Cruises are more popular than ever, with over 30 million people hopping aboard them in 2023. Industry experts expect 2024 to be another record-setting year for ticketing. As cruise lines keep up with demand, these colossal boats age. Here’s what happens to cruise ships when they are no longer wanted by the cruise lines.

Cruise ships might be sold in the aftermarket

Before total decommission, if a cruise ship no longer serves its original owner but is otherwise seaworthy, it can be transferred or sold to another cruise liner or even an individual buyer. This usually occurs when the passenger ship might serve a different demographic or region well. Used cruise ships can range from “just” a few million dollars to more than $100 million.

Most ships are sold for scrap

Most commonly, once liners are decommissioned, they’re simply sold for scrap. Parting out a floating palace is no small feat. Typically, they’re driven to a “yard” close to shore, where they are slowly dismantled. As you can imagine, the main commodity of interest is steel.

Alang, India, is home to the world’s largest cruise ship scrapyard, where about half of all retired cruise ships are taken. The yard has just over 150 ship-breaking plots, where crews disassemble all kinds of vessels. It accepts ships from all over the planet.

After COVID began, a record 14 passenger ships arrived at Alang to be torn down.

A few are turned into tourist attractions

Large passenger ships can be turned into hotels, restaurants, and museums. The Queen Mary is a well-known example. While never a public-facing cruisliner, it was used for many years as an Allied ship to shuttle hundreds of thousands of U.S. troops across the Atlantic. It’s parked in Long Beach, California, and serves as a city-controlled hotel offering tours and exhibits.

Some call for retired cruise ships to be turned into alternative housing

Almost all ships are scrapped and recycled at some point. Conversely, many people oppose this practice and insist that these floating behemoths be repurposed as homeless and refugee shelters. Time will tell if the world changes its view on what to do with cruise ships after they’re decommissioned.

Sources: Port Economics, Management, & Policy, Cruiseline.com, Cruise Critic