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When did cruising become such a popular pastime? It all began in 1900, when the German Prinzessin Victoria Luise debuted as the first official, purpose-built cruise ship. The ship was modeled after the imperial yacht of German Emperor Kaiser Wilhelm II, and was so opulent — features included a gymnasium, a library and a dark room for developing photos — that Kaiser himself was reportedly jealous.
In 1901, the ship known as the "Princess of the Seas" took her maiden voyage from Hamburg to New York, before heading south to the Caribbean. Alas, her life on the seas was short; in 1906, she ran aground outside Jamaica, and never sailed again.
Did You Know:
At the time it was built in 1911, the Titanic was the world's largest passenger cruise ship. It weighed nearly 53,000 tons and stretched almost 900 feet in length. Unfortunately, it may also be the world's most famous due to its sinking after hitting an iceberg on its maiden sail.
Today's super cruise ships are being built to be bigger and better than every competitor's newest ship. In comparison, nearly 100 years after the Titanic, Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas debuted at 225,282 tons, 210 feet wide and more than 1,100 feet long. In terms of tonnage, it's five times larger than the Titanic.
Royal Caribbean couldn't leave well enough alone and created a ship even bigger than Oasis of the Seas. When Harmony of the Seas debuted in 2016, it weighed 227,000 tons and measured 1,188 feet in length. (Nearly four football fields long!)
It is made up of 2,747 cabins, 23 swimming pools and 20 restaurants across its 18 decks that are filled with more than 10,000 plants.
Because ships clearly just aren't big enough as is, Freedom Cruise Line International has proposed a ship that would be the largest in maritime history. And its stats wow:
The ship will carry 10,000 overnight guests, 30,000 daily guests, 40,000 residents and 20,000 crew — at a to-build price tag of $11 billion.
