An Introduction to the Cruise Industry Part I

An Introduction to the Cruise Industry

How cruising began The purpose of original cruises Who cruised What the cruise experience was like

(information sourced from Duke University Library, Selling the Sea, Cruise Lines International Association, cruiselinehistory.com, jobmonkey.com, Wikipedia, Devils on the Deep Blue Sea, pupilvision.com, ShipMates, Mirami Webster Online)

How Cruising Began

Today, taking a cruise for a vacation is a normal, everyday event. However, it has not always been that way. In fact, you might be surprised to learn that it has only been a little over 40 years that warm Caribbean cruises were available from Miami. Prior to that, a cruise was a transatlantic sailing between Europe and North America a means of transportation from one continent to another. Heres a quick history lesson on some little known facts that totally changed one industry and created a totally new one! The industry we are now a part of!

How Cruising Began

Was this the first documented cruise?
The Year? The Ships? The Captain? The itinerary? 1712 The Duke & The Duchess Captain Woodes Rogers 1708-1711 circumnavigation around the world 333 men

Perhaps !??

The crew?

But did you know that Woodes Rogers (ca. 1679 15 July 1732) was a pirate hunter and the captain of the ship that rescued Alexander Selkirk, whose adventure is believed to have inspired Daniel Defoes Robinson Crusoe!

1800s

Todays cruise industry grew from commerce on the high seas -- yes, there were passenger voyages too, but it was not a primary focus, nor on a scheduled basis. But that changes in 1818 when Black Ball Line, operating out of New York, became the first shipping company to offer a scheduled passenger service from the US to England. The plan was to depart of the fifth of the month from New York, while ships were to sail from Liverpool on the seventeenth, beginning in January 1818.

1800s

Named for the newly elected president, the JAMES MONROE inaugurated this service on the cold, windy morning of January 5, 1818, when she departed New York under Captain James Watkinson with eight passengers and a cargo consisting of apples, flour, cotton, cranberries, hops, and wool. The departure had been advertised in the Commercial Advertiser since the October 24, 1817 newspaper edition.

1800s

The first paddle-steamer to make a long ocean voyage was the SS Savannah, built in 1819 expressly for the service of scheduled passenger crossings. Savannah was an American hybrid sailing ship/side-wheel steamer built in 1818. She is notable for being the first steamship in the world to cross the Atlantic Ocean. She departed NYC for Liverpool on May 22 1819, sighting Ireland after 23 days at sea. In spite of her historic voyage, she was not a commercial success as a steamship and was converted back into a sailing ship shortly after returning from Europe.
Paddlewheel !

1800s

Even with a scheduled passenger service company, taking to the open seas was still considered a mode of transportation to get from one land to another in the same way we consider air, train, bus and automobile travel. In fact, they weren't called cruises, but crossings as people were "crossing" from one land to another. Passengers boarded the ship in one country, spent several days "at sea" and then arrived at a destination.

Holland America Line was even named for these crossings. Their voyages were from Hollandto America. Hence, their name.

1800s

By the 1830s steamships were introduced and dominated the transatlantic market. English companies dominated the market at this time, led by the British and North American Royal Mail Steam Packet (later the Cunard Line). On July 4, 1840, Britannia , the first ship under the Cunard name, left Liverpool with a cow on board to supply fresh milk to the passengers on the 14-day transatlantic crossing. By the way, did you know the Brittania was a paddle wheeler?

1800s

During the 1850s and 1860s there was a marked enhancement in the quality of the cruise for passengers. Ships began to focus solely to passengers, rather than the cargo they were transporting. Plus, luxuries such as electric lights, more deck space, and entertainment were added. This type of ocean-crossing transportation continued to gain popularity, especially in the luxury customer segment. These were the very elite customers -- who were served everything on a silver platter.

1800s

In fact, rumor has it that the word POSH comes from the days of ocean travel between England and India. The most interesting version of the story involves Peninsular and Oriental Steam Navigation Company, which from 1842 to 1970 was the major steamship carrier of passengers and mail between England and India. The P. & O. route went through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea, with no air conditioning and temperatures exceeding 100 degrees easily. The cabins on the port side on the way to India got the morning sun and had the rest of the day to cool off, while starboard ones got the afternoon sun, and were still quite hot at bedtime.

On the way home, the opposite was true.

1800s

The cooler cabins, therefore, were the more desirable and were reserved for the most important and richest travelers. Their tickets were stamped P.O.S.H. (Port Out, Starboard Home )to indicate these accommodationsin large violet letters, according to one recollection. This account of the origin of posh was even used in advertising by the P. & O. in the 1960s. Is it true? Whether fact or fiction its a story thats been retold for years and you can entertain your clients with this story!

1800s

Things were quite different on the lower decks. People that were just hoping to get from one place to another and were forced to scrape by in an area where they were packed as tightly as a can of sardines. If you wanted to enjoy your trip, you had to be wealthy. Lets take a look at cruising third class and see what it was like:

1800s

Prior to boarding, you had to pass a health inspection. If you arrived in America and failed your health inspection the cruise line had to ship you back! You are now separated from all other classes. Once onboard, you are told where you can go on the ship. Single men and women are separated and assigned specific sleeping locations. Married couples with or without children are placed together. Your sleeping accommodation is a bunk rack, usually constructed of steel pipe with fabric stretched over the framework, at least three bunks in height. Pillows are not provided, but, depending on the ship, a simple blanket may be offered you.

Third Class Cruisingcontinued

1800s

The bathrooms are communal bathing facilities are divided by sex (IF they have facilities) There is no air conditioning and fresh air is often lacking, since steerage is often below the water line, which translates to no portholes. While your first classes co-cruisers are dining in style, your dining experience consists of long tables with tightly spaced seating. Meals are served from large tureens. There's no menu -- everyone eats the same food, soups or stews usually made from the cheapest cuts of meat.

1800s

There are few stewards and meals are self-service. Of course, there's no shipboard entertainment. Third class passengers are considered commodities rather than guests and are treated as such, but are also eagerly sought because they, rather than first class passengers, generated high profits-simple mathematics (OK, some things are the same as today!) And how long does your cruise last? If you're lucky to be aboard an express liner, typically about 6 days. On slower, older ships, crossings of two to three weeks are the norm.

1900s

By the early 20th century the concept of the superliner was developed and Germany led the market in the development of these massive and ornate floating hotels. The design of these liners, as is done today, is structured to make the cruise as smooth and enjoyable as possible. This includes the addition of elegant accommodations and scheduled on board activities.

During this time the Mauritania and the Lusitania, both owned by the Cunard Line, started the tradition of dressing for dinner and advertised the romance of cruising the high seas.
But, speed was still the deciding factor in the design of these ships. And, in order to make them as fast as possible, there was no space for large public rooms, and passengers were required to share the dining tables.

1900s

The White Star Line, owned by American businessman J.P. Morgan, introduced the most luxurious passenger ships ever seen in the Olympic (complete with swimming pool and tennis court) and Titanic.

Space and passenger comfort now were the focus over speed in the design of these ships-resulting in larger, more stable liners. The sinking of the Titanic on its maiden voyage in 1912 devastated the White Star Line, and in 1934, Cunard bought out White Star.

1900s

During WWI and WWII, cruise ships were converted into troop carriers and all transatlantic cruising ceased until the wars ended. Following the end of each war, European lines took advantage of transporting refugees to America and Canada, and business travelers and tourists to Europe. The lack of American ocean liners at this time forced the U.S. government to subsidize the building of cruise liners in order to compete. In addition, after WWI, the Merchant Marine Act of 1920 was created.

1900s

Within this act, Section 27 was written -- it is also known as the Jones Act, and deals with cabotage (i.e., coastal shipping). This law requires that all goods transported by water between U.S. ports be carried in U.S.-flag ships, constructed in the United States, owned by U.S. citizens, and crewed wholly by U.S. citizens. The purpose of the law was to support the U.S. merchant marine industry. However, the impact of this law today is much more far reaching!