Cruise ship
A cruise ship is a passenger ship, whose task is not the transport service from one port to another, but the trip ( cruise) itself. Usually several interesting tourist destinations in a region or sea area in a given period are moving ahead on schedule.
- 6.1 Ship networks
- 6.2 emissions
Classification
Oasis of the Seas, which so far second largest cruise ship in the world
The Navigator of the Seas at the Port of Cadiz
The Royal Clipper before the Antilles
Dining room of the Adventure of the Seas
River cruise ship Katharina von Bora
The expedition cruise ship Fram Hurtigruten ASA shipping
The Ruby Princess for 1200 man crew and up to 3030 travelers
First and foremost, let cruise ships divided on the basis of their area of application in ocean and river cruise ships. Worldwide Cruise were interested in the high seas area in 2008 a total of 310 ships with a capacity of 370,000 beds.
There are different ways to categorize ships. Divisions according to their size, business model or lifestyles are common. Depending on the interests, character, age and financial situation of travelers are luxury, adventure, education, culture, entertainment, fitness, wellness, special topics, or recreation in the foreground. The size, equipment and crew is adapted to the target group.
By Size
If one divides ocean-going cruise ships on their size, measured in gross tonnage and passenger capacity, results in the following classification:
Another distinction that is defined by the size, is the classification of ships of the Post -Panamax class, which are navigating the Panama Canal can not happen because of their size.
Browse by category
Cruise ships can be classified also by awarding stars. Each cruise line itself may be awarded, in principle, their ships star, but this is hardly used, but over most of the shipping companies the judgment of the recognized British ship contributor Douglas Ward, published annually its ratings for practical tests in a Book: Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships ( sarcastically " cruise liner Bible ").
Ships can be also according to the type of cruise that is performed on each ship, categorized it. One can differentiate between luxury cruises, cruises classic comfort and contemporary cruises. ( for more information, see: Cruises )
Prerequisite
Before a cruise ship may carry passengers, it must be removed from one of the world classification societies. The obtained certificate under SOLAS certified the ship then its seaworthiness, as well as the safety of passengers.
History
The invention of the cruise is the German shipowner Albert Ballin attributed, Director General of Hamburg Hapag. Since the transatlantic crossings were significantly less booked because of the bad weather and the restless lake in winter, sent Ballin the Augusta Victoria in 1891 as a test to " educational and amusement ride " into the Mediterranean. This movement was successful through and through - the ship was fully booked, the born " cruise ". This form of the voyage was popular very quickly, many cruise lines offered in their program in addition to cruises.
In the second half of the 20th century, the demand changed completely from the passage ( passage ) for Cruise: The development of the airliner, the proportion of air traffic increased over long distances; Shipping companies lost correspondingly in the passenger business and focus more on cruises and discovered other sources of revenue as the country stays with organized tours. By the end of the 1990er/Anfang 2000s were still very many cruise ships in operation, which had been built as a passenger ship. Examples are the former French flagship France, Norway later, the Queen Elizabeth 2 or Rotterdam. Chance also sailing ships were converted for this purpose, such as the Sea Cloud or newly built, such as the Royal Clipper.
Current situation
Meanwhile, large passenger ships are usually only as cruise ships, such as the Allure of the Seas, currently the largest ship, or built as ferries. Classic " liners " ( ships of the line in the merchant navy ) are only a niche market in action. One example is for the Queen Mary 2 in the British Cunard Line, which offers seasonal scheduled services between New York and Southampton next cruises. It's worth it, even today, since, among other many passengers book with fear of flying these trips. The ships of the specialized shipping companies are similar to each other largely and mainly differ by whether they were built for the medium-or high -priced, which is reflected in cabin size and number, number of dining rooms and spaces in casinos and frequency of change of passengers at special terminals. Most new construction with numerous standard cabins are consciously made for a medium mass audience, the few large luxury suites are more of a loss-making business, but important for image building of the ship.
A special feature called expedition cruise ships dar. This specifically equipped usually ships have, if they are employed about in polar or subpolar regions, a higher ice class. A modern expeditionary ship, the Fram. The Bremen is operated by a German shipowner. The Polar Star is a converted icebreaker is for the Norwegian shipping company Hurtigruten ASA in the polar regions in use.
The list of cruise ships contains a sortable collection of cruise ships.
The concentration of the premium cruise regionally or on all the oceans can be seen with the aid of the list of cruise lines cruise ships.
Overall, there are currently (as of 2012) about 300 cruise ships in the world. There are also around 800 river cruise ships worldwide.
Development in the coming years
From 2008 to 2012, 31 new ships will be put on the market, which increases the capacity by 76,600 lower beds.
Looking at the new ships in this period more accurately, a trend towards larger vessels is evident. Two -thirds of new ships have space for more than 2,000 passengers and thus belong to the category Mega ships. The culmination of this trend is the Allure of the Seas with a gross tonnage of more than 200,000 and space for 6,300 passengers, which was placed as far the largest cruise ship in service in 2010.
These so-called mega ships are increasingly becoming the actual destination ( with parks, shopping centers, skating rinks, etc.) and are destinations ( destinations ) to land on the basis of many innovative facilities and leisure opportunities in nothing. Mega ships pose many of the traditional ports of call and places with difficult and expensive logistical problems; as in the provision of extra-long pier, on bus, shopping and dining capacity, etc. So only 3 major ports can be re-routed around the popular week-long Caribbean cruises from Florida ports instead of 5-8. In particular, the general health and wellness trend is reflected in the construction of new ships. On board, a host of modern treatments, restaurants, health-conscious and minor cosmetic procedures are offered.
Technology
Modern cruise ships have a diesel-electric drive and have stabilizing fins to damp rolling motions.
In Wärtsilä there is a concept for a cruise ship with 65,000 GT ( " Handysize " ) with LNG propulsion.
Ship networks
Especially on large cruise ships is modern technology important. With the development of digital technologies and the Internet grew, the demands on cruise ships in terms of network equipment. This affects not only the comfort of the passengers ( Internet, etc.), but also the drive and control technology and communication of crew with the rest of the world. For this reason, modern cruise ships with powerful and fail-safe computer networks are equipped. As often very harsh environments for wiring on ships exist (vibration and heat in the engine rooms, etc.), often get the same products as used in the field of industrial data cabling ( Industrial Ethernet).
Emissions
Marine diesel engines are operated with heavy fuel oil, which is a waste product from the petroleum refining and actually has a high sulfur content. The resulting environmental effects are highly controversial. According to calculations by the environmental organization BUND a cruise ship per passenger kilometer generates more than three times as much carbon dioxide as a Boeing 747
Also, during the idle periods in port, the ships continue to supply itself with energy through the marine diesel engines, whereby sulfur dioxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, soot and dust is formed. This is also for inner-city ports with adjacent offices and homes - such as Hamburg and Bremen - environmentally relevant. Therefore, it was proposed to establish shore power connections, so that the ships from it derive their electrical power and the engines to shut down. Since there are no uniform standards for ports and current and voltage to a supply of shore power at the different types of ships, so far no solution could be found in Europe for this purpose yet.
Only after exposure to sulfur dioxide could be achieved at European level progress. The allowable sulfur content in fuel for ocean-going vessels, which invest in the EU, was reduced at the beginning of 2010 to 0.1 percent, while up to 1 percent are permitted on the open sea in the North and Baltic Sea.