Empty Ghost Cruise Ships Become The Attraction In The English Channel

After eight months of an industry-wide standstill, many cruise ships are being moored outside of ports and harbors around the world. While the destinations themselves used to be the main tourist attractions, the boats themselves that are becoming the focus of many.

According to CNN, Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas, Jewel of the Seas, and Allure of the Seas, as well as several Cunard ships including the Queen Mary 2 and the Queen Elizabeth are all being moored near Dorset in the English Channel.

Local ferries based in Mudeford have now started running tours to take visitors up close to the giant and primarily empty ships that usually house thousands of guests.

Paul Derham, the operator of the ferries, is being visited by enthusiasts from all over the world who want to know more about the ships, even though they can't take a cruise themselves. He notes that up to 100 calls come in daily from people wanting to book tours or simply know more about the empty ships.

To people, seeing one up so close can be spectacular, particularly when they cannot normally journey around them and see just how big they actually are.

One vessel currently calling the English Channel “home” is the Allure of the Seas. At 1,187 feet long, it can accommodate over 6,600 people.

Derham plans to run the cruises for as long as he can, until the weather ruins his plans or the cruise ships are back up and running again.