The first cruise ship ever built was the ‘Ariadne’, which was constructed in 1818 by the British shipping company, Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company (P&O). It was a paddle steamer and its primary purpose was to transport passengers from England to the Mediterranean Sea. The vessel had two decks and could accommodate up to 400 passengers.
The Ariadne was a luxurious vessel with spacious staterooms, a grand salon, and an elegant dining area. It also featured a library, a smoking room, and a bar. Its amenities included hot and cold water baths, a steam-powered washing machine, and even an orchestra for entertainment.
The Ariadne’s maiden voyage took place on April 10th, 1819. Onboard were 40 passengers who each paid £20 sterling for the privilege of travelling in such luxurious style.
The trip lasted two weeks and went from London to Marseilles in France before returning home again. The journey proved to be so popular that more voyages were planned in the years that followed.
In 1822 P&O launched the ‘Royal William’, which was an even larger cruise ship than the Ariadne with room for 800 passengers and 200 crew members. This vessel had four decks and featured improved amenities such as comfortable cabins with private bathrooms and saloons decorated with expensive artworks.
The Royal William continued cruising until it was decommissioned in 1862 when it was replaced by newer vessels like the ‘Great Eastern’ which could carry up to 1,000 passengers across multiple decks as well as offering improved facilities such as electric lighting and running hot water.
Today cruise ships are much larger than ever before with some of them able to carry up to 6,000 passengers at one time! But it all began back in 1818 when the first cruise ship ever built – the Ariadne – set sail on its maiden voyage from London to Marseilles with forty paying customers onboard!
In conclusion, ‘Ariadne’ is considered to be the very first cruise ship ever built as it set sail on its maiden voyage from London to Marseilles back in 1818. It may have been relatively small compared to modern-day cruise ships but it marked an important milestone in maritime history as it began a new era of passenger travel across sea!