Top 10 Disaster Cruise Movies

Description: Based on Jack London's novel, this film involves a brutal sea captain and his crew on a sealing schooner, showcasing the harsh realities of life at sea, which can be likened to the survival themes in cruise disaster films.

Fact: The film was one of the first to use the technique of rear projection for sea scenes, which was groundbreaking at the time.

Description: This classic disaster film features a luxury cruise ship capsized by a rogue wave on New Year's Eve, forcing survivors to navigate through the inverted ship to escape. It's a must-watch for its pioneering special effects and intense survival drama.

Fact: The film was nominated for eight Academy Awards, including Best Picture. The set was so large that it was built in a tank at the Fox Studios lot, which was later used for other disaster films.

Description: While primarily a sci-fi thriller, the film's setting involves a deep-sea oil rig, offering a similar sense of isolation and peril as a cruise ship disaster.

Fact: James Cameron, the director, developed a new type of underwater filming technology for this movie.

Description: Although not strictly about a cruise, this film involves an underwater military base that faces a catastrophe, offering a similar theme of isolation and survival in a submerged environment.

Fact: The film was one of several underwater-themed movies released in the late '80s, competing with "The Abyss" and "Leviathan."

Description: Although more of a romance, the sinking of the Titanic is one of the most famous maritime disasters, making it a fitting inclusion in this list for its historical significance and dramatic depiction.

Fact: The film was the first ever to be released on video while it was still being shown in theaters.

Description: Set during a catastrophic flood, this film involves an armored car robbery gone wrong on a cruise ship turned into a floating fortress amidst rising waters.

Fact: The film's title was changed from "The Flood" to "Hard Rain" to avoid confusion with the disaster film "The Day After Tomorrow."

Description: Based on a true story, this film follows the crew of the Andrea Gail as they encounter a massive storm while fishing. Although not a cruise ship, the film's depiction of battling nature's fury at sea fits the theme.

Fact: The film was shot on location in Gloucester, Massachusetts, where the real Andrea Gail was based.

Description: A salvage crew discovers a long-lost passenger ship floating lifeless in the Bering Sea, only to find themselves haunted by the ship's dark past. While not a traditional disaster film, it captures the eerie atmosphere of a doomed cruise.

Fact: The film's opening scene, where a cable slices through a dance floor, is one of the most memorable and gruesome in horror cinema.

Description: A modern remake of the 1972 classic, this film showcases a New Year's Eve celebration turned nightmare when a rogue wave flips a luxury liner. The film focuses on a group of survivors fighting to reach the surface.

Fact: The film's set was built on a gimbal that could rotate 360 degrees, allowing for realistic scenes of the ship capsizing.

Description: This film recounts the true story of the Coast Guard's daring rescue of the crew of the SS Pendleton, a tanker split in two during a storm. While not a cruise ship, the survival elements are akin to those in cruise disaster films.

Fact: The film was shot in Massachusetts and used real Coast Guard boats for authenticity.