Panama Pacific Line Archival Collection
Panama-Pacific Line,—Regular fortnightly sailings from New York to San Francisco, calling at Habana, Balboa, San Diego, and Los Angeles. Returning from San Francisco to New York, calling at Los Angeles, Balboa, Cristobal, and Habana; carrying mail, ist and tourist class passengers (Virginia, California, Pennsylvania); W. Andrews & Co., Cri. 22 61, Bal. 12 58, Passenger agents, Fidanque Bros.& Sons., Bal. 8 (Pan. 666). (Lines to the Panama Canal, Revised as of 1 June 1930, Panama Canal Press, 1930)
Passenger Trips through the Canal
The following lines operating passenger vessels through the Canal carry local passengers from one terminal to the other: Dollar Line, Grace Line, Hamburg- American Line, Johnson Line, Navigazione Generale Italiana, North German Lloyd, Pacific Steam Navigation Co., Panama Mail Steamship Co. The Panama-Pacific Line carries such passengers from Balboa to Cristobal only.
All of the lines named above charge $6 for the voyage through the Canal with the exception of the Navigazione Generale Italiana, the Pacific Steam Navigation Co., and the Panama-Pacific Line, on which the charge for first-class passage is $10; the Panama-Pacific Line has also a rate of $6 for tourist class. (Lines to the Panama Canal, Revised as of 1 June 1930, Panama Canal Press, 1930)
SS Finland sailed for several subsidiary lines of International Mercantile Marine, including the Red Star Line, and also under charter for the White Star Line, the Panama Pacific Line, and the American Line.
SS Kroonland sailed for International Mercantile Marine's Red Star, American Line, and Panama Pacific Line. According to The New York Times, SS Kroonland became the first ship to issue a wireless distress call at sea when she radioed for help during a storm in 1903.
Passengers desiring information regarding return passage on steamers of the United States Lines or associated lines, including the Panama Pacific Line to and from California, can obtain it from the Chief Purser. Reservations will be secured by radio and deposits to cover received. (Return Accommodations, SS President Harding Passenger List - 1 September 1937)
Advertisement: Panama Pacific Line, New York to San Francisco Through the Panama Canal, Calling at Havana and Los Angeles en Route. RMS Homeric Passenger List, 27 May 1925. GGA Image ID # 1f0d07909f
Advertisement: Panama Pacific Line, 1928. RMS Baltic Cabin Class Passenger List, 3 March 1928. GGA Image ID # 20c11edea3
Advertisement: Panama Pacific Line - The Ideal Way to Travel from Coast to Coast Is Aboard the Fine, Large Trans-Atlantic Vessels. SS Doric Passenger List, 19 May 1928. GGA Image ID # 206be7c6ff
Panama Pacific Line, a United States Lines Company, Advertisement for a 17-Day, 5,000 Mile "Cruse-Voyages" via the Famous Sunshine Route to California and Mexico by Sea for $160.00 up ($185 up, Some Seasons) 1938. GGA Image ID # 15e208cae4
Advertisement, To California and Mexico by Sea. 17-Day, 5,000 Mile Cruise Voyages via the Famous Sunshine Route on the Steamships of the Panama Pacific Line, A United States Lines Company. SS President Roosevelt Passenger List, 31 August 1938. GGA Image ID # 1ef5a1f965
California Welcomes Return of Panama Pacific Line - 1938
THE citizens of Los Angeles and San Francisco extended a typical A California welcome to the first two ships, the City of Los Angeles and the City of San Francisco, upon their initial arrival inaugurating resumption of Panama Pacific Line passenger service between New York and Pacific Coast ports.
Since early last April—four and one-half months ago—had the Panama Pacific house flag been seen on the Pacific. At that time. April 9th to be exact, the big turbo-electric liner California bade farewell to the Pacific thus interrupting intercoastal passenger service for the first time in nearly twenty years.
For many years regular and dependable intercoastal passenger service had been maintained by the Grace and Panama Pacific Lines. Various circumstances then developed which made the trade unprofitable, and the four vessels of the Grace Line—Santa Rosa. Santa Elena. Santa Paula. Santa Lucia, and the three Panama Pacific liners Pennsylvania. Virginia, and California were withdrawn from this service and transferred to other trade routes. During the interim there was no intercoastal passenger service available.
This lack of service was at once recognized as a serious problem from several viewpoints. Citizens' "Save-Our-Ships' committees were formed in San Francisco and Los Angeles and representatives of these committees went to Washington and registered complaints with administrative executives and Congressional committees. The fight was taken into both houses of Congress for governmental action toward establishing means to restore this vital service.
The government had taken over the three former Panama Pacific liners for another trade route, no other private vessels were available so to the government's subsidized fleets must be looked for suitable replacements.
The Baltimore Mail Line, operating five combination passenger-cargo vessels from Baltimore to Europe, was deemed a non-essential route for subsidy purposes and the route discontinued. These five vessels. City of Hamburg, City of Havre. City of Baltimore. City of Newport News and City of Norfolk have all been reconditioned and now constitute the regular Panama Pacific fleet. A sixth vessel, the American Traveler, is being added to the fleet in order to maintain a regular weekly service in the intercoastal trade. Honoring the two Pacific ports served by Panama Pacific, the City of Hamburg and City of Havre have been renamed City of San Francisco and City of Los Angeles respectively.
So. to the Panama Pacific Line executives, to those Pacific Coast citizens who spared no effort to impress the necessity of an intercoastal passenger ship service, and to the Congressional delegation representing the Pacific Coast states is extended the sincere appreciation of the Western seaboard populace for their successful efforts in restoring this vital service.
"California Welcomes Return of Panama Pacific Line," in The Log, San Francisco: The Log Publications, Inc., Vol. 31, No. 6, September 1938, p. 16.
