Medium Ship Line #1: Royal Caribbean International
While it’s true that Royal Caribbean is better known for its large and mega-ships, the cruise line also has a fair number of medium-size ships whose maximum capacities are just shy of 2,500 guests. Each of these ships belongs to the Vision class or Radiance class, two families of older vessels whose smaller sizes allow them to explore more adventurous destinations, such as Alaska and Cyprus. But they also sail the Caribbean, offering Royal Caribbean loyalists a more intimate experience than the fleet’s larger ships.
Small Ship Line #: Lindblad Expeditions
This fleet of 15 vesselswith passenger capacities ranging from just 28 to 148sails to rugged, far-flung destinations, including Arctic Svalbard, Antarctica, Indonesia, and the Galápagos. A Lindblad cruise typically prioritizes adventure over luxury. On most ships, expect small, simple cabins, but plenty of memorable excursions, like snorkeling in Borneo or hiking an ice field in Patagonia. But some of its recent fleet additions are truly luxe, from its two polar-sailing expedition ships, National Geographic Endurance and National Geographic Resolution, to the elegant Oberoi Philae, which sails the Nile. Each sailing has an expedition team made up of experts in fields like marine biology and photography.
Large Ship #: Msc Cruises
Nearly half of MSCs fleetnamely those ships in the Musica and Fantasia classesfalls into the large cruise category, with most of its newer builds firmly taking a bigger is better stance. The eight large vessels primarily sail in the Mediterranean and the Caribbean, though they do offer itineraries in North and South America, Asia, and Northern Europe, too. The family-friendly ships skew toward the upscale side, and theyre known for their incredibly international crowds.
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The 8 Best Carnival Cruise Ships Of 2021
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Runner-Up, Best Overall: Carnival Vista
“Has a large amount of repeat Carnival cruisers and offers nonstop action onboard.”
Best New Ship: Carnival Sunrise
“Every cabin on Sunrise is remodeled with fresh new furnishings, and dining and beverage additions.”
Best Accommodations: Carnival Horizon
“Accommodations include the Family Harbor, dedicated family staterooms with their own lounge and concierge, and the Cloud 9 spa staterooms.”
Large Ship Line #: Holland America Line
As its name indicates, Holland America is a cruise line that was established in 1873 to primarily ferry passengers, many of whom were emigrants, between the Netherlands and the United States. Of course, these days, the cruise line sails more broadly to more than 470 ports around the world on its 11 shipsand its highly regarded for its Alaska itineraries. While passengers can enjoy classic cruise activities like swimming, sports, and gambling, Holland America is particularly noted for its culinary and musical programs: it has a partnership with the TV show Americas Test Kitchen for cooking demonstrations, cooking classes, and a number of live music venues , and stage productions dedicated to the history of music on many of its ships. The latest addition to Holland Americas fleet is the Rotterdam, which first set sail in July 2021, with a capacity of 2,650 passengers.
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Best Design: Carnival Dream
At 3,646 passengers, Carnival Dream is one of the fleets larger vessels yet its brilliant design lends itself to a lot of quiet places. Which means you get the best of both worlds here: tons of fun activities and plenty of ways to relax. Theres a wrap-around promenade on deck 5 with whirlpools that extend off the sides and the adults-only lounge, plus plenty of lounge chairs to enjoy the sea breeze. The childrens center is massive with a dedicated club for tweens and another for teens plus a sprawling waterpark with a 300-foot twisting slide. On Dream, passengers can choose from two Guy Fieri venues both included in the fare, as well as the Pizzeria del Capitano, and the BlueIguana Cantina.
River Ship Line #: Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection
Uniworld’s 21 ships cruise around the globe in Europe, Egypt, Russia, China, India, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Peru. Their excursions offer passengers the opportunity to get a little closer to their destinations of choice, with visits to local homes, farms, and artisans, and every excursion is rated by ability level. In 2018, two of its ships were overhauled for a new venture, U by Uniworld Cruises, with itineraries, dining, and activities that appeal to younger prospective passengersthink silent discos, mixology classes, and rooftop camping.
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Medium Ship Line #1: Carnival Cruise Line
The eight ships between Carnival’s Fantasy and Spirit classes each clock in around 2,100 passengersCarnival hasn’t built a ship that small since 2004 and has no plans to order any more. But these smaller ships sail itineraries all over the world, from the Panama Canal to the South Pacific, as well as shorter sailings from Florida to the Caribbean, and bring the same amount of laid-back fun to each sailing as the much larger Carnival ships.
Luxurious New Cruise Ship To Sail From The Uk In 2023
Ambassador Cruise Line has announced plans for a second cruise ship Ambition to sail from the UK in 2023 as it prepares to welcome its first ship Ambiance to the fleet
- 10:02, 28 Jan 2022
Ambassador Cruise Line is set to make its debut this year with one of the top highly-anticipated new cruise ships for 2022, Ambience.
Now the brand new cruise line – the first British one to be launch since 2010 – has announced plans for a second ship to join its fleet next year.
Ambition will enter service in 2023, and like Ambience she will offer plenty of luxurious amenities for guests including a wellness centre, casino, theatre, gym, shops, and highlights such as a card room, craft studio and library.
As for dining, passengers will have a choice of two main restaurants and speciality dining, a casual bistro, four bars, lounges and even a pub!
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Eagle-eyed cruise fans may actually recognise the cruise ship already, as she was bought from Costa Crociere, where she had been operating as AIDAMira. The ship has also previously sailed under names including Mistral, Grand Mistral and Costa neoRiviera.
Of course under Ambassador Cruise Line she will be receiving an extensive refurbishment – so passengers can expect a completely new look and experience!
You can find out more about both ships on ambassadorcruiseline.com.
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Small Ship Line #: Seabourn
Seabourns six ships feature fewer than 300 suites eachbut they leverage that small size into access at some of the worlds most beloved yacht ports: St. Tropez in the south of France the Greek island of Kos and popular large ports like Dubrovnik and Monte Carlo. Michelin-starred chef Thomas Keller designs specialty menus on the ships, and a partnership with UNESCO ensures shore excursions and sustainable tourism practices at some of the wildest and most wonderful destinations around the world. Later this year, the line will debut its first expedition ship, Seabourn Venture, with a sister ship to follow.
Large Ships: 25003499 Passengers
Large ships are similar to mega-ships, but aren’t quite so over the top. They are also packed with restaurants, cabin categories and activities — but perhaps not as many or not as cutting-edge as with the mega-ships. You’ll still have plenty of choices, with ships to accommodate families, couples, seniors and a wide variety of vacation styles and interests. Deals can be more plentiful on large ships than mega-ships, simply because they’re no longer the most sought-after vessels in a fleet.
For some lines, like Carnival and Royal Caribbean, large ships are not the newest but might have gotten newer amenities in a refurb for others, like Celebrity and Holland America, these ships are the biggest and newest. You’ll find these ships sailing around the world to the main cruise regions.
Large ships include the 3,000-passenger Carnival Sunshine, 2,850-passenger Celebrity Solstice, 3,080-passenger Crown Princess, 2,650-passenger Koningsdam and 2,500-passenger Disney Dream.
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Two Cruise Lines Will Start Requiring Boosters
Two cruise lines will start requiring COVID-19 boosters in order to sail on one of their cruise ships starting in March.
Both Silversea Cruises and Azamara will now require boosters to all guests who are eligible to receive it starting in March.
Silversea Cruises has the following listed on their website regarding vaccinations and boosters for their cruise ships:
All embarking crew and guests must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. All embarking guests must have received their second vaccine shot at least two weeks prior to their sail date in order to board our ships. In addition, from March 1, 2022, the COVID-19 booster will be required for all eligible guests, provided the required time has passed after the completion of their primary COVID-19 vaccination series. Only guests fully vaccinated with vaccines approved by WHO will be permitted to board. A copy of the vaccination certificate must be uploaded to My Silversea. The vaccination certificate or printed copy must be shown during the check-in and embarkation process. Click here to know what vaccines are accepted.
Azamara has the following on their website regarding vaccinations and boosters to sail on one of their ships:
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Medium Ship Line #1: Princess Cruises
Of Princess Cruises 14-ship fleet, its five smallest include the Coral Princess, Island Princess, Sun Princess, Sea Princess, and the infamous Pacific Princess, which was the star of the TV show The Love Boat. The Pacific Princess is by far the smallest, holding just 680 passengers. The four other ships carry around 2,000 passengers and are the perfect size to sail through the Panama Canal.
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Medium Ship Line #: P& o Cruises
The British line P& O Cruises is the oldest in the world, established in 1837 to ferry mail and passengers between the United Kingdom and the Iberian Peninsula, but it began to offer leisure operationsthe very first cruises as we know themas early as 1844. The ships cater to a primarily British audience, and they provide good value for a classic cruising experience. Guests enjoy traditional activities like shuffleboard, dance classes, and pub quizzes. The ships typically sail in Europe, though they also have ports of call in Asia and the Middle East.
Brilliance Of The Seas
One of Royal Caribbean’s most beautiful ships, the 2002-built Brilliance of the Seas is part of the four-ship strong Radiance Class that also includes Radiance, Serenade and Jewel of the Seas. The ship has won legions of fans thanks to its wide-open deck space, classic wraparound promenade, and banks of wall-to-wall glass. The ship even offers exterior glass elevators, and has self-leveling pool tables — perfect for a little pub games, even in rough seas. Renovated and refreshed, Brilliance of the Seas still packs a big cruising punch for those looking for a quality ship operating runs at a lower price point than some of the newest vessels out there.
Deployment: Caribbean and Bahamas from Tampa Mediterranean from Civitavecchia and Ravenna , Italy.
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World’s Largest Cruise Companies
The biggest cruise companies – they all are very big, some are bigger big, one is the biggest. They all are very very very much rich!
Carnival Corporation & plc is the world’s largest cruise shipowner, with 1/2 share of the market. The company is dual-listed , Southampton-headquartered, has a combined fleet of 100+ ships, 160,000+ berths, 10,000+ employees, ~75,000 crew, USD 38,9 billion in assets, USD 16,4B revenue . Carnival owns the following brands – AIDA , CCL-Carnival , Costa , Cunard , HAL-Holland America , Ibero , P& O UK and P& O Australia , Princess , Seabourn . Carnival’s major stock-holder is the company founder’s Arison family .
Royal Caribbean Group – 1997-founded as an American-Norwegian cruise company. RCG is the 2nd largest cruise shipowner in the world, controls over 1/4 of the cruise market, with 58,000 employees, nearly USD 20 billion in assets, and almost USD 7B in revenue . The combined fleet includes the brands Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity, Pullmantur , CDF Croisieres de France . RCG also fully owns Air Pullmantur, and 50% of TUI Cruises .
Mediterranean Shipping Company SA – the 2nd largest shipping line in the world , with more than 555 vessels of almost 2,2 million TEU . The MSC shipping line serves 270 ports worldwide, with over 29,000 employees.
Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd ownership is 43,4% Genting Group, 32,5% Apollo Management and 10,8% TPG Capital . NCL controls ~8% of the global cruising market.
Medium Ship Line #1: Norwegian Cruise Line
Until it launched Norwegian Epic in 2010, then the Breakaway and Breakaway-plus classes in 2013 and 2015, respectively, Norwegian primarily focused on mid-sized ships that carry around 2,000 passengersand they still make up the majority of the fleet. A colorful atmosphere pervades the ships, as guests enjoy everything from water slides to silly pool contests like synchronized swimming to everyones favorite: bingo night. Norwegians ships have itineraries all over the world, with many focusing on North America.
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From Luxury Ocean Liners To Megaship Cruising
With the advent of large passenger jet aircraft in the 1960s, intercontinental travelers switched from ships to planes sending the ocean liner trade into a terminal decline. Certain characteristics of older ocean liners made them unsuitable for cruising duties, such as high fuel consumption, deep draught preventing them from entering shallow ports, and cabins designed to maximize passenger numbers rather than comfort.
Ocean liner services aimed at passengers ceased in 1986, with the notable exception of transatlantic crossings operated by the British shipping company Cunard Line, catering to a niche market of those who appreciated the several days at sea. In an attempt to shift the focus of the market from passenger travel to cruising with entertainment value, Cunard Line pioneered the luxury cruise transatlantic service on board the ocean liner Queen Elizabeth 2. International celebrities were hired to perform cabaret acts onboard and the crossing was advertised as a vacation in itself.
Sovereign of the Seas
Until 19751980, cruises offered shuffleboard, deck chairs, “drinks with umbrellas and little else for a few hundred passengers”. After 1980, they offered increasing amenities. As of 2010, city-sized ships have dozens of amenities.
The Worlds Biggest Cruise Ships
Jeannine Williamson
Monday November 1 2021, 19:37pm
The past decade has seen a massive growth in every sense in cruise ships. Vessels are getting bigger and bigger with mega-ships accommodating nearly 7,000 passengers and 2,300 crew members. As well as carrying more guests, the other reason is that cruise lines provide amazing attractions such as theme parks, race tracks, waterslides and even a rollercoaster, which take up a lot more space than the deck quoits of old. Weve taken a look at 15 of the biggest ships on the water including a couple of unusual ones and their maximum passenger capacity.
Main photo: MSC Virtuosa
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Mega Ship Line #: Norwegian Cruise Line
Known for its colorful ships, Norwegian Cruise Line first broke into the mega-ship category in 2010 with the launch of Norwegian Epic, which can carry just over 5,000 passengers at full occupancy, and the company has since introduced five others in the Breakaway and Breakaway-Plus classes. The crowd aboard these vessels, which primarily sail in North America, the Caribbean, and the Mediterranean, often consists of families who take advantage of amenities like waterparks, virtual-reality gaming, and go-kart racing, though the cruise lines newest ship, Norwegian Bliss, has a decidedly more mature atmosphere. In November 2019, Norwegian launched the newest member of its fleet, Norwegian Encore, which is the most luxurious of its mega-ships.
Large Ship Line #: Celebrity Cruises
Celebrity Cruises currently sails around the world with a fleet of 14 ships, ranging in size from its petite Xpedition-class vessels, which carry 16 to 100 passengers, to its large 2,800- to 3,100-passenger Solstice class and 2,900-passenger Edge class, which debuted in late 2018 with Celebrity Edge. This edgy ship was designed to appeal to a non-cruising clientele with innovations like Eden, a three-story hybrid experiential restaurant, craft cocktail lounge, and performance venue and Le Petit Chef at Le Grand Bistro, a dinner restaurant that features a 4D animation projected on your plate throughout your meal. Celebrity Edge was later joined by its sister ship Celebrity Apex in 2020, with Celebrity Beyond to follow in 2022 .
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