California man spent $1,000,000 on cruise ship from Craigslist only to find a major issue while restoring it
Published on Dec 12, 2025 at 4:46 PM (UTC+4)
by Henry Kelsall
Last updated on Dec 12, 2025 at 4:46 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
If you spend $1,000,000 on a former James Bond cruise ship on Craigslist, you probably don’t expect to suddenly find out that it is junk after trying to spend 15 years restoring it.
But that is exactly what happened to Chris Wilson, who bought the vessel 15 years ago, hoping to turn it into something special that he could be proud of.
The ship in question was built in the 1950s, and it even starred in a James Bond film during the 1960s, giving it an extra-special backstory.
But it soon became a source of immense frustration and disappointment for the man who bought it.
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The Craigslist ship was a former movie star
The small but impressive vessel was built in 1955 and served as a luxury ocean liner for some time.
In the 1960s, the ship became a movie star, serving as the headquarters for Spectre in a James Bond film.
The film in question was Russia With Love, starring Sean Connery as the legendary British secret agent.
After years of anonymity, the ship, called Aurora, found its way onto Craigslist in 2008.
That’s when Chris Wilson spotted it, and he decided to purchase it.
After buying it, the ship was then taken to Stockton, California, where he made an attempt to restore it.
But quite quickly, this project became a nightmare for him.
What happened to the former cruise ship?
Built in Germany by Blohm and Voss shipyard, the Aurora, formerly Wappen von Hamburg, was quite special.
Wilson decided to upload videos of the restoration onto his YouTube channel, Aurora Restoration Project.
However, while undertaking the work, the marina where it was docked closed down.
Boats left in the marina then began to sink, creating a ‘pollution problem.’
Moving it would have cost millions of dollars to rescue, and that changed the whole project.
Sadly, Wilson was forced to sell the vessel, but he hoped its new owner might continue his progress.
Not long after, however, the San Joaquin County Sheriff’s Office said Aurora was beginning to sink.
It was said the ship was spilling ‘estimated 21,675 gallons of oily water, 3,193 gallons of hazardous waste, and five 25-yard bins of debris’ into the water.
Tragically, due to these issues, Aurora was scrapped on the spot, ending this man’s once-incredible dream.
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Henry is a content writer with nearly ten years experience, having written for various publications since 2017. Qualifying with a Sports Journalism degree from Staffordshire University, Henry loves all things automotive but has a particular soft spot for classic Japanese cars and anything Lancia. He also has a curious passion for steam locomotives.
