Cruise tourism began in 1960, which coincided with the decline of the transoceanic ship industry and the introduction of the first non-stop flights between the United States and Europe.
Cruise tourism refers to holidays which are entirely or partly based on a cruise ship. It enables tourists to experience a multi-centre holiday, whereby they spend time at various destinations throughout their trip. Cruise tour is an all-inclusive vacation on a cruise ship. It is a form of travelling for leisure, involving an all-inclusive holiday on a cruise ship, according to a specific itinerary in which the cruise ship calls at several ports or cities. Cruise tourism is characterised by the concentration of large numbers of people who visit one particular destination at the same time.