| The Blue Riband: The rise and decline of the transatlantic passenger services The development of a reliable steam engine stimulated the development of transatlantic passenger lines. The ship that made the fastest crossing was allowed to carry a Blue Riband. After the development of airplanes that could carry large numbers of passengers over the oceans quickly, these services were discontinued. The superfluous ships were used for cruising, which became increasingly popular in the 1980's. |
