161 Fun Facts About Cruise Ship

Which line, offering leisure sea tours from 1844, is regarded as the world's oldest cruise line?

P&O advertised leisure voyages from Southampton to Gibraltar, Malta and Athens in 1844, the reason it is called the oldest cruise line; P&O Cruises became a subsidiary in 1977.

What was the world's first purpose-built cruise ship, launched in 1900?

Prinzessin Victoria Luise, built for the Hamburg America Line and launched in 1900, was the first purpose-built cruise ship; she was wrecked off Jamaica in 1906.

Which German shipping magnate's 1891 voyage on the Augusta Victoria is often called the first cruise?

Albert Ballin of the Hamburg America Line sailed with his wife among the 241 passengers on Augusta Victoria's 1891 Mediterranean excursion, widely called the first cruise.

Which ship became the world's largest cruise ship on entering service in January 2024?

Icon of the Seas, at 248,663 gross tons, was built by Meyer Turku in Finland and took the largest-cruise-ship title from Wonder of the Seas on her January 2024 debut.

Which footballer named Royal Caribbean's new ship at a Miami ceremony in January 2024?

Lionel Messi placed a football on a pedestal to release the champagne bottle against the hull at the Miami naming ceremony in January 2024.

Which cruise line operates the Oasis and Icon classes?

Royal Caribbean, founded in 1968 by Norwegian shipping partners, put its first ship, Song of Norway, into service in 1970 and launched Oasis of the Seas in 2009.

Where was Symphony of the Seas built in 2018?

The Chantiers de l'Atlantique yard also built her sister Wonder of the Seas.

When completed in 1987, which ship became the world's largest passenger ship?

Sovereign of the Seas, at 73,192 gross tons, was the largest passenger ship afloat when delivered in 1987; she sailed from Miami in January 1988 and was scrapped in Turkey in 2020.

Which ship entered service in 2004 as the first purpose-built ocean liner in 35 years?

Queen Mary 2 was built by Chantiers de l'Atlantique for Cunard and began regular Southampton–New York crossings in 2004, the first new liner since QE2 in 1969.

Retired in 2008, Cunard's QE2 opened as a floating hotel in 2018 in which city?

She had been the line's flagship from 1969 until QM2 took over in 2004.

In what year did Samuel Cunard's transatlantic shipping company begin?

It started with four paddle steamers on the Liverpool-Halifax-Boston route.

Holland America Line was founded in 1873 in which city?

Its current flagship is the seventh ship to bear the city's name.

Norwegian Cruise Line was founded in 1966 by Knut Kloster and which Israeli businessman?

The partnership broke up badly and he went on to start Carnival Cruise Lines in 1972.

What was Norwegian's first ship, formerly a Southampton–Gibraltar car ferry, called?

Sunward, an 8,666-ton car ferry Knut Kloster had built for a Southampton–Gibraltar service, began Miami–Caribbean cruises for the new line in 1966.

Which French liner did Norwegian buy in 1979 and rename SS Norway?

SS France became SS Norway after Norwegian Cruise Line bought her in 1979 and refitted her for cruising; at 316 metres she stayed the longest passenger ship ever built until Queen Mary 2 arrived in 2004.

Which is the world's largest privately held cruise company, based in Geneva and founded in Naples in 1988?

MSC Cruises dates from 1988, when Gianluigi Aponte bought the Naples-based Lauro line and its ship Achille Lauro; the brand took the MSC name in 1995.

Carnival Corporation is domiciled in which country?

Carnival Corporation is incorporated in Panama, although it is run from Miami; its British twin Carnival plc is registered in England, and together they own Princess, Holland America and Cunard.

Princess Cruises began in 1965 when founder Stanley McDonald chartered a ship for cruises to which coast?

Stanley McDonald chartered the Canadian Pacific ferry Princess Patricia, idle in winter, for 1965 cruises from Los Angeles along the Mexican Riviera, the start of Princess Cruises.

On which ship was the TV series The Love Boat set?

The Love Boat was set aboard Princess Cruises' Pacific Princess, which appeared in most episodes; the show ran on ABC from 1977 to 1986.

Who played Captain Merrill Stubing on The Love Boat?

Gavin MacLeod played Captain Merrill Stubing; he, Bernie Kopell's Doc and Ted Lange's bartender Isaac were the only cast members to appear in every episode.

Who sang The Love Boat theme over the opening credits for the first eight seasons?

Jack Jones sang The Love Boat theme for the first eight seasons; Dionne Warwick recorded a new version for the ninth and final season in 1985–86.

Which port bills itself as the "Cruise Capital of the World"?

PortMiami is the busiest cruise and passenger port in the world, and the home port of Icon of the Seas.

Norwegian bought Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas in 1977, making it the first what?

Great Stirrup Cay became the first private cruise-line island when Norwegian bought it in 1977; Royal Caribbean's Perfect Day at CocoCay sits on neighbouring Little Stirrup Cay.

Disney's private island Castaway Cay was formerly known as what?

Disney signed a 99-year lease with the Bahamas in 1997, running to 2096.

Disney Magic, the first Disney Cruise Line ship, entered service in which year?

Disney Magic, built by Fincantieri in Marghera, Italy, made her maiden voyage from Port Canaveral on 30 July 1998 as the line's first ship.

On a cruise ship, the open-air deck where the outdoor pools are found traditionally carries what name?

Lido deck takes its name from the British English word for an outdoor public pool, which probably spread via 'Lansbury's Lido' on the Serpentine in London.

Before 2015, SOLAS required a passenger muster drill within how long of departure?

24 hours was the old SOLAS limit; after the 2012 Costa Concordia disaster the rule was amended from 2015 to require the muster before or immediately upon departure.

What is the ship's general emergency alarm signal?

Strobe lights in corridors accompany it for hearing-impaired passengers.

The SOLAS treaty on safety at sea was first prompted by which disaster?

The first SOLAS convention was adopted in London in 1914, two years after the Titanic sinking; later versions followed in 1929, 1948, 1960 and 1974.

What is a passenger ship's female sponsor, who names the vessel at its christening, called?

A male sponsor is a godfather.

Azipods, the steerable propulsion pods under many modern cruise ships, were developed in which country?

The Azipod was developed in Finland around 1990 by ABB and Kværner Masa-Yards and first fitted to Finnish icebreaking vessels before cruise ships adopted it; the trademark belongs to ABB.

Which canal's locks lift cruise ships 26 metres to a freshwater lake between two oceans?

The Panama Canal's Gatun Locks raise ships 26 metres to Gatun Lake; a cruise transit between the Caribbean and the Pacific takes around eight to ten hours.

On 13 January 2012, Costa Concordia struck rocks after a sail-by salute off which Italian island?

Costa Concordia hit rocks off Isola del Giglio, Tuscany, while saluting the island on 13 January 2012; captain Francesco Schettino was later sentenced to 16 years.

Which Carnival ship's 2010 engine-room fire left it adrift off Mexico before a San Diego tow?

Carnival Splendor lost power after an engine-room fire in November 2010 and was towed to San Diego; the US Navy flew in Spam and Pop-Tarts for passengers.

Which Italian cruise ship was hijacked by the Palestine Liberation Front in 1985?

She later caught fire and sank off Somalia in 1994.

Which ship's 2013 engine-room fire left it adrift without power in the media-dubbed "Poop Cruise"?

Carnival Triumph lost power after an engine-room fire in February 2013 and drifted in the Gulf of Mexico for days before being towed to Mobile, Alabama; nobody was hurt.

Which ship was quarantined at Yokohama for nearly a month in February 2020 over COVID-19?

Diamond Princess was held at Yokohama from 4 February 2020; at least 712 of the 3,711 people aboard were infected, then the largest COVID-19 cluster outside China.

Which pathogen is behind most gastroenteritis outbreaks recorded on cruise ships?

Norovirus, once called Norwalk virus, causes most cruise-ship gastroenteritis outbreaks logged by the CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program; it is nicknamed the winter vomiting bug.

The liner Andrea Doria sank in 1956 after colliding with which Swedish ship off Nantucket?

The Swedish American liner Stockholm's ice-strengthened bow struck Andrea Doria in fog on 25 July 1956; 1,660 of the 1,706 people aboard the Italian liner were rescued.

Norway's Hurtigruten coastal route sails between Bergen and which northern town?

The classic Hurtigruten route runs between Bergen and Kirkenes near the Russian border, a 12-day round trip calling at 34 ports northbound.

Where are the operating headquarters of Viking, the river-and-ocean line founded by Torstein Hagen?

Viking's operating headquarters are in Basel, Switzerland, on the Rhine where many of its river cruises begin, while its marketing arm sits in Los Angeles.

Virgin Voyages' first ship, which began sailing in 2021, is called what?

Scarlet Lady, delivered in 2020 but delayed by the pandemic, began UK-only sailings from Portsmouth in August 2021 before moving to Miami.

Celebrity Cruises was founded in 1988 by which Greek shipping group?

It merged with Royal Caribbean in 1997.

Star Flyer, launched in 1991 for Mediterranean and Caribbean cruises, is what kind of vessel?

Star Flyer is a four-masted sailing barquentine launched in 1991, sister to Star Clipper; both fly the Maltese flag for Star Clippers.

CLIA, the world's largest cruise industry trade association, was founded in what year?

CLIA was founded in 1975 as a North American marketing body and grew into the global cruise trade association, headquartered in Washington, D.C.

How many cruise ships were operating worldwide as of November 2022?

About 300 cruise ships — 302 by one November 2022 count — were in service, with a combined capacity of 664,602 passengers.

Cruise ship crew are typically hired on contracts of what length?

Three to eleven months is the usual cruise-crew contract, with hotel staff typically signing for six to eight months at a stretch; renewal depends partly on passenger service ratings.

During which Olympic Games did eleven cruise ships serve as floating hotels for an average of 18 days?

The ships docked at the Port of Barcelona to absorb the influx of visitors.

In which year did Norwegian Cruise Line launch 'Freestyle Cruising' with no fixed dining times?

Freestyle Cruising arrived in 2000, soon after Star Cruises took control of Norwegian, scrapping set dinner seatings and formal nights in favour of open dining.

Which 1831 vessel of the Two Sicilies offered an early Mediterranean cruise in 1833?

Francesco I, built in 1831 under the Two Sicilies flag, sailed from Naples in June 1833 with nobles and princes, touring Taormina, Malta, Corfu, Athens and Constantinople over three months.

Which P&O ship of 1880 was the first built with an all-steel superstructure?

SS Ravenna, built for P&O in 1880, was the first ship constructed with an all-steel superstructure, where earlier hulls and upperworks had relied on iron.

What is a one-way cruise that moves a ship between seasonal regions called?

A repositioning cruise is a one-way voyage moving a ship between seasonal regions, such as from the Mediterranean to the Caribbean each autumn, often sold at lower fares.

What sent the ocean liner trade into terminal decline in the 1960s?

Large passenger jets such as the Boeing 707, flying the Atlantic from 1958, took the liners' passengers; older liners' deep draughts and windowless cabins also made them poor cruise ships.

Which late-1980s ship series was the first 'megaship' line built for mass cruising?

They introduced the multi-storey lobby with a glass elevator and a whole deck of balcony cabins.

Which Panamax ship series was designed so two-thirds of oceanview staterooms have balconies?

Holland America's Vista class, launched with Zuiderdam in 2002, is a Panamax design from Fincantieri later adapted for Cunard's Queen Victoria and P&O's Arcadia.

Which TV personality sang 'Ain't We Got Fun' in Carnival's 1980s 'Fun Ships' commercials?

Kathie Lee Gifford, then billed as Kathie Lee Johnson, fronted Carnival's 'Fun Ships' television campaign from 1984, singing 'Ain't We Got Fun' aboard the ships.

What distinctive feature do Oasis-class ships have running down their middle?

Oasis-class ships split their superstructure to fit the open-air Central Park and Boardwalk neighbourhoods down the middle, possible only because of the hull's 60-metre-plus beam.

Which Royal Caribbean series overtook Cunard's new liner as the largest passenger ship in 2006?

The Oasis class in turn overtook the Freedom class in 2009.

Cunard's headquarters were merged with Princess Cruises' in 2004 in which California city?

Cunard's offices moved in 2004 to Princess Cruises' headquarters in Santa Clarita, California, before regaining some independence in 2009 at Carnival House in Southampton.

Which cruise line only allows passengers over 50?

Saga Cruises takes only passengers aged 50 and over, with travelling companions allowed from 40, a rule inherited from the Saga Holidays brand for older travellers.

Which WWII Liberty ship, preserved at Baltimore, has offered six-hour 'Living History Cruises'?

SS John W. Brown, launched at Baltimore in 1942, is one of two operational Liberty ships alongside Jeremiah O'Brien in San Francisco, and has sailed Living History Cruises from Baltimore.

A cruise ship making 20 knots is travelling at roughly how many kilometres per hour?

One knot is one nautical mile (1.852 km) per hour, so 20 knots is about 37 km/h; most cruise ships cruise at 18 to 22 knots.

Why do cruise ship casinos and shops open only at sea?

Opening only at sea avoids conflict with local gambling laws and port taxes; once outside territorial waters, casinos and duty-free shops operate under the flag state's rules.

What is the kitchen aboard a cruise ship called?

The galley is a ship's kitchen, a term shared with aircraft; a big cruise ship runs several galleys, each serving a different restaurant.

What is the ILO's 2006 Maritime Labour Convention nicknamed?

The Maritime Labour Convention of 2006 is nicknamed the Seafarers' Bill of Rights; in force since August 2013, it sets minimum standards for pay, hours, rest and living conditions at sea.

Which Alaska destination was created solely for cruise ship visitors?

Icy Strait Point, near Hoonah, was opened in 2004 by the Huna Totem Corporation as a purpose-built cruise port, with a cannery museum and zipline.

What did US Customs crack down on in 2016, ending most 'cruises to nowhere'?

Legally the ship never leaves the US if it touches no foreign territory.

Which themed cruise combines a voyage with a biker gathering?

High Seas Rally is an annual Caribbean cruise for motorcyclists that charters a full ship; themed cruises also cover sport, food, music and history.

Which line's private Bahamian island is Half Moon Cay?

Holland America Line opened Half Moon Cay in 1997 as its private Bahamian island, midway between Eleuthera and Cat Island; Carnival ships also call there.

Which new ship rescued 2,000 stranded British tourists from Bilbao during the 2010 ash cloud?

Celebrity Eclipse, delivered days earlier, was sent from Southampton to Bilbao in April 2010 to bring home about 2,000 Britons stranded by the Eyjafjallajökull ash cloud.

How many cruise tourists were there worldwide in 2024?

About 34.5 million people took a cruise in 2024 by CLIA's count, up from roughly 14 million in 2005 and above the pre-pandemic 2019 peak of 29.7 million.

What was China's first luxury cruise ship, which sailed from Sanya in January 2013?

Henna, the former Carnival ship Pacific Sun bought by HNA Tourism, sailed from Sanya in January 2013 as the first cruise ship operated by a Chinese company.

A 2012 study found cruise tourism supported roughly how many jobs across the Caribbean?

Over 45,000 — 45,225 by the 2012 Business Research & Economic Advisors study — with cruise tourism bringing the islands about $2 billion in direct spending that year.

Which company built Diamond Princess and Sapphire Princess at its Nagasaki yard in 2004?

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries built Diamond Princess and Sapphire Princess at Nagasaki in 2004 and later AIDAprima and AIDAperla, losing heavily before quitting cruise shipbuilding.

Which sonic device helped Seabourn Spirit repel a pirate attack?

The crew used an LRAD, a long-range acoustic device, along with evasive manoeuvres and a fire hose when pirates fired rockets at Seabourn Spirit off Somalia in November 2005.

What are the explosive-trace portals at cruise terminals nicknamed?

Puffer machines blow air at passengers and sniff for explosive traces; such portals appeared at cruise terminals as security rose to airport levels after 11 September 2001.

What law did Congress pass in 2010 after crimes and disappearances at sea?

The Cruise Vessel Security and Safety Act of 2010 requires peepholes in cabin doors, rails at least 42 inches high, and reporting of serious crimes to the FBI.

Whose 2002 death prompted an Australian coroner to call for police on cruise ships?

Dianne Brimble died aboard P&O's Pacific Sky in September 2002 after being given a drug; the 2010 coronial findings urged police aboard, drug dogs and clearer jurisdiction.

What keeps tall modern cruise ships stable?

A low centre of mass and great width keep tall modern cruise ships upright: engines and fuel sit at the bottom while aluminium and light steel go up top.

In the CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program, a ship fails an inspection at or below what score?

85 or lower is a failing score in the CDC's Vessel Sanitation Program, whose unannounced inspections run twice a year; 86 or higher passes.

What was the estimated chance of catching a stomach bug on an average 7-day cruise?

Under one percent: a CDC review found only 0.18 percent of about 73 million passengers reported gastrointestinal symptoms between 2008 and 2014.

What is the maximum sulphur content of fuel allowed in Sulphur Emission Control Areas?

0.10% sulphur has been the limit in Sulphur Emission Control Areas such as the Baltic and North Sea since 2015; ships may instead fit exhaust scrubbers to match that standard.

Which three cities are named as prime victims of cruise-ship overtourism?

Venice, Barcelona and Dubrovnik are the places most often cited for cruise-ship overtourism; critics say cruise passengers spend little ashore while overwhelming local infrastructure.

What is Carnival Cruise Line's funnel logo shaped like?

Carnival's funnel is shaped like a whale's tail in red, white and blue, a design introduced with Tropicale in 1982 and carried by every new Carnival ship since.

Where is Carnival Cruise Line headquartered?

Carnival Cruise Line is headquartered at Carnival Place in Doral, Florida, west of Miami International Airport; its parent Carnival Corporation shares the campus.

What is the ramp placed between a moored cruise ship and the pier for boarding called?

The gangway is the ramp or bridge placed between a moored ship and the pier for boarding; on cruise ships security scans every passenger's keycard at it.

Which pop artist painted the hull art of Norwegian Breakaway in 2013?

Peter Max designed Norwegian Breakaway's hull art, a Statue of Liberty and Manhattan skyline, for the ship's 2013 debut from New York.

Micky Arison, Carnival CEO from 1979 to 2013, took majority ownership of which NBA team?

Micky Arison took majority ownership of the Miami Heat in 1995 from his father Ted Arison, the team's founding owner, and the Heat won three NBA titles under him.

Which line's logo, the 'Sea Witch', is a woman's face with flowing hair?

Princess Cruises' Sea Witch logo, a woman's face with wave-like hair, has marked its funnels since the 1960s and was famous from The Love Boat.

What was HAL's original name at its 1873 Rotterdam founding?

The Netherlands-America Steamship Company — Nederlandsch-Amerikaansche Stoomvaart Maatschappij — ran Rotterdam–New York services from 1873 until transatlantic passenger sailings ended in 1971.

Which Alaskan tour group did Holland America buy in 1971?

Holland America bought Westours, Chuck West's Alaska tour operator, in 1971 to form Holland America Westours, and later added Windstar Cruises before Carnival bought the group in 1989.

Under what corporate name was Disney's seagoing subsidiary incorporated in 1996?

Disney Cruise Line is incorporated as Magical Cruise Company Limited, an English company registered in 1996, with its operations run from Celebration, Florida.

Disney's Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point sits on which Bahamian island?

Lookout Cay at Lighthouse Point opened in June 2024 on the southern tip of Eleuthera, Disney's second Bahamian destination after Castaway Cay.

Disney Cruise Line's rotational dining moves guests through how many main restaurants?

Disney's rotational dining moves each party through three themed restaurants over the cruise, with the same serving team following them each night.

Since 2011 Cunard's ships have been registered in which port?

Cunard re-registered its ships in Hamilton, Bermuda, in 2011 so captains could conduct weddings at sea; the Queens had previously flown the Red Ensign from Southampton.

On what patriotic date did Cunard's first steamer Britannia leave Liverpool in 1840?

Britannia sailed from Liverpool on 4 July 1840 with Samuel Cunard aboard, reaching Halifax in 12 days and Boston two days later.

P&O Cruises' heritage dates to P&O's first passenger operations in which year?

1837 is when the Peninsular Steam Navigation Company began mail and passenger sailings to Iberia; P&O Cruises itself was founded as a subsidiary only in 1977.

Costa Cruises is based in which Italian city?

All ten of its ships sail under the Italian flag.

Which ship launched Costa's full passenger service to South America in 1948?

Anna C, a converted British cargo-passenger ship, opened Costa's Genoa–Buenos Aires service in 1948; her capacity was later raised from about 100 to 500 passengers.

Where is German line AIDA Cruises based?

AIDA Cruises has been based in Rostock on the Baltic since its first ship, AIDA, entered service in 1996; it markets its ships as seagoing club resorts.

Virgin Voyages is a joint venture between the Virgin Group and which investor?

Bain Capital joined Virgin Group in 2014 to fund the new line, announced as Virgin Cruises before the Virgin Voyages name was adopted in 2017.

Where is luxury line Seabourn headquartered?

Seabourn has been headquartered in Seattle since 2011, sharing offices with its Carnival Corporation stablemate Holland America Line.

Which was Silversea's first ship, pioneering all-inclusive cruising in 1994?

Silver Cloud entered service in 1994 as Silversea's first ship, carrying under 300 guests all-inclusive; Royal Caribbean took full ownership of the Monaco-based line in 2020.

What was the luxury line Regent formerly called?

Regent Seven Seas was Radisson Seven Seas Cruises until Carlson rebranded it in 2006; Apollo bought it for about $1 billion in 2008 and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings acquired it in 2014.

Windstar's five-masted flagship Wind Surf was built in 1990 for which company?

Wind Surf was launched in 1990 as Club Med 1 for Club Med's cruise venture and joined Windstar in 1998 as its flagship.

In which year did Captain Richard With start the Hurtigruten coastal express service?

Hurtigruten began in 1893 when Captain Richard With's steamer Vesteraalen started a weekly Trondheim–Hammerfest service, later extended to Bergen and Kirkenes.

Fred. Olsen Cruise Lines is headquartered in which English town?

The Norwegian-owned line belongs to Bonheur.

TUI Cruises is a 50-50 venture between TUI AG and which American cruise operator?

Royal Caribbean Group has held half of TUI Cruises since the venture was formed in 2007; its Hamburg-based Mein Schiff fleet serves the German market.

Which line's Solstice-class ships carry a lawn of real grass on the top deck?

Celebrity Cruises' Celebrity Solstice of 2008 introduced the Lawn Club, about half an acre of real grass on the top deck, repeated across the Solstice class.

Which Japanese company founded Crystal Cruises in 1988?

Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK Line) founded Crystal Cruises in 1988 and launched Crystal Harmony in 1990; it sold the line to Genting Hong Kong in 2015, and A&K Travel Group bought the brand after the 2022 insolvency.

What was Margaritaville at Sea called before its 2022 rebrand?

Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line, which sailed two-night Palm Beach–Freeport trips on Grand Celebration, became Margaritaville at Sea in 2022 under a licence from Jimmy Buffett's brand.

Where is American Cruise Lines, operator of US-flagged riverboats and coastal ships, based?

American Cruise Lines is based in Guilford, Connecticut, and builds its US-flagged riverboats and coastal ships at its own Chesapeake Shipbuilding yard in Salisbury, Maryland.

Explora Journeys is the luxury division of which container giant?

Explora Journeys was created in 2021 by the Mediterranean Shipping Company, the Aponte family's container giant, as a luxury sister brand to MSC Cruises; Explora I debuted in 2023.

Which side of a ship is 'port'?

Port is the left side facing forward, toward the bow; starboard is the right, from 'steer-board', the side where early ships carried their steering oar.

What is Icon of the Seas' maximum passenger capacity?

Icon of the Seas holds up to 7,600 passengers at full occupancy, 5,610 at double occupancy, plus about 2,350 crew.

What does a ship's 'draught' measure?

Draught is the depth of hull below the waterline; Oasis-class ships draw only about nine metres, shallow by liner standards, so they can reach more ports.

Wonder of the Seas was originally planned to be based in which Chinese city?

Wonder of the Seas was to sail from Shanghai from 2021, but the pandemic redirected her to Fort Lauderdale for her March 2022 debut.

What did Oasis of the Seas lower to squeeze under Denmark's Great Belt Bridge in 2009?

Oasis of the Seas lowered its telescoping funnels and passed under Denmark's Great Belt Bridge with under a metre to spare on her November 2009 delivery voyage from Turku.

From where did Utopia of the Seas enter service in July 2024?

She is the sixth Oasis-class ship and the fourth-largest cruise ship afloat.

Which Olympic figure skater named Voyager of the Seas in 1999?

Katarina Witt, the two-time Olympic champion, named Voyager of the Seas at Miami in November 1999; the ship was built by Kværner Masa-Yards in Turku.

What role did MSC's LNG flagship play in Doha before her December 2022 debut?

The LNG-powered ship is the largest cruise ship not owned by Royal Caribbean.

Carnival Jubilee entered service in December 2023 from which Texas port?

Carnival Jubilee began year-round Caribbean cruises from Galveston in December 2023; she was the first Excel-class ship built by Meyer Werft at Papenburg rather than Turku.

Which liner did Carnival rename Mardi Gras when it entered service in 1972?

Canadian Pacific's Empress of Canada of 1961 became Carnival's first ship, Mardi Gras, in 1972; an Excel-class newbuild delivered in 2020 later took the same name.

Norwegian Epic's Studio cabins, introduced in 2010, were designed for which travellers?

Norwegian Epic introduced 128 Studio cabins for solo travellers in 2010, priced without the single supplement and sharing a private Studio Lounge.

Under what name was Disney Adventure originally built?

Global Dream was left unfinished at MV Werften in Wismar when Genting Hong Kong collapsed in 2022; Disney bought the hull and completed her as Disney Adventure, the largest cruise ship ever built in Germany.

Who led the naval architects who designed Queen Mary 2?

Stephen Payne of Carnival Corporate Shipbuilding led the design team for Queen Mary 2, completed by Chantiers de l'Atlantique at Saint-Nazaire in 2003.

Which shipyard built Queen Elizabeth 2 on the Clyde?

John Brown & Company launched QE2 at Clydebank in September 1967, the same yard that built Queen Mary and Queen Elizabeth; she served Cunard from 1969 to 2008.

The original RMS Queen Mary, the Cunard liner retired in 1967, is permanently moored as a hotel and museum in which city?

Long Beach, California, has been the Queen Mary's home since she left Southampton for the last time on 31 October 1967; she is now a hotel, museum and convention space.

Which Cunard liner, launched in 1938, carried troops before her first commercial crossing in 1946?

Queen Elizabeth was launched at Clydebank in 1938, spent the war carrying troops, and finally entered Cunard's Southampton–New York service in October 1946.

Which Florida county bought SS United States in 2024 to sink her as an artificial reef?

Okaloosa County, home of Destin, bought SS United States in late 2024; the 1952 Blue Riband holder was towed from Philadelphia to Mobile, Alabama, in 2025 to be stripped before sinking as a reef.

Who designed SS United States?

William Francis Gibbs designed SS United States, which took the Blue Riband on her 1952 maiden voyage with an eastbound crossing of three days, ten hours and forty minutes.

Which deck traditionally carries a covered walkway running around the ship's sides?

The promenade deck carries the walkway around the ship's sides, originally sheltered beneath the lifeboats; Queen Mary 2's measures about 600 metres per lap.

What is the name of the method used to pull Costa Concordia upright in 2013?

She was refloated with sponsons in 2014 and towed to Genoa for scrapping.

On a cruise ship, what is a passenger's 'muster station'?

A muster station is their emergency assembly point — each passenger's assigned lounge or deck area, printed on the cabin keycard and the cabin door notice.

Which wheelchair-using American passenger was murdered in the 1985 Achille Lauro hijacking?

Leon Klinghoffer, a 69-year-old New Yorker in a wheelchair, was shot by the hijackers and thrown overboard; the 1985 killing inspired the opera The Death of Klinghoffer.

Diamond Princess and Sapphire Princess are unusually wide, with what beam?

They are the widest of the Grand-class subclasses.

What was Carnival Triumph renamed after her 2019 refit?

Carnival Sunrise is the name Carnival Triumph took after a roughly $200 million refit in 2019; the Destiny-class ship was built by Fincantieri at Monfalcone in 1999.

From which New Jersey port did Prinzessin Victoria Luise run most of her Caribbean cruises?

Prinzessin Victoria Luise sailed her winter Caribbean cruises from Hoboken, where the Hamburg America Line had its New York piers, before wrecking off Jamaica in December 1906.

Which school is the academic sponsor of Semester at Sea?

Colorado State University has been Semester at Sea's academic sponsor since 2016, following the University of Virginia (2006–16) and the University of Pittsburgh; the programme dates from 1963.

On which three combined islands does PortMiami sit?

PortMiami occupies Dodge, Lummus and Sam's islands, joined by fill in Biscayne Bay and reached by road and rail causeway from downtown Miami.

Port Canaveral is the cruise gateway for visitors to which theme-park city?

Port Canaveral, about 45 miles east of Orlando, is the cruise gateway for theme-park visitors and shares the Cape with the Kennedy Space Center.

Which county owns Port Everglades?

Broward County owns and runs Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale, which opened in 1928 and is one of Florida's three busiest cruise ports with PortMiami and Port Canaveral.

Texas's oldest Gulf port was established by which government's proclamation in 1825?

Mexico's congress proclaimed the Port of Galveston in 1825, when Texas was part of the Mexican state of Coahuila y Tejas; it is the oldest Gulf port west of New Orleans.

MSC's private island Ocean Cay was used for what before becoming a cruise destination?

Ocean Cay was an industrial aragonite sand mining site before MSC transformed it into Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, opened in December 2019.

Half Moon Cay's official name is what?

Carnival Corporation owns the island midway between Eleuthera and Cat Island.

Which Haitian ruler leased Labadee to Royal Caribbean in 1985?

Jean-Claude 'Baby Doc' Duvalier's government signed the Labadee lease in 1985, months before his 1986 overthrow; Royal Caribbean later extended it to 2050.

With which body did CLIA merge in 2006?

CLIA merged with the International Council of Cruise Lines, the industry's Washington policy body, in 2006, combining marketing and regulatory advocacy in one association.

AIDAnova, delivered in 2018, was the first cruise ship able to run entirely on which fuel?

AIDAnova, delivered by Meyer Werft in December 2018, was the first cruise ship able to run entirely on liquefied natural gas (LNG), in port and at sea.

In what year was Meyer Werft founded in Papenburg?

Meyer Werft was founded in Papenburg in 1795 by Willm Rolf Meyer; the family has run it for seven generations and bought the Turku yard in 2014.

Chantiers de l'Atlantique sits at the mouth of which river?

It is Europe's largest shipyard.

Fincantieri is based in which Italian city?

Fincantieri is headquartered in Trieste; formally established in 1959 to control the state-owned yards, it builds cruise ships at Monfalcone, Marghera, Sestri Ponente and Ancona.

How long is the dry dock at Meyer Turku's Perno shipyard?

The Perno dry dock is 365 metres long and 80 metres wide, just enough for the 365-metre Icon of the Seas, which was assembled there from blocks.

What does a ship's gross tonnage actually measure?

Gross tonnage measures a ship's total internal volume, not weight, under the 1969 International Convention on Tonnage Measurement of Ships; displacement is the weight of water a hull pushes aside.

What is the artificial stationary wave on cruise ships marketed as?

FlowRider pumps a thin sheet of water over a surface shaped like an ocean wave, which is why the ride is called a sheet wave.

Who created The Love Boat television series?

Wilford Lloyd Baumes is credited as creator of The Love Boat, adapting Jeraldine Saunders' memoir; Aaron Spelling produced the ABC series from 1977 to 1986.

What was the name of the world's first shipboard roller coaster, on Carnival's Mardi Gras?

Bolt, built by Maurer Rides, opened on Mardi Gras in 2021 as the first roller coaster at sea; its self-propelled cars run an 800-foot track at up to 40 mph.

Which game show revealed the name of Carnival's 2020 ship Mardi Gras in December 2018?

Wheel of Fortune revealed the name in a December 2018 puzzle, with Pat Sajak and Vanna White presenting it as Carnival Mardi Gras; the line later dropped the 'Carnival' prefix.

Who christened Carnival's Mardi Gras at Port Canaveral in October 2021?

Kimberly Jiménez, Miss Dominican Republic 2020 and a Miss Universe contestant, christened Mardi Gras at Port Canaveral in October 2021; the ship had just switched to Bahamian registry.

Which city, rather than a person, did Cunard name as sponsor of Queen Anne in 2024?

Liverpool, Cunard's historic home port, was named sponsor of Queen Anne in June 2024, breaking the tradition of choosing an individual; five Liverpool women including Melanie C performed the naming.

Which Nobel Peace laureate christened Celebrity Edge in December 2018?

Malala Yousafzai, the 2014 Nobel Peace laureate, named Celebrity Edge at Fort Lauderdale in December 2018; the ship introduced the Magic Carpet, a cantilevered platform riding the starboard side.

Which Ted Lasso actress named Princess Cruises' Sun Princess in Barcelona in April 2024?

Hannah Waddingham, Ted Lasso's Rebecca, named Sun Princess in Barcelona in April 2024; the Sphere-class ship is the line's first LNG-fuelled vessel.