One of the most enduring images from the history of cruising is the late Queen Elizabeth II christening her namesake ship – built on home soil in Clydebank, Scotland – on 20 September 1967 (pictured). The ship cost around £30 million ($39m) and went on to transport troops to the Falkland Islands during the Falklands War in 1982. The QE2 travelled more than six million miles (9.7 million km) and carried more than 2.5 million passengers before being retired in 2008.

Now read about the beloved cruise ships that will never set sail again

Earliest photos of cruise ships