History of Cruise Vacation

Cruise ships and cruise vacations are so commonplace to those of us who live in the 21st century that we hardly ever think about life without such luxuries.  The fact remains, however, that the idea of ships carrying passengers “for fun” doesn’t go back all that far.  While ships have always been used to transport both people and cargo, it was only in the mid to late 1800s that the idea of cruising for leisure came along.  The history of a cruise vacation is, indeed, fascinating to read and it’s interesting to explore the events that led up to the rise and fall and rise again of cruise vacations.

Early Ocean Liners

Early ocean going vessels regularly carried cargo back and forth, mostly across the Atlantic Ocean, but in the 1840s, when ships were finally carrying passengers along with their cargo, lines were more concerned with merely getting people from point A to point B, with little worry about entertaining them. 

Records concerning the history of cruise vacation indicate that ships didn’t really begin to cater to passengers’ needs until around 1850 to 1860.  At that time, ocean liners began to be equipped with amenities that made passage easier and more comfortable, like Edison’s electric lights.  Entertainment was hired to take passengers minds off the sometime less-than-smooth voyages and public spaces were made larger for socializing. 

The most common early voyages traveled from New York to London and attracted the rich and famous who could afford the fare.  As a matter of fact, writer Mark Twain outlines his voyage on the first cruise originating from America in 1867 in his book Innocents Abroad. 

The 1880s brought a new trend in transatlantic crossings.  Immigrants who were eager to come to America from various European countries booked passage in “steerage” class, where the space was cramped and they had to supply their own food. These Second and Third Class passengers experienced a voyage quite different from those who traveled in the opulence of First Class and some never made it to their new home.

The Twentieth Century

By the turn of the 20th century, passenger liners were becoming immensely popular and more and more ornate. A look at the history of cruise vacation shows that, at the beginning of the century, the Germans led the way in building the most magnificent cruise ships.  Two of the most famous were Cunard’s Mauritania and Lusitania.  It was aboard these glorious ships that the tradition of dressing up for dinner began and cruising took on a new look of luxury. (The Lusitania was later sunk by a German submarine during World War I.)

Of course, the Titanic, White Star Line’s “unsinkable ship,” set the cruise industry back a bit when it sunk after hitting an iceberg in April 1912.  But the golden age of cruising was back in full swing by the 20s and 30s and it was during this time that everyone who was anyone took a transatlantic voyage.

The Fall and Rise

In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the advent of transatlantic air travel put a damper on the cruise industry.  The rich and famous had no problem affording the air fare and passengers could certainly reach Europe a lot more quickly via airplane.  That’s when the cruise industry needed to come up with a new plan.

From this point on, the history of cruise vacation took a new turn.  Affordable cruises were offered to the average person and a more casual atmosphere was stressed onboard.  Finally, those who previously could not pay the exorbitant cruise ship fares were able to participate in the joy of cruising.  In the 1970s, the television show Love Boat also gave the industry a boost.

Today, cruises travel the world and come in all lengths and prices.  Everyone from blue collar workers to wealthy business owners have enjoyed trips on the waters of the world.  Cruises can be “luxury” or “barefoot,” but all provide the average person with experiences they’ll likely never forget.