But ‘most large ports’ already have an airport nearby. So what would be the advantage?

You go on a cruise because you want to walk around, play deck quoits, dance, have a few days or weeks away from the everyday rush.

A cruiseliner where you were strapped in your seat and the cruise lasted a few hours wouldn’t have much of a pull.

Moggy

Compare a liner, like Queen Mary I, with Queen Mary II or a cruise ship like Freedom of the Seas.

Queen Mary I draws 12 m. Queen Mary II draws just 10 m. Freedom of the Seas draws just 850 cm.

This is a consideration. Cruise ships do not want to be restricted to a few major ports like the liners are. The option to visit out-of-the-way, shallower ports is important.

A longhaul jet plane runway means well over 2000 m have to be flattened and paved over. Add a lot of land which has to be clear of trees, houses et cetera.

A port for a seaplane using a natural harbour or lagoon is much less intrusive.

[QUOTE=super sioux;1119666][QUOTE=chornedsnorkack;1119239]

Is it then the case that Latecoere 631 is the biggest seaplane anyone has ever had tickets on? It is definitely bigger than Boeing 314… what are the fuselage and cabin like?

According to John Strouds ‘European Transport Aircraft since 1910’ published by Putnam in 1966 normal accomodation was for 46 passengers. There were seven two-seat cabins forward of the wing, then came a lavatory and a baggage compartment, aft of these was a restaraunt and bar, and under the centre section four four-seat cabins. Aft of these cabins were two lavatories on each side and then eight two-seat cabins. Behind these was the entrance and more lavatories, and right aft was the kitchen, which was equipped with a butane cooker. The passenger seats could be converted to sleeping berths,

How many berths? How are the berths arranged?

and all the cabins were curtained off from the central corridor.

Does it mean, cabins on both sides of corridor?

If Beriev ever build it, the Beriev 2500 amphibian would have a max weight of 2,500 metric tons 😮

When Boeing builds it, Boeing Pelican will have max weight of 3000 tons.

And I find that Eurostar is about 270 kg empty weight, 450 kg MTOW…

Wonder how well a modern technology would do mass-producing twin piston planes with, say, 8000 kg OEW?

But the information which CAN be looked up turns out to leave unanswered questions, and is often information which is difficult to compare with information looked up from some other source.

The reason why 747SP has taller tailfin has been mentioned sometimes (shorter moment arm). Does anyone happen to know why 747SP stands taller on landing gear?