Register | Forgot Password? | Customer Service

We may be in the middle of a worldwide recession, but you wouldn’t know it from the billions of dollars being spent to build spectacular new cruise ships. In fact, over the next 18 months the world’s fleet of floating resorts will expand by 15 new ships. And millions more will be spent refurbishing a variety of older ships.

Here’s a guide to the billion-dollar beauties that will be making a big splash before the end of 2009:

Seabourn Odyssey: The first ultra-deluxe cruise ship built in the last six years was launched at the end of June. The 450-passenger ship features the highest space-per-passenger ratio afloat, 250 suites (most with full-sized balconies), and granite bathrooms with twin sinks. The ship also has four dining areas, six bars and lounges, and a fabulous spa with Finnish saunas, aromatic steam rooms, massage rooms and a thalassotherapy pool.

MSC Splendida: This mammoth vessel hits the water in July with 3,960 passengers and lots of amenities including four swimming pools, a children’s water park, basketball and tennis courts, squash court, a huge spa, miniature golf and a Formula One simulator. In addition, there’s the MSC Yacht Club, a VIP area complete with 99 spacious suites and 24 hour butler service.

Celebrity Equinox: The sister ship to the recently launched Solstice will debut in August and feature a half-acre top deck patio with real grass, areas for croquet, bocce and miniature golf, and a hot glass-blowing show. The 2,850-passenger ship will also have a solarium pool, a gorgeous two-storey dining room, a creperie, three alternative restaurants and cabins that are slightly larger than on most premium-priced ships.

Carnival Dream: With a two-level miniature golf course, a WaterWorks Aqua Park, an indoor/outdoor café with live music, and an extensive children’s area, the latest entry from Carnival promises to be a great family ship when launched this September. The Dream will carry 3,645 passengers and offer several new categories of cabins including balcony staterooms located close to the water line as well as whirlpools that sit on the sides of the ship and overlook the ocean.

Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas: When launched in December, this beauty will carry 5,400 passengers and claim the title of the largest passenger ship ever built. This maritime marvel will feature seven distinct themed areas including a Central Park, a Boardwalk with an Aqua Theater, a Royal Promenade, a Pool and Sports Zone, a Sea Spa and Fitness Centre, an Entertainment Place and a Youth Zone. It will also have the first zip line at sea stretching 82 feet and suspended across the Boardwalk, diving performances, and an Adventure Ocean Theater and carousel for kids.

Silversea’s Silver Spirit: The ultra-deluxe ship will debut in December with 540 guests who will be indulged with some of the largest staterooms afloat (95% with a private balconies) and one of the highest space-to-guest ratios at sea.  The décor designed by Italian architect Giacomo Mortola will lend a sophisticated 1930s Art Deco ambience to the public areas, and newly designed wellness and dining venues will further enhance the shipboard experience. There will also be a choice of six restaurants, including an alternative venue for Asian-inspired fusion cuisine and an innovative supper club offering contemporary foods and all-night entertainment.

Coming in 2010: In addition to the six new ships referenced above, another nine new vessels will debut next year. They include the Norwegian Epic from NCL in July and the much anticipated Queen Elizabeth from Cunard in October.

The 2,090-passenger Queen Elizabeth will carry the name of its original predecessor, the famed Cunard ship which was launched in 1938 as the world’s largest liner. It will feature elegant double and triple height public rooms on a grand scale, intricately detailed interiors replete with rich wood panelling, mosaics, gleaming chandeliers, and cool marbles.

As a successor to Queen Elizabeth 2, the ship will also reflect this great liner via artwork and memorabilia and will have its very own ‘Yacht Club,’ named after the lively aft lounge on QE2. Offering guests 270 degree views and the perfect setting for activities and gatherings during the day, it will also double as a dramatic evening venue for cocktails and dancing.

Images and plans for Cunard’s newest ship – the Queen Elizabeth – were revealed this week at the Seatrade Cruise Shipping convention in Miami, Florida.

Cunard’s third new ship in the last six years, the Queen Elizabeth will enter service on October 12, 2010 and will feature unique  traditions linking her with sisters Queen Mary 2 and Queen Victoria, and their predecessors. She will also debut some exciting features that will give the vessel her own style and personality.
The Queen Elizabeth will carry the name of its original predecessor, the famed Cunard ship which was launched in 1938 as the world’s largest liner. It will also reference the first QE in interior grandeur, décor and style, but with a modern twist.
The new Queen will feature elegant double and triple height public rooms on a grand scale, intricately detailed interiors replete with rich wood panelling, mosaics, gleaming chandeliers, and cool marbles. Art Deco features will pay homage to the original Queen Elizabeth, and will allow the new ship to reflect a more civilized era of travel.

As a successor to Queen Elizabeth 2, the ship will also reflect this great liner via artwork and memorabilia and will have its very own ‘Yacht Club,’ named after the lively aft lounge on QE2. Offering guests 270 degree views and the perfect setting for activities and gatherings during the day, it will also double as a dramatic evening venue for cocktails and dancing.
The ship’s distinctive public spaces include:
Queens Room - a new take on the traditional Cunard ballroom, with artwork depicting views from royal palaces, and photography of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II and the Royal family, along with its 1000 square foot dance floor for Grand Balls and Tea Dances at sea.
Garden Lounge - with its magnificent vaulted glass ceiling creating a conservatory feel inspired by the glass houses of Kew Gardens, beneath where guests will enjoy Supper Clubs, and mix dining with dancing under the stars.
Games Deck - Named after the same deck on the original Queen Elizabeth, the Games Deck will offer paddle tennis, croquet and traditional British bowls.

Midships Bar - will pay homage to her namesake liner, the first Queen Elizabeth, with memorabilia displayed from that era.
The ship’s dining venues include:
Queens Grill and Princess Grill - The ship will also feature the line’s celebrated five-star Grills accommodation and dining, with its al fresco dining option on a private deck terrace - first introduced on Queen Victoria - beautiful restaurants, Grills Lounge and sunbathing deck.
The popular Britannia Club, having first debuted aboard Queen Mary 2, features a private dining room with single seating dining for those guests in the top Balcony staterooms.
Britannia Restaurant - Art Deco decorative flourishes create a dramatic backdrop for this two-tiered dining room featuring a sweeping staircase ideal for making a grand entrance.
Queen Elizabeth’s maiden 2010 season will consist of six voyages, calling on 32 distinct ports in 18 countries. Her Maiden Voyage will depart from Cunard’s homeport of Southampton on 12 October 2010, en route to the Atlantic Isles. The 13-night voyage will call at Vigo (for Santiago de Compostela), Lisbon, Seville (Cadiz), Gran Canaria (Las Palmas), Tenerife (Santa Cruz de Tenerife), La Palma (Santa Cruz de La Palma) and Madeira (Funchal). Fares start from $2,995 per person.
The ship will then embark on five celebratory inaugural voyages:
Mediterranean Premiere - A 14-day voyage departing Southampton on 25 October 2010 with maiden calls to Barcelona, Monte Carlo, Florence/Pisa (Livorno), Rome (Civitavecchia), Naples (for Capri and Pompeii), Cartagena and Gibraltar. Fares start from $2,795 per person.
Aegean Introduction - An 18-day voyage departing Southampton on 8 November 2010 calling on Malaga (for Granada), Malta (Valletta), Venice, Dubrovnik, Kusadasi (for Ephesus), Athens (Piraeus) and Alicante. Fares from $3,295 per person.
Gallic Debut - A five-day voyage departing Southampton on 26 November 2010 with maiden calls to Rotterdam (for Amsterdam), Brussels/Bruges (for Zeebrugge) and Cherbourg. Fares start from $1,195 per person.
Iberian Discovery - A 13-day voyage departing Southampton on 1 December 2010 with calls to Vigo (for Santiago de Compostela), Lisbon, Seville (Cadiz), Gran Canaria (Las Palmas), Tenerife (Santa Cruz de Tenerife), La Palma (Santa Cruz de La Palma) and Madeira. Fares start from $2,395 per person.
Festive Debut - A 22-day holiday voyage departing Southampton on 14 December 2010 with calls in the Caribbean, including Madeira (Funchal), Tortola, Dominica, Barbados, St. Lucia, Antigua and Azores Islands (Ponta Delgada). Fares start from $4,795 per person.
Reservations for Queen Elizabeth’s maiden voyages and inaugural season will be open for booking on April 2. The ship’s maiden voyage from England to the Canary Island is expected to sell out quickly.

We may be in the middle of an economic recession, but you wouldn’t know it from the number of new cruise ships being launched in 2009. It’s almost like the CEOs of the world’s major cruise lines have been watching Kevin Costner in the old movie “Field of Dreams.” You know, the one where Kevin is standing in his corn field wondering why he should build a baseball field there when the voice says: “Build it and they will come.”

Well, cruise ship executives better hope passengers keep coming this year because they will be adding a bevy of billion dollar beauties to their fleets. And that means cruise lovers will have plenty of extraordinary amenities, gorgeous facilities and fantastic new staterooms to choose from when they walk up the gangplank in 2009 – not to mention some pretty attractive cruise fares.

Here’s a brief summary of some of the best new builds that will launch in 2009:

Pearl Mist: The first small ship to have all-balcony accommodations, the latest ship from Pearl Seas Cruises will weigh 7,600-tons and carry just 210 passengers. After her launch in March, she will sail the Caribbean, Eastern Canada, and the Great Lakes.

Oasis of the Seas: Launching in November, this 220,000-ton floating mammoth from Royal Caribbean International will feature a revolutionary new neighourhood concept with a variety of themed areas including an old fashioned seaside pier, an aqua theatre, and an open air gathering place called Central Park. She will kick off her maiden year in the Caribbean.

Seabourn Odyssey: She’s the first new ship from Seabourn in 20 years. The 450-passenger luxury vessel will be launched in June and will feature balconies on 90% of her staterooms. She’ll start sailing in the Mediterranean.

Silver Spirit: The fifth vessel in Silversea Cruises luxury fleet of small ships, the Silver Spirit will be delivered in November and begin her life sailing around South America. The 540-passenger ship will include an upscale supper club, an Asian-themed restaurant, and an ultra-luxurious spa, and more than 95% of her staterooms will have balconies.

Costa Luminosa & Pacifica: The Luminosa will weigh 92,000 tons and carry 2,260 people, which is a return to a smaller sized vessel for Costa. When she launches in June, the Luminosa will be sailing in Northern Europe. The 114,000-ton Pacifica will carry 3,000 passengers and resemble her sister ships the Serena and Concordia. She is also scheduled for a June launch and will initially sail in the Mediterranean.

Carnival Dream: At 130,000 tons, she’ll be the largest Carnival ship ever built, which means we can expect even more great public rooms and facilities than ever. The Dream will carry 3,652 passengers, and begin her life this October sailing in the Mediterranean.

Celebrity Equinox: The sibling to Celebrity’s recently launched Solstice, this beauty will carry 1,800 passengers, weigh 118,000 tons and offer many of the same features as her sister ship. When she’s launched in December, she’ll begin her maiden season in the Caribbean.

MSC Splendida: Like its sister the Fantasia, this 133,500 ton-monster will carry 3,300 passengers when it is launched in July. She’ll begin her life in the Mediterranean.