Ha Ha. I've been waiting 42 years to tell someone this story.There was a documentary made about the ship a few years ago, uploaded to YouTube in several segments.
In the summer of '69 my family cruised across the Atlantic on what I believe was the final voyage of the SS United States. We left Bremerhaven, I think stopped over in England, and then made it to NYC in 4 or 5 days. It was pretty cool, and since we were returning to the USA on a Permanent Change of Station it was paid for by the Army. I remember the swimming pool, the lavish meals (not that great for a 14 year old, would have preferred "normal" kid food) movie theatre, standing up on the forecastle in the wind and sea spray, and the fact that it was huge. Our previous transatlantic voyages were aboard the USS Darby and Buckner (WWII era troop transports), so this was definitely a departure from what we were used to.
I know there were a few attempts at restoring her, didn't Onasis own it at one point?
Thanks for this post.