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COLOURISED Brilliant winter sunshine lit the scene at Southampton today as the 26,000 ton luxury liner "Andes" flagship of the Royal Mail Lines, set off to begin her maiden commercial voyage to South America. 'Andes' completed and fitted out in 1939 for the South Atlantic run, was transformed to a troop transport before entering service. Now with her accommodation and fittings restored to their former luxury she comes back to make a welcome addition to Britain's great mercantile fleet. Picture shows: a gentle wake streams out behind the Andes as, seen from the air, she gets underway at the beginning of of her maiden commercial voyage from Southampton today. 22 January 1948 UK, THE BEST of British cruise-life down the ages are showcased in these heart-warming pics of Brits escaping to the high seas. Images show hundreds of happy British cruise ship patrons having a whale of a time as they escape the freezing British winter for sunnier skies, even Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip can be seen scrubbing the decks. Other images show patrons sunbathing on deck, playing games and enjoying the swimming pool while the staff clean the lights and climb the masts. The history of cruise ships can be traced back to the 19th century, when wealthy people travelled on steamboats for transportation along the Mississippi and Nile Rivers. However, leisure cruises became more popular over time, and the first purpose-built pleasure cruise ship was launched in 1900. The beginning of leisure cruises in 1844, the Peninsular Steam Navigation Company (later known as P&O Cruises) began offering leisure cruises to the Mediterranean on smaller liners. The first purpose-built cruise ship was the Prinzessin Victoria Luise, built in 1901 by the American-Hamburg Company, was the first ship designed specifically for cruising. It was a luxurious ship with a gymnasium, library, and smoking room. The rise of larger, more luxurious ships started in the early 20th century, Cunard and White Star entered the cruise market with larger and more luxurious ships. The decline of ocean liners alines with the emergence of mass tourism which led to cruising becoming more accessible to the masses after World War II. “In 1844, P&O Cruises, then known as the Peninsular Steam Navigation Company, began offering passenger cruises to destinations like Gibraltar, Malta, and Athens,” state reports. “These voyages were the first of their kind and are considered the forerunner of modern cruise holidays. “By the 1880s, passenger ships were being built specifically for cruising. “During the Depression of the 1930's, cruise ships helped many shipping lines stay afloat. “Cunard began construction of the Caronia after World War II, aimed at the American market. “In the 1970s and early 1980s, the QE2 and Canberra symbolised the modern British cruise industry. “Cruising saw a resurgence in the 1990s, with new cruise ships and companies operating. “Cruising has now evolved into mega-ships with casinos, cinemas, and shops.” As cruise traffic at UK ports rebounded but did not catch up yet with pre-pandemic levels, the cruise market's revenue in the United Kingdom followed a similar trend. In this respect, it grew to Ł1.1 billion (1.45 billion U.S. dollars) in 2022 but stayed around 41 percent lower than the peak reported in 2019. ENDS