When the movie The Cruise hit the theaters in 1998, it quickly became a cult classic. Directed by Bennett Miller and starring Timothy “Speed” Levitch, the film follows the journey of Speed as he travels around the country on a cruise ship delivering passengers from port to port. The film has been praised for its unique storytelling techniques and its exploration of Speed’s unusual lifestyle and philosophy.
The Cruise was filmed on board the SS Norway, an ocean liner owned by Norwegian Cruise Line. The liner had been in operation since 1979, when it was originally built as an ocean liner for Norwegian American Cruises. It was then transferred to NCL in 1996, just two years before filming began for The Cruise.
The SS Norway had many features that made it ideal for filming purposes, including multiple restaurants and bars, a casino, theater, gymnasium, spa and swimming pools. At almost 900 feet long and nearly 80 feet wide, it could accommodate up to 2200 passengers and 600 crew members.
The Norway also had several decks that provided panoramic views of the sea and sky which made it perfect for capturing stunning shots of the open ocean. However, due to its large size, scenes involving more intimate conversations between characters were filmed on smaller vessels such as yachts or sailboats.
The Cruise was an important film in introducing Timothy “Speed” Levitch to audiences around the world and helped launch his career as a public speaker and educator. The movie also helped bring attention to the SS Norway which continued operating until 2004 when it was sold for scrap metal after being damaged by fire.
In conclusion, The Cruise was filmed on board the SS Norway – an ocean liner owned by Norwegian Cruise Line which had numerous features that made it ideal for filming purposes. The movie helped launch Timothy “Speed” Levitch’s career while also bringing attention to this now-defunct cruise ship which operated until 2004 when it was sold for scrap metal after being damaged by fire.