The worldwide cruise industry is booming—alone, there are some 56 new cruise ships being built or planned (2016). Cruise ships visit ports around the world. And the ships themselves are amenity-filled, moving resorts. But when did it all begin? This book looks at the evolution of cruising, from the mid-nineteenth century. It chronicles the growth of long, luxury cruising in the Twenties and then, in the Depression-era Thirties, cruising reaches the general public as a form of escape. By the late Sixties, purposeful cruise ships were being built and these spawned today’s fleet, including the largest passenger ships ever built.