This relatively new cruise line, backed by Richard Branson's Virgin Group, is reinventing mainstream cruising with a hipper, more inclusive, younger vibe (though not too young; its ships are adults-only). Think tattoo shops, karoake booths and no upcharges for tips or eateries. This fast-growing line has dominated the world of river cruising for North Americans for years, and in the last few years, it's become a significant player in upscale ocean cruising as well. Viking's 80 river ships operate on just about every major river in the world, and its 10 ocean ships (up from just one in 2015) can be found in a growing number of destinations, too.
Breakaway Plus Class
Carnival Cruise Line Names Gwen Stefani as Godmother of Newest Ship - Travel Market Report
Carnival Cruise Line Names Gwen Stefani as Godmother of Newest Ship.
Posted: Thu, 08 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Marvel at the breathtaking views of the ocean from every corner of the ship. During your time at sea, embrace the opportunity to relax, recharge, and relish a luxury cruise vacation like no other. The ship is 110,000 gross tons and has a passenger capacity of 2,980 at double occupancy. The Carnival cruise ship has a gross tonnage of 110,000, a passenger capacity of 2,980 at double occupancy, and 1,150 international crew members. Following her inaugural season out of Brisbane (the first under Carnival Cruise Line), the ship is operating Itineraries out of Seattle to Alaska.
Sun Class
The cruise ship continues with the same stats as her sister ships at 110,000 gross tons, a guest capacity of 2,974, and 1,160 international crew members. Mira Sorvino, Oscar-Winning Italian-American Actress is the godmother to Carnival Liberty. Carnival Breeze is 130,000 gross tons, which is just slightly smaller than the newer Vista-class vessels. The ship also has a guest capacity of 3,690 at double occupancy, along with 1,386 crew members. The vessel is 183,521 gross tons with a guest capacity of 5,372 at double occupancy, along with 1,735 crew members.
Epic Class
If the idea of sailing on a big ship makes you cringe, small-ship specialist Windstar could be the answer. Virgin Voyages' first three ships (Scarlet Lady, Valiant Lady and Resilient Lady) have suites by acclaimed designer Tom Dixon. Destinations include the Dominican Republic, Mexico and a private beach club in the Bahamas, as well as parts of Europe and Australia.
Oceania Cruises
It was the first ship to be awarded the "Blauer Engel," which is a German environmental label given to green-friendly products and services. See how your favorite cruise lines and ships measure up this year with our list below. Carnival Spirit was the very first ship built in the popular Spirit-class and was a totally new design for the cruise line.
Costa Cruises Costa Smeralda
The fifth, final, and largest Solstice-class cruise ship, Celebrity Reflection, will impress even the pickiest of travelers with its onboard activities, amenities, and spaces, including a total of 22 bars, restaurants, and lounges. In addition to The Retreat (reserved exclusively for suite guests) and The Solarium (adults-only), Reflection — along with all Solstice-class ships — boasts the Lawn Club. The adults-only Persian Garden area at the spa is a favorite amongst wellness enthusiasts. P&O Cruises held its spot on the top ten list of largest cruise ships in the world with an aptly named ship. Arvia is Latin for “from the seashore.” Arvia was launched in 2022 and features 19 decks (15 passenger-accessible decks). These engineering wonders take home awards every year for their cutting-edge design, first-of-their-kind attractions, world class dining and accommodations, and unforgettable experiences.
In 1998, crew members reportedly used the ship in a drug smuggling operation in the Mediterranean. Its final voyage as Pacific Princess was in 2002, when Princess replaced the vessel in the fleet with the former Renaissance Cruises' R Three, which still holds the name Pacific Princess. Set sail on the vacation of a lifetime aboard one of our award-winning cruise ships. Our luxurious fleet merges cutting-edge technology with welcoming interiors and revolutionary venues. Experience visionary spaces, like the Magic Carpet®, that are like nothing you’ve seen before.
Accepted by Most Major Cruise Lines
Like Royal Caribbean and Norwegian, MSC Cruises operates big, resort-like vessels that appeal to a broad audience. Among the highlight of its cruises in North America are stops at its new private island in the Bahamas, the Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve. A giant of cruising in Europe, Switzerland-based MSC Cruises is making a big play for North Americans with newer, bigger ships sailing year-round from Florida to the Caribbean and Bahamas. Cunard fans love the line's relatively formal vibe (including nightly dress codes) and other nods to ocean liner tradition, including evenings with ballroom dancing.
Carnival Mardi Gras
Families, in particular, will love this line, due to all the family-friendly activities and venues on its vessels. Royal Caribbean ships sail everywhere in the world, but the line's heaviest presence is in the Caribbean and Europe. Operating a fast-growing fleet of tough but upscale expedition ships (none carrying more than 264 passengers), Ponant is known for voyages to places like Antarctica and the Arctic. Multistory waterslides, ropes courses and even go-kart race tracks are among the gee-whiz attractions atop Norwegian Cruise Line's giant, resort-like ships. The vessels also are packed with eateries, bars, casinos and showrooms.
Water parks, huge entertainment spaces, dizzying restaurant options, and a wider variety of cabins are all part of how the largest cruise ships are filling all that space. The Fantasy-class cruise ship cost $300 million to construct in Helsinki, Finland and began guest operations in December 1998. The Carnival Paradise became just one of the two last Fantasy-class ships after Carnival Ecstasy left the fleet in the fall of 2022. Carnival Paradise will keep offering fun-filled cruise vacations at 71,925 gross tons and a guest capacity of 2,124.
The choice of roughly one in five cruisers, Carnival Cruise Line's ships are notoriously lively, flashy and packed with fun features such as water parks with multiple waterslides. The self-described "fun ship" line is the king of short, affordable, fun-focused cruises from U.S. ports to the Caribbean, the Bahamas, Mexico and beyond. MSC Bellissima is yet another member of MSC's Meraviglia-class to make our list. It first set sail in 2019 and has 18 decks (15 available to guests) and 2,217 cabins. When Carnival Jubilee arrived in Galveston late in 2023, it became the largest and newest ship Carnival has ever cruised from that port.
Today, the cruise ship -- most famous for American engineering -- rests in Philadelphia under the ownership and care of the SS United States Conservancy, awaiting a potential new life as a waterfront attraction and museum. The ship's successor in name, RMS Queen Mary 2, was, as of 2019, the only passenger ship currently operating full time as an ocean liner offering year-round transatlantic crossings. Since 1967, the ship has been permanently moored in Long Beach, California, adjacent to the Carnival cruise terminal. It now operates as a museum, event center and unique hotel, allowing visitors to sleep in first-class staterooms. Some claim the ship is haunted, and visitors can take evening ghost tours.
It has 2,700 staterooms, 430,000 square feet of public space, 16 total decks and even an 11-foot dry slide called the Spiral, among the longest dry slide at sea. World Europa is the first of four total ships in MSC's World-class fleet, with the second ship World America set to launch in 2025. Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas slips to the fourth position this year, having been the biggest cruise ship in the world from 2018 to 2022. There are so many reasons to get excited about a Royal Caribbean® cruise.
