There is no official age when a cruise ship is suddenly considered “old”.
Personally, if a ship is under 10 years, I think of it as a new ship.
Between 10 and 20 years, I would think of it as neither particularly new nor particularly old.
Over 20 years, I would consider it an older ship.
If the ship is still sailing after 30 years, the ship is definitely old by modern cruise ship standards.
Obviously, this is my personal opinion, and other cruisers may see things differently.
Just because a ship is old does not automatically mean it is bad, unsafe or run-down!
How Long Does A Cruise Ship Usually Last?
Most ships sail for around 25 to 30 years, which is a useful rule of thumb, but there isn’t any fixed lifespan.
Royal Caribbean has previously talked about designing ships for a lifespan of “at least 25 years”.
Plenty of ships continue sailing beyond 30 years.
Often they leave a major cruise line and are sold to another, smaller cruise line rather than being scrapped.
The end of a ship’s time with one cruise line often isn’t the end of the ship itself – it is the start of a new life elsewhere!
Marella, the British cruise line, is a perfect example of a company that buys older, second-hand cruise ships.
Their current fleet includes ships that previously sailed for Royal Caribbean, TUI and Celebrity.
Find out more about that here:
How Marella Cruises Transformed Ex-Celebrity and Royal Caribbean Ships
My Own Cruise Ship Age Scale
This is how I see things – you may see things differently!
| Ship Age | How I’d Describe It |
|---|---|
| 0 to 9 years | New |
| 10 to 19 years | Middle-aged |
| 20 to 29 years | Old |
| 30+ years | Very old |
Age is relative when it comes to cruise ships.
How modern a ship feels, her technology and her features depend completely on her last major renovation and the design trends of its build era – rather than the number of years since she was launched.
I’ve Cruised On Ships Of All Ages
I have recently sailed on Royal Caribbean’s new mega ship – Legend of the Seas. The ship’s size, design, facilities and passenger capacity had to be seen to be believed!
I have also had the opportunity to sail on the original Legend of the Seas – now sailing for Marella as Marella Discovery 2.
The original Legend of the Seas is around 31 years old, entering service in May 1995.
I enjoyed my cruises on both of those ships, but they are worlds apart in terms of size, design and facilities onboard.
Find out more about that here:
I Cruised On The New And Old Legend Of The Seas. They Couldn’t Be More Different
Why An Old Cruise Ship Might Not Feel Old
Cruise ships undergo regular refurbishments and refits.
Cabins can be refreshed, but they are rarely completely refurbished, as it would be very expensive to do so.
Modern cruise ship cabins are built as complete units elsewhere, and then slid into the side of the ship during construction. Cabins won’t be replaced, just refreshed. It is often the cabins that date the ship.
Restaurants, bars and entertainment venues can be completely replaced or updated.
Technology and public spaces can be updated.
A ship can undergo many major refits since her original launch.
A well-maintained 25-year-old ship might feel better cared for than a much newer one.
One of my favourite cruise ships is Norwegian Spirit. She was the first cruise ship I ever sailed on, and she will always have a special place in my heart.
Norwegian Spirit recently had a one hundred million dollar upgrade – clearly Norwegian think she is still a valuable member of the fleet and is worth spending a large amount of money on to keep her in service.
I still love the ship, and Norwegian have made a very good job of refurbishing her. I would sail on her again anytime!
Have a look at the ship and the refurbishment carried out here:
What Usually Gives An Older Ship Away?
One of the big differences you will see on an older ship from the outside is that they had far fewer balconies, and the balconies they do have are often smaller.
There are likely to be far fewer dramatic attractions (no water slides or rock climbing walls!) and fewer speciality restaurants.
The cabin layouts may seem more dated, and there are far fewer plug sockets and USB points – if it has USBs at all.
The bathrooms are often smaller, or the storage arrangements are more dated.
Often you will find that the bathrooms feature a specific type of moulded, modular bathroom made from Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) or fibreglass.
Unlike newer, modern bathroom pods that mimic upscale hotels, these older units have a distinct, retro appearance!
Walls, floors, and ceilings are often the exact same shade of cream, beige, or, when I sailed on P&O’s Aurora, a pale, sparkly pink!
Features like soap dishes, shelves, and rubbish bins might be moulded directly into the plastic wall rather than attached separately.
Have a look at that moulded plastic, pink sparkly bathroom on P&O’s older ship, Aurora, here:
The decor of the cabin is often more traditional – as in my Aurora inside cabin.
The ship’s design itself can reveal the era even after a refurbishment.
Older Ships Can Have Advantages
There are some advantages to booking a cruise on an older ship. You might find that:
- They are often cheaper than the newest ships.
- They are usually smaller than today’s mega-ships and often have more space per passenger.
- They can have interesting layouts and design features that aren’t built anymore – like Aurora’s tiered aft.
- They sometimes sail more unusual itineraries, because they’re small enough to visit ports newer mega-ships can’t use.
- They can offer a very different experience from a brand-new resort-style ship.
In my experience, many cruisers actively prefer them to large modern mega ships. They can have a character all of their own.
When Does A Cruise Ship Become Too Old?
There isn’t a set age when a ship becomes too old to remain in service.
It is more about the ship’s condition, the maintenance and the investment that has gone into her – rather than simply looking at the year the ship was built.
Cruise lines have to decide whether it still makes financial sense to operate and refurbish an ageing ship.
Eventually, older ships become less economical compared with newer, more efficient ships.
They may have to sell cruises more cheaply on older ships to attract guests, and it may get to the point where continuing to sail is just not financially viable.
A ship reaching 30 years at sea doesn’t automatically mean she is ready for the scrapyard.
I recently sailed on the cruise ship Ambience. She sails for the smaller British cruise line, Ambassador.
She was built in 1991, making her around 35 years old in 2026. She has sailed for Princess Cruises and P&O Australia, and is quite distinctive-looking!
Ambience has a long, pointed bow because its design was famously inspired by a swimming dolphin or whale.
When the ship was originally built in 1991 as the Regal Princess, the famous Italian architect Renzo Piano designed its exterior profile.
He wanted the ship to look like a natural marine animal cutting smoothly through the water instead of a rigid, boxy building. You are unlikely to get design features like that on a modern cruise ship!
Have a look at that ship, and find out what I thought of her here:
These days cruise lines build the same design of cruise ship over and over again. These are known as “sister ships”. Find out why they do that here:
Why Cruise Lines Keep Building the Same Ship Again and Again
Should You Avoid Booking An Old Cruise Ship?
I certainly wouldn’t avoid booking a cruise on an older ship – but check what you’re actually booking.
Look at when the ship was built and, more importantly, when it was last refurbished.
Make sure you look at cabin photos, rather than assuming they’ll resemble cabins on the cruise line’s newest ships. It is often the cabins that make the ship feel dated.
Check what facilities are important to you. If you want huge water parks, lots of restaurant choices, and the latest technology, an older ship may not suit you.
When a ship reaches 20 years of age is when I personally start calling her an old cruise ship – but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t book a cruise on her!
Older cruise ships can be far more interesting than newer modern ships, when, let’s face it, if you have been on one ship in the class, you might as well have been on them all.
I like the unique design features you find on older ships, and I like the fact that they are able to sail to unique and smaller ports – rather than docking in some industrial port miles out of town.
Have a look at the bargain, last-minute cruise I booked on the 25-year-old Celebrity Infinity below. I certainly got good value for money on this ship:
Before You Go:
Find out some more great reasons why you shouldn’t avoid smaller, older cruise ships here:
9 Reasons You Shouldn’t Avoid Cruising on Older, Smaller Cruise Ships
Find out about the one ship I sailed on with such an unusual design, it was never repeated here:
I Tried a Cruise Ship So Unusual It Was Never Repeated
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