The MS Astoria, built in 1948 for Swedish American Line, is the world’s oldest cruise ship still in regular passenger service at over 75 years old. This is a rare feat, as most modern-day cruise ships are designed for a life of 30 years and sometimes are retired and scrapped earlier than expected. The preservation efforts and future plans for the oldest cruise ship still in service reveal a compelling narrative of historical events. The youngest to be scrapped as of this writing is the 1996-built Costa Victoria, while the oldest vessel to head to the breakers was the 1965-built Sea Cloud.
The 64-guest sailing ship, originally built as a private yacht, currently offers a unique experience. The MV Astoria set sail for its maiden voyage from Gottenberg to New York on February 21, 1948. Norwegian Sun, one of the oldest ships sailing for Norweigan Cruise Line, is one of the oldest currently sailing. On average, a healthy, well-built cruise ship can last for around 30 years, including regular services and design refreshes. However, some cruise ships last for much longer.
The MV Astoria is the oldest cruise ship currently sailing, and Cruise and Maritime Voyages embraces the story of its vintage vessel by employing an on-board historian to offer lectures about its fascinating past. Other cruise ships that have made their maiden voyages in the 90s include Oceanwide Expeditions Noorderlicht, Oceanwide Expeditions Rembrandt Van Rijn, Sea Cloud Cruises, Cruise Maritime Voyages Astoria, Norwegian Sky, Disney Magic, MS Juno, Seacloud, Elcano, Kommuna, Irene, Kathleen and May, Elissa, James Craig, and Star of India.
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