1970

Royal Viking Line founded, a new company that aims to form a fleet of five star luxury vessels, sailing on world-wide itineraries. Three ships are ordered at once.

HAPAG-Lloyd formed from Norddeutscher Lloyd and Hamburg Amerika Line.

1971

Holland America Line (HAL) ends liner services from Rotterdam, the Netherlands to New York and switches to fulltime cruising by all of it ships.

Royal Mail Lines withdraw their Andes. Converted in 1960 from liner to luxury cruise ship, she became one of the most prestigious cruise ships of her time.

1972

Carnival Cruise Lines formed by Ted Arison. The company’s first ship, Mardi Gras (ex Empress of Canada) is acquired.

1973

After her owners’ Deutsche Atlantik Linie bankruptcy, the German cruise liner Hanseatic is sold to the Russians. She is renamed Maxim Gorkiy.

1974

P&O purchases Princess Cruises.

Sitmar line switches to full time cruising.

SS France withdrawn from North Atlantic service by French Line because of high operating costs. She is laid up in the port of Le Havre.

Royal Cruise Line’s Golden Odyssey enters service, one of the first ships to introduce the concept of fly-cruises, where passengers are flying to their ship to join them there. Her passenger load exactly matches those of a Boeing 747.

1975

The television series ” The Love Boat” starts. This TV series has made cruising very popular in the USA. The first episodes were filmed on board Island Princess, but sister ship Pacific Princess became the real star of this long running TV series. Today Princess Cruises still uses the trademark The Love Boat for it’ s ships.

1976

Carnival Cruise Lines buys a second ship Queen Anna Maria from Greek Line and renames her Carnivale.

1977

World Explorer cruises founded: Universe, a converted freighter is introduced. The company starts with a new concept, it organises cruises for students part of the year (called ‘Semester at Sea’).

SA Vaal sold by Safmarine to Carnival Cruise Lines, She becomes Festivale.

1978

RCCL : Song of Norway is lengthened at the Wartsila ship yard in Helsinki, Finland. It is the first time this kind of ‘ship surgery’, inserting a mid-ship section, is performed by a ship yard.

1979

American Hawaii Cruises formed. It operates the former transatlantic liners Independence and Constitution.

Society Expedtitions formed, the company carries out soft expedition cruises with the World Discoverer.

Knut Kloster, owner of Norwegian Cruise Line, in a surprise move buys the laid up ss France and plans to convert her to a cruise ship.