The Waterline Collection consists of 16,500 photographs that tell the story of the leisure-cruising industry.
Together, these photographs celebrate the heyday of sea travel, the war years when many of the ships were commandeered by the Royal Navy, and the resurgence of cruising in the 1950s with the introduction of faster, more sophisticated ships.
Explore a selection of photographs from The Waterline Collection in our online collection. You can also purchase prints of select images. The collection is available for license via our image library.
Capturing the leisure cruise
Purchased from the Marine Photo Service, the collection sheds light on life at sea from the 1920s onwards. It documents shipboard life, exotic destinations, local communities, flora and fauna, famous landmarks and the cruise liners themselves.
Founded by photographer Gilbert Morgan Morris in 1920, the Marine Photo Service was the first company in the world to offer a photographic service at sea. The photographs taken were printed and sold to passengers as souvenirs of their travels. They proved very popular at a time when most passengers did not have their own camera.
A view looking along the fjord towards Lyngseidet, Norway.
P97723 • Historic Photographic Negatives
A view looking along the fjord towards the settlement of Lyngseidet. An unidentified couple stand on the after starboard wing of 'Gripsholm' (1957), the man with a camera in his hand.
Although the village of Lyngseidet has a population of less than a 1000, its picturesque setting has drawn increasing numbers of cruise-ship visitors. Lyngseidet is now a regional centre for hiking, fishing, canoeing and helicopter sightseeing.
Although the village of Lyngseidet has a population of less than a 1000, its picturesque setting has drawn increasing numbers of cruise-ship visitors. Lyngseidet is now a regional centre for hiking, fishing, canoeing and helicopter sightseeing.
From the shed at the bottom of the garden to the Museum
The Marine Photo Service ceased trading in 1991 and for many years the negatives were stored in a shed at the bottom of a garden, behind the company's studio in Colchester.
It is a minor miracle that the earliest photographs survived.
A window on the world
There is a real sense of occasion and drama in many of the photos, from the crowds on the quayside, to passengers waving from the decks and streamers floating in the wind. The subjects in the photographs are often stylish and sensibly dressed as they go about their holiday and explore local areas.
The collection also documents cruise-ship entertainment, including one of the more amusing past times ‘the ten o'clock horse race'. In this game, competitors would sit at the end of a track and wind a handle as fast as they could to get their horse past the post first. Small bets were taken and the winners received prizes.
Dancing the conga onboard the 'Gripsholm' (1957) during a West Indies cruise.
P87008 • Historic Photographic Negatives
A photograph of a group in a line dancing the conga onboard the A/B Svenska Amerika Linien cruise ship 'Gripsholm' (1957) during a West Indies cruise.
These brightly dressed passengers are getting into the holiday spirit, sporting garlands and Hawaiian shirts. The conga line, which originates in Latin American dance, is now often associated with cruising.
These brightly dressed passengers are getting into the holiday spirit, sporting garlands and Hawaiian shirts. The conga line, which originates in Latin American dance, is now often associated with cruising.
Using our collections for research
The collections at Royal Museums Greenwich offer a world-class resource for researching maritime history, astronomy and time. Find out how you can use our collections for purposes of research.
Explore our collections online
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Main image: Two ladies in swimming costumes in the "Greasy Pole" competition aboard the 'Empress of Canada' (1961), P85862