proximate cost of $100,000 per ship. Other materials were ordered in 

 enormous quantities: 4,500 metal doors, 35,000 gallons of paint, 150,000 

 feet of copper tubing, 3,500 tons of hard-to-get steel, 984 telephones. Fire- 

 proof aluminum-faced marinite to the amount of 1,500,000 square feet 

 was necessary for interior partitions, a completely new arrangement of 

 rooms being laid out. Thirty-five carloads of cork slabs went into refriger- 

 ating insulation. 



The three ships are practically identical in every respect. The recon- 

 struction of each was the equivalent of building a large modern hotel, not 

 counting the many complicated engineering factors involved in marine 

 design. 



One of the most important structural changes has been the conversion 

 of the B-deck promenade into additional passenger cabins. Ample deck 

 space is available, as in the prewar ships, on A-deck. The lanai or veranda 

 suites, for which Matson ships have long been famed, were shifted from 

 the forward section of A-deck to a position amidships on the deck below. 

 First-class staterooms are unusually large, and numerous improvements 

 have also been made in cabin-class staterooms. The lanai suites have fixed 

 beds in the sleeping quarters, and separate living rooms. Most first-class 

 staterooms have two convertible beds which disappear into recesses during 

 the day. With this arrangement, the room by day loses all semblance of a 

 bedroom and is transformed into a living room. Every first-class room has 

 a private bath, with bath and wash-basin arrangements completely sepa- 

 rated from toilet facilities. 



Additional comfort for the passenger is provided by complete air- 

 conditioning of the ships. Individual preference is met by temperature 

 controls in each stateroom and suite. 



New furniture throughout makes extensive use of foam rubber. New 

 rugs, fabrics and lighting fixtures follow a modern decor, with the gener- 

 ous use of color contributing to the total effect of well-tailored luxury. 

 Public rooms are beautifully finished in the Polynesian motif, and all are 

 equipped with built-in speakers for radio and recorded music, the recep- 

 tion of which is aided by acoustically treated ceilings. 



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