What year were cruise ships extremely popular?

Answer 1

The heyday of ocean cruising was from the mid-1920s through to the early 1960s. Although ocean cruises were very popular from Edwardian times, the Titanic disaster and then the threat of U-boat attack during WW1 put people off the idea for a while. However, once peace was restored the idea regained it's allure.

From the mid-'20s up until WW2, and then again after the War up until the early '60s, ocean cruising was THE ultimate holiday to have, giving people the chance to see the world, mix with rich & famous people, and show themselves off at their best. But by the Kennedy era, cruise lines were fast losing out to global jet airlines, which were cheaper and faster. The industry went into decline, although the really big operators such as Cunard continued to survive, with the QE2 launched in 1969. From the early 1970s up until the late '90s, ocean leisure cruising slumped, with most operators using old vessels that had been refitted, and only a minority of mostly elderly cruise enthusiasts using them. However, by the turn of the Millennium, it began to enjoy a revival. Prices for cruise holidays became much lower and within the reach of more and more ordinary people, as oppose to the well-off. New liners such as the Aurora and the Queen Mary 2 offered ultra-modern technological amenities, and Continental tour operators from Greece, Italy, Spain and other nations were able to offer special package deals for week or fortnight-long trips.

Despite the recent ill-fortunes of certain Greek and Italian liners, it would appear that the industry may be enjoying a revival.