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84-491: MSC Divina is a cruise ship measured at 139,400  gross tonnage  (GT) owned and operated by MSC Cruises . She was constructed from 2010 to 2012 being originally named MSC Fantastica while under construction. MSC renamed her when near complete in the shipyard to honour the actress Sophia Loren . The MSC Divina is the third ship of the four Fantasia -class cruise ships , built after MSC Splendida and MSC Fantasia , and followed by her identical sister ship

168-765: A museum ship , still gets underway several times a year for six-hour "Living History Cruises" that take the ship through Baltimore Harbor, down the Patapsco River , and into the Chesapeake Bay, and she is also the largest cruise ship operating under the American flag on the United States East Coast. Currently the three largest cruise line holding companies and operators in the world are Carnival Corporation & plc, Royal Caribbean Group and Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings . As an industry,

252-463: A North American clientele added every year since 2001, as well as others servicing European clientele until the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 saw the entire industry all but shut down. The average age of a cruise ship in 2024 is 17.5 years. Operators of cruise ships are known as cruise lines, which are companies that sell cruises to the public. Cruise lines have a dual character; they are partly in

336-417: A combined capacity of 664,602 passengers. Cruising has become a major part of the tourism industry, with an estimated market of $ 29.4 billion per year, and over 19 million passengers carried worldwide annually as of 2011 . The industry's rapid growth saw nine or more newly built ships catering to a North American clientele added every year since 2001, as well as others servicing European clientele until

420-478: A convict prison, and the arsenal , designed by Bernini , was built by Alexander VII . Major cruise lines start and end their cruises at this location, and others stop for shore excursion days to visit Rome and the Vatican , ninety minutes away. Civitavecchia experiences a hot-summer Mediterranean climate ( Köppen climate classification Csa ). The Port of Civitavecchia , also known as "Port of Rome ",

504-770: A crew complement of 1,388. The MSC Divina entered service in May 2012, with her identical sister ship MSC Preziosa following in March 2013. MSC Divina cruises in the Caribbean and Mediterranean. In July 2010, MSC Cruises announced the construction of a new Fantasia -class ship to be named MSC Divina . MSC Divina was largely based on the two previous ships in the class, however she was increased in size from 137,936 to 139,400 gross tonnage with 100 additional cabins and facilities and more efficient and energy saving mechanical and electrical systems. Passenger numbers increased to 3,502 with

588-448: A crew deck with a swimming pool and hot tubs. The International Labour Organization 's 2006 Maritime Labour Convention is also known as the "Seafarers' Bill of Rights". Most cruise lines since the 2000s have to some extent priced the cruising experience à la carte , as passenger spending aboard generates significantly more than ticket sales. The passenger's ticket includes the stateroom accommodation, room service, unlimited meals in

672-542: A day, making it the second largest concentration of Olympic accommodation behind the Olympic Village. This hosting solution has been used since then in Games held in coastal cities, such as at Sydney 2000 , Athens 2004 , London 2012 , Sochi 2014 , Rio 2016 and was going to be used at Tokyo 2020 . Cruise ships have been used to accommodate displaced persons during hurricanes. For example, on 1 September 2005,

756-451: A diverse range of ethnically themed restaurants aboard each ship. Ships also feature numerous bars and nightclubs for passenger entertainment; the majority of cruise lines do not include alcoholic beverages in their fares and passengers are expected to pay for drinks as they consume them. Most cruise lines also prohibit passengers from bringing aboard and consuming their own beverages, including alcohol, while aboard. Alcohol purchased duty-free

840-427: A few hundred passengers". After 1980, they offered increasing amenities. As of 2010, city-sized ships have dozens of amenities. There have been nine or more new cruise ships added every year since 2001, including the 11 members of the aforementioned Vista class, and all at 100,000  GT or greater. The only actual ocean liner to be completed in recent years has been Cunard Line's Queen Mary 2 in 2004. Following

924-524: A perimeter accessible only by passengers and not by locals. Ports of call have often oriented their own businesses and facilities towards meeting the needs of visiting cruise ships. In one case, Icy Strait Point in Alaska, the entire destination was created explicitly and solely for cruise ship visitors. On "cruises to nowhere" or "nowhere voyages", some cruise ships make two- to three-night round trips without visiting any ports of call. Travel to and from

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1008-508: A reputation as "party ships" for younger travelers, but have become large, modern, yet still profitable, as well as Holland America Line and Cunard Line, whose ships cultivate an image of classic elegance. In 2004, Carnival had merged Cunard's headquarters with that of Princess Cruises in Santa Clarita, California so that administrative, financial and technology services could be combined, ending Cunard's history where it had operated as

1092-631: A series of fires burned on the island. Most cruise ships sail the Caribbean or the Mediterranean. Others operate elsewhere in places like Alaska , the South Pacific, the Baltic Sea and New England . A cruise ship that is moving from one of these regions to another will commonly operate a repositioning cruise while doing so. Expedition cruise lines, which usually operate small ships, visit certain more specialized destinations such as

1176-564: A standalone company (subsidiary) regardless of parent ownership. However, Cunard did regain some independence in 2009 when its headquarters were moved to Carnival House in Southampton. The common practice in the cruise industry in listing cruise ship transfers and orders is to list the smaller operating company, not the larger holding corporation, as the recipient cruise line of the sale, transfer, or new order. In other words, Carnival Cruise Line and Holland America Line, for example, are

1260-787: A strike, and also skipped Heraklion, in Greece , because of high winds. She then provided cruises with stops in Italy, Spain, Canary Islands , Portugal, and Morocco. In late 2013, she repositioned to Miami, Florida , becoming the first MSC vessel in the fleet to serve the North American market, and provided cruises to the Caribbean year round. The ship hosted the Holy Ship! music festival from January 2014 until February 2016. Her year-round program ended in Spring 2019, and she now operates in

1344-712: A system of free heat recovery as the power source. From 27 May to 2 June 2012, the MSC Divina cruised in the Mediterranean calling at Civitavecchia in Rome ; Messina in Sicily ; and Valletta in Malta . The ship provided cruises in the Mediterranean calling at Italy, Greece, Turkey and Croatia. In November, she cruised in the eastern part of the Mediterranean, calling at Kotor, Montenegro ; Marmaris, Turkey ; and Valletta, Malta . She skipped Piraeus (Athens), in Greece , because of

1428-509: A third. McMurray and Till were subsequently both executed by the United States Army by hanging five months later. Civitavecchia is today a major cruise and ferry port , the main starting point for sea connection from central Italy to Sardinia , Sicily , Tunis and Barcelona . Fishing has a secondary importance. The city is also the seat of two thermal power stations . The conversion of one of them to coal has raised

1512-430: Is almost certainly from the 7th - 6th century BC and was most likely connected with the nearby necropolis of Scaglia. An ancient port formed by small parallel basins capable of accommodating single vessels was still visible at the end of the 19th century near Forte Michelangelo. An Etruscan settlement on the hill of Ficoncella can still be seen. The first baths of the settlement were built there before 70 BC, and known by

1596-598: Is an important hub for the maritime transport in Italy, for goods and passengers. Part of the " Motorways of the Sea ", it is linked to several Mediterranean ports and represents one of the main links between Italian mainland to Sardinia . Civitavecchia railway station , opened in 1859, is the western terminus of the Rome–Civitavecchia railway , which forms part of the Pisa–Livorno–Rome railway . A short line linking

1680-427: Is defined for the ship, often suits and ties or even tuxedos for men, and formal dresses for women. The menu is more upscale than usual. Besides the dining room, modern cruise ships often contain one or more casual buffet-style eateries, which may be open 24 hours and with menus that vary throughout the day to provide meals ranging from breakfast to late-night snacks. In recent years, cruise lines have started to include

1764-470: Is provided, with the two fully independent electric motors each turning a fixed propeller on conventional propeller shafts. The two propellers are fully independent ensuring propulsion if one fails. The same approach was applied to the two fully independent steering systems. Further advantage of using electric motors to turn the propellers is in small sunshine ports. Each propeller is controlled individually, and quickly, for ease of ship manoeuvrability along with

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1848-497: Is quoted at 23 knots (43 km/h; 26 mph). Divina has electric propulsion motors and Rolls-Royce folding fin stabilizers to reduce the ship's roll. The ship's drivetrain is the more efficient diesel/electric, powered by five Wärtsilä diesel engines. The engines produce low NOx emissions, using low-sulphur fuel. The engines turn alternators producing electricity. Propulsion is by two GE Energy Power Conversion electric motors with each giving 21,850 kW at 138 rpm. Redundancy

1932-472: Is sealed and returned to passengers when they disembark. There is often a central galley responsible for serving all major restaurants aboard the ship, though specialty restaurants may have their own separate galleys. As with any vessel, adequate provisioning is crucial, especially on a cruise ship serving several thousand meals at each seating. For example, a quasi "military operation" is required to load and unload 3,600 passengers and eight tons of food at

2016-573: Is the only remaining Tower of four large Roman round towers that served as beacons around the ancient harbour. Remains of warehouses can be seen between the large basin and the inner harbour (darsena), still used during the Middle Ages. A section of the Via Aurelia running along the harbour, 6 m wide and at a depth of 3 m, was excavated. Some of the Roman city wall is visible in the basement of

2100-527: The MSC Preziosa . MSC Divina and MSC Preziosa are larger than the two previous ships in the class (which were of 137,936 tons each). She is the twelfth ship in MSC's fleet, and was the joint largest ship with MSC Preziosa at 139,400 tons, until the completion of the company's MSC Seaside (160,000 tons) and MSC Meraviglia (171,598 tons) in 2017. 3,502 passengers in 1,539 cabins are accommodated with

2184-431: The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 saw the entire industry all but shut down. The average age of a cruise ship in 2024 is 17.5 years. The construction market for cruise ships is dominated by three European companies and one Asian company. Operators of cruise ships are known as cruise lines. Cruise ships are organized much like floating hotels, with a complete hospitality staff in addition to the usual ship's crew. Traditionally,

2268-478: The French Line 's SS  France (1961), and Cunard Line 's RMS Queen Elizabeth 2 (1969) were designed to serve the dual purposes of ocean liner during the northern hemisphere summer months and cruise ship in the winter, incorporating doors and baffles that could be open or closed to divide classes or open the ship to one class, wherein all passengers received roughly the same quality berthing and most of

2352-554: The Oasis -class ships is the split, atrium structure, made possible by the hull's extraordinary width, with the 6-deck high Central Park and Boardwalk outdoor areas running down the middle of the ship and verandas on all decks. In two short decades (1988–2009), the largest class cruise ships have grown a third longer (268 to 364.75 m, 879 ft 3 in to 1,196 ft 8 in), doubled their widths (32.2 to 65.7 m, 105 ft 8 in to 215 ft 7 in), nearly tripled

2436-758: The South Pacific , and the Baltic Sea . Large cruise ships have been identified as one of the major causes of overtourism . Italy, a traditional focus of the Grand Tour , offered an early cruise experience on the Francesco I , flying the flag of the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies . Built in 1831, the Francesco I sailed from Naples in early June 1833, preceded by an advertising campaign. Nobles, authorities, and royal princes from all over Europe boarded

2520-626: The "megaships" of Carnival and Royal Caribbean—designed such that virtually all of their suites are balconies. Several specialty lines offer "expedition cruising" or only operate small ships, visiting certain destinations such as the Arctic and Antarctica, or the Galápagos Islands . John W. Brown , which formerly operated as part of the United States Merchant Marine during World War II before being converted to

2604-488: The 1960s, intercontinental travelers switched from ships to planes, sending the ocean liner trade into a terminal decline. Certain characteristics of older ocean liners made them unsuitable for cruising duties, such as high fuel consumption, deep draught preventing them from entering shallow ports, and cabins (often windowless) designed to maximize passenger numbers rather than comfort. In the late 1950s and 1960s, ships such as Holland America Line 's SS  Rotterdam (1959),

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2688-432: The 1990s led to many cruise lines being bought by much larger holding companies and continue to operate as "brands" or subsidiaries of the holding company. Brands continue to be maintained partly because of the expectation of repeat customer loyalty, and also to offer different levels of quality and service. For instance, Carnival Corporation & plc owns both Carnival Cruise Line , whose former image were vessels that had

2772-467: The Arctic and Antarctica, or the Galápagos Islands . Civitavecchia The harbour is formed by two piers and a breakwater on which stands a lighthouse. The whole territory of Civitavecchia is dotted with the remains of Etruscan tombs and it is likely that in the centre of the current city a small Etruscan settlement thrived. The Etruscan necropolis of Mattonara, not far from the Molinari factory,

2856-525: The Caribbean seasonally. On the afternoon of 18 June 2014, a Mexican passenger jumped into the sea, after drinking alcohol for two consecutive days. Moments after the "man overboard", the MSC Divina stopped, with the captain instructing a search for Amores. After several hours the search was abandoned being unsuccessful. MSC Divina resumed her route, with the search resumed by the Brazilian Maritime Authority. After failing to find

2940-714: The Fraternity of the Banner in the Piazza Leandra. Remains of an aqueduct and a large cistern, possibly part of Trajan's villa, are preserved. North of the city at Ficoncella are the Terme Taurine baths frequented by Romans and still popular with the Civitavecchiesi. The modern name stems from the common fig plants among the various pools. Also at Ficoncella nearby are the baths of Aquae Tauri from

3024-513: The Italian actress Sophia Loren . Loren had mentioned to MSC Cruises president, Gianluigi Aponte, that she had wished to have a ship named after her. Aponte approved and renamed the MSC ship next into service after Loren. The ship was delivered to MSC Cruises on 19 May 2012 at Marseille in France, with her christening by Sophia Loren on 26 May 2012. The ship embarked on her maiden cruising voyage

3108-620: The Romans as Aquae Tauri. The nearby monumental baths at Terme Taurine were built originally in the Roman Republican era, possibly by Titus Statilius Taurus , prefect of Rome. The harbour was greatly enlarged by the Emperor Trajan at the beginning of the 2nd century and known as Centum Cellae thereafter probably due to the many vaulted "cells" forming the harbour wall some of which can still be seen. The first occurrence of

3192-561: The U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) contracted three Carnival Cruise Lines vessels ( Carnival Fantasy , the former Carnival Holiday , and the Carnival Sensation ) to house Hurricane Katrina evacuees. In 2017, cruise ships were used to help transport residents from some Caribbean islands destroyed by Hurricane Irma , as well as Puerto Rico residents displaced by Hurricane Maria . The cruise ships have also been used for evacuations. In 2010, in response to

3276-486: The addition of a casino and other entertainment amenities, the crossing was advertised as a vacation in itself. The 1977–1986 television series The Love Boat helped to popularize the concept as a romantic opportunity for couples. Industry experts credit the series with increasing interest in the cruise industry, especially for those that weren't newlyweds or senior citizens, and for the resulting demand to spur investment in new ships instead of conversions. The influence

3360-869: The base fare on Regent Seven Seas ships includes most alcoholic beverages on board ship and most shore excursions in ports of call, as well as all gratuities that would normally be paid to hotel staff on the ship. The fare may also include a one-night hotel stay before boarding, and the air fare to and from the cruise's origin and destination ports. Many cruise lines have loyalty programs . Using these and by booking inexpensive tickets, some people have found it cheaper to live continuously on cruise ships instead of on land. Cruise ships and former liners sometimes find use in applications other than those for which they were built. Due to slower speed and reduced seaworthiness, as well as being largely introduced after several major wars, cruise ships have also been used as troop transport vessels. By contrast, ocean liners were often seen as

3444-659: The beginning and end of each cruise, for the Royal Princess . Modern cruise ships typically have aboard some or all of the following facilities: Some ships have bowling alleys, ice skating rinks, rock climbing walls, sky-diving simulators, miniature golf courses, video arcades, ziplines, surfing simulators, water slides, basketball courts, tennis courts, chain restaurants, ropes obstacle courses, and even roller coasters. Crew are usually hired on three to eleven month contracts which may then be renewed as mutually agreed, depending on service ratings from passengers as well as

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3528-428: The company's group insurance plan. The direct salary is low by North American standards, though restaurant staff have considerable earning potential from passenger tips. Crew members do not have any expenses while on board, because food and accommodation, medical care, and transportation for most employees, are included. Bard College at Simon's Rock professor Francisca Oyogoa states that "Crewing agencies often exploit

3612-571: The crew complement increasing by 63 to 1,388. The vessel has a total of 1,539 passenger cabins. The main dimensions of the vessel have remained the same as the previous two ships, with the length being 333.33 meters, the moulded breadth of the hull 37.92 meters and the draught remaining the same at 8.45 meters. Italian naval architects De Jorio Design International designed the ship and the interior areas with construction by STX Europe at Saint-Nazaire France. When near completion MSC Cruises announced that Fantastica would be renamed MSC Divina to honour

3696-706: The cruise lines from this common industry practice point of view; whereas Carnival Corporation & plc and Royal Caribbean Group , for example, can be considered holding corporations of cruise lines. This industry practice of using the smaller operating company, not the larger holding corporation, is also followed in the list of cruise lines and in member-based reviews of cruise lines. Some cruise lines have specialties; for example, Saga Cruises only allows passengers over 50 years old aboard their ships, and Star Clippers and formerly Windjammer Barefoot Cruises and Windstar Cruises only operate tall ships . Regent Seven Seas Cruises operates medium-sized vessels—smaller than

3780-473: The cruise ship business has been volatile. The ships are large capital investments with high operating costs. A persistent decrease in bookings can put a company in financial jeopardy. Cruise lines have sold, renovated, or renamed their ships to keep up with travel trends. Cruise lines operate their ships almost constantly. If the maintenance is unscheduled, it can result, potentially, in thousands of dissatisfied customers. A wave of failures and consolidations in

3864-472: The cruise ship, which sailed in just over three months to Taormina , Catania , Syracuse , Malta , Corfu , Patras , Delphi , Zante , Athens , Smyrna and Constantinople , providing passengers with excursions and guided tours. P&O first introduced passenger-cruising services in 1844, advertising sea tours to destinations such as Gibraltar , Malta and Athens, sailing from Southampton . The forerunner of modern cruise holidays , these voyages were

3948-405: The cyclical nature of the cruise line operator. Most staff work 77-hour work weeks for 10 months continuously followed by two months of vacation. There are no paid vacations or pensions for service, non-management crew, depending on the level of the position and the type of the contract. Non-service and management crew members get paid vacation, medical, retirement options, and can participate in

4032-465: The desperation of potential employees." Living arrangements vary by cruise line, but mostly by shipboard position. In general two employees share a cabin with a shower, commode and a desk with a television set, while senior officers are assigned single cabins. There is a set of facilities for the crew separate from that for passengers, such as mess rooms and bars, recreation rooms, prayer rooms/mosques, and fitness center, with some larger ships even having

4116-399: The earlier Etruscan and early Roman settlement. A larger building of 160x100 m enclosed the baths and is being excavated. The massive Forte Michelangelo was first commissioned from Donato Bramante by Pope Julius II , to defend the port of Rome . The upper part of the "maschio" tower, however, was designed by Michelangelo , whose name is generally applied to the fortress. Pius IV added

4200-422: The first "mega-cruise ship". The main exception was Cunard's Queen Elizabeth 2 : although being put on more cruises, she maintained the regular transatlantic crossing tradition throughout the year, but with a stronger focus on leisure passengers, catering to a niche market of those who appreciated the several days at sea. International celebrities were hired to perform acts on board, along with cabarets , and with

4284-424: The first of their kind. P&O Cruises is the world's oldest cruise line . The company later introduced round trips to destinations such as Alexandria and Constantinople. It underwent a period of rapid expansion in the latter half of the 19th century, commissioning larger and more luxurious ships to serve the steadily expanding market. Notable ships of the era include SS  Ravenna built in 1880, which became

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4368-524: The first ship built with a total steel superstructure, and SS  Valetta built in 1889. The cruise of Augusta Victoria in the Mediterranean and the Near East from 22 January to 22 March 1891, with 241 passengers including Albert Ballin and wife themselves, is often stated to have been the first ever cruise. Christian Wilhelm Allers published an illustrated account of it as Backschisch . The first vessel built exclusively for luxury cruising

4452-571: The four bow thrusters. The need for tugs while in the many ports of call is greatly reduced. Two of the five engines have 16 cylinders each with an output of 16,800 kW, and the remaining three engines have 12 cylinders each producing 12,600 kW. Total power generated is 71,400 kW at 514 rpm. A sea water distillation plant produces all the fresh water needed onboard using two evaporators and two reverse osmosis plants. The ship does not pump onboard water from shore water stations. The highly efficient evaporators are completely pollution free using

4536-605: The late-19th century, Albert Ballin, director of the Hamburg-America Line, was the first to send his transatlantic ships out on long southern cruises during the worst of the North Atlantic winter seasons. Other companies followed suit. Some of them built specialized ships designed for easy transformation between summer crossings and winter cruising. In 1897 three luxury liners, all European-owned, offered transportation between Europe and North America. In 1906

4620-744: The main dining room (or main restaurant) and buffet, access to shows, and use of pool and gym facilities, while there is a daily gratuity charge to cover housekeeping and waiter service. However, there are extra charges for alcohol and soft drinks, official cruise photos, Internet and wi-fi access, and specialty restaurants. Cruise lines earn significantly from selling onshore excursions offered by local contractors; keeping 50% or more of what passengers spend for these tours. In addition, cruise ships earn significant commissions on sales from onshore stores that are promoted on board as "preferred" (as much as 40% of gross sales). Facilitating this practice are modern cruise terminals with establishments of duty-free shops inside

4704-511: The mass cruising market. They also were the first series of cruise ships to include a multi-story lobby with a glass elevator and had a single deck devoted entirely to cabins with private balconies, instead of oceanview cabins. Other cruise lines soon launched ships with similar attributes, such as the Fantasy class , leading up to the Panamax -type Vista class , designed such that two-thirds of

4788-699: The meantime, however, the inhabitants returned to the old town by the shore in 889 and rebuilt it, giving it the name Civitas Vetus . The Popes gave the settlement as a fief to several local lords, including the Count Ranieri of Civitacastellana and the Abbey of Farfa , and the Di Vico, who held Centumcellae in 1431. In that year, pope Eugene IV sent an army under cardinal Giovanni Vitelleschi and several condottieri ( Niccolò Fortebraccio , Ranuccio Farnese and Menicuccio dell'Aquila among them) to recapture

4872-515: The name Centum Cellae is from a letter by Pliny the Younger in AD 107. It has been suggested that the name could instead refer to the centum ("hundred") halls of the extensive villa of Trajan which was nearby. The harbour was probably built by Trajan's favourite architect, Apollodorus of Damascus (who also built the harbour of Ancona ). The town was also known as Centum Cellae and was developed from

4956-477: The next day. The maiden voyage was met with protest when the ship entered Venice . Ms Loren received letters claiming that air pollution was created by the ship and the wake from her bow and vibrations created by her engines could damage historical buildings. The ship is 333 m (1,092.52 ft) long, and carries up to 3,502 passengers with a crew complement of 1,388. She has 13 passenger decks, which contain 1,134 outside cabins and 405 inside cabins. Her speed

5040-493: The number and type of ships which were detachments of the fleets of Ravenna and of Misenum. In 251 Pope Cornelius was imprisoned in Centumcellae during the persecutions of Decius and his successor Trebonianus Gallus and died there in 253. In the 4th and 5th centuries the city and port became even more prosperous and busy, as Rutilius Namatianus described it in 414 as it became an important port of Rome due to

5124-605: The number had increased to seven. The British Inman Line owned City of Paris , the Cunard Line had Campania and Lucania . The White Star Line owned Majestic and Teutonic . La Lorraine and La Savoie sailed for the French Compagnie Générale Transatlantique . Modern cruise ships tend to have less hull strength, speed, and agility compared to ocean liners. With the advent of large passenger jet aircraft in

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5208-401: The oceanview staterooms have balconies. As the veranda suites were particularly lucrative for cruise lines, something which was lacking in older ocean liners, recent cruise ships have been designed to maximize such amenities and have been described as "balcony-laden floating condominiums". Until 1975–1980, cruises offered shuffleboard , deck chairs, "drinks with umbrellas and little else for

5292-406: The passenger the search was abandoned. The passenger was aboard MSC Divina after he won a contest organized on the occasion of the 2014 FIFA World Cup by a beer company. Throughout the passenger's journey aboard the MSC Divina and even shortly before he jumped, he had published his account on the social network Twitter , images and videos which stated the festive atmosphere that existed on board

5376-536: The place, which, after the payment of 4,000 florins, became thenceforth a full Papal possession, led by a vicar and a treasurer. The place became a free port under Pope Innocent XII in 1696 and by the modern era was the main port of Rome . The French Empire occupied it in 1806. The French novelist Stendhal served as consul for a time in Civitavecchia. On 16 April 1859 the Rome and Civitavecchia railway

5460-472: The population's protests, as it is feared it could create heavy pollution. The modern inner harbour (darsena) rests on ancient foundations many of which can be seen and whose shape is still very much the same as it was in Trajan's time. It had a curved breakwater on the southern side and a straight one to the north with arches to reduce the waves which still exist. The Torre di Lazzaretto  [ it ]

5544-539: The port of departure is usually the passengers' responsibility, although purchasing a transfer pass from the cruise line for the trip between the airport and cruise terminal will guarantee that the ship will not leave until the passenger is aboard. Similarly, if the passenger books a shore excursion with the cruise line and the tour runs late, the ship is obliged to remain until the passenger returns. Luxury cruise lines such as Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Crystal Cruises market their fares as "all-inclusive". For example,

5628-574: The pride of their country and used to rival liners of other nations, and have been requisitioned during both World Wars and the Falklands War to transport soldiers and serve as hospital ships . During the 1992 Summer Olympics , eleven cruise ships docked at the Port of Barcelona for an average of 18 days, served as floating hotels to help accommodate the large influx of visitors to the Games. They were available to sponsors and hosted 11,000 guests

5712-573: The retirement of her running mate Queen Elizabeth 2 in November 2008, Queen Mary 2 is the only liner operating on scheduled transatlantic service, though she also sees significant service on cruise routes. Queen Mary 2 was for a time the largest passenger ship before being surpassed by Royal Caribbean International 's Freedom -class vessels in 2006. The Freedom -class ships were in turn overtaken by RCI's own Oasis -class vessels which entered service in 2009 and 2010. A distinctive feature of

5796-591: The same facilities. (Passengers in cabins in certain grades on the Queen Elizabeth 2 had access only to certain dining rooms). Ocean liner services almost ceased in the 1970s and 1980s. The Rotterdam was put on permanent cruise service in 1968, while the France (at the time the largest passenger vessel in the world) was mothballed in 1974, sold to Norwegian Cruise Line in 1979, and after major renovations relaunched as SS  Norway in 1980, thus becoming

5880-506: The same time. Trajan's sumptuous villa pulcherrima (most beautiful, according to Pliny ) must have been built at the same time but traces have yet to be found, although the Terme Taurine baths and the large cistern nearby are likely to have been included. Pliny was summoned by Trajan to his villa there for an exceptional meeting there of the consilium principis (advisory council) which normally took place in Rome, and which indicates

5964-560: The ship's events (such as shows and performances) for the late diners, but this problem is usually fixed by having a shorter version of the event take place before late dinner. Cunard Line ships maintain the class tradition of ocean liners and have separate dining rooms for different types of suites, while Celebrity Cruises and Princess Cruises have a standard dining room and "upgrade" specialty restaurants that require pre-booking and cover charges. Many cruises schedule one or more "formal dining" nights. Guests dress "formally", however, that

6048-554: The ships' restaurants organize two dinner services per day, early dining and late dining, and passengers are allocated a set dining time for the entire cruise; a recent trend is to allow diners to dine whenever they want. Besides the dining room, modern cruise ships often contain one or more casual buffet-style eateries. Most cruise ships sail the Caribbean or the Mediterranean . Others operate elsewhere in places like Alaska ,

6132-401: The ships' restaurants organize two dinner services per day, early dining and late dining, and passengers are allocated a set dining time for the entire cruise; a recent trend is to allow diners to dine whenever they want. Having two dinner times allows the ship to have enough time and space to accommodate all of its guests. Having two different dinner services can cause some conflicts with some of

6216-476: The shutdown of UK airspace due to the eruption of Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull volcano, the newly completed Celebrity Eclipse was used to rescue 2,000 British tourists stranded in Spain as an act of goodwill by the owners. The ship departed from Southampton for Bilbao on 21 April, and returned on 23 April. A cruise ship was kept on standby in case inhabitants of Kangaroo Island required evacuation in 2020 after

6300-678: The silting of Ostia . In the 530s, Centumcellae was a Byzantine stronghold and until 553 the city suffered in the wars between the Goths and the Byzantines. It became part of the Papal States in 728 and Pope Gregory III refortified Centumcellae. As the port was raided by the Saracens in 813–814, 828, 846 and finally in 876, a new settlement in a more secure place was therefore built by order of Pope Leo IV as soon as 854. In

6384-401: The status of the villa as an imperial residence. The villa was also used later by the young Marcus Aurelius , probably in the years 140-145 who built a vivarium there and also in 173 by Commodus . Inscriptions from between the 2nd and 3rd centuries from a cemetery near the Roman harbour prove the presence of classiari , sailors from the navy, and also of a noble class. They also tell of

6468-419: The total number of cabins on all of the world's cruise ships amount to less than 2% of the world's hotel rooms. Cruise ships are organized much like floating hotels, with a complete hospitality staff in addition to the usual ship's crew. It is not uncommon for the most luxurious ships to have more crew and staff than passengers. Dining on almost all cruise ships is included in the cruise price. Traditionally,

6552-582: The total passenger count (2,744 to 7,600), and more than tripled in volume (73,000 to 248,000 GT). Also, the "megaships" went from a single deck with verandas to all decks with verandas. As of November 2022 there were 302 cruise ships operating worldwide, with a combined capacity of 664,602 passengers. Cruising has become a major part of the tourism industry, with an estimated market of $ 29.4 billion per year, and over 19 million passengers carried worldwide annually as of 2011 . The industry's rapid growth saw nine or more newly built ships catering to

6636-511: The town center to the harbour survived until the early 2000s. It counted two stations: Civitavecchia Marittima, serving the port, and Civitavecchia Viale della Vittoria. Civitavecchia is served by the A12 , an unconnected motorway linking Rome to Genoa and by the State highway SS1 Via Aurelia , which also links the two stretches. The town is also interested by a project regarding a new motorway,

6720-451: The transportation business, and partly in the leisure entertainment business, a duality that carries down into the ships themselves, which have both a crew headed by the ship's captain, and a hospitality staff headed by the equivalent of a hotel manager . Among cruise lines, some are direct descendants of the traditional passenger shipping lines (such as Cunard), while others were founded from the 1960s specifically for cruising. Historically,

6804-982: The vessel. Other passengers reported that the jump was to impress a young host and interviewer of Mexican television, who allegedly he had met on board MSC Divina and who also traveled to Brazil . In late 2017, MSC Divina was featured in a photo exhibition by Gianni Berengo Gardin underlying the effects of cruise ships on the historical city of Venice. Cruise ship Cruise ships are large passenger ships used mainly for vacationing . Unlike ocean liners , which are used for transport, cruise ships typically embark on round-trip voyages to various ports of call, where passengers may go on tours known as "shore excursions". Modern cruise ships tend to have less hull strength, speed, and agility compared to ocean liners. However, they have added amenities to cater to water tourists , with recent vessels being described as "balcony-laden floating condominiums". As of November 2022 there were 302 cruise ships operating worldwide, with

6888-677: Was Prinzessin Victoria Luise of the German Empire, designed by Albert Ballin, general manager of the Hamburg-America Line . The ship was completed in 1900. The practice of luxury cruising made steady inroads into the more established market for transatlantic crossings . In the competition for passengers, ocean liners – Titanic being the most famous example – added luxuries such as fine dining , luxury services , and staterooms with finer appointments. In

6972-557: Was opened for service. The Papal troops opened the gates of the fortress to the Italian general Nino Bixio in 1870. This permanently removed the port from papal control. During World War II , the Allies launched several bombing raids against Civitavecchia, which damaged the city and inflicted several civilian casualties. On June 27, 1944, two American soldiers from the 379th Port Battalion , Fred A. McMurray and Louis Till , allegedly raped two Italian women in Civitavecchia and murdered

7056-494: Was particularly notable for Princess Cruises , a line that partnered with the series and received a great deal of attention as a result. Contemporary cruise ships built in the late 1980s and later, such as the Sovereign class which broke the size record held for decades by Norway , showed characteristics of size once reserved for ocean liners. The Sovereign -class ships were the first "megaships" to be built specifically for

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