Ocean Liner Vs. Cruise Ship: What's The Difference?

If you saw a massive ship docked at your local harbor, you might not be able to immediately discern exactly what type of ship it is at a glance. Specifically, is it an ocean liner or a cruise ship? You may have heard the terms used interchangeably on occasion, as well as the term "cruise liner" complicating things further, but the fact is that ocean liners and cruise ships are completely different types of vessels with completely different purposes.

While both ship types have prodigious size in common, an ocean liner is designed to safely withstand the rigors of long-stretch, intercontinental travel, while a cruise ship is more like a floating hotel that doesn't venture far from the dock.

Theoretically, an ocean liner could do a cruise ship's job, but it would be a bit overkill. Cruise ships usually follow short, simple patterns close to the shore, and don't need the kind of speed or protection an ocean liner is equipped with. A cruise ship, meanwhile, definitely shouldn't undertake a liner's transcontinental trip. Its low speed, thin armor, and large profile would topple it right over if the winds and waves got strong enough.

Ocean liners are designed to haul passengers all the way from one continent's shores to another in safety and relative comfort, and are equipped with the necessary constitution to handle such a voyage. A cruise ship, meanwhile, rarely goes far from the shoreline, intended more for brief vacations with more amenities.

To quickly clarify, a "liner" is actually an entire category of ship in its own right. Broadly speaking, any large vessel used for transportation purposes could be considered a liner, and they're just as frequently used for carrying cargo as people. If a liner is specifically referred to as an "ocean liner," though, it's probably carrying people, such as the legendary RMS Queen Mary. An ocean liner is built to be tough, resistant against the rough waves and powerful winds it may encounter on a transcontinental trip. For example, ocean liners tend to have thicker plating, lower, slicker profiles, and more powerful engines. These features allow the vessel to move faster and endure more punishment from the sea. The inside of an ocean liner can be fancy, but the outside is all business.

A cruise ship, on the other hand, looks more like a vessel you can have fun on at a glance. Cruise ships have less intimidating outsides, with thinner plating and larger bodies that sit higher on the water. There are usually amenities positioned on the outer body like swimming pools or stages. Some cruise ships used to be ocean liners, but were stripped down and remodeled for entertainment purposes. A cruise ship can make a brief trek around a few ports just fine, but driving out into the open ocean would be very dangerous for its large body.