Cruise ship holidays are a major part of the international tourist trade and are now available to suit many different budgets, where they were once solely the preserve of the very wealthy.

Cruise ship holidays originated with the lengthy passenger ship crossings that used to be the only way to cross the Atlantic. Shipping companies, such as the Titanic’s White Star Line, began to pay serious attention to interior design and on-board entertainment, in an attempt to out do the competition.

Today, holidaymakers can travel to most parts of the world on a cruise liner and Antarctica has become a favoured destination for those looking for a different kind of holiday experience, as the continent can only be viewed by ship.

Cruise ships are some of the largest sea-going vessels in operation and the larger models can carry several thousand passengers. The ship “Summit”, for example, holds over 2000 passengers and features a theatre, a library, a conservatory, several restaurants, a spa and measures almost 300 metres in length.