Island, in the Straits of Mackinac, was the division point where the Y-shaped arms of the Georgian Bay Line's service territory came together. Shutdown The Georgian Bay Line's long-term viability was compromised by the seasonal nature of Great Lakes cruise trade. The boats were traditionally fitted out each spring in May and mothballed each fall in late September. After the invention of the passenger jet airplane in the 1950s, North American tourists found themselves able to fly to ports in locations, such as the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean, where twelve-month cruising was possible. In addition, cruise ships operating in international waters could hire crews from the Third World and did not have to obey U.S. or Canadian labor laws. The Georgian Bay Line lost money in the 1960s. In 1963, after the GBL retired the North American, the South American and the Greene Line's Delta Queen were the last two long-distance cruise ships sailing under the U.S. flag. Neither vessel could meet modern fire-safety standards. In 1966, citing the danger to passengers of a catastrophic fire, Congress passed a law ordering both passenger vessels to tie up to the docks permanently. A series of temporary exceptions were carved out for the Delta Queen, but not for the South American. In 1967, the final Georgian Bay Line boat made its last trip. The North American sank while under tow to what would have been a new life as part of a merchant marine academy, and the South American was scrapped in 1992. The Alabama was cut down to a barge in 1961 and was still afloat until 2005, when she was scrapped. References Mary A. Dempsey, "Remembering the Georgian Bay Line", Michigan History Magazine Jan/Feb 1997, pages 28–37. Richard Braun, "The Georgian Bay Line", Ships and the Sea magazine August 1952, pages 10–15 Manitowoc Maritime Museum, Georgian Bay Lines collection The Marine Historical Society of Detroit North American South American Transport companies established in 1913 Transport companies disestablished in 1967 Defunct cruise lines Great Lakes History of Michigan 1913 establishments in Michigan 1967 disestablishments in Michigan