The S.S. Prinzessin Victoria Luise, a passenger vessel with a gross register tonnage (GRT) of 4,409 tons, is credited as the first purpose-built cruise ship. Launched on June 29, 1900, the ship operated under the Hamburg-America Line (Hamburg-Amerikanische Packetfahrt-Actien-Gesellschaft, or HAPAG), which was then the largest shipping company in the world. Her service continued until December 16, 1906.
Following her launch in Hamburg, the Prinzessin Victoria Luise embarked on her first cruise, a 35-day voyage that included visits to ports in the West Indies and Venezuela. The ship’s maiden transatlantic voyage began on January 5, 1901, with stops in Boulogne and Plymouth before arriving in New York on January 17. From there, she departed on her inaugural cruise to the West Indies on January 26, carrying 200 passengers.
Subsequent voyages often followed similar itineraries, though destinations varied to include the Mediterranean, the Baltic Sea, and other regions. In the summer, Prinzessin Victoria Luise sailed to Norway and the Baltic; in the winter, she cruised the Mediterranean and Caribbean—four destinations that became staples of the early cruise industry. Throughout her service, she called at ports in New York, France, England, Ireland, Scotland, the North Cape of Norway, and St. Petersburg.
Albert Ballin, the director of HAPAG, envisioned a future in which leisurely sea travel would be accessible to anyone who could afford a ticket. The shipbuilding firm Blohm & Voss constructed a 407-foot, 4,419-ton vessel powered by twin-screw engines, capable of reaching speeds of up to 16 knots (approximately 19 miles per hour). For comparison, the Titanic—launched over a decade later—had a top speed of 23 knots. The vessel was painted entirely white and featured two masts—one located fore and the other aft—as well as two tall, slender funnels positioned amidships. She exhibited a rounded stern and an ornately decorated clipper bow, complete with a bowsprit bearing a figurehead of Princess Victoria Luise of Germany. Onboard amenities were extensive and luxurious, including a large gymnasium, a social hall, a library, a smoking room, and a palatial art gallery encircling the dining room. Additional facilities included spacious promenade decks, a ballroom for dancing, and a darkroom for amateur photographers. The ship was equipped with 120 first-class staterooms, each furnished in the European style with brass beds and double-light portholes that could be opened in warm climates. The design and service standards were intended to rival those of the finest European hotels. No provisions were made for accommodating lower-class passengers or transporting freight, underscoring the ship’s exclusive focus on elite leisure travel.
Although the ultra-wealthy parts of societies had their own private yachts, such vessels were not available for public bookings or charter. To appeal to passengers and ensure the venture’s commercial success, HAPAG marketed the Prinzessin Victoria Luise as a “cruising yacht,” even encouraging engineering journals to adopt this terminology.
References
- Austin, D. (2021, July 22). The history of the world’s first cruise ship built solely for luxurious travel. Smithsonian Magazine. https://www.smithsonianmag.com/history/worlds-first-cruise-ship-180978310/
- Brinnin, J. M. (1971). The sway of the grand saloon: A social history of the North Atlantic. Delacorte Press.
- Peter, B. (2017). Cruise ships: A design voyage. Ferry Publications.