Skip to main content
cruise ship

cruise ship

50 2.6
A large ship that carries people on holiday trips with places to sleep and entertainment
  • noun
  • /kruːz ʃɪp/
translation icon : crucero
  • The cruise ship sailed smoothly across the turquoise waters, offering stunning views of the coastline.
  • cruise ship passengers
  • cruise ship industry
  • cruise ships carry passengers

So this was the quarantined cruise ship in Yokohama Port, Japan.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • When traveling with a large group, such as on a cruise ship, time and opportunity are vital.

    Academic text (1995)
  • We are on the Regal Princess, one of the best cruise ships there are.

  • I was working on a cruise ship.

  • This is a cruise ship.

  • The other cruise ships already left.

  • One summer, I did a cruise ship in the Caribbean.

  • Six million passengers a year board cruise ships in U.S. ports.

    Academic text (2005)
  • Carnival Cruise Lines owns and operates the largest cruise ship passenger fleet in the world.

    Academic text (2016)
  • So this was the quarantined cruise ship in Yokohama Port, Japan.

  • During our vacation, we enjoyed all the amenities on the cruise ship, from fine dining to live entertainment.

Synonyms

ship
vscruise ship
1.0

A large boat that carries people or goods across the sea

provides leisure travel and onboard amenities rather than general cargo transport
vessel
vscruise ship
698 3.3

A large boat or ship used for travel on water

is a specific leisure-focused passenger service rather than any watercraft
liner
vscruise ship
24 3.2

A large passenger ship that sails on regular long routes

caters to leisure itineraries rather than fixed scheduled routes
ocean liner
vscruise ship
6 3.6

A large ship that carries people and things on long sea trips

centers on leisure voyages and amenities rather than regular long routes
cruise liner
vscruise ship
4 3.2

A large passenger ship for holiday trips with food, pools, and shows on board

focuses on leisure voyages where the journey and amenities are central
luxury liner
vscruise ship
3 4.0

A large ship with very comfortable rooms and extra services for passengers

focuses on leisure trips but not necessarily very luxurious
passenger ship
vscruise ship
3 2.2

A large ship that carries people, not cargo

is about pleasure cruising with many amenities rather than mere transport
express luxury liner
vscruise ship
5.1

A large fast passenger ship that has very comfortable rooms and many services

prioritizes onboard leisure and the voyage experience rather than speed

How Luxurious

luxury liner
3 4.0
cruise ship
50 2.6
ferry
137 1.3

Surface Forms

cruise ship singular
cruise ships plural

Morphology

cruise + ship

The meaning of 'cruise ship' is directly compositional from 'cruise' (an organized leisure voyage) + 'ship' (a vessel), denoting a ship used for cruising. This noun–noun compound follows a transparent, cross-linguistically common pattern, so a B1 learner who knows both constituents will readily infer the MWE meaning.

Etymology

Cruise ship comes from the idea of a cruise as a relaxed sea trip 'to sail for pleasure' and a ship as the large boat that carries people. So a cruise ship is literally a big ship made for slow, comfortable journeys with places to eat, sleep and have fun, which is why it means a passenger ship for pleasure travel.