Trivia Tuesday: December 6, 2022

Question: What was the world’s first-ever, purpose-built cruise ship? 

Answer: The first purpose-built cruise was the Prinzessin Victoria Luise, a German passenger ship of the Hamburg America Line. The ship, named after Kaiser Wilhelm II’s daughter, was launched in June 1900, offering 120 first-class cabins, all with brass beds and double-light portholes, and catering sailings toward travelers who were wealthy but not wealthy enough to afford to build and upkeep their own ships. 

Its first voyage took guests from Hamburg, Germany, to New York, a voyage that took a total of 12 days, Over its short career, the ship sailed the West Indies, Mediterranean, Black Sea, and Baltic. 

The ship ended its career unceremoniously when it ran aground off the coast of Jamaica when the captain reportedly mistook the Plumb Point LIghouse for the Port Royal Lighthouse in Jamaica. No passengers were harmed, though the captain committed suicide in his cabin. 

Sources: Smithsonian Magazine “The History of the World’s First Cruise Ship Built Solely for Luxurious Travel,” New York Times, “Victoria Luise Wreck Tale.”