n 29 November 1818, "L'Osservatore triestino" documented the inauguration of the first steamship service in the Mediterranean between Trieste and Venice with the steamship Carolina.
"The curiosity of the Triestines was soon aroused by the sight of a boat moving across our harbour in all directions, even against the wind and waves, without the aid of sails or oars, trailing a plume of smoke and churning the waves with the red paddles of its wheels, causing them to foam; the first steam packet boat."
The arrival of the Carolina at its destination also generated great enthusiasm. The "Gazzetta di Venezia" of 12 December 1818 reported: "The steam vessel, which appeared before the eyes of the entire population for the first time, now offers a new convenience for our journeys. As far as we know, it seems that this new navigation will not face any obstacles."
The following year, the Savannah became the first steamship to cross the Atlantic, and by the mid-19th century, steam navigation was competing with sailing ships on the world's major routes.
The first steamships operated regular services to transport goods, passengers, and mail, with only occasional promotional trips. It was only in the early 20th century that cruise ships, in the modern sense of the term, began to appear. The first Mediterranean cruise ship was inaugurated in Trieste in 1907. The steamship Thalia of the Austrian Lloyd achieved great international success, offering exclusive pleasure trips in the Mediterranean and Northern Europe.