Veteran cruisers live in anticipation of their favorite cruise lines launching new ocean liners. 2018 offers over a dozen new ships. Listed below are the newest fleet additions from four popular lines.
Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas
 |
| RCB.com |
This spring, Royal Caribbean launches it newest Oasis class of ships that include the Allure of the Seas, Oasis of the Seas and Harmony of the Seas. RCB’s Symphony of the Seas will pass it’s sister ship Harmony as the world’s biggest cruise ship. At 230,000 tons, Symphony out weighs Horizon by 3, 000 tons.
Although similar to other ships in its class, Symphony will have more cabins than its sisters including a two-deck family suite with a slide between floors.
New venues on Symphony will include a New England style seafood restaurant, an enormous sports bar, a candy and ice cream shop and a casual Mexican restaurant. The new venues will complement dozens of eateries, bars, showrooms and deck-top fun zones giving the feel of a spectacular land resort.
Outdoor features include giant, multi-deck water slides on its top deck as well as four deck-top pool areas, FlowRider surf simulators, a mini-golf course and a nine-deck-high zip line. It also have a version of the Ultimate Abyss slide that debuted on Harmony — a nine-deck-high twin tube plunge that just might be the most ambitious attraction ever conceived for a cruise ship.
After an inaugural summer in the Mediterranean, Symphony will re-position to Miami offering alternating, seven-night Eastern and Western Caribbean voyages. As a side note, I have guests sailing on Symphony’s maiden voyage on the Mediterranean and another couple sailing from Barcelona to Miami on its repositioning cruise.
Carnival’s Horizon
 |
| cruisesonly.com |
Horizon is a sister to Carnival’s Vista, which launched in 2016 as the line's biggest ocean liner, and it will share many of the same features.
Horizon will boast an 800-foot-long sky ride around its top deck as well an IMAX Theater. Both were new-for-the-industry offerings when they debuted on Vista. A Dr. Seuss-themed water park features a 455-foot-long water tube attraction ridden on inflatable rafts.
New Eateries on Horizon will feature a Teppanyaki restaurant and a celebrity Chef Guy Fieri themed smokehouse and brewpub Dubbed Guy's Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse-Brewhouse, serving smoked-on-board barbecue and house-made craft beer.
Several Carnival ships already boast Fieri-themed barbecue outlets that don't have attached breweries. Fieri-themed burger stands also can be found on 19 of Carnival's 25 vessels.
Carnival Horizon will also begin operation in the Mediterranean out of Barcelona before crossing the Atlantic to New York for a series of cruises to Bermuda and the Caribbean. In the fall, it'll move to it’s permanent home-port, Miami.
Norwegian’s Bliss
 |
| cruisesonly.com |
Norwegian Cruise Line is launching its fifth new ship in the last six years, creating yet another major mega-resort at sea. Joining its recently unveiled sister ships Joy and Ecstasy, Bliss will rank among the 10 largest ships in the world and feature such over-the-top amusements as a two-deck-high electric go-cart racing course, sprawling water park with multi-story water slides and a giant spa.
Dining options will include a restaurant-lined boardwalk featuring a modern Texas barbecue eatery called Q live pop country music. Bliss also will have an upscale, modern Mexican restaurant called Los Lobos — a concept that first debuted in 2016 on Norwegian Dawn. Bliss also will be the first Norwegian ship with a full-service Starbucks store on board.
In addition to the new venues, Bliss will feature many of the signature eateries and bars that are staples of the Norwegian fleet, including a Cagney's steakhouse, French restaurant Le Bistro and Italian restaurant La Cucina. There also will be versions of familiar Norwegian food venues Ocean Blue, Food Republic and Teppanyaki as well as the Norwegian craft beer outlet District Brew House.
As with past Norwegian ships, Bliss also will feature the line's signature "ship-within-a-ship" luxury suite area, The Haven, which has its own private pool, restaurant, butler service and concierge. All that said, it isn't just Bliss' on-board attractions that are drawing buzz. Tony Award-winning production shows like Jersey Boys.
Bliss will spend summers sailing to Alaska out of Seattle, with seven-night trips to Ketchikan; Juneau; Skagway; and Victoria, B.C. The ship will spend winters sailings the Eastern Caribbean with seven-night sailings out of Miami.
Celebrity’s Edge
 |
| cruisesonly.com |
It’s been six years since Celebrity launched a new ship but 2018 will see Celebrity kicking back into growth mode. Edge is the first of four new Celebrity vessels due by 2022 that will boast an innovative new design.
Edge's most notable features include A 90-ton platform, called the Magic Carpet, the size of a tennis court that will be cantilevered over its side moving up and down the side of the ship serving functions that range from tender boarding platform to 90-seat alternative restaurant near the top of the ship.
Edge will have a jogging track that spans two decks and winds around the ship's terraced pool area. A relaxation area to the aft of the pool deck called the Rooftop Garden that will include six poolside cabanas for rent with 20-foot ceilings. Hot tubs will be perched on stems in what Celebrity says is a “martini glass” design.
Celebrity Edge will also introduce new style accommodations such as Infinite Veranda cabins designed to blend the indoor and outdoor experience. Billed as an industry first, Infinite Veranda cabins will have balconies that are incorporated into the main cabin area. Bi-fold doors in the rooms either can be completely closed, creating a traditional room area separated from a balcony area, or left open, creating a wide-open indoor space that is about 23% larger than traditional balcony cabins.
Edge initially will sail to the Caribbean out of Fort Lauderdale operate seven-night trips before moving to the Mediterranean for the summer of 2019 offering mostly 10- and 11-night voyages.
What is your dream vacation destination? Chances are there is a cruise ship going that way!
Visit my website www.landorseatravel.com or call me 1-844-TRAVEL and discover the allure of cruising!
Mike Franks is an owner/operator of Cruise Planners in Orange Park, FL. Cruise Planners specializes in ocean and river cruises, land tours and resort vacations.
No comments:
Post a Comment