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| Ship Types | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Cruise ships vary greatly in
passenger capacity (several
hundred to
a few thousand passengers), style (from the ultimate in luxury to neon
& disco) and amenities. No matter what you are looking for,
there
is a cruise ship style for you.
Ship size is usually expressed in Gross Registered Tons (GRT) which measures volume, not weight. 1 GRT = 100 cubic feet of enclosed revenue generating space. The breakdowns are... Super-Mega is anything over 100,000 GRTMega is anything between 70,000 and 100,000 GRT Large is anything between 40,000 and 70,000 GRT Small is anything between 10,000 and 40,000 GRT Boutique is anything smaller than 10,000 GRT Another common measurement is in terms of passenger capacity assuming double occupancy (each stateroom occupied by two people except those designed for single occupancy). To use the same breakdowns as above the breakdowns tend to be... Super-Mega is anything over 2,500 passengers Mega is anything between 1,800 and 2,500 passengers Large is anything between 1,000 and 1,800 passengers Small is anything between 500 and 1,000 passengers Boutique is anything smaller than 500 passengers Cruise Megaships, Megaliners or SuperlinersThey are designed for the typical relaxing pleasure trip, many having verandahs that afford beautiful private glimpses of the scenery. They have kind of a boxy look and offer picture windows rather than portholes. These ships are designed to be "floating resorts", each having a wide selection of cabins and other amenities for 1,500-3,000 cruisers. You can take a Virtual Reality Tour of the Veendam (slow-loading, but worth it).Ocean LinersCruise Liners concentrate on more outdoor spaces, and generally offer the 500 to1,500 passengers smaller staterooms, although a growing number of them boast private verandas.The Classic Liners were constructed to weather the coldest weather and the highest seas (thus the somewhat sheltered deck areas) while affording luxurious accomodations and amenities for 600 to 1,000 passemgers, and often the finest dining anywhere. Coastal CruisersThese ships offer about 100 cruisers very limited amenities and concentrate on the scenic experience.YachtsCatering to 50 to 350 passengers, these are probably the most luxurious. Cabins are usually larger and better appointed, and the amenities are more upscale. On private yachts 25 or so passengers will most often find the ultimate in luxurious (and mostly oceanview) accomodations and amenities. Itineraries on these smaller vessels are flexible since most are privately owned and operated.River ShipsThese small ships carry up to 200 passengers, and were constructed to navigate narrow rivers which stop at many ports-of-call. Do not expect luxury, fine dining or too many shipboard activities.Steamboats are built with a shallow draft to more easily navigate rivers. If you want a more relaxed atmosphere and enjoy watching the scenery go by, or are in a mood for gambling, you might enjoy this type ship. About 500 passengers can enjoy the on-board facilities, which are similar to those of a traditional cruise ship. Expedition ShipsThese trips are largely for the purpose of arriving at some port of interest, and have limited amenities which may focus on lectures instead of lounging.FerriesTake your vehicle with you on this short cruise...many of these ships have cabins and dining facilities similar to cruise ships, and some even offer entertainment of some kind.Ships Under SailUp to 500 passengers can enjoy a wide range of amenities on these ships. These may tend to be more casual in style, and even afford an opportunity to be part of the crew.BargesEven though there are facilities for only about a dozen passengers, they can enjoy private cabins and excellent dining on these narrow ships.FreightersThere is room for about 50 passengers who want to enjoy a no-pressure voyage with comfortable amenities.SanitationThe U.S. Public Health Center for Disease Control monitors the sanitation of all ships carrying 13 or more passengers that sail in international waters. They try to inspect each ship every six months and publish their findings every two weeks. Some cruise lines have an in-house sanitation department which keeps ships within the CDC guidelines. This system provides guidelines for safe operation, but does not require a ship to shut down if it scores badly. It can only make recommendations.SOLASFor ships that sail from U.S. ports, these Safety of Life at Sea regulations are enforced by the U.S. Coast Guard and involve inspectons of the ship's emergency epuipment, machinery and watertightmess of the hull. The ships are re-inspected quarterly, and can be prevented from sailing if determined to be unsafe. These rules are not enforced for cruises that originate in other regions. |
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