Cruise ships chopped in half are a license to print money

Ship stretching & welding

• Many were surprised you can cut a cruise ship in half and insert a new section, but others noted ships are already built from large welded blocks, so this is an extension of normal practice.
• Debate on weld strength: some argue good welds are as strong or stronger than the base steel; others stress the heat‑affected zone usually weakens surrounding material. Consensus: for big ships built from relatively “ordinary” steel, properly engineered welds are more than adequate.
• Internal frames and decks provide much of the structural stiffness; the outer hull is more like a skin.
• Historical parallels: warships, submarines, barges, even cars and small boats have been cut and recombined. Liberty ship failures in WWII are cited as early lessons in welded-ship design.

Economics & business model

• Back‑of‑the‑envelope calculations and public financials suggest operating profit margins around 10–15% for large cruise companies, with payback periods on $2B ships on the order of a decade.
• Debt financing, depreciation assumptions, maintenance, refits, and resale values are discussed; some distrust how depreciation is reported but agree the industry is profitable in normal times and was badly hit by COVID.
• Stretching an existing hull is seen as a way to add revenue‑generating cabins and amenities without paying for an entire new ship.

Regulation, safety & labor

• Strong disagreement on regulation: some describe the industry as effectively unregulated due to flags of convenience; others point to classification societies and insurance as powerful constraints on cutting corners in construction.
• Examples of accidents (Costa Concordia, MS Estonia) are noted but viewed as rare relative to traffic volume.
• Multiple comments describe harsh working conditions and low pay for staff, with tipping culture partially compensating. Crime and disappearances at sea are mentioned, with claims companies try to minimize publicity.

Environmental impact

• Many see cruise ships as ecological disasters: burning large quantities of heavy fuel, emitting air pollutants, and dumping wastewater.
• There is argument over how much sewage is treated versus discharged; references to MARPOL rules, local politics (e.g., ports that tried to force treatment), and inconsistent enforcement.
• Some rough calculations compare cruise CO₂ per passenger to long‑haul flights; overall impact per tourist remains contested and “unclear.”

Passenger experience & culture

• Experiences are polarized. Critics describe filthy, cramped “floating malls” or “Las Vegas at sea,” with disease outbreaks and unpleasant ports overrun by mass tourism.
• Fans emphasize:
  • “Do nothing” vacations with food, lodging, and entertainment bundled.
  • Ease of logistics, especially for multi‑generational families and people with limited mobility.
  • Ability to sample many port cities cheaply and decide where to return later.
• Smaller ships, river cruises, and expedition‑style trips (e.g., Alaska, Galápagos, Dalmatian coast) are often preferred even by cruise skeptics.

Scale, stability & limits

• Questions are raised about how stretching affects stability, handling, and fatigue life. The thread assumes naval architects model this, but detailed answers on structural limits and “how big is too big” remain unclear.