was a millionaire business man so of course they would have him in a gorgeous suite.

 

 

Thank you so much for your reply , and the pic.

 

God $1155 for a 6 week cruise first class. :) :) :)

[Krazy Kruizers]

As a rule -- the cabin/suite pictures are not done in an actual suite, etc.

 

I can remember watching the Love Boat - Pacific Princess -- they always showed HUGE cabins for the crew and super huge for the passengers. We sailed on her -- we had what was considered a PH on other lines -- good size but looked nothing like the cabins shown on the show. And believe me -- the crew don;t have cabins like what was shown there.

[pms4104]

And here's what American Presidents Line now does: http://www.apl.com/

[Krazy Kruizers]

And here's what American Presidents Line now does: http://www.apl.com/

 

Thanks for the link.

[babyher]

As a rule -- the cabin/suite pictures are not done in an actual suite, etc.

 

I can remember watching the Love Boat - Pacific Princess -- they always showed HUGE cabins for the crew and super huge for the passengers. We sailed on her -- we had what was considered a PH on other lines -- good size but looked nothing like the cabins shown on the show. And believe me -- the crew don;t have cabins like what was shown there.

 

 

I didn't think they would be shot onboard in a suite. Maybe around the pool though (which there were scenes of in this pic too).

 

I remember an episode of Columbo that was filmed aboard a Princess Ship. (early 70s) You could tell they really filmed by the pool and the Lido area. But the interior shots were way to massive. Had to be a set.

[Krazy Kruizers]

That is correct -- I remember seeing that Columbo as well.

 

Even Hart to Hart had a couple of shows showing them on a ship.

[billroddy]

Yes, that postcard is the Hoover. My wife and I sailed on her in Dec. of 1957 from SF to the Far East. The roughest trip I have ever taken.

APL got the ship from the Panama Canal Company where she had sailed from the canal to the U. S mainland.

Don't when she was dropped from APL.

Bill

[Travelrd]

I saw that movie too. Growing up in SF, I remember the APL President ships, passenger and freighter/passenger combo ships. Did you notice that the cars in Tokyo were driving on the same side of the road as we do. That was wrong. The Japanese drive on the left hand side of the road like the British but they weren't in this movie. Also, the Japanese car used for the taxi had it's steering wheel on the left side unlike all Japanese cars.

 

Thoroughly enjoyed the shipboard part of the movie. Those were long, long voyages for the passengers but I wish I could have done just one.

[babyher]

I saw that movie too. Growing up in SF, I remember the APL President ships, passenger and freighter/passenger combo ships. Did you notice that the cars in Tokyo were driving on the same side of the road as we do. That was wrong. The Japanese drive on the left hand side of the road like the British but they weren't in this movie. Also, the Japanese car used for the taxi had it's steering wheel on the left side unlike all Japanese cars.

 

Thoroughly enjoyed the shipboard part of the movie. Those were long, long voyages for the passengers but I wish I could have done just one.

 

 

I bet those were great voyages back in the day. Would have loved to do one.

 

As for the accuracy of the Japanese driving , What do you expect from a film that cast Irish Catholic Connecticut Yankee Rosalind Russell as a Brooklyn Jewish mama and the veddy veddy British Alec Guiness as Japanese ?*LOL*

 

 

Still it was an enjoyable picture. :)

[Travelrd]

I loved the picture. The stars were all great!!!!