Ask Steve: Boat vs. Ship
July 9, 2011 by Steve Cousino
Ask Steve features questions from you, researched and answered by Steve. It’s a great way to learn cruise trivia, or find out answers to your cruise vacation questions!
What is the difference between a boat and a ship? I like calling cruise liners boats, but should I be calling them ships? Most often, it’s the people who live and work on ships that get their feathers ruffled by hearing their vessel called a boat. There is no difference between a boat and a ship; at least, not officially. Unofficially, it’s generally accepted within mariner circles that anything larger than 60 feet in length is a “ship.” Since most cruise vessels exceed this figure by a considerable amount, they’re called ships, and anything less is a boat. Using “ship” instead of “boat” can be seen as a sign of respect towards mariners and the vessel itself, although one would not be incorrect to use “boat.”
Photo credit: Port of San Diego/Flikr Creative Commons
