Scandinavian America Line Voyages

The main route was from Copenhagen to New York via Kristiania (Oslo) and Kristiansand. The great majority of the passengers were emigrants. The Thingvalla Line had been the only Scandinavian steamship line offering a regular service between Scandinavian ports and North America since it entered service in 1880, and the Scandinavian America Line could continue this advantage for many years till the introduction of the Norwegian America Line in 1913 and the Swedish America Line in 1914. It was quite convenient for emigrants from the Northern parts of Denmark, southern parts of Sweden and Norway to travel directly, and it was considered to be a great advantage that the fares were slightly lower then the English and German lines, and not to forget - the crew and food was Scandinavian.

The home port of the Scandinavian America Line steamships was Copenhagen. The images above are all taken at Copenhagen. At the top left you can see the S/S Oscar II at the the Scandinavian America Line pier at Frihavnen in Copenhagen. On the top middle picture a Scandinavian America Line steamship is Passengers ready for boarding at Copenhagen. On the top right picture the S/S United States is shown berthed at Frihavnen. Bottom left picture shows passengers embarking the ship, and a policeman is checking the passengers' papers before letting them enter the gangplank. All emigrants had to show their contracts and tickets before getting on the ship, and the contracts had to be signed by the police in advance. On the last picture, bottom right, a crowd is seeing the ship off with their family and friends. The ship on the picture is the S/S Frederik VIII departing Copenhagen in October 1925. After departing from Copenhagen the ships would sail to Kristiania (Oslo), Norway to take on more passengers and cargo. (You can click any of the pictures to see the full scan in the Image Gallery)

The Scandinavian America Line ships had their piers at Vippetangen in Kristiania (Oslo), which is located near by Akershus Castle (Akershus slott) and not far from where the Oslo City Hall (Oslo rådhus) is now located. On the upper left picture the emigrant ship S/S United States is photographed as she arrives Kristiania to take aboard passengers. On the upper middle picture the S/S Oscar II is seen departing Kristiania with emigrants, and on the upper right a big crowd of people is seen as the ship is boarding passengers and making ready to depart. There were always crowds of people gethered at Vippetangen to take the last farewells with family and friends when the ships departed. The tree bottom pictures also shows ships of the Scandinavian America Line at Vippetangen. From Kristiania the ships sailed for Kristiansand to take on more passengers, before crossing the Atlantic.