Setting Sail into the Future: The Evolving World of Cruise Ships

Abstract

A passenger ship is a merchant ship whose main function is to carry passengers at sea. This category does not include cargo-ships with room for a limited number of passengers, such as the once popular twelve-passenger cargo ships at sea where passenger transport was secondary to the freight car. Now, ocean-liners and the cargo capacity of most cruise ships have been eliminated. Cruise ships are large passenger ships that offer pleasure seekers and adventure travelers. They have restaurants, bars, casinos, theatres, ballrooms, nightclubs, swimming pools, fitness centers, game center and shops onboard making it a complete floating resort. Again, the yachting and cruise ship industry has emerged through a combination of targeted marketing, innovation and consolidation. Many new features, facilities and brands have been introduced and launched, some have failed, many have been successful, and at many more were active globally at the start of the pandemic. However, there is a need to further encourage consumers, travelers and customers' confidence by high lighting the facilities, entertainment, longevity and history of innovation in the yachting and cruise ship industry. What has helped has been the industry's resilience in tailoring the onboard experience to better reflect the social changes taking place ashore and travel industry. However, future travelers, users and customers will be more interested and adventurers towards the cruise ship industry. This is a review article that briefly tells the story of cruise ship with history, operations, design, construction, technology, safety, and recycling.