For the last several months, I've had an idea in the back of my mind to turn a STAR TREK Galaxy class starship (Same class as the Enterprise-D) into a civilian passenger ship/cruise liner.
If we can have Carnival, etc. cruise ships taking people on ocean voyages to various tourist destinations here on Earth, then why couldn't there be something similar to take people to various tourist and vacation spots out in space? I would tend to think the Galaxy class starship would be big enough to hold a lot of passengers. Painting the model would be pretty basic as most cruise ships are painted white. Though I'd have to add some color details or decals to give it that cruise ship appearence.
What are your thoughts, folks?
Oh, and don't ask me to name it the USS Titanic. Not going to happen. I don't want it hitting an ice comet. 

You would have to make some alterations such as removeing the Phasor Strips and Torpedo bays, possibly makeing a transparant upper section of the hull, nothing too large, so that people could relax and watch the stars go by, maybe even a few more areas like Ten Forward as well.

Gondor

Quote from: Gondor on December 19, 2023, 11:52:19 AMYou would have to make some alterations such as removeing the Phasor Strips and Torpedo bays, possibly makeing a transparant upper section of the hull, nothing too large, so that people could relax and watch the stars go by, maybe even a few more areas like Ten Forward as well.

Gondor

Photon torpedo tubes aren't a problem. Just take some putty and fill the holes where they are. Removing all the phaser strips would be a problem.    I think I'd like to leave them on so the ship could protect itself from pirate and smuggler attacks.   Those Orions can be pretty sneaky, you know.

the strap line for the title had me go   
utterly brilliant idea....
and as Gondor suggested   space-light deck areas, and possibly more shuttle bay area, so folks can do excursions physically  " why yes you can use the transporter, or experience the slow life travel way, to show you realy dont have to hurry.. "
possibly some  park areas glassed over as well

and yup keep the phasers , not only do the discourage rabble, they can be used to keep asteroids away, and for pretty light shows in nebula 

Lots of airline liveries to choose from, as well as cruise lines. A problem that I see would be trying to make and print decals with the name in a curve, as on Starfleet vessels. But maybe there are ways of doing that, I'm not experienced with graphics programs.

Quotepossibly some  park areas glassed over as well

The Enterprise-D did have an arboretum. I'm pretty sure it's this blue colored window area circled in red in the below picture.

Quotespace-light deck areas, and possibly more shuttle bay area, so folks can do excursions physically

But isn't the main shuttlebay big enough? Look at how BIG it is.    See below pics. And the Ent-D has two smaller shuttlebays too. There doesn't need to be any more shuttlebays.

Cruise ships tend to be bulkier to get more internal volume. More volume equals more passengers equals more profit. Just how to do that I'm not quite sure. Bigger lower section and some way to make the saucer thicker. Just my $0.02.

Quote from: kerick on December 19, 2023, 06:43:24 PMCruise ships tend to be bulkier to get more internal volume. More volume equals more passengers equals more profit. Just how to do that I'm not quite sure. Bigger lower section and some way to make the saucer thicker. Just my $0.02.

There's plenty of things inside the starship that wouldn't be needed for a cruise ship type starship. Things like, but not limited to: Photon torpedo launchers and associated systems, Geology laboratories, Cybernetics laboratories, Environmental sciences laboratories, etc. Removing those items and much more frees up space for more passenger accomodations and other necessities.

Come to think of it, with the saucer section itself being so huge, I've often wondered if it could be converted into a real life hotel.    That would be so awesome to see a Star Trek hotel in the shape of the Ent-D saucer section.    Trust me. There is PLENTY of space.

As inspiration: many moons ago I converted a SW Star Destroyer into a holiday cruiser, with lots of mods, including lighting, sevarl ship bays and even a tennis court (for scale reference!) under a clear dome closw to the nose...

1:2256 "I.C.S. Ventura" - phoxim.de's Star Wars Venator Group Build (Beauty pic) by Dizzyfugu, on Flickr

More here: https://www.whatifmodellers.com/index.php?topic=35680.msg570492#msg570492 

Quote from: seadude on December 19, 2023, 12:06:16 PMThose Orions can be pretty sneaky, you know.

As she contemplates, Audraya concurs


Something that might help is on DeviantArt, SerialKilJoi's Enterprise D Project deck plans.

Quote from: The Rat on December 19, 2023, 02:55:16 PMLots of airline liveries to choose from, as well as cruise lines. A problem that I see would be trying to make and print decals with the name in a curve, as on Starfleet vessels. But maybe there are ways of doing that, I'm not experienced with graphics programs.

At least vector graphics programs should be able to create curved text. I just tried putting Text on a circular Path on Inkscape, and it works.

Just don't forget the pool and bars, lots of those!   

In one of the Mirror episodes of ST:TNG they explain that the ship is now carrying hundreds of soldiers to an outpost for a war instead of a few crew with their families. This suggests that room can be found for more people with some remodelling of the interior.

Quote from: Nick on December 20, 2023, 07:26:16 AMIn one of the Mirror episodes of ST:TNG they explain that the ship is now carrying hundreds of soldiers to an outpost for a war instead of a few crew with their families. This suggests that room can be found for more people with some remodelling of the interior.

That may have been the episode titled "Yesterday's Enterprise".
Anyway..........what I eventually do to an Ent-D model kit is determined by the scale/size of the kit.
Frankly, I really don't think there'd be hardly much, if any, changes to the exterior hull of the ship to make it into a cruise ship. Most changes would be for the interior which you really won't see through the tiny model kit windows.