7. Overseas travel appealed to those who could afford it
In 1921, only nine years had transpired since the Titanic tragedy, but the great ocean liners still appealed to travelers. Regular transatlantic service to England and the continent of Europe featured several classes, with accommodations and services based on what customers could afford to pay. Recognizing that long days at sea can be boring, the shipping companies engaged in healthy competition in offering entertainment and activities to passengers. They presented the voyage as part of the vacation, rather than simply a means of travel to one’s destination. Transatlantic travel increased in 1921, in both directions, but travel on American flagged ships decreased. American shippers, such as United States Lines, found themselves losing passengers to the British, German, Italian, and French carriers.
American carriers were forced to follow the law of the land. Sale and consumption of alcoholic beverages onboard American ships was illegal (though not uncommon superstitiously). Foreign flagged ships simply stopped service when entering American territorial waters, and resumed service when departing them. During the 1920s shipping lines offered excursions to the Holy Land, India, Europe, and Great Britain, often tied with industrial, agricultural, and science expositions. On the west coast, voyages to the exotic orient, especially Japan, became popular in the early 1920s. Travel to New Zealand and Australia also appealed to many, though the expense of time and money could only be borne by those of wealthy means.