The History of Cruising

Cruising actually began as far back as ancient times when hardy souls would travel to far-flung destinations aboard vessels that were being used primarily for commerce, exploration, migration and even warfare. The most famous cruiser, Herodotus, compiled a list of the most interesting manmade things he saw in his travels, including the Seven Ancient Wonders of the World. His purpose in compiling this list was to develop a guide for other pleasure travelers on where to go and what to see. Thus, pleasure travel was born.

Leisure travel disappeared after about 500 AD, and only started to reappear in the 1920s, when ocean liners, built for the transportation of immigrants and goods, began to provide more entertainment and pampering, thus attracting more of the middle class. Being on an ocean liner became a fashionable thing. During the winter, a few smaller steamship lines would even "reposition" their ships to warmer places like the Caribbean giving people the opportunity to book "excursions" that would visit a series of interesting ports. The era of ocean liners ended in the 1960s with the advent of transoceanic air travel, making ocean liners practically obselete overnight. As the decade closed, it became no longer economical or fashionable to travel by boat.

In 1974, to boost a declining market, Cunard Line Limited hired international celebrities to perform aboard the Queen Elizabeth II on its transatlantic travel service between New York and London. They advertised it as a vacation/entertainment experience with Las Vegas style shows. They also introduced the concept of one-class cruising where all passengers aboard could fully access the ship's amenities and facilities. The idea caught on, and people began taking short cruises as vacations.

The industry broke new ground in the 1980s and 1990s, launching large "megaships" capable of carrying over 2000 people. These ships not only carried passengers to beautiful sun-drenched locales, but also offered a full all-inclusive resort-like experience at sea that included amenities such as casinos, sports tracks, spas and nightclubs aboard. Since then, the cruise industry has never looked back.