This book gives the reader a sense of the scope of the cruise ship industry, tracing the backgrounds of carious cruise lines and providing information about the time, money, and effort that go into the myriad details encountered between building plan and cruising itinerary. From architects, shipbuilders, and cruise operators to airlines, hotels, and tour companies, cruise ships have spawned a far-reaching network that affects millions of passengers and involves billions of dollars. 

As an added bonus, the wealth of information in a detailed appendix gives readers an instant history of the ships, including notes on specifications, builders, registry, and passenger capacity.