Dozens take cruise to see SS United States in Philadelphia despite departure date postponed again
Plans to move the SS United States may have been halted due to weather concerns in the Gulf of Mexico, but dozens of people still stuck to a schedule and took a cruise on the Spirit of Philadelphia on Thursday around noon.
The boat pulled into Pier 80 alongside the SS United States, giving passengers an up-close view of the near-1,000-foot ocean liner. Many on the cruise have personal ties to the ship.
The SS United States will soon rest at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico off Destin, Florida, creating the world's largest artificial reef. It will be prepped in Mobile, Alabama before it sinks. That could take a year.
The ship was scheduled to depart South Philadelphia on Friday, but officials for Okaloosa County, now the ship's owner, said a tropical disturbance scuttled those plans.
A new date has not been set.
Most supporters of the SS United States tell CBS News Philadelphia they've come to terms with the reefing plan, seeing it as the best alternative to scrapping.
