Virgin Voyages, Titanic, Disney: The Reason Behind the White Paint on Some Cruise Ships

There is no agreement imposing this choice of color, but for scientific and psychological reasons, white is often preferred.

White, an important thermoregulator

Whether they belong to Celestyal Cruises, Celebrity Cruises or Carnival Cruise Line, all these ships have one thing in common: their shell is white, so much so that this has become an emblematic characteristic of cruise ships. As with commercial planes, this choice of color is not by chance.

First of all, if white gives the ship an elegant and majestic appearance, the aesthetic reasons are not the only ones to motivate this choice. White also helps keep freshness, since unlike black, it absorbs heat less by reflecting the wavelengths of the light spectrum.

Detach from the sky and the sea to attract potential customers

Luxury cruise ships navigate mainly in hot regions, around the tropics or the Caribbean. It is therefore essential to maintain passenger cabins in the fridge. This characteristic also makes it possible to save energy by reducing the use of air conditioning.

White also allows the ship to detach from the blue of the sky and the sea, making it more visible for potential customers or observers who have remained on the ground. On the other hand, the submerged part of the shell is often painted in black or dark blue in order to hide the rust of the boat.

Titanic and Disney, exceptions to the rule

Some companies nevertheless choose to move away from this standard to assert their visual identity and differentiate themselves from the competition. For example, Royal Caribbean International and Virgin Voyages opted for blue and gray shells, as are Disney cruise ships.

However, in the past, the most luxurious liners were not white, but sported a black shell, like the Titanic. This choice made it possible in particular to hide the signs of soot from the coal used to supply the boilers. Today, the option of a dark shell is more a marketing choice, evoking a more traditional and nostalgic trip.

Source: Iflscience