Hotelship

A hotelship is a vessel, typically a repurposed cruise ship, ferry, or cargo ship, that is permanently or semi-permanently moored and used as a hotel. Hotelships provide accommodation, often in locations where land-based hotels are scarce, expensive, or impractical to construct. They can serve a variety of purposes, including housing workers on remote industrial projects, providing temporary accommodation for events, or offering unique tourist experiences.

Hotelships often feature similar amenities to land-based hotels, such as private cabins, restaurants, bars, recreational facilities, and conference rooms. However, they may also be subject to specific maritime regulations and safety standards. Unlike cruise ships actively sailing, hotelships generally remain stationary except for occasional relocations for maintenance or repurposing. The term may also sometimes be applied to floating hotels that are not based on traditional ship hulls, such as modular floating structures. The economic viability of hotelships depends on factors such as the location, target market, and operating costs.