Six New Superstars for 2008
Unique and innovative features are on the horizon as cruise lines debut their latest ships
By Justin Boyd
With six new luxury liners set to debut, 2008 is poised to be a big year for the cruise ship industry. Travel heavyweights Carnival Cruise Lines, Celebrity Cruises, Holland America Line, MSC Cruises, Princess Cruises and Royal Caribbean International all have new offerings for the new year. Equipped with unique amenities, attractions and berths for 2,100 or more passengers, these new ships will offer inaugural sailings to some of the world's most exotic and interesting places.
Inaugurals are rare and attract cruise veterans looking for their next open-sea escapade and rookies seeking their first great adventure. But while inaugural sailings are enticing and exciting, consider booking a cruise that departs a few weeks after the scheduled debut. This will give the onboard crew a chance to iron out any service wrinkles during the first few sailings.
However, if you really want to be aboard that first cruise, book soon. New ships tend to sell out quickly, and inaugurals generally sell out earlier than other sailings.
To book any upcoming cruise on one of the six brand-new ships listed below, call (800) 338-4962 or visit national travel discounter Vacations To Go. Vessels are listed in order of their debut.
Poesia
MSC Cruises, 3,013 passengers
As it maneuvers the waters of the Mediterranean, the newest ship of MSC Cruises will literally be poetry in motion. The 89,600-ton sister ship to the Musica and Orchestra, Poesia (Italian for "poetry") is noted for its elegant and unique interior design and decor. A piano is suspended above a transparent crystal floor in the ship's central foyer, and a cascading waterfall plunges over three decks.
For guests looking to relax, the ship's 13,000-square-foot spa is a one-stop shop. Here, passengers can enjoy a chromo-therapeutic hydromassage or a Turkish steam bath, or soak in one of four Jacuzzis. Other ship amenities include a theater that houses live productions, a movie cinema, casino, wine-tasting bar and miniature golf course.
Dining options aboard Poesia vary from a sushi bar and self-service pizza grill to a Mediterranean-themed specialty restaurant, where the menu changes daily depending on the port of call.
Poesia debuts April 6 with a 13-day sailing from Dover, England (a port for London), to Venice, Italy, with stops in Ireland, Portugal, Spain, Croatia and elsewhere in Italy along the way. From April 19 to Nov. 15, Poesia will sail the Mediterranean, offering mostly seven-night sailings departing from Bari and Venice in Italy.
Independence of the Seas
Royal Caribbean International, 4,375 passengers
Weighing in at 160,000 tons, the 1,112-foot Independence of the Seas from Royal Caribbean joins sister ships Freedom of the Seas and Liberty of the Seas as the largest passenger vessels ever built. The ship's ample size creates enough space for a variety of Royal Caribbean's unique amenities. The FlowRider, a wave generator for surfing, highlights the ship's H2O Zone, an interactive water park. Other features include a rock-climbing wall, ice-skating rink, boxing ring, casino, fitness center and spa.
For dining choices, the ship's eateries include Johnny Rockets '50s-style restaurant, Portofino Italian restaurant, Chops Grille and a Ben & Jerry's ice cream shop.
The Independence of the Seas premieres May 2 with a four-day British Isles sailing from Southampton, a port for London. It then embarks on a series of Mediterranean cruises, also departing from Southampton, through Oct. 26. From Nov. 23 through the following spring, the ship sails from Fort Lauderdale, FL, on a series of six-day cruises to Belize and Mexico and eight-day cruises to the Eastern Caribbean.
Carnival Splendor
Carnival Cruise Lines, 3,006 passengers
The first of a new class of Carnival vessels, the 113,300-ton Carnival Splendor is the largest ship in the company's fleet. Cloud9 Spa, a 21,000-square-foot health and fitness center, is the ship's star attraction. Here guests can relax as they enjoy a variety of pampering treatments, a state-of-the-art thermal suite and a thalassotherapy pool covered by a glass dome. A winter garden and ceremonial tea house add to the calm and soothing ambience. Sixty-eight cabins offer private access to the spa.
The ship has family-friendly amenities, including a water park, sports deck and a two-level, 5,500-square-foot children's play area, the largest of any in the Carnival fleet. The Splendor also has four swimming pools, including a central Lido Deck pool in a two-deck-high, glass-walled area topped by a retractable sky dome.
Among Splendor's 22 lounges and bars are El Morocco, styled after the famed 1930s New York City club of the same name, and El Mojito, reminiscent of a sidewalk cafe in Cuba's Old Havana. In the Pinnacle Supper Club, a skylight frames starry skies.
The Carnival Splendor debuts July 2 with an eight-day voyage from Genoa, Italy, to London. On July 10, it begins a schedule of Northern Europe sailings, mostly 12-day itineraries with overnights in St. Petersburg, Russia. From Nov. 17 through Jan. 24, 2009, the Splendor cruises the Eastern Caribbean from Fort Lauderdale.
Eurodam
Holland America Line, 2,104 passengers
This 86,000-ton newcomer is the first of the new Signature-class ships of Holland America, and it is also the company's largest vessel. Catering to food and wine lovers, the Eurodam features the unique and innovative Culinary Arts Center. The facility has a state-of-the-art show kitchen equipped with large plasma-screen televisions. Here, guests can watch and learn from chefs around the world as they provide cooking demonstrations and conduct intimate and informative classes.
A 144-seat Pan-Asian restaurant and the Pinnacle Grill, the line's intimate reservations-only restaurant, highlight onboard dining options. A variety of 18 bars and lounges include the Crow's Nest, which serves as an observation lounge by day and a stunning nightclub by night.
Passengers can relax at an expanded Greenhouse Spa and Salon, which features thermal suites and a hydrotherapy pool. For those looking to stay in shape, the Eurodam has three swimming pools, a basketball court and the largest gymnasium ever built on an HAL ship.
The Eurodam makes its maiden voyage July 2 -- a three-day trip from Rotterdam, Holland, to Copenhagen, Denmark. Beginning July 5, the ship will offer trips of 10 to 25 days in Northern Europe. A series of Canada and New England sailings starts in late August. From Oct. 25 through spring 2009, the Eurodam will tour the Eastern Caribbean on seven-night sailings from Fort Lauderdale.
Ruby Princess
Princess Cruises, 3,080 passengers
The 113,000-ton Ruby Princess from Princess Cruises will offer many of the same amenities as its sister ships, the Crown Princess and Emerald Princess. When entering the ship, guests are greeted by a piazza-style atrium replete with an assortment of performing street entertainers, eateries, shops and bars. Onboard features include a golf simulator, casino and the giant Movies Under the Stars poolside screen for watching films at night. Specialty restaurants Sabatini's Italian trattoria and the Crown Grill steak and seafood spot are among the Ruby Princess' various dining options.
Families are welcomed with designated spaces for kids and adults. At the youth center, children ages 3 to 12 can enjoy a variety of activities, from arts and crafts workshops to scavenger hunts and shipboard "olympics." Teens can take part in karaoke and talent shows, pizza parties and hip-hop dance classes. And for adults only, the outdoor, spa-inspired Sanctuary serves as a relaxing oasis offering light meals, beverages and massages.
The Ruby Princess sails its inaugural journey on Nov. 15, the first in a long series of seven-night Western Caribbean voyages from Fort Lauderdale. The ship calls at Jamaica's Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman, Cozumel on Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, and Princess Cays, Princess' private Bahamian island.
Celebrity Solstice
Celebrity Cruises, 2,852 passengers
Aboard Celebrity Solstice, the largest ship to date for Celebrity Cruises, passengers can live the life of, well, a celebrity. Feel like a pampered star when you stay in one of the ship's 130 AquaClass veranda staterooms, all of which have access to the ship's Aqua-Spa. Here guests can relax and unwind in the aromatic warmth of the Persian Garden or in the soothing saltwater of the thalassotherapy pool.
The 122,000-ton vessel is the first of four vessels in Celebrity's new Solstice class. This new breed of ships features larger staterooms outfitted with flat-screen televisions, spacious bathrooms and plush European bedding. Wireless Internet is available throughout the ship. Other amenities include a fitness center, casino, movie cinema and a theater for Broadway-style shows. Passengers in AquaClass staterooms enjoy exclusive dining in the chic specialty restaurant, Blu.
The Celebrity Solstice premieres Dec. 14 with a seven-night sailing in the Eastern Caribbean departing from Fort Lauderdale. The itinerary, offered through April 12, 2009, includes stops in San Juan, Puerto Rico; Dutch-influenced St. Maarten in the Netherlands Antilles; and Labadee, a private beach destination in Haiti.