Get Ready for Six Major New Ships in 2008
Starting to plan your cruises for 2008? If new ships is your thing, you're in for a treat. No fewer than six new vessels will launch during the year -- one each from Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Holland America and Celebrity, and two from MSC Cruises. Four of the six ships, moreover, are entirely new designs.
MSC Poesia
Line: MSC Cruises
Maiden voyage: April 19
Home port: Venice, Italy
Passengers: 3,013
The buzz: The latest in the fast-growing Italian line's Musica series will look a lot like its two sisters, the MSC Musica and MSC Orchestra. Expect the same expansive spa area, three-deck theater, multiple pools and other features. Like its sisters, the ship will mostly be filled by Europeans, though the company continues to market more to U.S. travelers (be prepared for announcements endlessly repeated in multiple languages).
Itineraries: Seven-night Eastern Mediterranean cruises (from $899)
Independence of the Seas
Line: Royal Caribbean
Maiden voyage: May 17
Home port: Southampton, England (summer); Fort Lauderdale (winter)
Passengers: 3,634
The buzz: Remember all the hubbub last year about Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas, the world's largest cruise ship? This is the third in the series (a second one, Liberty, launched in May) and no less of a giant at 1,112 feet long and 184 feet wide. The twist: Unlike Freedom and Liberty, positioned in the bustling Caribbean, the Independence will call Europe its home — a sign of the growth of European cruising. Like Freedom, Independence will offer lots of gee-whiz features including a surfing pool, boxing ring, rock-climbing wall, ice skating rink and a miniature golf course — perfect for families with active teens.
Itineraries: 14-night Mediterranean cruises (from $1,025)
Eurodam
Line: Holland America
Maiden voyage: July 5
Home port: Copenhagen, Denmark (July, August); New York and Quebec (September, October); Fort Lauderdale (winter)
Passengers: 2,104
The buzz: The first ship in Holland America's new Signature-class series has a lot that's new for the line, including a pan-Asian restaurant with panoramic views on one of the top decks and a casual Italian restaurant on the Lido deck. The Eurodam also is bigger than its predecessors, with one more deck than the 10-deck Vista-class series. And cabins are getting a new décor. Gone are the floral patterns of old, replaced by a calmer, more monochromatic design.
Itineraries: 10-night Baltic cruises (from $2,349); 10-night Canada and New England cruises (from $1,799); seven-night Caribbean cruises (from $649)
Carnival Splendor
Line: Carnival
Maiden voyage: July 13
Home port: Dover, England, and Civitavecchia, Italy (summer); Fort Lauderdale (winter).
Passengers: 3,006
The buzz: This is the first of a new series of bigger ships for Carnival, and it boasts the line's first "spa staterooms" — 68 cabins directly tied to the ship's 21,000-square-foot Cloud 9 Spa. There's also a new water park and a 5,500-square-foot children's play area — the largest ever for the line. Just as notable (for Carnival, at least) are the ship's itineraries. Splendor will offer the famously fun-focused line's first trips into culture-heavy Northern Europe and South America.
Itineraries: 12-night Northern Europe cruises (from $2,199); 12-night Mediterranean cruises (from $1,349); seven-night Caribbean cruises (from $589); eventually South America.
MSC Fantasia
Line: MSC Cruises
Maiden voyage: Late 2008
Home port: Genoa, Italy
Passengers: 3,900
The buzz: The first in a new series for MSC (and the fast-growing line's largest to date) will boast an exclusive area for guests in the priciest suites. Known as the MSC Yacht Club, the three-deck-high private hideaway will contain luxury suites with butler service as well as a private solarium, two Jacuzzis, pool and observation lounge — the latest in a blossoming trend toward more exclusive areas on ships.
Itineraries: 11-night Mediterranean cruises (prices not yet finalized)
Celebrity Solstice
Line: Celebrity
Maiden voyage: Dec. 14
Home port: Fort Lauderdale
Passengers: 2,850
The buzz: The first in a new series for Celebrity, dubbed the Solstice class, will have bigger rooms than its predecessors (veranda cabins get 15% bigger). In a new twist for the line, it'll also have a separate class of 130 cabins dedicated to spa lovers. Known as AquaClass, it comes with unlimited access to the spa and a private dining room dedicated to healthy eating.
Itineraries: Seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruises (from $829)
For more information on any of these ships or cruise lines, visit us at www.CruiseCafe.com or call us at 1-800-788-2545.
Starting to plan your cruises for 2008? If new ships is your thing, you're in for a treat. No fewer than six new vessels will launch during the year -- one each from Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Holland America and Celebrity, and two from MSC Cruises. Four of the six ships, moreover, are entirely new designs.
MSC Poesia
Line: MSC Cruises
Maiden voyage: April 19
Home port: Venice, Italy
Passengers: 3,013
The buzz: The latest in the fast-growing Italian line's Musica series will look a lot like its two sisters, the MSC Musica and MSC Orchestra. Expect the same expansive spa area, three-deck theater, multiple pools and other features. Like its sisters, the ship will mostly be filled by Europeans, though the company continues to market more to U.S. travelers (be prepared for announcements endlessly repeated in multiple languages).
Itineraries: Seven-night Eastern Mediterranean cruises (from $899)
Independence of the Seas
Line: Royal Caribbean
Maiden voyage: May 17
Home port: Southampton, England (summer); Fort Lauderdale (winter)
Passengers: 3,634
The buzz: Remember all the hubbub last year about Royal Caribbean's Freedom of the Seas, the world's largest cruise ship? This is the third in the series (a second one, Liberty, launched in May) and no less of a giant at 1,112 feet long and 184 feet wide. The twist: Unlike Freedom and Liberty, positioned in the bustling Caribbean, the Independence will call Europe its home — a sign of the growth of European cruising. Like Freedom, Independence will offer lots of gee-whiz features including a surfing pool, boxing ring, rock-climbing wall, ice skating rink and a miniature golf course — perfect for families with active teens.
Itineraries: 14-night Mediterranean cruises (from $1,025)
Eurodam
Line: Holland America
Maiden voyage: July 5
Home port: Copenhagen, Denmark (July, August); New York and Quebec (September, October); Fort Lauderdale (winter)
Passengers: 2,104
The buzz: The first ship in Holland America's new Signature-class series has a lot that's new for the line, including a pan-Asian restaurant with panoramic views on one of the top decks and a casual Italian restaurant on the Lido deck. The Eurodam also is bigger than its predecessors, with one more deck than the 10-deck Vista-class series. And cabins are getting a new décor. Gone are the floral patterns of old, replaced by a calmer, more monochromatic design.
Itineraries: 10-night Baltic cruises (from $2,349); 10-night Canada and New England cruises (from $1,799); seven-night Caribbean cruises (from $649)
Carnival Splendor
Line: Carnival
Maiden voyage: July 13
Home port: Dover, England, and Civitavecchia, Italy (summer); Fort Lauderdale (winter).
Passengers: 3,006
The buzz: This is the first of a new series of bigger ships for Carnival, and it boasts the line's first "spa staterooms" — 68 cabins directly tied to the ship's 21,000-square-foot Cloud 9 Spa. There's also a new water park and a 5,500-square-foot children's play area — the largest ever for the line. Just as notable (for Carnival, at least) are the ship's itineraries. Splendor will offer the famously fun-focused line's first trips into culture-heavy Northern Europe and South America.
Itineraries: 12-night Northern Europe cruises (from $2,199); 12-night Mediterranean cruises (from $1,349); seven-night Caribbean cruises (from $589); eventually South America.
MSC Fantasia
Line: MSC Cruises
Maiden voyage: Late 2008
Home port: Genoa, Italy
Passengers: 3,900
The buzz: The first in a new series for MSC (and the fast-growing line's largest to date) will boast an exclusive area for guests in the priciest suites. Known as the MSC Yacht Club, the three-deck-high private hideaway will contain luxury suites with butler service as well as a private solarium, two Jacuzzis, pool and observation lounge — the latest in a blossoming trend toward more exclusive areas on ships.
Itineraries: 11-night Mediterranean cruises (prices not yet finalized)
Celebrity Solstice
Line: Celebrity
Maiden voyage: Dec. 14
Home port: Fort Lauderdale
Passengers: 2,850
The buzz: The first in a new series for Celebrity, dubbed the Solstice class, will have bigger rooms than its predecessors (veranda cabins get 15% bigger). In a new twist for the line, it'll also have a separate class of 130 cabins dedicated to spa lovers. Known as AquaClass, it comes with unlimited access to the spa and a private dining room dedicated to healthy eating.
Itineraries: Seven-night Eastern Caribbean cruises (from $829)
For more information on any of these ships or cruise lines, visit us at www.CruiseCafe.com or call us at 1-800-788-2545.
posted by The Cruise Cafe | 12:07 PM
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