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Yes!

Back in the early 1980’s I worked with several people who looked into the idea of selling cabins on the SS United States and running it as a cruise ship. The idea never really got off the ground.
And now, there is not much demand for a 75 year old passenger ship except as razor blades or reefs. Also an old passenger ship cannot compete with the newer cruise ships.
Note: I make a distinction between passenger ships and cruise ships.

The idea never really got off the ground.

On the ground...

Somebody should have thought of that -- set her up on land, kind of like the Ark Encounter!

Really though, the symbolism and analogs are really off-the-charts with this whole story line. It's truly an ongoing living parable.

Yes!
Back in the early 1980’s I worked with several people who looked into the idea of selling cabins on the SS United States and running it as a cruise ship. The idea never really got off the ground. And now, there is not much demand for a 75 year old passenger ship except as razor blades or reefs. Also an old passenger ship cannot compete with the newer cruise ships. Note: I make a distinction between passenger ships and cruise ships.

The ship could have been used as restaurant and bar while cabins were refurbished. It also could have been floating hostel during this time as well serving as cheap accommodation close to I-95 and the Philly airport. The conservancy that ran things gambled that after getting the asbestos removed someone else would fund refurbishing the ship for something grander than what I suggested. After they took it to Ukraine for the asbestos removal, the ship returned to a rented berth. The rent and the conservators' salary doomed the ship to its present fate. Failure to pay the rent was the ship's doom. That problem was never addressed by the people getting six figure salaries.