Most cruise strains use keyless entry systems that double as onboard bank cards, security checks, and room keys. The crew has six to twelve hours to ready the ship before the cycle starts again. In 1867, the paddle steamer Quaker City launched into the primary American-origin cruise tour. Mark Twain, who later wrote of his journey in The Innocent’s Abroad , was certainly one of several wealthy passengers on this round-trip journey from America to the Holy Land, Egypt, the Crimea, and Greece. At the time, merchant ships like Quaker City had been occasionally outfitted for leisure voyages in addition to their regular commercial activities. From this modest beginning, cruising—or taking a vacation trip by ship—evolved right into a vigorous and diversified segment of the tourism business.
- Passenger diversions include an ice skating rink, a rock climbing wall, a full-sized basketball court, the world’s largest roulette wheel, and a shopping