Addendum

The preceding advice is for readers as well as writers. To extend it, for each author you read, maintain a .txt file full of his favorite words so you can make fun of him for it on the internet.

Writing Tip

Keep a file called "opulence.txt" or similar and write in the names of gemstones, fancy rocks, and various fabrics so you don't have to go looking it up every time you want to describe a fancy palace or, even worse, call it "opulent" and hope nobody makes fun of you for not being fluent in the language of luxurious display.

Addendum

A major factor will be if the ships dock at a planet, an orbital station, or neither, instead sitting in deep space and receiving their passengers from shuttles. In the case of the station, probably a plain exterior will be demanded by the port authority, but in the third case, presenting customers with an awesome view during their approach will be advisable.

It's Never Too Early to Start Planning

When we have big interstellar cruise liners, will it be worth it to paint the exterior, or will people not care about the part they can't see? Or will they see it through drones set up so there can be races on the hull for gambling purposes, given that in space, anything goes? Only market research can determine the truth.

One Horsepower

The only two things keeping horses alive are rich people and racing. Once we have cheetahs genetically engineered to have a little staying power and congenial personalities, it's all over.