Twenty years ago I was a defense lawyer defending the cruise lines.  It seems like a different life way back then. Something that I did as a foolish kid.

One of my clients was Majesty Cruise Lines.  It’s flag ship (and only ship) was the Royal Majesty.  I thought it was a huge ship when it came out in the early 1990’s.  Majesty Cruises lines sold the ship to Norwegian Cruise Lines.  NCL renamed it the Norwegian Majesty.  It sailed a Boston-to-Bermuda cruise for over a decade. 

The ship left the NCL fleet in 2009 and is now the Louis Majesty.  Unfortunately it is best know for the horrific incident when a large wave smashed through glass windows leading to death and injuries to passengers.

Twenty years ago I thought it was huge. But this was no big ship, compared to today’s monsters of the seas. Under 50,000 tons and less than 1,500 passengers, it’s a tug boat compared to Royal Caribbean’s Genesis class of cruise ships.  The Oasis and Allure each weigh well over 220,000 tons with well over 7,500 passengers and crew.

Last week a friend sent me a photo of the port of Miami circa 1971.  I’m a history major and like the vintage perspective. Look at those little cruise ships!  

Now compare the photo on top with the photo below, circa 2007.

How much bigger will cruise ships get?  Will it ever stop?   

Cruise Ships - Port of Miami 1971

Cruise Ships - Port of Miami 2007