The allure of nine brand-new cruise ships
The Norwegian Epic's Spice H20 theater at night. Credit: Norwegian Cruise Line
They're big, shiny and have all the features seagoing passengers have come to love. Nine brand-new cruise ships will be seen in North America this fall and winter, the most for some years to come.
One, the massive Norwegian Epic, is already here. Seven other new ships will be arriving in North America over the next few months to make a series of winter cruises, and one - a new edition of Cunard's legendary "Queens" - will make several port calls in the United States as it embarks on its first world cruise. Three other large new ships are remaining in Europe year-round.
"These are the last wave of new ships ordered before the recession," says Mike Driscoll, editor of Cruise Week, a respected industry newsletter. The economic downturn that started in 2008 has deterred owners from making new orders, he explained, so you'll see fewer new vessels entering service in the next few years.
WHAT'S IN STORE
New ships are usually a big draw for passengers. They're not just fresh, but usually bring with them innovations in cruising that intrigue the public.
This year is somewhat different because most forthcoming ships are clones of earlier vessels. Even though new elements are being introduced on the coming ships, there aren't as many as in previous years. "For the first time in decades, there aren't any so-called new trends emerging from new builds," says Carolyn Spencer Brown, editor of Cruise Critic, an independent online cruise magazine.
That also can affect pricing.
Fares on new ships may be lower when the vessel is a "sister ship" of one that's already cruising. For example, Holland America's Nieuw Amsterdam - a clone of the earlier Eurodam - is offering seven-night Caribbean cruises this fall for as low as $499.
"Where you will see higher fares will be for unique ships like Oceania's Marina and Disney's Disney Dream," Brown says. "Norwegian Cruise Line's Norwegian Epic will only ever be a one-of-a-kind ship, so it also will continue to enjoy unique status, fare-wise."
A major cruise event will come Oct. 11 when Queen Elizabeth II smashes a bottle of champagne on the bow of Cunard Line's new Queen Elizabeth in a naming ceremony at Southampton.
ABOUT THE SHIPS
Here are brief profiles of the nine new vessels Americans will see this fall and winter. Most will return to Europe in spring.
NORWEGIAN EPIC
866-625-1166, ncl.com
PASSENGER CAPACITY 4,100
Norwegian Cruise Line's huge new 4,100-passenger vessel came to America in July with several interesting new features. No other cruise ship, for one, offers as many cabins for singles - 128 - and they've become among the first staterooms to be booked. Epic also places high emphasis on entertainment, with such high-powered groups as Blue Man, Cirque Dreams, Howl at the Moon, Second City, Legends in Concert and Nickelodeon all on board. Building on the line's reputation for "freestyle cruising," the ship has 20 restaurants (11 free and nine with a surcharge) and 20 lounges. Its water park features the one-of-a-kind Epic Plunge, a tube slide that drops riders through a 200-foot-long tunnel that ends with swirling in a vortex before splashdown.
SAILS Seven-night Caribbean cruises out of Miami until April, when it will return to Europe.
QUEEN ELIZABETH
800-728-6273, cunard.com
PASSENGER CAPACITY 2,092
Cunard Line's newest "Queen" is much like sister ship Queen Victoria, but the vessel does have several new features. Guests who book deluxe balcony staterooms now have their own stand-alone, single-seating restaurant, Brittania Club. Also new is the Garden Lounge, which has an angled glass roof inspired by London's Kew Gardens; it will offer supper club-style music and dancing. A new alternative restaurant, The Verandah, will serve regional French cuisine.
SAILS Beginning next week, it will make several cruises within Europe, then embark on a world cruise, calling at New York, Fort Lauderdale and Los Angeles in January. Passengers can embark on the world cruise or a segment at all three ports.
AZURA
(011 44) 0845-678-0014, pocruises.com
PASSENGER CAPACITY 3,076
P&O Cruises' Azura has a three-deck atrium, an al fresco adult retreat and a restaurant by Michelin-starred chef Atul Kochhar. The line caters to British guests and nearly all of its cruises are sold out.
SAILS The ship will winter in Barbados, cruising to Florida and New Orleans during a 28-night Christmas/New Year's itinerary.
CELEBRITY ECLIPSE
800-437-3111, celebritycruises.com
PASSENGER CAPACITY 2,850
Though the Eclipse is the third in Celebrity's trendy and much-lauded Solstice series, it offers two important new elements. Its iLounge has 26 computer stations, a classroom area, enrichment center and retail space (it's authorized to sell Apple products). Eclipse's Qsine is an alternative restaurant with a modern approach to dining and some unusual dishes. That becomes evident from the start when passengers place their orders from an electronic menu.
SAILS The ship entered service in Europe earlier this year and will make Caribbean sailings from Miami this winter, starting Nov. 13.
SEABOURN SOJOURN
800-929-9391, seabourn.com
PASSENGER CAPACITY 450
Second in a series of three new Seabourn vessels, the Sojourn accommodates more than twice as many passengers as the line's first three ships. That has prompted the luxury line to target more younger passengers, which it is doing by offering more active pursuits, additional dining choices and some shorter cruises. The Sojourn is a clone of sister ship Seabourn Odyssey - the biggest change is in the 11,400-square-foot spa, which on Sojourn features a new Kneipp Pool for water therapy, an herbal bath facility and aroma steam bath.
SAILS After debuting in Europe earlier this year, it will make four cruises out of Fort Lauderdale starting Nov. 19.
NIEUW AMSTERDAM
877-724-5425, hollandamerica.com
PASSENGER CAPACITY 2,106
Holland America's 15th cruise ship is very like the 2008 Eurodam with a couple of new features. One is the Master Chef's Table, an alternative dining experience offering seven courses and selected wine pairings. Another is the ship's extensive decor honoring New York City, which was known as Nieuw Amsterdam by its Dutch founders.
SAILS Starting Nov. 7, Nieuw Amsterdam will make seven- to 14-day Caribbean cruises out of Fort Lauderdale, returning to Europe in early April.
ALLURE OF THE SEAS
866-562-7625, royalcaribbean.com
PASSENGER CAPACITY 5,400
Last year's debut Oasis of the Seas, the biggest cruise ship in the world, wowed Royal Caribbean guests with its seven themed areas, interior open-to-sky promenades and such innovative features as a merry-go-round and zip line. Its sister ship, Allure of the Seas, has those elements and several new ones. The animated film studio DreamWorks, for one, is adding its unique characters - stars of "Shrek," "Madagascar," "Kung Fu Panda" and "How to Train Your Dragon" - to onboard entertainment programs. Other new features: A 3-D movie screen in the Amber Theater; a Mexican beach bar and a hot dog/sausage shop, both in the Boardwalk neighborhood.
SAILS Beginning Dec. 5, weekly Caribbean cruises from Fort Lauderdale.
DISNEY DREAM
800-951-3532, disneycruiseline.com
PASSENGER CAPACITY 2,500
Disney Cruise Line's first new build in years will feature an amazing water park and unique-to-Disney entertainment as well as several other innovations. AquaDuck, a water flume coaster, will propel guests at high speed through an acrylic tunnel on a four-deck, 765-foot journey that will take them off the side of the ship, over river rapids and even through the forward funnel. It's the first of its kind at sea. To lessen the feeling of being closeted in, all inside rooms will have a "virtual" porthole - videos that show real-time views fed by cameras placed outside the ship. For adults, there's a new restaurant, Remy, with French-inspired cuisine.
SAILS Embarks on its maiden voyage Jan. 26 from Port Canaveral on three- and four-day cruises to the Bahamas. In summer it will shift to four- and five-day itineraries.
MARINA
800-531-5658, oceaniacruises.com
PASSENGER CAPACITY 1,258
This is the first new build for Oceania Cruises, an "upper premium" line (above premium, but below luxury). The Marina will have the industry's largest standard veranda staterooms at 282 square feet, and almost every bathroom will have both a tub and shower. It also will have a culinary center with 24 cooktops providing each class member with his own station. Guest chefs will be chosen by Bon Appétit magazine. On board, too, will be famed chef Jacques Pepin's first restaurant.
SAILS Arrives in Miami in February to make three cruises before heading back to Europe in late March.
