King Neptune, the Mermaids, and the Cruise Tourists: The line-crossing Ceremony in Modern Passenger Shipping.

David Cashman

doi:10.1344/co20192790-105

Abstract

The line-crossing ceremony is an ancient maritime tradition that marked the transition from inexperienced sailor to experienced sailor. This ceremony has been co-opted by the cruise industry for the purposes of portrayal and commercialisation of the heritage of passenger shipping for consumption by cruise tourists. This paper discusses this process of adoption and commodification of the traditional crossing the line ceremony by the modern cruise industry. While the cruise ship version bears some similarities to the traditional ceremony, it differs in purpose, the brutality of the original version is lessened, and the gender onboard cruise ships permits a difference in the makeup of participants (including the portrayal of mermaids) and a reduction in the need for transvestite performances. It exists for two reasons: for the amusement and diversion of passengers, and in an attempt to buttress the historical portrayal of cruise ship as part of a naval tradition. Data is drawn from interviews with cruise ship workers and published accounts of the ceremony by cruise tourists.

Highlights

On the back deck of a modern cruise ship in the middle of the Atlantic — or the Pacific, it doesn’t really matter which — a curious ceremony is taking place
While modern merchant and military vessels continue to perform this ceremony, it is reconstructed aboard modern cruise ships
I reflect on the differences between the commercial cruise and the traditional versions of this rite, including the inclusion of mermaids in the cruise version, the alteration from a rite of passage to amusing diversion, and the fabrication of historical verisimilitude for consumption by cruise tourists

Summary

Introduction

On the back deck of a modern cruise ship in the middle of the Atlantic — or the Pacific, it doesn’t really matter which — a curious ceremony is taking place. This ritual is a rite of passage for new sailors whenever a ship crosses the equator. The traditional naval line-crossing ceremony takes several days and includes several prescribed participants: the ceremonies are orchestrated and run by King Neptune’s court, headed by Neptunus Rex himself — traditionally the oldest or most senior shellback in the crew.

Results

Conclusion