The America boat
           

From soup on deck to luxury cruise
The method of traveling to America changed over time. Den Norske Amerikalinje – the Norwegian America Line – was established in 1912, making it possible to travel directly to the USA from Oslo, Bergen and Kristiansand. Previously it had been common to travel via another port in Europe, for example Liverpool. While it took those who traveled via England between three and four weeks to reach New York at the end of the nineteenth century and in the early 1900s, the trip took around one week with NAL. By airplane it took approximately 24 hours.

Alfred Vere went to America in 1900. He first travelled from Kristiansand to Hull, then by train to Liverpool where the emigrant ship Cymric was moored. Conditions on board were simple. Passengers were given a tin plate, a spoon, and a knife and fork and had to go on deck and help themselves from a barrel of food. There were no cabins, and berths were in one large room where women, men and old people all slept. After 21 days they landed on Ellis Island, the reception center for emigrants who came to the USA from Europe. Alfred tells us:

I was told to go to one side because they thought I was from somewhere else. But then someone stood up and said I was Norwegian. And I had an old fiddle with me… and they told me to play to get it in duty-free. So I started off and played one of Syvert Rødland’s tunes, a really good waltz... And then they said OK!

Alfred Vere in America

Crossing with the Norwegian America Line’s ship was more comfortable, and  Stavangerfjord, Bergensfjord or Oslofjord were for many the start of the adventure. Here they could meet other emigrants and get a taste of what was in store for them. On the NAL ships the emigrants had their own cabins, ate lavish dinners and could dance to live music. The "Captain’s Dinner" was the last dinner on board and was more formal than the others, with passengers dressed up for the occasion.

Traveling by airplane became common in the 1950s. Icelandair flew from Sola. It was not a direct flight: it landed first in Iceland where the passengers had dinner, and then continued on to New York with one more stop in Newfoundland for refueling and breakfast.

 
"Captains dinner"                        Passenger Elise Martinsen on Bergensfjord

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