Over the years you have surely seen different cruise ships: some smaller and some larger, some older and some more modern…but have you noticed what they all have in common?
If you haven’t noticed, I’ll tell you. About 90% of all cruise ships are painted white.
But why do so many cruise lines prefer this color? Is there a specific reason? Actually yes, there are several reasons that can justify this choice.
The Reasons Why Most Cruise Ships Are White
One of the main reasons is definitely temperature control.
If you think about it, cruise ships sail under the sun most of the time.
They are not like cars that are sometimes sheltered by the shade of trees, bridges, or tunnels.
Cruise ships are at sea all the time, and the sun can be strong, especially on some itineraries such as the Caribbean or the southern Mediterranean.
Since white reflects sunlight, it is used to keep the ship cooler. This means the ship’s interior stays more comfortable for passengers and the air conditioning systems can operate at a lower power, which saves energy and reduces fuel costs.
Maintenance Reasons
The white color is also very important from a maintenance point of view.
The white hull makes it easier to see imperfections, damages, rust, and cracks and makes it easier to conduct repairs. The use of this color therefore makes maintenance easier and also reduces maintenance time.
In addition, it’s important to note that white tends to fade more slowly under constant exposure to the sun and saltwater, so repainting can be less frequent.
Dark ships, on the other hand, lose color more easily and need constant retouching, which is obviously a major cost to the company.
Sailing Safety
The last major reason is related to sailing safety.
Imagine two ships breaking down in the middle of the sea at night.
One is completely black while the other is completely white. Which one do you think is more visible to the other ships or to the rescuers?
Well, obviously the white one. And since visibility is a key factor in safety, many cruise lines choose white for their ships.
Cruise Ships That Are Not White
Despite these considerations, it may happen to see some cruise ships that are not entirely white.
The most notable example is certainly Disney Cruise Line.
If you look at their ships (I’ll include a picture below) you can see that the lower part of the hull is a very dark blue, while the upper part is white.
It’s definitely a stylistic and brand choice, it will probably require more money for maintenance but as we know Disney is definitely not a cheap cruise line.
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