I looked out the windows and saw nothing but gray. We were caught in the tail end of Hurricane Camille, a very chilling experience. I went up to the lounge because staying in my cabin made me more seasick. I felt that I might as well try to take my mind off my unsettled stomach. The lounge seemed enormous, perhaps even larger than usual since there were only a handful of passengers up there, maybe seven or eight of us. One gentleman at the bar was drinking scotch and milk – it did not sound very tasteful to me, but he said it helped with his ulcer. The rest of us were younger, all somewhere in our late teens and early twenties. Somebody played the piano and the rest of us drank and sang.As night came, or should I say, the next morning, the time to disembark drew near. We all went out on our way to get ready.-- Patrick Restivo, who sailed from Le Havre to New York on the SS United States in August of 1969
Overall, I remember excitement. Magic. A giant ship and a very small boy. The big chairs. The round dining tables. Our cabin with cozy beds. I think I made a castle out of all the pillows.It was my first birthday. I, of course, cannot remember anything directly, but I was told a lot about the trip by my parents. My father, Louis C. Kleber, worked as an executive with U.S. Lines in the London office, 50 Pall Mall. Our chief steward for the crossing was a lovely older gentleman named Cornelius who made an extra effort to make me feel special. Our table was full of U.S. Lines red balloons and a big cake with one candle. All the passengers and crew sang Happy Birthday to me, and I was very happy.I sailed on the SS United States again, and on other ships, but surely the highlight of all the travel in my life must be my first birthday on the SS United States.-- Craig Peter Kleber, former passenger, who celebrated his first birthday aboard the SS United States in 1967
