A SHIP IS BORN...
The SS Malolo was built by William Cramp and Sons, Philadelphia in 1926 for the Matson Navigation Company based out of San Francisco, California. Designed by William Francis Gibbs, she was the first of a number of ships which will affectionately become known as "The White Ships" which did much to develop tourism in the Hawaiian Islands.
The SS Malolo entered service in 1927 as Matson's largest ship yet. The SS Malolo (a Hawaiian word for 'flying fish') was commissioned for first-class luxury service between San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Honolulu. The SS Malolo provided superb public rooms, spacious cabins, an indoor swimming pool, and gymnasium, as well as a well-trained staff that included hairdressers to provide a high standard of unsurpassed service.