If you saw a massive ship docked at your local harbor, you might not be able to immediately discern exactly what type of ship it is at a glance. Specifically, is it an ocean liner or a cruise ship?

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. David Nikel is a travel writer covering cruising and Scandinavia. Once the pride of a nation and a symbol of American ingenuity, ...

Cruise ships and ocean liners can look similar from a distance, yet they come from different traditions. An ocean liner was built for scheduled transportation across an ocean, where missing a ...