Cruise Ship Manager Steam Playtest Now Available

Written by Brandon Hofer on July 22, 2022

News: Cruise Ship Manager won’t be available until next year, however, you can get an early look at the game right now.

Image Power has announced that the Cruise Ship Manager Steam playtest is now live. Manage your own cruise ship, and fulfill your dreams of watching over a beautiful vessel, a large crew, and all sorts of passengers in this blend of tycoon and The Sims series. The game will be released in Q1 2023 on Steam.

‘Cruise Ship Manager is a little gem in our portfolio. It’s a full-blooded tycoon game for lovers of the genre,” said Lukasz Mach, Image Power. “We want to combine the demanding tycoon-style gameplay with the relaxing atmosphere of vacation. Content-wise, you have one small ship at your disposal in this playtest demo and your task is to make sure it steers safely to the port of destination. We’re looking forward to receiving feedback from playtesters on Steam!’

In Cruise Ship Manager you have to manage your own Cruise Ship. You will have to maintain your vessel and sell tickets to the wealthiest of passengers. You will need to Issue orders to your crew and maximize their productivity. Choose the layout of your ship and the kind of amenities you want to offer. Keep the prices right, passengers satisfied, and your wallet full.

You will choose how you want your cruise ship to be built, make sure everything runs smoothly, and become a legend of the high seas. You will decide the layout, such as where a five-star restaurant should be and what it should look like. Do you want to put in a pool or maybe your customers will enjoy a casino more? Don’t forget the rooms for your customers and crew as well and make sure everything is well connected.

You will have to pick your crew wisely. Their skills will lead to your success or failure. Once you leave the dock, you're stuck with the chosen people, so make sure you don't regret hiring an untested rookie over an experienced veteran.

Once you settle on the amenities and prepare the necessary equipment, you can finally search for passengers to invite onto your ship. But there's a catch - it's not up to you who buys your tickets. So price your tickets accordingly. If you charge a high price, your passengers will feel entitled to the best service there is and it won't be easy to satisfy them. On the other hand, you could sell the tickets at a low price and improve your budget through other means, for instance, by charging extra for fancy cocktails.

As your renown grows, more people will want to experience the thrill of signing up for your cruise. You will have to build your brand and reach a point where people will pay any amount of money, just to say they were on your cruise ship. You have the power to choose the route your cruise ship shall take. Would you rather make some quick cash on a routine, 2-day cruise? Or maybe a long journey through the Mediterranean Sea? You might be paid more for trips to exotic places but beware of the storms. Lives could be at stake if a fire breaks out or engines malfunction. It will be your task to end such a crisis before it's too late.

Some of the features include:

A cruise ship of your own that you can customize to your liking

Resource management (fuel, food, etc.)

An incredible variety of unique passengers with different expectations and behaviors

Random events affecting your cruises

Crew members that have their own needs

Diversified route selection

Many unique rooms to add to your ship

Cruise Ship Manager is set to be released on PC/Steam on Q1 2023 with console editions soon to follow. Will you be participating in the playtest?