American Hawaii Cruises
This page is devoted to postcards of the American Hawaii Cruises.
An alphabetical list of ships
shown on this page is shown below.
The Table
beneath gives links to complete postcard history pages on selected individual ships. Below the table are official
postcards of the fleet
in chronological order.
American Hawaii Cruises is part of American Classic Voyages, other subsidiaries being the new
United States Lines
and Delta Queen Steamboat Co. American Hawaii Cruises and
United States Lines
filed for bankruptcy in 2001 following poor trading in the wake of the September 11th terrorist attacks.
American Hawaii Cruises were formed in 1980 by C.Y.Tung, who wished to enter the American cruise scene. He already owned the
American Export Lines
sisters
Constitution
and
Independence
. The service started using the latter, renamed
Oceanic Independence
, on 7th June 1980, operating a 7-day cruise out of Honolulu. An American subsidiary had been created, allowing the ship to be US-flagged. The service was a success, and the sistership
Constitution
joined the service in 1982, following a substantial refurbishment. During the winter of 1983,
Oceanic Independence
also received internal refurbishment, returning to service under original name
Independence
. In 1984, American Hawaii entered the Polynesian market with another C.Y.Tung ship, the
Liberté
, originally the Moore-McCormack
Brasil
, and later Holland-America Line's
Volendam
. I do not have a postcard of
Liberté
in American Hawaii colours. If you can assist, please email:-
simplon@simplon.co.uk
In 1987, the cruise line was bought from the C.Y.Tung group by Peter C.R.Huang for $20million. Peter Huang became president and chief executive of American Hawaii Cruises. he soon withdrew
Liberté
from service, and she was returned to her owners.
Constitution
was sold for scrap in 1997, after being laid up for two years, and subsequently lost in the Pacific whilst under tow to the Far East.
Sections on This Page:-
Constitution
Independence
Liberté
Fleet Pictures
Associated Pages:-
American Export Lines
United States Lines
- The Year 2000 company
Cruise Ship Postcards
Ocean Liner Postcards
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Table of Ship Histories
Name
Other names
Built
Constitution
Oceanic Constitution
1951
Independence
Oceanic Independence
1951
Liberté
Brasil, Volendam, Monarch Sun, Island Sun, Enchanted Seas, etc
1958
American Hawaii Cruises
Oceanic Independence (1980-1983)
Independence (1983-2001)
Independence
originally entered service on February 11th, 1951, sailing from New York to Gibraltar, Naples and Genoa for
American Export Lines
. At the time of delivery, she was the fastest American-built liner, achieving over 26 knots. In 1959, she received a major refit, including the the move of her bridge further forward and upwards. The New York-Italy voyages were increasingly advertised as 21-day cruises during the 1960s. Jet aircraft, union problems, plus competition from newer Italia Line ships made the services uneconomic, and
Independence
was withdrawn from Atlantic service in 1967. In 1968 she received a garish psychedelic livery, and ran cruises for travel agents called Fugazi to the West Indies and Mediterranean, but these were not a success. I do not have a postcard of
Independence
in these psychedelic colours. If you can assist, please email:-
simplon@simplon.co.uk
.
Independence
was laid up until 1974, when she was sold to the C.Y.Tung group and renamed
Oceanic Independence
. She was briefly used for cruising, but then laid up in Hong Kong as
Sea Luck I
from 1976. American Hawaii Cruises were formed by C.Y.Tung in 1980, who wished to enter the American cruise scene. The service started using
Oceanic Independence
, on 7th June 1980, operating a 7-day cruise out of Honolulu. During the winter of 1983,
Oceanic Independence
received internal refurbishment, returning to service under original name
Independence
. In 1987, the cruise line was bought from the C.Y.Tung group by Peter C.R.Huang for $20million. American Hawaii Cruises filed for bankruptcy in 2001 following poor trading in the wake of the September 11th terrorist attacks, and
Independence
was laid up in San Francisco. A complete postcard history and photographs of
Independence
is available
on this link
.
Official American Hawaii postcard SC17295 of
Oceanic
Independence
.
Oversized official American Hawaii postcard of
Idependence
.
Photo: Douglas Peebles
Click to open larger image in new window
Oversized official American Hawaii postcard of
Idependence
.
American Hawaii Cruises postcard showing both
Constitution
and
Independence
(left).
Memories of Hawaii release A-346 showing both
Constitution
and
Independence
(right).
Photo: Loye Guthrie
Memories of Hawaii release A-346 showing both
Constitution
and
Independence
(right).
Photo: Loye Guthrie
Memories of Hawaii release A-294 of
Independence
.
Photo: by R.A.Young
Simplon Postcards release sp2042 of
Independence
, issued November 1993.
Photographed Hawaii, by Marvin Jensen.
Chantry Classics release CC/S79 of
Independence
.
Photographed Honolulu, by Ed Lafferty.
Memories of Hawaii release A-623 of
Independence
, following rebuilding and repainting.
Note the reduced numbers of lifeboats.
Photographed by Mark Fay. An enlargement of the ship is shown beneath.
An enlargement of the ship from the card above.
Phil Mattes release H-1022D of
Independence
, following rebuilding and repainting.
Photographed by Phil Mattes. An enlargement of the ship is shown beneath.
An enlargement of the ship from the card above.
Postcard of
Independence
, following rebuilding and repainting.
Oversized American Hawaii postcard (serial number AH20794 5/99/kk) of
Independence
, following rebuilding and repainting.
Constitution (1982-97)
Constitution
was the sister to
Independence
, and entered service on June 6th, 1951. In 1959, both ships received major refits, including the the move of their bridges further forward and upwards. In 1960, the Isbrandtsen Company acquired a controlling interest in American Export Lines, and in 1962 the company name was changed to the unwieldy American Export and Isbrandtsen Lines. Jet aircraft, union problems, plus competition from newer Italia Line ships made the services uneconomic, and
Independence
was withdrawn from Atlantic service in 1967, followed by sistership
Constitution
the following year.
Constitution
was laid up until 1974, when she was sold to the C.Y.Tung group and renamed
Oceanic Constitution
. She was laid up in Hong Kong until
American Hawaii Cruises
were formed in 1980. This service started using
Oceanic Independence
, on 7th June 1980, operating a 7-day cruise out of Honolulu.
Constitution
joined the service in 1982, following a substantial refurbishment. In 1987, the cruise line was bought from the C.Y.Tung group by Peter C.R.Huang for $20million.
Constitution
was sold for scrap in 1997, after being laid up for two years. She was subsequently lost in the Pacific whilst under tow to the Far East. A complete postcard history and photographs of
Constitution
is available
on this link
.
Official American Hawaii postcard SC17992 issued of
Constitution
(actually
Independence
).
Oversized official American Hawaii postcard of
Constitution
.
Oversized official American Hawaii postcard of
Constitution
.
Oversized official American Hawaii postcard of
Constitution
.
Oversized official American Hawaii postcard of
Constitution
.
American Hawaii Cruises postcard showing both
Constitution
(right) and
Independence
.
Memories of Hawaii release A-346 showing both
Constitution
(left) and
Independence
.
Photographed by Loye Guthrie.
Memories of Hawaii release A-346 showing both
Constitution
(left) and
Independence
.
Photo: Loye Guthrie.
Postcards Hawaii serial number A-293 of
Constitution
.
Photo: R.A.Young
Simplon Postcards release sp2018 of
Constitution
, issued June 1992.
Photographed at Kona, Hawaii, by John Swales.
Liberté (1985-86)
In 1984, American Hawaii entered the Polynesian market with another C.Y.Tung ship, the
Liberté
, originally the
Moore-McCormack
Brasil
, and later Holland-America Line's
Volendam
.
This image of
Liberté
is from an official American Hawaii brochure.
Scan: João Francisco Metello
American Hawaii postcard of
Liberté.
American Hawaii postcard of
Liberté.
American Hawaii postcard of
Liberté.
Photograph of
Liberté.
Scan: Ken Murayama
American Hawaii postcard of
Liberté.
Scan: David Hammon
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