Navagon: This could become a very bleak, depressing tale if you don't have constant events throughout the story to distract the survivors from all that they've lost. Essentially what you've got is how this cruise ship - although not directly affected by the apocalypse - is nonetheless directly linked to and reliant on all that has been destroyed. It's a symbol of the decadence of a civilisation now lost. Similarly the passengers have been completely cut off by this. Losing family, their homes and businesses. Everything they didn't take with them.

For some it could be a chance to start over though. All they're really going to have lost is debts and burdens.

But for the most part you've got to think about how this scenario is going to be explained and maybe tie that in with the challenges they're going to be faced with.

ilves: If you're writing a story with a focus on characters, the apocolypse really isn't a vital portion to your story. It is vital that the people are trapped on the boat for whatever reason for a long-period of time. Granted, for a scale of years, it would have to be some giant disaster of some kind, but I'd say the better way to play it is making a side plot having the survivors try to figure out exactly what DID happen. Maybe they're out at sea and all communication stops, next port they get to is deserted (or something), etc. Just an idea though.

ShmenonPie: There's nothing wrong with a bit of bleakness, is there? Not every story needs a happy ending, but I'll agree that some characters should perhaps view the opportunity for a new start as a good thing.

Navagon: Nothing wrong with it in moderation. But if they're just floating around moping around then I doubt many people will bother to finish reading it. There does need to be something more to it than that.