How is an Ocean Liner Different to a Cruise Ship?

Hope you guys enjoyed the video, more specifically my analogies for what an Ocean liner and Cruise ship are! 😂

Mike's work really is the glue that holds the ship together in the Ocean Liner community, with his splendid art illustrations & informative videos.

Skirted the edge of a Cat 3 hurricane in the SS Norway. Venues were closed, most pax stayed in their cabins, plenty were seasick. Me and a few other diehards planted ourselves on the foredeck, in the teeth of the storm. Her deep keel, knife-like prow, narrow beam and long length ensured she rode out the waves with a very regular and predictable pitch, with hardly any yaw, as if completely unperturbed by the storm. What a ship!

“Boxy floating apartment blocks” what a great description of today’s cruise ship

A friend of mine once described the cruise he took as "A giant hotel on a hull". Being a naval/ship geek, he pestered the crew, discovered that yes, there were a few tours of the ships belowdecks and engine spaces, and happily made friends with the sailors on board whilst crawling through machine spaces, marveling at the huge engines, and, having shown a knowledge of how to conduct himself properly, was actually allowed on the bridge. They didn't usually allow passengers in many of these places, but he sweet talked his way in, and had a great time, returning smelling of oil, diesel nd sweat while his wife smelled of suntan lotion and fruity drinks.

Wow, the original "France" was a real stunner of a ship. Absolutely gorgeous. The QM2 looks like a real ship, graceful and powerful, compared to the modern box cruise ships. Thanks for a clear and interesting video as always.

Kinda shows how the incredible can become mundane, then taken for granted fairly quickly. Went from miracle anyone ever managed a crossing, to crossing relatively safely, to crossing regularly to 'Why are you so slow, cross faster!' Honestly hadn't thought of the distinction between Liners and Cruise Ships before, this does a great job of going over the differences and history. Thanks as always for all your hard work!

Well said! The Queen Mary 2 is the only ship I want to try and sail on today. I do hope they build another liner to replace her when the time comes. Another interesting fact as well about the QM2 is that they used about 1/3 more steel in her hull than in an equal size cruise ship to add strength for the harsher conditions she may need to go through.

The older ocean liners are so much prettier than the ugly, boxy cruise ships of today

I sailed on the Norway with some friends in the 1990’s which was towards the end of the ship’s career. Prior to sailing on the Norway I had been on many other cruises but the Norway was special. She was large, had unique large cabins, big venues, and two large main restaurants that kept many of the original designs that were included in the France like the ceiling paintings. The ceilings were something I had never seen before on a ship. I’m not sure she would have been successful today but the timing was perfect for when she was introduced. When I was young Demand to sail on her was off the charts as she was so big when compared to the other ships of that time. Royal Caribbean had not yet built the Sovereign of the Seas and their other ships were about a third of the size of the Norway. I do remember there was a small exhibit on board the Norway showing the transition from the France as an ocean liner to the Norway as a cruise ship. Great video!

I went on a cruise on the Carnivale, of the Carnival Cruise Lines. This was a 3 day cruise from Miami to the Bahamas in 1985. She started life as the Empress of Britain in 1953, running between Montreal and Liverpool. A great example of an ocean liner converted to cruise service.

I think the term "cruise liner" best suits Queen Mary 2. She's built as an oceanliner, yes, but her superstructure is undeniably a cruise ship, they have to make it like that so it doesn't lose money.

For us North Americans, I always use this comparison: cruise ships are Class A motorhomes. Looks like a bus, but will not take the pounding of a line-service bus. Designed to cruise along in a voyage. Ocean liners are like motor-coaches, MCI / Prevost. Designed for millions of miles of day in day out schedule service with Greyhound.

It's good to see the differences between ocean liners and cruise ships be set and more noticeable now. It's become much more common for people and media to think ocean liners were just old cruise ships. Which some were, but most were not. Thanks for making this mike.

This was especially interesting to me, because the only cruise I’ve been on was on the QM2. To be blunt, I hated the experience. It did not meet any of my expectations of what a cruise would be, and as you noted, the layout of the ship is confusing and at times inhospitable. I commented at the time that I think I would have appreciated the experience much more of we were actually going somewhere, instead of just being there for pleasure. I also found the entire experience ridiculously overpriced, pretentious bordering on pompous, and frustratingly close to being in a floating retirement home. Coupled with the complete lack of customer service on the part of Cunard, I swore off cruises and especially Cunard for life after that experience. But, none of that is the fault of the ship. You’ve helped me understand part of why it failed to meet expectations, and to better appreciate the QM2 for what she is.

12:21 Great video, Mike. I was fortunate enough to have sailed aboard SS Norway, 30 years ago as a young man. For me, Norway had seemed to possess a rather aloof aura about her, not impersonal, but rather like seeing a dear friend at their place of work when there is little time for socializing. I've never had a better night's sleep than when I was aboard the great ship and somehow she just seemed to gently rock a person to sleep within an aura of tranquility, almost like a baby in their mother's arms. I later cruised aboard Carnival Destiny, when she was brand new, and although I enjoyed that ship, she didn't have nearly the same emotional depth or prestige as Norway. Norway was a "mature" ship for "adults" it seemed, at least to me. Occasionally I still have actual dreams of Norway and can still vividly recall walking along her decks and feeling the sun and sea breeze upon my face. I also fondly recall her many restaurants and traversing the scented passageways of her interior as though it were last week. The liner had a very gentle roll about her which was intermixed with the soothing sounds of her scuppers and machinery while underway. Norway was a tranquil ship yet also one possessing a slight degree of vanity as well it seemed, for at one point during our journey Norway overhauled a Carnival ship which was ahead of us. - With smoke rolling from her "funneled wings", Norway effortlessly passed the other vessel on the open sea, side by side, the two ships separated by a mere 100 meters, our port to their starboard. The decks of both ships were lined with passengers vigorously waving to each other. Norway then quickly left the newer ship far behind within her wake. It was an awesome display of raw horsepower and company pride for Norwegian Cruise Lines that day. I also recall with clarity that throughout our entire voyage, the crewmembers of Norway were all to happy in elaborating that Norway had been created as a "Transatlantic Liner" and not a cruise ship, this fact was a great source of pride for the crew and it showed. As mentioned in the video, Norway couldn't enter most harbors because of her draft but she did have "Tenders" on her bow which would be lowered to ferry passengers to and from land, it was a fun way to go ashore. Another fond memory for me is that the TV in our cabin had one channel that played a 24/7 video of John Maxtone Graham's "The Only Way To Cross", a video that I still love to this day. …I will always have a special place within my heart just for Norway. Thanks for awakening these fond memories within me.

when I was a child my parents took me on a cruise on the SS Norway. I remember small bits and pieces but when I look at old photos of the ship I can't help but smile. For some reason the Norway is the only ship I've been on that 30+ years later I still remember it's name.

It is a good day when another ocean liner designs video comes out

video is absolutely stunning. Thanks for all the information mike! i couldnt really explain to someone the differences between oceanliners and cruise ships. Thanks. keep up the good work!

Another excellent video and explanation. I’m old enough to remember proper liners passing Spithead in the 50s and 60s. Nowadays I wonder where the line is drawn between liners and some of the larger Baltic, Mediterranean and Pacific ferries. I think I recall reading that,in the days of sail and before wireless communications, Lloyds allowed sufficient time to elapse for a ship to complete a voyage at one knot before assuming its loss. Many thanks for your work, it’s absolutely fascinating.