Smaller ships from American Cruise Lines that carry roughly 200 passengers or fewer regularly stop at Yorktown and have not been the target of the same criticisms of larger boats.

Well before cruise guests embark, many months of preparation go into crafting the routes they’ll take during their trip.

Guests also could get a unique glimpse at cruise ship operations. Crew members often run short safety drills on port days. “You'll see them doing mock emergency simulations,” Griffiths said.