The Cunard ocean liner Queen Elizabeth 2 helps rescue fishermen off Grand Banks, Newfoundland, Canada, after their boat was rammed by a cargo ship in dense fog. [254.13]
November
The Royal Caribbean Cruise Line introduces the Song of Norway cruise ship (18,416 gross tons, 724 passengers) in Miami, Florida. [73.35] [422.14]
1971
January 8
French Line's Antilles passenger liner (20,000 gross tons, 1663 passengers) strikes an unchartered rock off Mustique, rupturing an oil pipeline, engulfing the entire ship. The 635 passengers are rescued by other ships. (The ship splits into three pieces and sinks 8 days later.) [726.28]
January
Cunard ocean liner Queen Elizabeth 2 takes on several hundred passengers from the French liner Antilles off Mustique Island in the West Indies, after it grounded and caught fire. [254.13]
(month unknown)
Holland America Line refits the Statendam cruise ship. [73.32]
Flagship Cruises introduces the Sea Venture cruise ship (20,000 gross tons) for voyages from New York to Bermuda. [73.35]
July
The Nordic Prince cruise ship is built for Royal Caribbean Cruise Line. [67.7] [73.32,35] [339]
(month unknown)
Norwegian Caribbean Lines introduces the Starward cruise ship. [73.34]
1972
January 9
Former Cunard Line's passenger ship Queen Elizabeth catches fire and capsizes in Hong Kong harbor. [1] [360.55]
May
An anonymous demand is made for US$350,000 ransom, or suicide bombers aboard the Queen Elizabeth 2 ocean liner crossing the Atlantic with 2150 passengers would activate explosives. No explosives are found. [254.13]
(month unknown)
Royal Viking Line forms with three cruise ships: Royal Viking Star, Royal Viking Sky, and Royal Viking Sea, each with capacity of 500 passengers. [73.35]
1973
January
Royal Caribbean Cruise Line introduces the Sun Viking cruise ship. [73.35]
May 20
The USSR issues a postage stamp depicting the Mikhail Lermontov ocean liner for the inauguration of transatlantic service between Leningrad and New York. [278.664]
(month unknown)
The Vistafjord cruise ship is built for Norwegian America Line. [93.20]
1974
April 1
The ocean liner Queen Elizabeth 2 breaks down off Bermuda; The entire passenger load is transferred to Flagship Cruises' liner Sea Venture. [254.13]
June 28
Saint Vincent issues four postage stamps depicting cruise ships: 15-cents Istra, 20-cents Oceanic, 30-cents Alexander Pushkin, $1 Europa. [278.866]
(month unknown)
Cosulich Line's Caribia liner is scrapped. [67.21]
Holland America Line adds a Slot Machine Room to the Rotterdam cruise ship. [73.32]
Home Lines adds a Slot Machine Room to the Oceanic cruise ship. [73.32]
Royal Cruise Line introduces the Golden Odyssey cruise ship (10,500 gross tons). [73.35]
September
Some crew of the SS France mutiny and hold the ship at anchor on the English Channel, demanding the ship be restored to service, and demanding a pay raise of 35 percent. [260.80]
October
French Line's SS France ship is withdrawn due to declining patronage. [67.18] [254.13]
1975
February 8
Seychelles issues four postage stamps overprinted with the Queen Elizabeth 2 cruise ship in black profile. [278.1089]
(month unknown)
Carnival Cruise Lines purchases the former Canadian Pacific liner Empress of Britain. [75.8]
1976
Delta Queen Steamboat Company introduces the Mississippi Queen paddlewheel cruiser. [72.50]
Cunard Line introduces the Cunard Countess cruise ship, sailing from San Juan, Puerto Rico. [292.17] (1975 [73.42])
December 25
Egyptian passenger liner SS Patria burns and sinks in Red Sea, about 100 killed. [1]
1977
March
Cunard Line's Cunard Princess is christened in New York. [292.17]
(month unknown)
Norwegian Cruise Line develops the first private-island concept, with Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas. [73.21]
September 24
American Broadcasting Company begins airing the TV series The Love Boat in the USA. Two Princess Cruises ships are used on the show: Island Princess and Pacific Princess. The TV show helps growth of the cruise vacation industry. The show runs for ten seasons, ending in 1987. [67.30] [74]
September 28
Surinam issues a 95-cent postage stamp depicting the Stuyvessant ocean liner. [285.235]
1978
Royal Caribbean Cruise Line lengthens the Song of Norway cruise ship with an 85-foot midsection (4589 gross tons, 316 passengers), at Helsinki's Wartsila shipyard in Finland. [88.18]
1979
June
The first issue of Cruise Travel magazine is published, in the USA. [736.32]
(month unknown)
Flotta Lauro's Angelina Lauro liner sinks in the Pacific under tow to scrapyard. [67.21]
Norwegian Caribbean Lines purchases the France cruise ship. [67.31]
1980
May
Norwegian Caribbean Line completes transformation of the former SS France into world's largest and longest cruise liner, renaming it Norway (70,000 gross tons, 2000 passengers). Cost of the renovation was US$130 million. [67.18,27,31] [73.28] [254.13] [260.132]
(month unknown)
Royal Caribbean Cruise Line lengthens the Nordic Prince cruise ship with an 85-foot midsection (4713 gross tons, 316 passengers), at Helsinki's Wartsila shipyard in Finland. [88.18]
August 11
Saint Lucia issues two postage stamps depicting cruise ships, including the Queen Elizabeth 2. [278.808]
August 22
Seychelles issues a postage stamp for the World Tourism Conference, depicting an ocean liner. [278.1090]
1981
February
Seychelles issues a postage stamp depicting the Queen Elizabeth 2 ocean liner. [278.1091]
(month unknown)
Royal Viking Line lengthens the Royal Viking Star cruise ship with a 91-foot midsection (6373 gross tons, 219 passengers). [88.18]
August 27
Divers begin to recover a safe found aboard the cruise ship Andrea Doria. [1]
1982
January
Carnival Cruise Lines introduces the Tropicale cruise ship (36,000 gross tons, 1022 passengers), the first of a new generation of modern cruise liners, the first newly built ship for Carnival. [67.26,31]
MSC Cruises' MSC Melody cruise ship is built. [73.10]
April
Home Lines' Atlantic cruise ship debuts. [292.18]
Ocean liner Queen Elizabeth 2 is requisitioned for use by the British government for the Falklands war. [254.13]
June 11
Ocean liner Queen Elizabeth 2 returns to England from use as a troop transport for the British navy in its war to regain the Falkland Islands. [254.14]
December 29
Saint Vincent issues four postage stamps depicting cruise ships: 45-cents Geestport, 60-cents Stella Oceanis, $1.50 Victoria, $2 QE 2. [278.869]
1983
February 22
Tonga issues three postage stamps depicting the passenger liner Canberra of 1983. [285.558]
March 14
Saint Kitts issues two postge stamps depicting cruise ships: Stella Oceanis, and RMS Queen Elizabeth 2. [278.786]
(month unknown)
Royal Viking Line lengthens the Royal Viking Sea cruise ship with a 91-foot midsection (6121 gross tons, 276 passengers). [88.18]
Royal Viking Line lengthens the Royal Viking Sky cruise ship with a 91-foot midsection (6187 gross tons, 276 passengers). [88.18]
Cunard Line acquires the cruise ships Sagafjord and Vistafjord from Norwegian America Line. [93.20]
1984
January
Princess Cruises introduces the Royal Princess cruise ship. All passenger cabins have at least an outside window. [67.29,31]
Lloyd Triestino's Galileo Lalilei cruise ship is sold to Chandris Group, renamed Galileo. [71.36]
The Holland America Line introduces the Noordam cruise ship (1,214 passengers). [76]
May 21
Seychelles issues three postage stamps depicting a 1930s steamship, a cruise liner, and the Ennerdale ship. [278.1091]
November
Philippines issues a postage stamp depicting a cruise liner. [278.261]
1985
Home Lines sells the Oceanic cruise ship to Premier Cruise Lines. [67.29]
Carnival Cruise Line introduces the Holiday cruise ship (46,052 gross tons, 1452 passengers). [67.31] [71.22]
October 7
The cruise ship Achille Lauro is hijacked in the Mediterranean Sea by four heavily armed Palestinian terrorists. [1] [85]
1986
January 27
The British Virgin Islands issues postage stamps depicting cruise ships Cunard Countess and Sea Goddess. [285.1042]
May 19
Vanuato issues three postage stamps for AMERIPEX '86, depicting the passenger liner SS President Coolidge, as troop ship in 1942, and site of sinking in 1942. [285.902]
(month unknown)
Home Lines introduces the Homeric cruise ship. [76]
July 25
Paraguay issues seven postage stamps depicting passenger liners: 25c City of Paris, 50c Mauretania, 1g Normandie, 2g Queen Mary, 3g Kaiser Wilhelm the Great II, 4g United States, 5g Bremen. [278.141]
1987
April 29
Ocean liner Queen Elizabeth 2 embarks on its second maiden voyage, following entensive renovation. [254.14]
May 20
The USSR issues three postage stamps depicting passenger ships Maxim Gorki, Alexander Pushkin, and The Soviet Union. [278.701]
(month unknown)
MSC Cruises' MSC Rhapsody cruise ship is built. [73.10]
1988
January
Royal Caribbean introduces the Sovereign of the Seas cruise ship, the first large modern cruise ship (73,000 gross tons, 2690 passengers). [67.31]
(month unknown)
Holland America Line purchases Windstar Sail Cruises and its four-masted 148-passenger luxury sailing ships. [76]
September 30
Seychelles issues a postage stamp for the 300th anniversary of Lloyds of London, depicting the Queen Elizabeth 2 ocean liner. [278.1093]
October 31
The Solomon Islands issues a $2 postage stamp depicting the Empress of China ship. [285.8]
November 12
Holland America Line's Westerdam enters service. The ship was formerly the Home Lines' Homeric. [76]
November 25
Saint Thomas and Prince Islands issues a postage stamp depicting a British passenger liner. [278.846]
1989
April 21
Saint Vincent issues ten postage stamps depicting cruise ships: 10-cents Ile de France, 40-cents Liberte, 50-cents Mauretania, 75-cents France, $1 Aquitania, $2 United States, $3 Olympic, $4 Queen Elizabeth, $6 Queen Mary, $6 QE 2. [278.874]
May 8
Netherlands Antilles issues two postage stamps depicting cruise ships at St. Maarten and Curaçao. [143.1215]
(month unknown)
The Delfin Clipper expedition ship is built in Finland. [67.18]
Holland America Line stretches the Westerdam cruise ship by 129 feet, adding 11780 gross tons, and 446 passenger capacity. [88.18]
October 27
Saint Thomas and Prince Islands issues a postage stamp depicting the Port of Hamburg passenger liner. [278.847]
