The cruise industry

The Cruise Industry

The Cruise Industry
Sailing has always been something that attracted the man, to explore new horizons or even to enjoy the charm that is a sea voyage. In the second half of the 19th century, the world has developed an appetite for travel but travelling by sea was nothing new. The first passenger transatlantic happened in the beginning of the 19th century, when a U.S. ship crossed the Atlantic aided by a steam engine. S. S. Savannah, from the U.S. city with the same name, set sail on May 22, 1819 and arrived in Liverpool, England 29 days later, ushering in the era of cruising. The first cruise departing from America for six months, in 1867, was called Quaker City, with destinations like Greece and Egypt, and one of its passengers was Mark Twain who reported his journey in his work Innocents Abroad.
Image 1 - New Northland, arriving at Palm Beach in 1927
Image 1 - New Northland, arriving at Palm Beach in 1927
In the early 20th century Germany launches four ships that became the fastest ones cruising in the Atlantic. By then the goal was to build the fastest ships, not the most comfortable. It was also around this time that ships were used mainly by immigrants between Europe, America, United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.
Source: http://seatravel.wordpress.com
Source: http://seatravel.wordpress.com

The growing number of immigrants has boosted the sector of passenger ships. The trips took place primarily in one direction, between England and New York, although wealthy passengers also traveled between these destinations for business or vacation. They were seeking to make their crossing with the maximum comfort and luxury. Ships like Britannic or Titanic were examples of real “floating palaces” built at that time. After the Titanic’s tragedy in 1912, in which more than a thousand people died, some safety rules were changed.
In 1959 air conditioned was introduced to cruises, improving dramatically the comfort of the passengers,