"This is your captain speaking" are the words we commonly hear before a cruise ship begins to set sail. But before we hop aboard to enjoy all the amenities that lie on our next cruise, we should thank these influential individuals whose visions across the seven seas have made sailing a delightful adventure.
Albert Ballin
Thanks to the vision of Albert Ballin, we can all sit back and relax while taking that much-needed vacation on board a cruise ship. That's because he commissioned and designed the first cruise ship, which was christened the Prinzessin Victoria Luise in 1899. The ship was created to provide an exclusive trip across the seas for wealthy passengers, giving him the rightful title of "father of modern day cruise ship travel."
However, Ballin's history-making voyage wasn't achieved without making a few strides in the industry beforehand. After gaining control of his father's emigration company and transforming it into a shipping line, Hamburg America Line took notice of his business, and made him general director after being employed for about 13 years. Ballin also launched the first modern cruise, the SS Auguste Victoria that sailed across the Mediterranean for six weeks in 1891, and by 1900 his fleet grew to about 14 ships. However, Ballin's success was short-lived when he committed suicide at the age of 61 because the threats of WWI made the thoughts of losing his ships unbearable. And even to this day, the cruise industry echoes its gratitude for his pioneering efforts.
Edward James Harland and Gustav Wilhelm Wolff
Edward James Harland was a shipbuilder whose many achievements have profoundly changed the way we cruise today in many ways. For one, he along with Gustav Wilhelm Wolff founded Harland and Wolff, a shipyard company responsible for constructing several legendary boats including the distinguished flat-bottoms and narrow beams of John Bibby & Sons also known as "Bibby's coffins" as well as the ill-fated RMS Titanic and RMS Britannic.
However, their groundbreaking design of the RMS Oceanic made headlines with 12 boilers, repositioning of the cabins so that passengers would be placed at the stern and bow, available running water and spacious accommodations that allowed more first-class passengers to hop on board. The ship was so classically made, passengers were willing to reserve their spot on a long waiting list just to hop aboard. Even during World War I, the shipbuilders put their skills into good use when they built warships called "monitors" and the HMS Glorious, a cruiser armed with a 15-inch gun.
Gavin MacLeod
We all remember him as the beloved character Captain Merrill Stubing on "The Love Boat" between 1977 and 1986. Gavin Macleod, who was born Allen See, became a legend on TV screens across the globe as well as in the cruise industry. The iconic show typically took place onboard Pacific Princess, a Princess Cruises cruise ship. However, other ships were featured on the sitcom including Sun Princess and Royal Princess for Caribbean Cruises, in addition to P&O Cruises' Sea Princess.
After "The Love Boat" ended, MacLeod's shipping days were far from over. In fact, he became a longtime spokesperson for Princess Cruises. He also celebrated his 80th birthday on Princess Cruises' Golden Princess on February 28, 2011.
Ted Arison
When you're responsible for the development of two of the world's leading cruise lines, your name deserves a mention on this list. That honor goes to Ted Arison, an Israeli tycoon who co-founded Norwegian Cruise Lines with Knut Kloster in 1966 and founded Carnival Cruise Line in 1972. After serving in the Jewish Brigade of the British Army and becoming a Lieutenant Colonel during Israel's War of Independence, he ventured to the United States in hopes of better job opportunities.
Luckily for Arison, launching Carnival Cruise Lines a month before the 1987 crash of the stock market meant the cruise line could sail peacefully without any competitors threatening is success. By the time of his death in 1999, Arison was a wealthy businessman thanks to smart thinking and breaking out into the cruise industry during a time when it needed him most.
John D. Chandris
Although Anthony and Dimitri Chandris were responsible for developing Celebrity Cruises, their role in the industry was greatly influenced by the accomplishments of their father, John D. Chandris.
Chandris spent a majority of his life operating cruise lines. His love for the business grew after contributing many years in the shipping business, inspiring him to purchase his first boat called the S/S Dimitrios. It wasn't long after the purchase of his first ship that his fleet grew into four vessels that were used for passenger shipping. However, with the threat of World War II, Chandris followed the migration to England, where he spent his last days running cruise lines. After his death his sons sought to continue their father's work, which led to the establishment of Celebrity Cruises.
Knut Kloster
As the driving force behind the look and feel of the cruising industry today, it's no wonder Knut Kloster's name continuously ricochets throughout the Hall of Fame. When he co-founded Norwegian Cruise Line in 1966, he envisioned it would be the leader in the mass-market area. He also dabbled in sponsoring a 15,000-mile excursion of a mockup Viking ship.
But that's not all this mastermind has on his resume. Kloster also wants to create a megaship that will successfully sail around the world, bringing all culture together with the GAIASHIP. If this doesn't prove that he deserves to be dubbed a pioneer, then nothing will.
Topics From This Article to Explore
