Although many people around the world have had wonderful voyages on dedicated cruise ships — passenger ships that make educational or recreational excursions to various parts of the world– most remain unaware that ocean liners do organize trips, usually dropping passengers off at their destinations instead of making a return trip.

Ocean liners have certain differences from cruise liners in terms of vessel parts and fuel capacity and are often built out of tougher material, as they may spend a longer time in choppy waters far offshore.

Typically, cruise vessel parts and equipment are built for more tropical weather, as cruise ships do not venture as far out into the ocean, citing client comfort and overall safety concerns.

Ocean liners also need to have vessel parts that are able to be switched out at the deep sea equivalent of a gas station and repair hub. An offshore support vessel will stock supplies that are too heavy for ocean liners to carry along on a typical voyage, and will also have fuel available for vital mid-ocean refueling needs. An experienced installation team remains available for full repair services, should they be needed.

The distinction between a cruise ship and an ocean liner lies not only in the difference between their parts, but also in their organizational layout. Ocean liners do not typically include swimming pools, movie theaters, or other fun activities for the people who sail on them.

Ocean liners do consume much more fuel than a cruise ship and are often unable to enter shallow ports due to the depth of the underside of the ship. They may have heavy waterproofing due to the fact that they often cross the ocean and need to be prepared for bad weather, and although ocean liners do feature sleeping cabins, they may not be private.

Some people would much rather take a long, slow trip by boat and seem unafraid of the rough weather that may be encountered during a sojourn on an ocean liner. For those hardy travelers who would like to have a different kind of trip, ocean liners do provide passenger services all over the world.