Cruise ship 314855 226142291 2008-07-17T00:32:58Z 24.60.209.129 /* External links */ [[Image:Rcclradiance.JPG|thumb|''[[Radiance of the Seas]]'', a cruise ship sailing for [[Royal Caribbean International]].]] [[Image:Golden Princess LA 1.jpg|thumb|''[[Golden Princess]]'', a cruise ship sailing for [[Princess Cruises]].]] A '''cruise ship''' or '''cruise liner''' is a [[passenger ship]] used for pleasure voyages, where the voyage itself and the ship's amenities are part of the experience. [[Cruising (maritime)|Cruising]] has become a major part of the [[tourism]] industry, with millions of passengers each year. The industry's rapid growth has seen nine or more newly built ships catering to a [[North America]]n clientele added every year since 2001, as well as others servicing [[Europe]]an clientele. Smaller markets such as the [[Asia]]-[[Pacific]] region are generally serviced by older tonnage displaced by new ships introduced into the high growth areas. Cruise ships operate mostly on routes that return passengers to their originating port. In contrast, [[ocean liner]]s do "line voyages" and typically transport passengers from one point to another, rather than on round trips. Some liners also engage in longer trips which may not lead back to the same port for many months.<ref>''[http://www.nzherald.co.nz/event/story.cfm?c_id=1501162&objectid=10424244 The ocean-going stretch limo]'' - [[New Zealand Herald]], Friday 16 February 2007</ref> A [[river cruise]] ship has similar amenities, however is shorter, narrower, and has a shallower draft, allowing it to travel inland waterways. ==History== ===Early years=== The first [[ship|vessel]] built exclusively for this purpose was the ''[[Prinzessin Victoria Luise]]'', commissioned by [[Albert Ballin]], general manager of [[Hamburg-America Line]]. The ship was completed in 1900. The practice of cruising grew gradually out of the [[transatlantic]] crossing tradition, which never took less than four days. In the competition for passengers, [[ocean liner]]s added many luxuries &mdash; the [[RMS Titanic|''Titanic'']] being the most famous example &mdash; such as fine dining and well-appointed staterooms. In the late 19th century, [[Albert Ballin]], director of the [[Hamburg-America Line]], was the first to send his transatlantic ships out on long southern cruises during the worst of the winter season of the [[North Atlantic]]. Other companies followed suit. Some of them built specialized ships designed for easy transformation between summer crossings and winter cruising. ===Jet age=== With the advent of large passenger [[jet aircraft]] in the 1960s, intercontinental travellers largely switched from ships to [[plane]]s, sending the ocean liner trade into a slow decline. Ocean liner services aimed at passengers ceased in 1986, with the notable exception of transatlatic crossings operated by the [[Cunard Line]], catering to the [[niche market]] who enjoy the few days of luxury and enforced idleness that a liner voyage affords. In comparison to liner crossings, cruising voyages gained popularity; slowly at first but at an increased rate from the 1980s onwards. Initially the fledgling industry was serviced primarily by small redundant liners, and even the first purpose built cruise ships were small. This changed after the success of the [[SS France (1961)|SS ''Norway'']] (originally the ocean liner SS ''France'', re-launched in 1980) as the Caribbean's first "super-ship". Since then the size of cruise ships has risen dramatically to become the largest passenger ships ever built. ===Modern days=== [[Image:Pacific Princess 1987.jpg|thumb|''[[Pacific (ship)|Pacific Princess]]'' off the [[United States of America|U.S.]] West Coast.]] The 1970s television show ''[[The Love Boat]]'', featuring [[Princess Cruises]]' since-sold ship ''[[Pacific (ship)|Pacific Princess]]'', did much to raise awareness of cruises as a vacation option for ordinary people in the [[United States]]. Initially this growth was centered around the [[Caribbean]], [[Alaska]] and [[Mexico]], but now encompasses all areas of the globe. Today, several hundred cruise ships, some carrying over 3,000 passengers and measuring over 120,000 gross tons, ply routes worldwide. For certain destinations such as the [[Arctic]] and [[Antarctica]], cruise ships are very nearly the only way to visit. ==Organization== Cruise ships are organized much like floating [[hotel]]s, with a complete hospitality staff in addition to the usual ship's crew. It is not uncommon for the most luxurious ships to have more crew and staff than passengers. As with any vessel, adequate [[Provisioning (cruise ship)|provisioning]] is crucial, especially on a cruise ship serving several thousand meals at each seating. Passengers and crew on the [[Royal Caribbean International]] ship ''[[Mariner of the Seas]]'' consume 20,000 pounds (9,000 kg) of beef, 28,000 eggs, 8,000 gallons <!-- US or imperial gallons? -->(30,000 L) of ice cream, and 18,000 slices of pizza in a week.{{Fact|date=April 2007}} Many older cruise ships have had multiple owners. Since each [[cruise line]] has its own [[livery]] and often a naming theme (for instance, ships of the [[Holland America Line]] have names ending in "-dam", e.g. ''[[MS Statendam]]'', and [[Royal Caribbean]]'s ships' names all end with "of the Seas", e.g. ''[[MS Freedom of the Seas]]''), it is usual for the transfer of ownership to entail a refitting and a name change. Some ships have had a dozen or more identities. Cruise ships and former liners often find employment in applications other than those for which they were built. A shortage of hotel accommodation for the [[2004 Summer Olympics]] led to a plan to moor a number of cruise ships in [[Athens]] to provide tourist accommodation. On [[September 1]], [[2005]], [[FEMA]] contracted three [[Carnival Cruise Lines]] vessels to house [[Hurricane Katrina]] evacuees.<ref>[http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/09/27/AR2005092701960_pf.html $236 Million Cruise Ship Deal Criticized] Washington Post, 2005-09-28</ref> == Regional industries == The number of cruise tourists worldwide in 2005 was estimated at some 14 million. The main region for cruising was North America (70% of cruises), where the Caribbean islands were the most popular destinations. Next was Continental Europe (13%). Most European routes were in the [[Mediterranean Sea]] but the fastest growing segment is cruises in the [[Baltic Sea]]<ref>{{Citation | title = Cruise Baltic Status Report | year = 2007 | pages = 11 | format = [[PDF]] | url = http://www.cruisebaltic.com/media(636,1033)/Cruise_Baltic_status_report_Jan_07.pdf}}</ref> . The most visited Baltic ports are Copenhagen, St. Petersburg, Tallinn, Stockholm and Helsinki<ref>{{Citation | title = Helsinki port guide | year = 2008 | url = http://www.discoverthebaltic.com/index.htm}}</ref> === Caribbean Cruising Industry === The first journeys across the Caribbean Sea were made by Amerindian canoeists who “settled the island chains, paddling north from the river systems of the Orinoco and the Amazon”.<ref name="pattullo156">{{cite book | last = Pattullo | first = Polly | title = Last Resorts: The Cost of Tourism in the Caribbean | publisher = Monthly Review Press | date = 1996-01-01 | pages = 156-158 | isbn = 978-0853459774}}</ref> This resulted in the fight for control of the Caribbean, particularly for the Caribbean Sea between the European powers. The sea became an economic highway for “slavers, traders, buccaneers, and fishermen”.<ref name="pattullo156" /> It also became a passageway for “escaped slaves, indentured labourers and settlers, and later still a watery flight path for emigrants and boat people”.<ref name="pattullo156" /> [[Image:CruiseShipsStThomas.jpg|thumb|right|Near 9,000 passengers in three ships visiting St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands]] The Caribbean cruising industry is a large and growing market, and currently the most popular. Cruising has grown from “an estimated 900,850 passengers in 1983 to 2.3 million passengers in 1993”.<ref name="pattullo156" /> Cruise lines operating in the Caribbean include [[Royal Caribbean International]], [[Princess Cruises]], [[Carnival Cruise Line]], [[Celebrity Cruises]], [[Disney Cruise Line]], [[Holland America]], [[P&O]], [[Cunard]], and [[Norwegian Cruise Line]]. There are also smaller cruise lines that cater to a more intimate feeling among their guests. The biggest cruise line companies are Royal Caribbean, Princess Cruises, and Carnival Cruise Line. Many of the American cruise lines in the Caribbean depart from ports in the United States, “nearly one-third of the cruises sailed out of Miami”.<ref name="pattullo156" /> Other cruise ships depart from Fort Lauderdale ("Port Everglades"),Port Canaveral, New York, Tampa, Galveston, and San Juan. Many UK cruise lines base their ships out of Barbados for the Caribbean season, operating direct charter flights out of the UK and avoiding the sometimes lengthy delays at US immigration. Cruises sailing in the Caribbean travel on itineraries depending on the port of departure and the length of the cruise. The busiest port of call is the Bahamas with “1.8 million cruise-ship arrivals in 1994”.<ref name="pattullo156" /> This is because its distance from Florida, is very convenient for short and long cruises. The next most popular ports of call were “the US Virgin Islands (1.2 million), St. Maarten (718,553), Puerto Rico (680,195), the Cayman Islands (599,387), and Jamaica (595,036)”.<ref name="pattullo156" /> Other ports of call include: Belize City, Costa Maya, Cozumel, Antigua, Aruba, Grand Turk and Key West. St Thomas in the US Virgin Islands is particularly popular with US passengers because they get a second Duty Free allowance to use on goods purchased there. The majority of the major cruise lines also stop at their own "Private Island," more truthfully, a private section of a Caribbean island. These private resorts are reserved exclusively for passengers of the respective cruise line using the location, and frequently offer unique features such as an Aqua Park, kayaking, snorkeling, parasailing, music, or private reservable cabanas.<ref> {{cite web | title = Labadee, Haiti | publisher = Royal Caribbean International | date = 2007-11-12 | url = http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findacruise/ports/group/home.do;jsessionid=0000O4zZ-nGtPnts7anEiD2loVi:12hdhua36?portCode=LAB }}</ref> <ref>''[http://www.princess.com/learn/ports/caribbean/ports/princess_cays.html Princess Cays, Bahamas]'' - [[Princess Cruises]], Monday 12 November 2007</ref> == Shipyards == [[Image:QM2 St Nazaire.jpg|thumb|right|The [[RMS Queen Mary 2|RMS ''Queen Mary'' 2]] under construction at [[Aker Yards France]].]] The market for cruise ships is dominated by three [[European Union|European]] companies: * [[Aker Yards]] of Norway with two shipyards: **[[Aker Finnyards]] (the former [[Kvaerner Masa-Yards]]/[[Wärtsilä]], [[Valmet]] and [[Rauma Shipyard]]s) in Finland. **[[Aker Yards France]] ([[Chantiers de l'Atlantique]]) in France. *[[Fincantieri]] of [[Italy]]. *[[Meyer Werft]] of [[Germany]]. A large number of cruise ships have been built by other shipyards, but no other individual yard has reached the large numbers of built ships achieved by the three above. A handful of old [[ocean liner]]s also remain in service as cruise ships. Despite the dominance of [[United States]]-based cruise ship operators and American clients in the industry, only one ship built in the [[United States]], the {{SS|The Emerald}}, is still sailing.{{Fact|date=April 2008}} ==Infections on cruise ships== === Norovirus === [[Norovirus]] infections continue to be a problem on cruise ships. In 2002, there were 25 reported outbreaks, with 2,648 passengers becoming ill from the virus.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.waterandhealth.org/newsletter/new/winter_2004/sea_sick.html |title=Sea Sick &mdash; Infection Outbreaks Challenge the Cruise Ship Experience |publisher=Water Quality and Health Council}}</ref> There have been a number of voyages where hundreds of passengers have become ill.<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6165310.stm BBC news Nov 2006 - Virus-hit cruise ship ends voyage.]</ref><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6297443.stm BBC news Jan 2007 - Vomiting virus sweeps through QE2]</ref><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/3230365.stm BBC news Nov 2003 - Bug-hit P & O liner Aurora heads for Gibraltar]</ref><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/2719637.stm BBC news Feb 2003 - 250 taken ill on P&O cruise]</ref> Outbreak investigations by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have shown that transmission among cruise ship passengers is almost wholly person-to-person; water supplies have never been implicated.{{Fact|date=August 2007}} ===Legionella=== Other pathogens which are known to be a problem on board cruise ships include ''[[Legionella]]'', the bacteria which causes [[Legionnaires' disease]]. ''Legionella'' can colonise the domestic water systems and whirlpool spas as well as cooling systems used on board. ''Legionella'', and in particular the most virulent strain, ''Legionella pneumophila'' serogroup 1, can cause infections when inhaled as an aerosol or aspirated. Infections are more common amongst the over 50s, with smokers and others with pre-existing respiratory disease being particularly vulnerable. The demographic most commonly using cruise ships can be particularly vulnerable. A number of cases of Legionnaires' disease have been associated with cruise ships.<ref>[http://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm5445a2.htm Cruise-Ship-Associated Legionnaires Disease, November 2003-May 2004<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref><ref>http://www.ewgli.org/data/monthly_reports/2006/mr_dec06.pdf</ref><ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6920799.stm BBC NEWS | UK | Legionnaires' fear on cruise ship<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> ==Environmental impact== {{main|Cruise ship pollution}} Cruise ships generate a number of waste streams that can result in discharges to the marine environment, including sewage, graywater, hazardous wastes, oily bilge water, ballast water, and solid waste. They also emit air pollutants to the air and water. These wastes, if not properly treated and disposed of, can be a significant source of pathogens, nutrients, and toxic substances with the potential to threaten human health and damage aquatic life. Cruise ships represent a small — although highly visible — portion of the entire international shipping industry, and such waste streams are not unique to cruise ships. However, particular types of wastes, such as sewage, graywater, and solid waste, may be of greater concern for cruise ships relative to other seagoing vessels, because of the large numbers of passengers and crew that cruise ships carry and the large volumes of wastes that they produce. Further, because cruise ships tend to concentrate their activities in specific coastal areas and visit the same ports repeatedly, their cumulative impact on a local scale could be significant, as can impacts of individual large-volume releases (either accidental or intentional).<ref>Copeland, Claudia. [http://www.ncseonline.org/NLE/CRSreports/07Dec/RL32450.pdf "Cruise Ship Pollution: Background, Laws and Regulations, and Key Issues"] (Order Code RL32450). [[Congressional Research Service]] (Updated February 6, 2008). ''This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the [[public domain]].</ref> == See also == {{nautical portal}} * [[List of cruise ships]] * [[List of cruise lines]] * [[Cruiseferry]] * [[River cruise]] * [[Cruising (maritime)]] * [[Sailwx|Ship location mapping service]] of cruise ships and water vessels worldwide ==References== {{reflist|2}} ===Sources=== *[[Douglas Ward]], ''Berlitz Ocean Cruising and Cruise Ships'', published annually *Monarchs of the Sea: The Great Ocean Liners; Ulrich, Kurt; Tausir Parke; 1999; ISBN 1-86064-373-6 == External links == {{Commonscat|Cruise ships}} * {{cite web | title = Cruise Ship Consumer Fact Sheet | publisher = [[United States Coast Guard]] | date = July 1998 | url = http://www.uscg.mil/hq/g-m/cruiseship.htm | accessdate = 2007-12-19 }} Information on safety oversight, security, and complaints for ships of U.S. registry or visiting U.S. ports. * [http://www.sailwx.info/shiptrack/cruiseships.phtml Real-time location data of cruise ships worldwide] -- from the [[Sailwx| ship location mapping service]] * [http://home.earthlink.net/~ecps92/cruise_ships.htm Cruise Ship radio frequencies] * [http://www.shipparade.com/ Information on Cruise Ships] * [http://ships.galutschek.at/ Video Clips of Cruise Ships] * {{dmoz|Recreation/Travel/Specialty_Travel/Cruises|Cruise-related resources}} {{ModernMerchantShipTypes}} [[Category:Ship types]] [[Category:Cruise ships| ]] <!-- space left for proper category sorting --> [[de:Kreuzfahrtschiff]] [[el:Κρουαζιερόπλοιο]] [[eo:Krozoŝipo]] [[es:Crucero (viaje)]] [[et:Kruiisilaev]] [[fa:کشتی گردشی]] [[fi:Risteilyalus]] [[fr:Navire de croisière]] [[id:Kapal pesiar]] [[is:Skemmtiferðaskip]] [[ja:クルーズ客船]] [[ko:크루즈 선박]] [[nl:Cruiseschip]] [[nn:Cruiseskip]] [[no:Cruiseskip]] [[pt:Navio Cruzeiro]] [[ru:Круизное судно]] [[simple:Cruise ship]] [[sv:Kryssningsfartyg]] [[zh:郵輪]]