Ocean Liner vs Cruise Ship
People who do not belong to the maritime industry tend to use the words cruise ship and ocean liners in the same breath as if the two types of vessels were the same. While it is true that both types of ships carry passengers in seas and oceans, there are many differences in construction, crew, and even purposes of the two different kinds of ships. This article highlights these differences so as to enable vacationers to know that the ship they are booking to have vacations on water is a cruise ship and not an ocean liner.
Ocean Liner
An ocean liner is a large vessel designed to transport passengers and cargo from one destination to another such as from a European coastline to a place in American coastline. An ocean liner has to be strong enough to withstand all kinds of weather so they are built making use of lots of steel in their hull. The bows of ocean liners are kept narrow and tapered long to make these ships cut through water easily. Ocean liners have a fixed schedule and routes in the oceans, and this requires more space for storage of fuel and food. Ocean liners move from one point to another as their destinations are fixed. Sea transport is the primary objective of an ocean liner though luxury holidays have become a part of these liners today.
Cruise Ship
A cruise ship is a contemporary word that describes a vessel built primarily for luxury vacations on water bodies. As long as the weather is good and the scenery is great, people don’t mind if the ship is even sailing or not. Though vacations are planned and cruise liners are said to move between ports, it would be rather correct to say that the beauty, luxury, and comfort of cruise ships make them a destination unto themselves. Today, cruise ships have become synonymous with luxury holidays. Most of the cruise ships have the same starting and ending point, and they sail here and there within picturesque settings.
Ocean Liner vs Cruise Ship
- The freeboard, which is the distance between the lowest open deck and water in the sea, is higher in ocean liners than in cruise ships. This is necessary as ocean liners have to pass through rough sea routes.
- Ocean liners have a heavier and stronger hull made of all steel than the hulls of cruise ships.
- Though cruise ships are considered the ultimate in luxury, costly hulls make ocean liners much more expensive than the cruise ships.
- As a mode of transport, ocean liners can attain higher speeds than cruise ships.
- Cruise ships are like floating luxury resorts while ocean liners move from point to point in the seas.
- The focus of the cruise ship is on fun all the way while ocean liners focus on transport in addition to fun.