Is There Really a Cruise Ship Graveyard?

By Michael Ferguson

Cruise ships have been known to provide a luxurious and glamorous mode of travel, often visiting multiple ports of call as they traverse the world’s oceans. But what happens when these grand ships eventually come to the end of their seafaring days? Is there really a cruise ship graveyard somewhere out there?

The answer is both yes and no. While there is no literal graveyard for retired cruise ships, the majority of them are indeed scrapped in ship breaking yards located around the world, such as India, Bangladesh, and Turkey. These yards often employ hundreds of workers who manually dismantle the vessels for scrap metal which is then sold for reuse.

In addition to being broken down into scrap metal, some cruise ships are also put up for sale and are refurbished or repurposed by other companies. For example, some have been converted into floating hotels or casinos. Others have been converted into luxury yachts that can be chartered by wealthy travelers.

In addition to being sold or scrapped, some old cruise ships are actually sunk in order to create artificial reefs or become tourist attractions. In fact, there are even diving companies that specialize in taking tourists on dive trips to explore these sunken vessels.

Conclusion:

So while there is no literal “cruise ship graveyard” as such, it is safe to say that many retired cruise ships do eventually end up being scrapped or repurposed in some way. Some older vessels may even find new life as artificial reefs or tourist attractions.