Nation: Voyage of the Damned

On a cruise to nowhere, getting there was not half the fun

When the 723-ft. America was launched in 1939, it was the flagship of the United States Line, the country's largest, fastest, most luxurious liner. But 25 years later, when planes took over the transatlantic travel market, the ship began losing money and was sold to a Greek shipping firm that used it chiefly for cruises around the world. This month, having been resold and then refurbished at a cost of more than $2 million, the America set sail from New York City on...

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