Cruise lines are always looking
toward new horizons: developing new destinations, itineraries and ships in
order to offer every cruise traveler, from first-timers to long-time cruise
fans, with a choice of fresh experiences. Here’s a look at some of the new (or renewed) ships
set to delight cruise passengers in 2016.
Crystal Cruises
will enter the river cruise market with the Crystal
Mozart, launching from Vienna in July. Crystal purchased and is
refurbishing this river cruise ship, which is
one of the largest in Europe. It has rare features like an indoor swimming pool
and wraparound promenade. Crystal is also planning to debut four new-build
river cruise ships during the next two years.
Cunard Line will put the Queen Mary 2 in dry dock on May 27,
relaunching June 21 with fully renovated suites and restaurants. The
refurbished ship will have the latest incarnation of the venerable Verandah
Grill, serving gourmet French cuisine and tableside theater at lunch and
dinner.
Holland America Line will
please music lovers with new music venues – BB King’s Blues Club and Lincoln
Center Stage – on the new MS Koningsdam,
set to debut in April. This will be the largest ship in the line’s fleet, and the
first in the new Pinnacle Class. Solo travelers will appreciate staterooms
designed for one on voyages of the Mediterranean, Baltic and British Isles.
Regent Seven Seas Cruises will
launch the Explorer in July, the
largest ship in its fleet of luxury vessels. It will have 369 spacious suites –
from 300 to 1,500 square feet – and six open-seating restaurants for flexible
gourmet dining.
Royal Caribbean will
introduce another “first” at sea, the world’s largest water slide (10 stories high)
on the 5,400-passenger Harmony of the
Seas in June. The line will also offer new itineraries in Asia and
Australia on a third Quantum Class ship, the Ovation of the Seas, which will home port in China.
Viking Cruises, best known
for river cruises, has entered the ocean cruise market and will debut is third
ocean-going ship, the Viking Sea, in
April. For these new ships, Viking has adapted some of the most popular
features of its river ships, including alfresco dining on the Aquavit Terrance.
To make your reservations on any of
these ships and find out what else is new for 2016, talk with Anita, your
Cruise Holidays personal cruise expert.
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