The SS Matsonia, launched in her revamped form in 1957 but becoming a fixture of the Pacific in 1959, represented the pinnacle of luxury ocean travel between California and Hawaii. Originally built as the SS Monterey in 1932, the vessel underwent a massive $20 million reconstruction to emerge as the Matsonia, designed to meet the growing post-war demand for tropical vacations.
Inside, she was a marvel of mid-century modern design, featuring interiors by the famed Harry Neafie that combined Polynesian motifs with sleek, contemporary comfort. In 1959, the ship served as a floating bridge to paradise, carrying hundreds of tourists across the Pacific with a level of service and glamor that defined the Matson Line’s golden era.
Though later renamed the SS Lurline in the 1960s to carry on the prestige of her sister ship, the 1959-era Matsonia remains a nostalgic icon of the days when the journey to Honolulu was just as grand as the destination itself. These wonderful Kodachrome slides capture the SS Matsonia during its voyage in 1959.
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