With its irresistible promise of freedom, romance, and history, the cruise has always offered a timeless experience far removed from that of everyday life, ensuring that its allure has remained undiminished to this day. From its beginnings in the late 19th century to its renaissance in the 1970s, the world of the cruise has shown itself to be endlessly adaptable. Lavishly illustrated with photographs, both historic and contemporary, along with rare archive documents and pages from the private albums of passengers, this history invites readers aboard some of the world's most legendary cruise liners. From the earliest flimsy pleasure boats to the mighty steamers and floating palaces of recent times, take to the seas and journey to glamorous ports of call near and far, as you embark on a captivating voyage.