Ship in a Bottle has one of the longest pre-credits sequence of any TNG episode, clocking in at just over six and a half minutes.
Stephanie Beacham is deaf in one ear. She can be seen tilting her head to hear out of her good ear when she talks to Picard.
Copyright on the Sherlock Holmes character was retained by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's estate, with a planned expiration date in 2023, until a court struck down the Doyles' claims as "copyfraud" in 2013. Paramount Studios (producing company of Star Trek) obtained permission from the Doyles to make Young Sherlock Holmes (1985) (acknowledged in that movie's end credits), but neglected to do so for Elementary, Dear Data (1988), believing that "Elementary" fell under the parody clause of copyright law. (ST:TNG producer Jeri Taylor, who joined the show in 1990, once incorrectly wrote that Paramount was wholly ignorant of the Doyles' property, but Doyle attorney Jon Lellenberg straightened this out.) After "Elementary" was aired, the Doyles wrote to Paramount that they were flattered by the treatment, but wanted in on any further Trek usage of their characters. Although Brent Spiner was eager to play Holmes again, nearly 4 years went by before Paramount and the Doyles agreed on a "reasonable licencing fee" for the sequel "Ship in a Bottle," which acknowledges the Doyles' cooperation in its end credits.
The most difficult part of the show allegedly was casting the part of Countess Regina. Director Alexander Singer noted: "It was difficult because we needed someone who could pull off an English accent, had a regal appearance, and looked sexy in Victorian clothes. When I saw Stephanie Beacham I said that's it. End of story."
This is the first TNG episode after the premiere of Star Trek: Deep Space Nine (1993), three weeks after the departure of transporter chief Miles O'Brien.