What Is a Cruise Ship?

A cruise ship is a passenger ship used for vacations and pleasure trips, which is usually very large, and able to accommodate hundreds to thousands of people, depending on the size of the ship. Cruise ships generally make round trips, returning to their first port of departure after a certain number of days at sea. While on the trip, most cruise ships stop at various ports where passengers are allowed to leave the ship and spend the day exploring an area, but new passengers do not get on at these stops. Sometimes the cruise line will own a private island, and the ship will stop there, with the island geared exclusively to serving and entertaining passengers.

Cruising is a very popular aspect of the tourism industry, and most cruise ships have come to resemble floating cities. Though different cruise lines offer different amenities, cruising is often all-inclusive, and includes not just round-the-clock meals, but daily and nightly entertainment, various pools, fitness facilities, games and other fun activities, shopping, and even some adventure-type activities such as a rock wall or surfing simulator right on the cruise ship. Not included in most cruise packages are gambling areas and alcoholic beverages. Many people expect buffet-style group dining on a cruise ship, but this is often not the case, and many ships offer various restaurants for guests to choose from where they can enjoy a private, romantic dinner.

These are just a few of the amenities to be found on a cruise ship. Generally, it does not matter whether you are staying in a more expensive room on the outside of the cruise ship, which will likely feature a balcony, or in a less expensive room in the interior of the ship — all of the amenities are still included. Most rooms on cruise ships are very small, so it is unlikely that you will be spending much time there anyway, so unless an ocean view is very important to you, purchasing a room on the interior can cut costs.

Some cruises are more geared towards families and children, while others are designed more for couples taking a vacation or celebrating an anniversary or honeymoon. Cruises are often all-inclusive, so they can be a less expensive option for a vacation than other choices, and they depart from various ocean side cities around the country — meaning you might not have to take a long airplane trip to get there, which will save even more money. Cruise lines also offer different types of cruises all around the world. Caribbean cruises are probably the most well known and among the most popular, but Alaskan, Mediterranean, and European cruises are also quite popular.