cruise ships 1980s

THEN AND NOW: Photos that show how glamorous cruise ships used to be

Cruises have been an immersive, luxurious way to see the world for decades. While the formal dinners and ball gowns of the old days may have turned into buffets and flip flops, a variety of cruise ships  continue to offer a host of amenities and travel routes that keep people coming back.

Here's how cruise ships in the glory days compare to today's ocean liners.

Going on a cruise used to be an occasion to dress up for.

We're talking gloves, heels, and fancy hats.

These days, a swimsuit cover-up will do.

The casual look is in.

Men wore three-piece suits.

Very swanky.

T-shirts are the norm now.

No need to dress up on vacation.

As far as activities go, egg and spoon races were all the rage.

The race involves balancing an egg on a spoon and running without dropping it.

Most modern cruise ships have casinos.

No kids allowed.

Boxing in dresses and heels on deck was also popular.

It's doubtful that anyone actually got knocked out.

Today, basketball is the preferred sport.

Good thing the court has netting to keep the ball from flying into the ocean.

This graceful "athletic display" in 1933 was put on by staff members of the London and North Eastern Railway on their company cruise liner.

Women's sports gained popularity in the 1930s .

Contemporary athletic displays take the form of rock climbing walls.

Julian Austin worked on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship for seven months running the ship's rock climbing wall.

Inside the ships, grand foyers made for stunning entrances.

There's a reason cruise ships are called " floating cities ."

Foyers are just as grand today.

Some cruise ships are incredibly luxurious .

Sweeping staircases never go out of style.

Who can forget the iconic staircase from the movie " Titanic "?

They're still part of the décor of many modern cruise ships.

Nothing complements a spiral staircase like a chandelier. 

First class dining rooms spared no expense.

Certain food items are worth the splurge on cruises .

The magic hasn't been lost on today's cruise ship dining rooms.

Ambient lights and colorful decorations make them feel like fancy clubs or wedding halls.

Dinner was a formal evening affair.

People got dressed up to eat the evening meal.

Dining on today's cruises... not as much.

Cruises are known for their expansive buffets .

Vintage cruise workout rooms contained vintage exercise machines.

Gym equipment has evolved over the years.

Sleek, electronic workout gear is the new norm.

Rowing machines are more efficient than treadmills , according to one doctor.

Outdoor swimming pools on the ship's deck are a classic part of the cruise experience.

Swimming pools likely contain more pee than you'd like to know about .

Those haven't gone anywhere.

The world's largest swimming pool is in Chile.

One-piece jumpsuit-style swimwear was trendy back in the 1920s.

Swimsuit styles have changed.

In addition to regular swimming pools, some cruises have surf centers.

Surfing is now an Olympic sport .

Dances were a popular activity.

Some cruises hosted charity balls, like the All Night Ball aboard the Majestic.

Attendance isn't what it used to be.

People would rather watch " Dancing With the Stars " than dance themselves, it seems.

The ballroom used to be the place to be.

Guests wore gowns and tuxedos on the dance floor.

Dance parties today look and sound a little bit different.

The ship's open bar probably helps, too.

In the glory days, orchestras would entertain guests.

While wearing tuxedos, of course.

While live music is still the norm, the look has changed: now there are piano bars with thematic seating arrangements.

It's never too late to learn to play piano .

What lounge would be complete without lounge music?

Jazzy piano music is timeless.

There are still pianos in cruise ship lounges.

Celebrities like John Legend have been known to sit and play pianos in public places unannounced.

The 1950s made way for funky furniture in living rooms and cruise ship lounges.

The 1950s were a different time, as indicated by popular advertisements from those years .

Modern cruise ship lounge furniture still comes in unique shapes.

Chair or nap pod? Or both?

Deluxe rooms were decorated with wood paneling and high-end linens.

The small, round windows provided an ocean view.

There's still paneling on the walls of luxury suites.

Really fancy cruise ship suites can cost $23,000 .

Even the simple cabins were spacious.

It's like any other hotel room , except you're floating in the middle of the ocean.

Even today, you don't have to splurge to get comfortable accommodations on board.

Some people are even buying second homes on cruise ships .

Cruises were a popular way to see the world.

Passengers watch the world pass by on deck chairs.

And they still are.

It's worth taking a cruise at least once in your life .

Follow INSIDER on Facebook .

• Main content

13 Former Carnival Ships – Where Are They Now?

Sarah Bretz, Contributor

• November 17, 2020

Carnival Cruise Line, formed in 1972, is known today as the most popular cruise line in the world.

Since its conception, the cruise line has had eleven ships that are no longer sailing with them, five of them added to the list after the cruise industry shut down in 2020.

Some have been scrapped, and some continue to sail under other cruise lines today.

Check out a bit of history behind the twelve former ships and see where they are now.

1. Mardi Gras

Mardi Gras was sold to Carnival from Canadian Pacific in 1972 and was just over 18,000 gross registered tons. She sailed under the Carnival flag until 1993 and was then sold to Epirotiki.

Many names and a few cruise lines later, the ship was laid up and ultimately sold for scrap in 2003. She was in service for a total of 42 years.

In 2021, Carnival will debut the new Mardi Gras , the largest ship in the fleet. It will feature BOLT, the first roller coaster at sea, as well as a variety of new dining and bar venues.

2. Carnivale

Before being sold to Carnival in 1976, Carnivale was called Queen Ann Maria for the operator Greek Line. In 1993, Carnival transferred her over to a subsidiary cruise line, Fiesta Marina Cruises.

After a few other cruise lines and the ultimate name of Topaz sailing under the Peace Boat Organization, she was retired and laid up in April 2008.

The ship was beached in India to be scrapped that summer, and the process was completed in 2009.

3. Festivale

Carnival acquired Festivale in 1977 from the South African Marine Corporation. She was originally a mail service ocean liner, but when Carnival bought her, they refit her into a cruise ship in Japan for $30 million.

A few cruise lines later, she ended up with Premier Cruise Line, sailing under the name Big Red Boat III . When Premier went bankrupt in 2000, the ship was seized, and Big Red Boat III was ultimately scrapped in 2003.

4. Tropicale

Tropicale was a monumental ship for Carnival, as she was their very first new build. She began sailing in 1982, mainly in the Caribbean.

The ship was then transferred to Costa as Costa Tropicale , then to P&O Australia as the Pacific Star.

After that, she was sold to Pullmantur Cruises, refurbished, and sailed as Ocean Dream . As of 2012, Ocean Dream left Pullmantur and was chartered to Peace Boat.

In January 2021, the ship was scrapped.

Holiday was Carnival’s second purpose-built cruise ship. Constructed in Denmark, Holiday entered service in 1985. In 2003, she was refurbished, and in 2005, during Hurricane Katrina, she was used as temporary housing for victims of the storm.

She sailed from Alabama to the western Caribbean until 2009, when she was transferred to the fleet of Iberocruceros, another cruise line owned by Carnival Corp. and renamed Grand Holiday .

After that, she was transferred to the Ibero Cruises fleet and was transformed into a floating hotel for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. In 2014, she was sold to the British cruise line Cruise & Maritime Voyages and sailed for them under the name Magellan .

After CMV ceased operations and filed for bankruptcy in July 2020, Greek ferry operator SeaJets purchased Magellan at auction in October 2020 for $3.4 million.

Seajets is planning to turn the ship into a floating hotel in Liverpool for the 2021 Grand National, but she was resold for scrap due to high operating costs. She was renamed Mages and sailed to Alang, India, for scrapping in January 2021.

6. Celebration

Celebration was built for Carnival in 1986 in Sweden. She sailed for them until 2008, when she underwent a refurbishment and began sailing for Iberocruceros as the Grand Celebration .

In May 2014, she was transferred to Costa, and after a very short-lived run (she was actually sold the day before her first Costa cruise), she was acquired by the newly formed Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line to begin sailing in February 2015.

Bahamas Paradise Cruise Line sold the ship in November 2020 , and she was beached in Alang, Turkey, on January 14, 2021, for scrapping.

Jubilee was built in Sweden in 1986 for Carnival Cruise Line, and Celebration and Holiday were her near-sister ships. In 2004, she was transferred to P&O Cruises Australia and renamed Pacific Sun .

In 2012, Pacific Sun left P&O and was sold to HNA Cruises, who named her Henna . She sailed for them until November 2015, when HNA shut down operations after three years of losing money.

The ship was sold and scrapped at the Alang, India yard in 2017.

Read More: Former Carnival Cruise Ship Getting Scrapped

8. Carnival Fantasy

Fantasy was the first ship in Carnival’s new Fantasy class when she entered service in March 1990. Built at Kavaerner Masa-Yards in Helsinki, Finland, the ship initially sailed Caribbean cruises from Miami.

In 2007, the ship was re-christened Carnival Fantasy and refurbished in 2008, 2016, and 2019. She sailed for Carnival for 30 years until the cruise industry shutdown in March 2020.

In July 2020, Carnival sold the ship, and it was scrapped in Aliaga, Turkey.

LAST LOOK: Remembering Carnival Fantasy [PHOTOS]

9. Carnival Ecstasy

Carnival Ecstasy debuted in 1991, and it is the second ship in the Fantasy Class.

As one of the most versatile and popular vessels in the “Fun Ship” fleet, her over-the-top Joe Farcus-designed interiors became a fan-favorite, including the iconic 1934 Rolls-Royce Saloon, which was later relocated to the Gateway on Carnival Celebration.

In February 2022, Carnival announced the retirement of Carnival Ecstasy and Carnival Sensation from the fleet. Unlike Sensation, Ecstasy resumed its regular service in Mobile, Alabama, from March to October 2022.

It is the only ship out of the six other retired Fantasy-class ships that offered a farewell cruise season to its guests.

The last voyage happened from October 10 to 15, 2022. In November 2022, the ship arrived at the Aliağa scrapyards in Turkey for scrapping.

10. Carnival Sensation

Launched in 1993, the Carnival Sensation was one of the early stars of Carnival Cruise Line’s Fantasy-class ships. Built in Finland, she joined her sisters Fantasy, Ecstasy, and Imagination in bringing a more casual and fun-focused approach to cruising.

Back then, she was considered quite the modern marvel, boasting features like the seven-deck-high neon-splashed atrium, a tiered lido deck, and even a 24-hour pizzeria. Her inaugural season saw her setting sail from Miami, whisking passengers away to the Bahamas and the Caribbean on sunny escapes.

Over the years, the Sensation saw several renovations and updates, adding balconies to cabins and sprucing up public spaces. She also switched home ports a few times, spending stints in Tampa and Port Canaveral before returning to Miami.

In 2022, the Sensation’s time came to an end. After nearly 30 years of service, she was sold for scrap.

11. Carnival Fascination

Fascination entered service in 1994 as the fourth member of Carnival Cruise Line’s Fantasy class. The ship was built, like her sisters, in the Kavaerner Masa-Yards in Helsinki, Finland. She was re-christened Carnival Fascination in 2007.

In her 26 years of operating for Carnival, she received refurbishments and upgrades in 2006, 2010, and 2013. Fascination cruised from New York, San Juan, and Jacksonville.

In July 2020, Fascination entered long-term layup status and was sold to a disclosed buyer, later revealed to be an Asian company, for use as a floating hotel. In November, she underwent a name change from Carnival Fascination to Century Harmony .

However, due to strict Chinese policy, the ship wasn’t able to sail. In October 2021, she was sold for scrap and arrived at Gadani, Pakistan, in February 2022 as Y Harmony .

12. Carnival Imagination

Like her Fantasy-class sisters, Imagination was built at Kavaerner Masa-Yards in Helsinki, Finland. The ship entered service in 1995 and most recently sailed Mexican Riviera itineraries from Long Beach, California.

The ship was renamed Carnival Imagination in 2007 and was refurbished most recently in 2016.

The vessel entered long-term layup status in July 2020; Carnival announced the ship had been sold for scrap in August 2020 and was sent to the scrapyard in Aliaga, Turkey.

Last Look: Remembering Carnival Imagination [PHOTOS]

13. Carnival Inspiration

Built in 1996 at the Kvaerner Masa-Yards in Helsinki, Finland, Inspiration was the fifth entry in the Fantasy class. Renamed Carnival Inspiration in 2007, the ship was most recently refurbished in 2010.

The ship sailed Mexican Riviera cruises from Long Beach, California. After the cruise industry shut down in March 2020, Carnival announced in July that the ship and Carnival Fantasy had been sold for scrap and sent to the shipbreakers in Aliaga, Turkey.

Last Look: Remembering Carnival Inspiration [PHOTOS]

Pin it for later!

• Norwegian Gem Set to Launch Cruises from Jacksonville in 2025
• Tender Issues Cause NCL Cruise Ships to Skip Venice
• The First Cruise Line in History Will Homeport in Washington, D.C.
• Carnival Expects Revenue Hit by Scraping Red Sea Transits on 12 Ships

Recent Posts

• Carnival Cruise Line Promises Celebration Key Will Be “Very Different” From Half Moon Cay — Here’s How
• Lee Mason Promoted to Fleet Cruise Director, Leaving Carnival Venezia
• Carnival Cruise Ship Held at Sea Until New Orleans Port Reopens
• Hurricane Francine Keeps Carnival Cruise Ship at Sea

Bringing you 15 years of cruise industry experience. Cruise Radio prioritizes well-balanced cruise news coverage and accurate reporting, paired with ship reviews and tips.   

Quick links

Cruise Radio, LLC © Copyright 2009-2024 | Website Designed By   Insider Perks, Inc

Transportation History

Finding the unexpected in the everyday.

1984: A Royal Princess Launched This Aptly Named Ship

November 19, 1984

The record-setting cruise ship Royal Princess embarked on her maiden voyage, departing from Southampton, England, for Miami, Florida, with approximately 700 passengers on board. The transatlantic trip began only four days after the British-registered vessel, which had been built for Princess Cruises by the Finnish corporation Wärtsilä at its Helsinki shipyard, was christened at Southampton by Diana, Princess of Wales.

Hundreds of invited children were in attendance to watch Diana crack a bottle of Krug champagne against the ship. Other dignitaries at the ceremony included Mauno Koivisto, President of Finland. “Diana, wearing a bright red suit and hat, was launching her first ship,” reported the Canadian Press news agency. “She pulled a white lever to release the specially doctored bottle which broke successfully against the white hull.”

The Royal Princess, at a cost of $165 million, was the most expensive passenger ship built up to that time. It also had the distinction of being the first cruise ship to have only outside passenger cabins (oceanview rooms lining the edges of the vessel) rather than any inside passenger cabins (rooms built in the middle of a deck and without windows or other outlets for outdoor views)

The ship left Southampton for her maiden voyage shortly after 1:00 p.m. on November 19, and the rough conditions that she soon encountered invited comparisons with an ill-fated ship from more than seven decades earlier. A Knight-Ridder Newspapers article reported, “The Titanic ran into ice. The Royal Princess ran into 60-knot [111.1-kilometers-per-hour] winds with the blow of a hurricane. Both were on their maiden trans-Atlantic voyages from Southampton, England, to America. Both were being called the most luxurious, expensive ships ever built. Both ran into a little bad luck their first time out.”

As the Knight-Ridder account also confirmed, however, the Royal Princess – unlike the Titanic – stayed afloat. This was due to Captain John Young of the Royal Princess maneuvering the ship well out of harm’s way and taking her south past the Azores before turning west to Miami. While this emergency detour helped ensure the safety of the Royal Princess and everyone on board, it also delayed the arrival in Miami by two days.

This delay resulted in the cancellation of various festivities planned to welcome the Royal Princess to the United States. There was still live coverage of the ship’s arrival on November 29 by the television show Good Morning America . In addition, the ship’s crew and passengers were thrown a lavish party that was also attended by the cast of the long-running television series The Love Boat . The Royal Princess subsequently appeared on the series a few times as the cruise ship S.S. Pacific Princess.

The Royal Princess remained in service with Princess Cruises until 2005, when she was transferred to P&O Cruises and renamed Artemis. As Artemis, the ship made history yet again when Sarah Breton took charge as her captain in 2010. Breton was the first woman to command a major cruise ship for P&O Cruises. Even more significantly, she was only the second woman in the world to assume such a role. (Karin Stahre-Janson became the first woman to command a major cruise ship when she took charge of MS Monarch of the Seas of Royal Caribbean Cruises in 2007.)

Artemis sailed for P&O Cruises until 2011, when she was transferred to the fleet of cruise ships operated by the travel agency Phoenix Reisen. Artemis was renamed MV Artania by Phoenix Reisen and remains in service with that organization today.

For more information on MV Artania (previously called Royal Princess and Artemis), please check out http://www.doverferryphotosforums.co.uk/mv-artania-past-and-present/ and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MV_Artania .

A short video of Diana, Princess of Wales, christening the ship in 1984 is available at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_G6RlhRvCUY .

Share this:

2 thoughts on “ 1984: a royal princess launched this aptly named ship ”.

Great, but what about Allure of the Seas:

Allure of the Seas – world’s biggest cruise ship

When it left Turku, it was the largest cruise ship. Now it is, maybe, the second large.

Have a good day!

Wow, that’s nice 🙂

Like Liked by 1 person

Leave a comment Cancel reply

Create a website or blog at WordPress.com

• Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
• Subscribe Subscribed
• Copy shortlink
• Report this content
• View post in Reader
• Manage subscriptions
• Collapse this bar

Cruise Ship Odyssey

• Annual news review

Cruise industry news 1980 – 1989

• June 14, 2023

DFDS forms Scandinavian World Cruises to operate one day cruises out of Miami. Later the name of the company is changed to SeaEscape Cruises, still existing today.

Conversion of the SS France to become the Norway is completed; she is the largest cruise ship in the world when she is introduced.

Norwegian America Cruises is formed to manage former North Atlantic Liners Sagafjord and Vistafjord as cruise ships after they are retired from transatlantic liner service.

Royal Viking Star lenghtened in Bremerhaven by AG Weser (sister ships Royal Viking Sky and Royal Viking Sea will follow).

Uganda, Canberra and QE2 are sent to the Falkland Islands, acting as hospital/ troopships during the Falkland War between England and Argentina.

Cunard Purchases Norwegian America Cruises along with it’s two ships Saga- and Vistafjord.

Lindblad Explorer is the first passenger ship to navigate the Northwest Passage through pack-ice.

Kloster (owner of Norwegian Caribbean Line) purchases Royal Viking Line, a company owning three 5-star ships sailing on world wide itineraries.

Several new cruise operators are founded: Regency Cruises, Windstar Cruises, Dolphin Cruises and Sundance Cruises.

Founded a year earlier, Premier Cruises starts operations.

– Former DFDS cruise ferry Scandinavia starts sailing for Sundance Cruises as Stardancer on the US West Coast. She replaces Sundancer which became a victim of fire a year earlier.

– For the first time, Royal Caribbean Cruise Line will operate a vessel from another port than Miami. Nordic Prince will make seven day cruises from New York to Bermuda.

– The Holiday enters service for Carnival Cruise Lines. Measuring 46.050 GRT, she is the first of the new breed of mega- cruise ships.

– Admiral cruises is formed by merging Eastern & Western Cruises & Sundance Cruises.

– Radisson Diamond Enters service, the world’s first SWATH cruise ship meaning Small Waterplane Area Twin Hull, making her look like a catamaran. This hull form makes her a very stable ship.

– NCL changes name fom Norwegian Caribbean Lines to Norwegian Cruise Line and a new logo is introduced.

– Swedish Kockums shipyard goes bankrupt after delivery of cruise ships Jubilee (1986) and Celebrations (1987) to Carnival Cruise Line.

– The Windsong, owned by Windstar Cruises enters service; she is the world’s first sail assisted cruise ship.

– Sea Goddes Cruises, operating two small 5-star yacht cruisers Sea Goddes I and II is taken over by Cunard Line, which wants to expand in the luxury segment of the cruise industry.

– HAL acquires 50% of Windstar Cruises. Windstar operates two sail ships and has a third on order at the time.

– Queen Elizabeth 2, one of the world’s largest and most famous cruise ships converted from steam to diesel electric power at Lloyd Werft.

– Seabourn Cruises first 5- star luxury cruise ship Seabourn Pride is introduced.

– Admiral Cruises merges with Royal Caribbean Cruises.

– Royal Caribbean takes delivery of the Sovereign of the Seas. Measuring 73.192GRT, she is the world’s largest cruise ship.

– Home Line ceases operations.

– Sitmar Cruises is purchased by Princess Cruises.

– Carnival tries to take over competitor Royal Caribbean Cruise Line but does not succeed.

– HAL takes over the remaining 50% of Windstar cruises, and is taken over itself by Carnival Cruise Lines.

– Wartsila, famous yard and builder of cruise ships goes bankrupt, and is taken over by new owners Kvaerner, new name: Kvaerner MASA yards.

– Chandris Cruises, which operates a fleet of elderly liners converted to cruise ships launches Celebrity Cruises, an upscale brand which in turn will operate luxury, modern ships.

– Renaissance Cruises formed.

– Mitsui OSK introduces the Fuji Maru, a cruise ship mainly catering for the domestic Japanese cruise market.

– Lindblad Travel, the firm that started soft expedition cruising, closes it’s doors.

– Aloha Pacific Cruises, a company which organised cruises in Hawaiian waters goes bankrupt: Monterey, their only ship is put up for sale. She is sold to Mediterranean Shipping Cruises the following year.

Recent Posts

Giovanni “Nino” Zoncada (1898-1988)

Italian furniture and passenger ship

Gio Ponti (1891 – 1979)

In 1928, Italian architect and

Built 1988, Fred. Olsen Cruise

Daniel Adamson “The Danny” (1903 – present)

She started life in 1903

• Cruise ship interiors
• Out of service
• Static ships
• Ships on order

Though campy by modern standards, The Love Boat 's debut in 1977 marked an unheralded turning point for the cruise industry. With the arrival of the Aaron Spelling production, Americans started thinking about cruises not as something from a 1930s, high-society drama set aboard a grand ocean liner, but as a vacation for the average person.

“People could see these big movie stars like Lana Turner or Van Johnson portray ordinary people in very ordinary situations,” says Michael L. Grace, a cruise industry historian at Cruising the Past and former scriptwriter for the TV series. “They could identify with the actors and see that it was very comfortable to go on a cruise ship .”

Impressive as it may have been at the time, the Titanic was a dinghy compared to today’s ships.

Of course, the iconic TV show's reliance on romantic drama propelled it to a surprising nine seasons. But fast-forward 40 years, and the idea of a cruise from L.A. to Acapulco (the Love Boat ’s usual itinerary) in itself seems quaint today; itineraries now span the globe. Among a cruise’s highlights from days gone by were midnight buffets, shuffleboard, and disco dancing; nowadays, a cruise is hardly worth mentioning unless its deckside attractions are bigger, splashier, and more thrilling than anything to come before.

Flashy innovations abound. They include the serious (stabilizers and bow thrusters, minimizing the chances of seasickness) and the frivolous (robot bartenders); the architectural (the omnipresent central atrium) and the thoughtful (studio staterooms for single travelers). And those creations, concepts, and contraptions are the results of the cruise lines’ continual reinvention.

Culinary Reinvention

Thirty or forty years ago, meals on cruise ships were known for one primary quality: volume. All-you-can-eat midnight buffets, serve-yourself ice cream machines, cheap and plentiful booze, and a “classy” sit-down dinner with roast leg of pork or prime rib of beef au jus. That was then.

Gone now is the midnight buffet; today, you’re more apt to find healthy-dining choices and specialty restaurants . The number of celebrity chefs who currently create menus for cruise lines is impressive: Jacques Pépin for Oceania, Nobu Matsuhisa for Crystal, Jamie Oliver for Royal Caribbean, Roy Yamaguchi for MSC, Guy Fieri for Carnival, and on and on. Thomas Keller, the Michelin-star chef behind Napa’s The French Laundry and New York’s Per Se , not only creates the menus for many of Seabourn’s restaurants, he requires the cruise line to use the same high-end purveyors he uses in his own restaurants, and even selects the background music and volume levels. Equally important was the introduction of freestyle dining in 2000 by Norwegian Cruise Line , allowing guests to take their meals when they wanted, and with whom they wanted.

Activity Reinvention

A vintage 1973 brochure from Holland America speaks glowingly of all you can do to occupy your time at sea : Dance lessons! A “crazy” masquerade ball! Sun bathing! Bridge tournaments!

Compare that to the activities on a modern, massive cruise ship: surf on wave machines; slosh around elaborate water-slide parks ; paralyze yourself with fear on zip lines; sample wines; climb a rock wall; bliss out with cutting-edge spa treatments ; challenge yourself with ropes courses; blow your mind in an IMAX theater; shop for Cartier jewelry in a high-end boutique; and take an acting class with teachers from the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts.

“Ever since Disney changed the game by entering the cruise market in 1998, other cruise lines have done what they can to up the ‘wow’ factor,” says Joe Kleiman, news editor of InPark Magazine , which covers theme parks, water parks, and other attractions. Kleiman points especially to Royal Caribbean, whose recently launched Ovation of the Seas has a bumper car ride, a sky-diving simulator, and an observation pod that cantilevers 300 feet above the ocean for 360-degree views of, well, water, water, everywhere.

“There are now so many options of what to do on a ship,” says Kleiman. “You could spend a week on board fully engaged without seeing land.”

The insides of ships continue to evolve.

Size Reinvention

The RMS Titanic , the largest ship ever built when it launched in 1912, was 882 feet long and could carry 2,566 passengers. Impressive as it may have been at the time, the Titanic was a dinghy compared to today’s ships. Royal Caribbean’s Harmony of the Seas , for instance, is 1,188 feet long and carries 5,494 passengers. At the same time, luxury cruise lines like Seabourn, Regent Seven Seas, Crystal, Oceania, Silversea , and other lines sailing ships in the 400-1,200-passenger range revel in their more exclusive nature—an industry dichotomy that has been growing since the late 1980s, when Royal Caribbean introduced its gargantuan Sovereign class of ships.

But to many travelers, bigger isn’t better.

“On smaller ships especially, people are so friendly,” says Muffy Harmar, a retired Pan Am air hostess , English solicitor, oncology nurse, and veteran of some 45 cruises. “People you’ve just met will say, ‘Oh, do join us for breakfast’ and ‘What are you doing for dinner tonight?’”

Destination Reinvention

The vast size of the largest ships, with a draft of up to 30 feet, limits the ports that can accommodate them. Those Brobdingnagian vessels don’t need to dock, of course; they can anchor offshore and tender the passengers to dry land, but that’s not a popular alternative with many travelers. So the itineraries of the big ships aren’t much different now than those of The Love Boat and its contemporaries of the 1970s and ’80s: the Caribbean , Mexico’s West Coast, the Mediterranean, and Bermuda.

The reinvention of cruise-ship itineraries has been left in the hands of the smaller luxury and expedition ships . Among recent options are the Northwest Passage on the Crystal Serenity , Saigon and Sihanoukville on Oceania’s Nautica , Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, on Silversea’s Silver Explorer , and Maputo, Mozambique, on Regent’s Seven Seas Explorer . In fact, you could hardly lay a finger on an atlas without getting in the way of one cruise destination or another.

Balconies are almost de rigeur these days.

Stateroom Reinvention

Inside cabins on Fred Olsen Lines’ Black Watch , built in 1971, are 140 square feet. Compare that to 185 square feet, the size of the average inside stateroom on Carnival’s current fleet. And the difference in amenities then and now is equally striking. Flat-screen TVs, mini fridges, safes, telephones, and hair dryers are commonplace, and even balconies are increasingly de rigueur in modern cruise ship design.

Entertainment Reinvention

In the 1970s and early ’80s, an evening’s onboard entertainment revolved around passenger talent shows, after-dinner dancing to a live orchestra, and quartets of semi-pro singer-dancers in homemade costumes. The Love Boat scriptwriter Michael Grace says all that changed after a popular episode in which Ann Miller, Ethel Merman, Carol Channing, and Della Reese performed on the ship’s stage. “After that,” he says, “dancing and an orchestra weren’t enough.”

That’s putting it mildly. The recently launched Carnival Vista features a showroom with LED lighting and colorful lasers. Disney Cruise Line got multi-Oscar-winner Alan Menken to write songs for an original production on the Disney Magic . The World Stage theater on Holland America’s Koningsdam is nearly surrounded by LED screens that form a 250-foot-long, two-story tall backdrop to the stage and audience, creating a near 3-D experience.

Safety Reinvention

The international Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) treaty, proposed in 1914, was a direct result of the sinking of the Titanic . Updated numerous times since then, it governs such maritime security issues as fire safety, lifeboats, and construction techniques, including watertight compartments so a ship can remain afloat even if damaged. Recently the U.S. Defense Department began sharing a new technology, Long-Range Acoustic Device (LRAD), which emits an eardrum-busting sound that can be aimed at pirates. (The Seabourn Spirit successfully fended off marauders near the coast of East Africa in 2005 with LRAD.) And a manual called Bridge Resource Management has successfully increased safety through enhanced communications among ship officers .

“It’s very safe, an excellent system,” says Geir-Arne Thue-Nilsen, captain of the Seabourn Encore and the longest-serving captain in the line’s fleet. “I support it 100 percent.” And, let’s face it: Safety on a cruise ship is of paramount importance because, otherwise, how can you get full enjoyment from the Sun Deck zipline and the laser-light-enhanced Broadway production in the show lounge?

By signing up you agree to our User Agreement (including the class action waiver and arbitration provisions ), our Privacy Policy & Cookie Statement and to receive marketing and account-related emails from Traveller. You can unsubscribe at any time. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

This is the announcement bar for Poornima to test the Close Button.  It will expire May 31 2024.

• Pre-Cruise FAQ
• Onboard FAQ
• Post-Cruise FAQ
• Cruisetours FAQ
• Special Offers Sign Up
• Cruise Deals

You have been logged out

Your window will update in 5 secs

The History of Princess Cruises: A Timeline of Key Events

• Company founder Stanley B. McDonald charters Princess Patricia and forms Princess Cruises - first winter season of Mexico cruises starts in November
• Princess Patricia returned to owners
• Princess Italia chartered (one of first modern ships built specifically for cruising)
• First Panama Canal cruises (company pioneered regularly scheduled Canal cruises)
• Princess Carla chartered
• Seawitch logo makes first appearance
• Boise Cascade purchases Princess
• First transatlantic sailing (13-day Nassau-Genoa, Princess Italia)
• First Alaska season (Princess Italia)
• Stanley McDonald repurchases Princess from Boise Cascade
• Princess Carla returned to owners
• Island Princess joins fleet (formerly Island Venture)
• Princess Tours founded
• Princess Italia returned to owners
• Princess acquired by the Pennisular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O)
• Pacific Princess joins fleet (formerly Sea Venture)
• Sun Princess joins fleet (formerly P&O's Spirit of London)
• "The Love Boat" TV series developed by producer Aaron Spelling; Princess agrees to become backdrop for the show
• "The Love Boat" begins filming
• Princess Tours acquires Johansen Royal Tours
• Stanley McDonald departs company
• Princess begins calling at first private Caribbean island, Palm Island in Grenadines
• Royal Princess joins fleet (innovative ship features all outside cabins)
• Pacific Princess launches company's first Mediterranean season
• First major cruise line to base a ship in San Diego (Pacific Princess to Mexico)
• Sea Princess joins fleet from P&O (formerly Kungsholm)
• New "Voyage of the Glaciers" route debuts (Vancouver/Whittier on Sea Princess)
• New private island, Mayreau (Grenadines), replaces Palm Island
• Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge opens
• First Caribbean cruises from Miami
• First Asia cruises (Royal Princess)
• First Northern Europe (Baltic) cruises
• P&O acquires Sitmar Cruises
• Dawn Princess joins fleet (formerly Fairwind)
• Fair Princess joins fleet (formerly Fairsea)
• Sky Princess joins fleet (formerly Fairsky)
• Sun Princess sold
• First Midnight Sun Express Railcars built
• Star Princess joins fleet
• Crown Princess joins fleet
• Kenai Princess Wilderness Lodge opens
• Captain's Circle loyalty program begins
• Regal Princess joins fleet
• Sea Princess transferred to P&O as Victoria
• New private island launched (Princess Cays in Eleuthera)
• Golden Princess chartered (formerly Royal Viking Sky)
• Dawn Princess sold
• Fairbanks Princess Hotel opens
• Sun Princess joins fleet (debuts largest number of balcony cabins)
• First 24-hour café debuts
• Fair Princess transferred to P&O Australia
• Golden Princess returned to owner
• C.R.U.I.S.E. customer service program debuts
• Dawn Princess joins fleet
• Star Princess transferred to P&O becoming Arcadia
• Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge opens
• Grand Princess joins fleet 
• Sea Princess joins fleet
• "Love Boat: the Next Wave" debuts
• First world cruise (Island Princess -- 64 days Rome/San Francisco)
• First wedding chapel and wedding program at sea
• Santa Clarita, California customer service center opens
• Princess Cays expanded
• Island Princess sold
• Company web site debuts
• P&O Princess International demerged from P&O
• Ocean Princess joins fleet
• Sky Princess transferred to P&O Australia becoming Pacific Sky
• First Bermuda cruises (program ran 2000-02)
• Fleet transferred to British/Bermuda registry
• Personal Choice Dining debuts on Grand Princess
• Golden Princess joins fleet
• Princess headquarters moves to Santa Clarita, California
• Use of shore power debuts in Juneau
• Original Pacific Princess sold
• Tahitian Princess joins fleet
• Crown Princess transferred to A'ROSA becoming A'ROSA Blu
• Ocean Princess transferred to P&O Cruises becoming Oceana
• Copper River Princess Wilderness Lodge opened
• P&O Princess International acquired by Carnival Corporation 
• Coral Princess joins fleet
• New Pacific Princess joins fleet
• New Island Princess joins fleet
• Sea Princess transferred to P&O Cruises becoming Adonia
• First Antarctica cruise
• Cunard Line integrated into Princess operations
• Diamond Princess joins fleet
• Caribbean Princess joins fleet
• Sapphire Princess joins fleet
• First Movies Under the Stars screen debuts
• First Caribbean sailings from Galveston, Texas
• Royal Princess transferred to P&O Cruises becoming Artemis
• Sea Princess returns to Princess fleet
• Princess Cruises celebrates 40th anniversary
• First Sanctuary debuts
• Emerald Princess joins fleet
• New Royal Princess joins fleet
• First Chef’s Table debuts
• Regal Princess transferred to P&O Australia becoming Pacific Dawn
• Ruby Princess joins fleet
• Ultimate Ship Tour debuts
• Shore power begins in Vancouver
• Tahitian Princess renamed Ocean Princess
• Royal Princess transferred to P&O Cruises to sail as Adonia
• Digital travel documents debut
• Bon Voyage Experience program begins
• eZAir program debuts
• Shore Power begins in San Francisco
• Gavin MacLeod 80th birthday party on Golden Princess
• Most significant drydock transformation – Grand Princess
• Princess launches first blog – “50 Essential Experiences”
• “Inspired to Cruise” blog debuts
• First Entertainer of the Year competition held onboard
• “Linked by the Sea” blog debuts
• Japan-based cruising begins
• New Royal Princess joins fleet (christened by The Duchess of Cambridge)
• First "Cruising with a Cause" cruise to support U.S. veterans charities
• New Regal Princess joins fleet
• New Princess@Sea Messenger debuts giving guests the opportunity to stay connected with fellow cruisers using mobile messenger app
• Princess Cruises celebrates 50th anniversary including the cruise line’s very first cruise ship float in the iconic annual New Year’s Day Rose Parade, along with special onboard activities and food and beverage offerings
• Princess Cruises launches “Come Back New Promise” – a $450 million, multi-year product innovation, cruise ship renovation and guest experience enhancement campaign, highlighting new partnerships with Chef Curtis Stone, Chef Ernesto Uchimura, Master Chocolatier Norman Love, award-winning composer and songwriter Stephen Schwartz, Sleep Dr. Michael Breus with the development of the Princess Luxury Bed and brand partnership with Discovery Communications “Discovery at Sea,” featuring innovative activities and shore excursions
• Princess Cruises, with parent company Carnival Corporation, introduces  MedallionClass  Vacations enabled by the  Medallion®, the vacation industry’s most advanced wearable device
• Majestic Princess joins the fleet
• Princess MedallionClass debuts onboard Caribbean Princess, along with MedallionNet, the fastest Wi-Fi at sea
• Sky Princess joins the fleet, debuting new Sky Suites
• Princess Cruises celebrates 50 years of cruising to Alaska and opens Fannie Q’s Saloon at Denali Princess Wilderness Lodge
• The Reef Family Splash Zone debuts onboard Caribbean Princess
• Princess breaks the  GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS  title for the  largest multi-location vow renewal  after 1,443 couples reaffirmed their love for one another during simultaneous ceremonies onboard three ships
• Enchanted Princess joins the fleet
• Golden Princess, Sea Princess, Star Princess and Sun Princess leave the fleet
• All 14 ships in the Princess Cruises fleet offer Princess MedallionClass Experience and Princess MedallionNet, the best Wi-Fi at sea
• Pacific Princess leaves the fleet
• Princess Cruises celebrates the 90th birthday of Brand Ambassador Gavin MacLeod, everyone’s favorite Captain Stubing of “The Love Boat”

Media Contacts

Contact information for members of the media

Media Relations Department, Princess Cruises 24305 Town Center Drive Santa Clarita, CA 91355

Phone : 1 661 753 1530 Email :  [email protected]

Not a member of the media? 

Contact us at: 1-800-PRINCESS (1-800-774-6237) or 1-661-753-0000

More contact information is available on our Contact Us page

Previewing: Promo Dashboard Campaigns

• Favorites & Watchlist Find a Cruise Cruise Deals Cruise Ships Destinations Manage My Cruise​ FAQ Perfect Day at CocoCay Weekend Cruises Crown & Anchor Society Cruising Guides Gift Cards Contact Us Royal Caribbean Group
• Back to Main Menu
• Search Cruises " id="rciHeaderSideNavSubmenu-2-1" class="headerSidenav__link" href="/cruises" target="_self"> Search Cruises
• Cruise Deals
• Weekend Cruises
• Last Minute Cruises
• Family Cruises​
• 2024-2025 Cruises
• All Cruise Ships " id="rciHeaderSideNavSubmenu-4-1" class="headerSidenav__link" href="/cruise-ships" target="_self"> All Cruise Ships
• Cruise Dining
• Onboard Activities
• Cruise Rooms
• The Cruise Experience
• All Cruise Destinations " id="rciHeaderSideNavSubmenu-5-1" class="headerSidenav__link" href="/cruise-destinations" target="_self"> All Cruise Destinations
• Cruise Ports
• Shore Excursions
• Perfect Day at CocoCay
• Caribbean Cruises
• Bahamas Cruises​
• Alaska Cruises
• European Cruises​
• Mediterranean Cruises​
• Royal Destinations
• Cruise Planner
• Make a Payment
• Check-In for My Cruise
• Beverage Packages​
• Shore Excursions​
• Book a Flight
• Dining Packages​
• Royal Gifts
• Required Travel Documents
• Transportation
• Book a Hotel
• Redeem Cruise Credit
• All FAQs " id="rciHeaderSideNavSubmenu-7-1" class="headerSidenav__link" href="/faq" target="_self"> All FAQs
• Boarding Requirements
• Future Cruise Credit​
• Travel Documents​
• Check-in​ & Boarding Pass
• Transportation​
• Perfect Day at CocoCay​
• Post-Cruise Inquiries
• Royal Caribbean
• Celebrity Cruises

The Greatest 80’s Party Ever!

{{dresscode }}

Restrictions

{{experience.ageRestriction}}

{{experience.heightRestriction}}

{{experience.weightRestriction}}

{{experience.ageRange}}

How to reserve

{{experience.howToReserve}}

How to purchase

{{experience.howToPurchase}}

{{info.title}}

{{info.body}}

My Personas

Code: ∅.

• Join Mailing List
• Booked Guests
• Cruise Experience

TAGLINE SVG GOES HERE

The all-inclusive ultimate 80s party.

The 80s Cruise beckons devotees of this most radical decade to break out the big hair, legwarmers and boom boxes for the ultimate celebration of 80s music and culture on an All-Inclusive 7-day cruise. Join an incredible lineup of artists for more than 50 concerts and live performances, nightly themed parties and unparalleled celebrity interaction.

OUR PARTY BOAT: The music is not the only reason to sail on this All-Inclusive Ultimate 80s Party, you will spend seven days aboard the luxurious Navigator of the Seas . With more than a dozen bars, restaurants, clubs, lounges, a dazzling casino, luxurious spa and expansive pool deck, this ship is a destination of its own!

NON-STOP ACTION: Each day and night is jam packed with excellent events tailored for the adults who grew up loving the 80s as a kid, including special meet and greets, Q&As with your favorite artists, interactive Trivia Sessions, 80s Karaoke, friendly competitions and a week-long party that never slows down. There is nowhere else on the planet that delivers the nonstop 80s awesomeness and unique, unforgettable moments that you will experience on The 80s Cruise !

Awesome Activities

When you aren’t dancing and singing along to a Main Stage concert, you’ll be on the pool deck making a splash or in a retro-rad lounge belting out 80s classics. The 80s Cruise delivers an action-packed week of Awesome Activities! We’re talking... Pub Crawls, Cobra Kai Karaoke, Let’s Get Physical Aerobics, Big 80s Trivia, 80s Video Games and so much more. Our 80s Camp Counselors make sure every day is like Spring Break (For Adults).

Excellent Events

On The 80s Cruise , you won’t just see your favorite 80s musicians and icons perform on stage, you will also interact with them during our radical series of Excellent Events. Think star-studded game shows, tasting and cooking demos led by artists, interview and panel discussions, vow renewal and more. Every 80s-infused event will make you laugh, smile, sing and dance your way back in time to our favorite decade.

Tubular Theme Nights

How did The 80s Cruise earn the title of "The Ultimate 80s Party?" It takes a killer lineup of iconic 80s bands, but our rock star guests take the party to the max at the Tubular Theme Nights. Pack accordingly! Each night’s theme sets the stage, and our guests knock it out of the park with show-stopping costumes that turn heads and turn back the clocks. It may take you some time to plan, but memories of these Theme Night parties will live on forever!

Cookies help us deliver our services. By using our services, you agree to our use of cookies.  More Information