IS THE end in sight for one of Southampton's best remembered and most spectacular passenger liners?

Last month a devastating explosion ripped through the engine room of the 41-year-old SS Norway - better known in the city's docks of the 60s and 70s as SS France - while the ship was alongside her home port of Miami, Florida.

Six crew members died as a result of the incident and several others were injured.

Now, as operators Norwegian Cruise Line cancel all voyages by the ship up to the end of September, speculation is growing that the long-term future for Norway may be in doubt.

When she made her first Southampton appearance in 1962 the ship was breathtaking in appearance, style and luxury but now, more than four decades later, it could just be that her days are numbered.

Only two years ago the ship was facing uncertain times when it was announced that she would make one last transatlantic passage from America to Southampton before being repositioned to the Far East where there were plans to convert the vessel into a floating casino.

However, at the last minute, after arriving in Southampton, Norway was given a reprieve and sent back to Florida to continue her career as a Caribbean cruise ship.

All continued to be well with the historic ship until May 25 when one of her four boilers ruptured causing casualties and widespread damage.

The owners said repairs are "manageable'' but it is likely the work will take months rather than weeks to complete. Reporting on the damage to the ship, Lloyd's List, the newspaper of the shipping industry, said: "The three-month lay-up added on to the month of cruises already cancelled will provide more fodder to observers, who believe the time may be right to bid the steamship farewell.

"Albeit Norway is NCL's flagship, and revered for its nostalgic associations, more practical people question the wisdom of persisting with a geriatric steamship in today's day and age.''

With her distinctive winged funnels the ship was a regular and dramatic sight on the Southampton skyline during the years she was on the Atlantic service between 1962 and 1974.

Unusually Southampton gave the liner two send-offs. The first was the maiden voyage sailing in February, 1962, and the second in May, 1980, when the liner, as SS Norway, called before moving to Florida.

France was built at St Nazaire by the shipyard Chantiers de l'Atlantique and launched by the wife of France's then president, Madame de Gaulle in May, 1960.

The new liner was replacing two older ships, Ile de France, sold for breaking up in 1959, and Liberte - both also well remembered in Southampton.

SS France first visited Southampton in January, 1962, for a series of tests alongside the now demolished Ocean Terminal in the Eastern Docks and later the same month embarked passengers for a Canary Islands cruise.

The programme for the maiden transatlantic passage the following month included a civic reception at Southampton.

In service France settled down extremely well and had virtually no teething problems as her geared turbines gave her a speed of more than 30 knots.

This splendid newcomer on the North Atlantic route that represented French taste and way of life quickly attracted many passengers. In fact, she offered Britain's ageing Queen liners stiff competition.

Operating costs for a ship of this size - at 1,035 feet she was the world's longest liner - were heavy, and she never achieved the economic success that had been forecast when she was designed.

The financial situation grew worse and in 1974 the French Line abandoned its passenger service and withdrew the liner.

After an industrial dispute was settled the ship was laid up near Le Havre until 1979 when she was bought by Norwegian Caribbean Lines, forerunners of today's owners.

Around £45m was pent of the purchase and refit of the ship before she was re-named SS Norway and began her island-hopping cruising career in 1980.