Holland America, once a line known for its low-key evenings, is now one of the entertainment leaders with its Music Walk complex that features live rock, blues, and classical performances each night. On Roya' Caribbean's Oasis-class, the aft-situated Aquatheater boasts a giant pool that is the setting for dazzling acrobatic performances while Icon of the Seas will bring the Aquatheater to lofty new heights under a huge glass dome that sits atop the navigation bridge. NCL’s Breakaway-Plus ships offer up everything from full Broadway revues like "Six", which transforms the six wives of Henry VIII into modern pop princesses, to dinner theater (charges may apply) and even intimate cabaret style performances. With all their extra space, the newest and biggest ships serve up a broader scope of entertainment options. On top of that, the balconies on Virgin ships have hammocks that are perfect for relaxing on those warm-weather Caribbean days.Īquatheater performances aboard Wonder of the Seas are stunning (Photo: Aaron Saunders) Virgin Voyages takes it a bit further with in-cabin tablets controlling the temperature, mood lighting, movies, and music. Like Princess Cruises' Medallion Class technology that unlocks stateroom doors as the guest approaches, most major cruise lines are able to provide almost anything one desires, from specialty coffee orders to more towels, via the line’s app. Many new ships also have a night light setting that will hopefully aid in not disrupting sleep patterns during those 4:00 AM wake up calls. For instance, on Viking’s oceangoing ships like Viking Star, the bathroom floors have a heat option and superb anti-fog mirrors. Newer ships also treat passengers to more bells and whistles at the cabin level. On Caribbean cruises, many major cruise lines make up for this in spades with their private island resorts designed specifically to cater to these beloved behemoths.Ĭosta Toscana balcony stateroom (Photo: Aaron Saunders)Īside from the obvious things like brand new plumbing, ventilation and huge smart flatscreen televisions, new cruise ships tend to have more balcony staterooms overall and a much wider variety of layouts and perks - not to mention more power outlets, USB chargers, and the like. It is also true that some of the newest and biggest ships can only visit ports that have the infrastructure and space to accommodate them. Passengers on a typical cruise aboard these mega ships will be challenged to sample more than just a portion of the public areas and attractions, which perhaps, is part of the appeal. Not to be outdone, fast-growing MSC’s new 21 deck, LNG-powered MSC World Europa is a whopping 215,813 gross tons and accommodates 5,520 passengers with attractions like an 11-deck spiral slide and the World Promenade, a seven deck tall outdoor atrium at the ship’s stern. Meanwhile, Norwegian’s largest Breakaway-Plus-class ship, Norwegian Encore, accommodates 4004 guests (5,000 maximum) and offers up a go cart racing track, a waterpark and a ropes course among its diversions. Icon of the Seas (Rendering: Royal Caribbean)Ĭonsider this: Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas, which will have 20 passenger decks and carry 5,600 double occupancy guests (with up to 7,600 if all berths are filled) when it is completed in 2024, will dwarf the line's smallest ship, the 1996-built, 11 deck, 2,446 guest Enchantment of the Seas, which could comfortably sail right down the middle of the new behemoth. Additionally, newer ships tend to have greener features like refillable water stations and the use of sustainable materials. The increase in size allows extra space for attractions like water parks, rollercoasters, zip lines and wave riding machines.Īnother benefit of bigger, newer ships is that as technology improves, cruise ships have become increasingly efficient, with some incorporating more environmentally friendly fueling options like cleaner-burning Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), fuel cells and solar power augmentation. With their increased size, newer ships offer their owners economy of scale by being able to sell more berths while streamlining operational costs - and that keeps cruise fares low. Today, most new cruise ships that cater to the mainstream market (versus expedition or luxury), are basically double that size. In 2000, the typical new ship was in the 70,000-ton range with a capacity for 2,000 guests. In recent years, the average size of a cruise ship has increased exponentially. Popular cruise ships docked in Nassau, a favorite stop among cruisers.
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