(CNN) - Hundreds of cruise ships typically cross the world's waters, but right now - with the cruise industry on hold indefinitely due to the coronavirus pandemic - most of them are set ashore without passengers.
When the cruise industry temporarily restarts, it will likely be on a smaller scale - and ships that were once star players may end up retiring early.
But what happens when a cruise line decides to withdraw a ship?
Before 2020, the cruise industry was booming and ships could have a maritime life spanning decades.
If a large company decided that a vessel was no longer needed, it would likely sell the vessel to a smaller company. Renamed and perhaps refurbished, the ship will then continue its operations for many years.
But if there is little demand for the purchase of ships, the ships will be sold for scrap - a fate that may become more common as a result of the pandemic.
"I don't know that many cruise lines around the world are looking to buy ships right now," Bill Miller, a prolific cruise ship historian, told CNN Travel. "I would say it would be very unlikely. The next best buyer would be the scrapers."
Smash a ship
Cruise ships, especially in recent years, have become giant floating cities, filled with features ranging from casinos to swimming pools, rooftop bars and spas.
It's hard to imagine, but most will end up breaking in construction sites like Gadani, near the Pakistani port of Karachi, or Alang, in India, where they will be systematically torn apart.
When a ship has been assigned to scrapping somewhere like Alang, its operator will first delete everything it wants to recover it.
"Then a small team, maybe fifty, will go to India," said Miller. "It's a very lonely last trip, because the ship is empty, no passengers, but we still have the impression that it is still a cruise ship, because all the furniture would still be in place. parcel with the ship itself. "
At Alang, Miller explains, the crew will wait until the tide conditions are favorable and then deliberately ground the ship on the beach.
When the ship is stuck in the sand, the final documents are signed and dismantling begins - a process that can be fraught with risks both for the workers involved and the environment surrounding the scrap yard.
Freelance cruise reporter Peter Knego visited Alang nine times and also visited another shipbreaking yard in Aliaga, Turkey. Knego developed a fascination for ocean liners and cruising when he was a child when he read about the Lusitania, the British ocean liner which sank in 1915, and interest spread to his adult life.
He visited Alang for the first time in 2004, telling CNN Travel that he had spotted "10 old historic liners and first generation cruise ships" on the beaches during this one trip.
"On the 10 mile long beach, up to 200 ships can be scrapped at the same time, which looks like Armageddon or something from a science fiction movie," says Knego. "Oil tankers share the sands with cruise ships, ferries, container ships and even old-fashioned oil derricks."
Once the cruise ship reaches its final destination, everything inside must be removed, from the chandeliers to the toilets.
Knego says many assets, such as furniture and lighting, will be sold locally.
Then begins the dangerous and complex process of dismantling the superstructure of the ship. Part of the steel will be melted and reused in construction.
The reasons why Knego visited Alang is not only witness to the dismantling process in action. He is a collector, and his voyages have been timed with the arrival of important ships in the hope of claiming interior assets for himself.
With the help of a local agent, Knego accesses the ship, often climbing a ladder, to find the items he wants, and then makes agreements to buy them. These are then packaged in a container and sent home to the United States, which he describes as a "cruise ship museum".
"Each door, light fixture, railing, (almost) every piece of furniture and work of art comes from a classic ship from the mid-20th century," says Knego.
Enter his house and you may see works of art that once adorned the first Carnival ship, the Mardi Gras, which set sail for the first time in 1972. There are also wood paneling, lighting , ceramics and ship ramps, including the MV Augustus of the 1950s and the Stella Solaris of the 1980s.
Knego has a special place in his heart for post-war ships in the mid-1970s, and says that the currently scrapped ships - which largely date from the 80s and 90s - are not as exciting at their eyes .
Items that have no place in his house are sold on his website. He says the pieces are usually salvaged by ocean liner enthusiasts or collectors looking for mid-century furniture.
Knego says he didn't buy anything from the breaking Turkish yard at Aliaga, but he watched the ships get there for their final account, including the original Pacific Princess that appeared in the 80s TV series "The Love Boat ".
Knego says it is neither easy nor recommended to visit shipbreaking yards and does not reveal how it is accessed.
Reports of poor working conditions for Alang workers last year prompted Indian regional authorities to adopt new legislation to try to protect their well-being. The 2019 Ship Recycling Bill also attempted to control the impact of hazardous materials exposed during the dismantling process.
Knego's photographs focus on the contrast between the beach, industry and nature.
"To see such large objects on a beach being demolished in an otherwise natural setting is both fascinating and heartbreaking," he says.
Reimagined ships
Following the pandemic, it was discussed how the interior of cruise ships can be redesigned to protect themselves from the blockages induced by Covid which characterized the first half of 2020.
Cruise ships have always been regularly renovated to modernize the machines and refresh the interiors.
Maritime historian Chris Frame points to the Royal Caribbean Enchantment of the Seas, which was lengthened in 2005 from 916 to 988 feet.
"The new section has added more cabins, more space for a water park-style pool deck, additional bars and lounges," says Frame. "When traveling on board, the only sign that a change has been made are the lines where the weld has taken place - but if you couldn't find it, you would never know."
There have been talks of future cruises moving away from self-service buffet restaurants, keeping public spaces more empty and reducing the number of passengers on board.
"To see such large objects on a beach being demolished in an otherwise natural setting is both fascinating and heartbreaking"
cruise reporter Peter Knego, on shipbreaking yards
And even months after the cruise break, not all ships are in their final place. Some transported crew members home by sea. Others travel elsewhere to a safe place to settle.
When cruise ships are inactive, they can be in what is called a "hot overlay" or a "cold overlay".
Hot is the short term solution.
"In other words, the ship would be ready to return to service soon enough," said Miller.
Cold immobilization occurs when the vessel is largely stopped and should be stopped for months or a year, with only a small crew on board.
"Those waiting for the cold are vulnerable," said Miller. "Because if in six months the market is not strong enough, they can reconsider and say," Okay, we're not going to bring this ship back after all, we're going to sell it for scrap. ""
In addition to the hundreds of cruise ships whose return dates are unknown, there are also billion dollar ships that have not yet entered service, including Scarlet Lady, the inaugural ship on the line. Richard Brandon's Virgin Voyages cruise.
"There will likely be a surplus of ships available when the cruise starts again," says Chris Frame.
But Frame and Miller both note that cruise lines such as Cunard and P&O Cruises have a long history and have survived the health crisis, wars and changing travel habits.
"Like those who have faced challenges in the past, cruise lines will have to adapt to this new environment today," says Frame. "After experiencing years of growth, it will be a big change. But I think the cruise industry is capable of achieving it."
Miller adds: "I think the return will be slow when he comes back. He will certainly come back, but it will be slow. It is not going to become gangbusters next week. So the cruise lines are planning to cut, cut staff operations and getting rid of certain ships. "
