Pre-Purchase Inspection of a Used Cruise Ship: A Buyer's Checklist
Buying a used cruise ship is buying two things at once: a seagoing ship and a floating hotel. Both need to be inspected. The asking price tells you little until you know the condition of the hull, the machinery, the hotel systems and the paperwork.
This checklist sets out what serious buyers review before committing. It is written from a practical shipboard view. Our Managing Broker, Capt. Ken Caine, is a USCG-licensed Master Mariner and a former senior executive at Windstar Cruise Lines during its launch period, so the inspection process covers both the marine side and the guest side.
This is a general guide. Always engage qualified, independent surveyors and maritime counsel for a specific purchase.
Step 1: NDA and initial information
Many passenger ships are sold off-market. Owners usually release detailed information only to qualified buyers who have signed a non-disclosure agreement (NDA). Expect to provide:
Who the buyer is, and the intended use of the ship
Evidence of financial capacity, or a credible funding route
An outline timeline
After the NDA, you should receive the ship's particulars, general arrangement plans, recent photos and, ideally, access to class records. Look at this desk-top information carefully before you spend money on a physical inspection.
Step 2: Class records and survey status
The classification society's records are the backbone of due diligence. Request the full class status report and review:
Class status: in class, suspended or withdrawn
Outstanding conditions of class or recommendations, and their due dates
Memoranda and any notes on the ship's history
Survey cycle: when the next special (renewal) survey, intermediate survey and bottom survey are due
Machinery survey arrangements, such as continuous survey or planned maintenance schemes
Record of damage and repairs
A ship that is close to its special survey may need significant drydock work soon after delivery. Build that into your price and timeline.
Step 3: Physical condition survey
Commission an independent condition survey by a surveyor experienced with passenger ships. A pre-purchase inspection is usually carried out afloat. It covers:
Hull and structure above the waterline, including decks, superstructure and visible corrosion
Accommodation and public spaces: the condition of cabins, bathrooms, galleys, restaurants and finishes
Deck machinery: mooring winches, anchors and cranes
Watertight and fire doors: operation and condition
General housekeeping, which often shows how well the ship has been maintained overall
If the ship has been laid up, ask how lay-up was managed: crewing levels, preservation of machinery, and dehumidification of hotel spaces.
Step 4: Flag state and SOLAS compliance
A ship's certificates must suit both its flag and its intended trading area. Review the full certificate set, including passenger ship safety certification, load line, MARPOL and safety management documentation, and check the expiry dates.
Pay particular attention to the ship's fire safety position under SOLAS. Amendments to SOLAS fire-safety rules that took effect in 2010 required older passenger ships to meet tighter standards, especially on the use of combustible materials in construction. Many older ships were retired, rebuilt or restricted at that time. For any ship built before modern fire-safety rules applied, confirm exactly which standard it meets today, what upgrades have been done, and whether the flag state has accepted them.
Other points to confirm with your surveyor and counsel:
Whether the ship meets the requirements for your target region, which may go beyond the flag state's own rules
Any Safe Return to Port design requirements, which apply to newer passenger ships above certain size thresholds
Environmental compliance, such as ballast water management and emissions controls
For ice-classed or expedition ships, documentation for operating in polar waters
Rules are complex and change over time. Get a specific regulatory opinion for the ship, the flag and the trade you plan.
Step 5: Machinery and running hours
Ask for:
Main engine and generator running hours, and the hours since last overhaul for each unit
Maintenance records and the planned maintenance system history
Propulsion: shafts, propellers, thrusters, stabilizers and steering gear
Lube oil analysis results, if available
Boilers, compressors and purifiers
If you can, observe machinery running during the inspection. A sea trial is normally arranged at, or close to, delivery under the sale contract.
Step 6: Hotel systems and HVAC
On a cruise ship, the hotel plant is as critical as the engine room. Inspect:
HVAC: chillers, air handling units and refrigerant type. Older refrigerants may face phase-out rules.
Fresh water production: evaporators or reverse osmosis units
Sewage and grey water treatment: suitability for your trading area
Galley and refrigeration equipment
Laundry, elevators and the electrical distribution network
Guest-facing technology: Wi-Fi, entertainment systems and point-of-sale systems
An HVAC failure can take cabins out of service. That costs real money on a charter or a cruise.
Step 7: Lifesaving appliances and fire systems
Check:
Lifeboats, liferafts, marine evacuation systems and davits, including their service dates
Fixed fire-extinguishing systems, sprinklers and detection
Emergency generator and emergency lighting
Records of drills and equipment servicing
Replacing lifesaving equipment can be expensive. Confirm its condition and capacity against the passenger and crew numbers you plan.
Step 8: Tanks, soundings and consumables
Tank soundings at inspection and at delivery, for fuel, lube oil and fresh water
Whether bunkers and lubes are included in the price or bought separately, which the MOA should specify
Tank condition, where internal inspection records exist
Step 9: Drydock history
Review the last drydocking report and photos:
Underwater hull condition and coating
Repairs to shell plating, propellers, rudders and seals
Date of the next scheduled drydock
Some buyers ask for an underwater inspection by divers where the drydock record is old or incomplete.
Step 10: Documentation and ship history
Ownership and registry documents, and mortgage and encumbrance status
Continuous Synopsis Record
Port state control inspection history and any detentions
Any Inventory of Hazardous Materials, where required or available
Spare parts inventory and what is included in the sale
Step 11: From inspection to MOA
The sale itself is usually set out in a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA). Standard forms are commonly used as the base. Key terms include:
Price, deposit and payment mechanics
Inspection rights, and whether the inspection is completed before or after signing
Delivery date, delivery port and cancelling date
Condition on delivery, including class maintained free of outstanding recommendations
Treatment of bunkers, lubes and spares
Documentation to be exchanged at closing
We coordinate this process, from sourcing and negotiation through closing and physical delivery.
Quick checklist
| Area | Key documents / checks | |---|---| | Class | Status report, conditions of class, survey due dates | | Condition | Independent surveyor's report | | Flag and SOLAS | Certificates, fire-safety standard, regional requirements | | Machinery | Running hours, overhaul history, PMS records | | Hotel / HVAC | Chillers, water production, sewage, galley | | Lifesaving | Boats, rafts, MES, service dates | | Tanks | Soundings, ROB at delivery | | Drydock | Last report, next due date | | Legal | Registry, encumbrances, CSR, PSC history | | Contract | NDA, then MOA terms |
Used cruise ships currently on the market
FAQ
How long does a pre-purchase inspection take? The physical inspection of a cruise ship often takes several days, depending on its size. Document review runs alongside it.
Who pays for the inspection? Normally the buyer pays for their own surveyors.
Is a sea trial always included? Not always. It is negotiated in the MOA and often takes place at or near delivery.
Why does SOLAS matter so much for older ships? Fire-safety amendments that took effect in 2010 changed what older passenger ships needed in order to keep trading. Confirm exactly which standard the ship meets.
Start your search
Send us your requirements and we will shortlist ships that fit, including off-market tonnage available under NDA:
Type of ship and passengers or berths
Intended use, region and flag preference
Timeline
Budget
Capt. Ken Caine, Managing Broker: +1-516-647-5129 (mobile/WhatsApp) · sales@qpsships.comJeff Garcia, Managing Broker, Mediterranean: +1-954-296-9066 · Jeffgarcia@qpsships.com
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