13 New Cruise Ships to Enter Service in 2026

13 New Cruise Ships to Enter Service in 2026

According to the latest edition of the cruise ship orderbook by Cruise Industry News, 13 cruise ships will enter service in 2026.

As part of a strong year for the shipbuilding business, 13 vessels are set to be delivered to 12 cruise lines, including Viking, which is set to welcome two luxury vessels from Fincantieri.

[Download a PDF of the orderbook here]

The year will be particularly strong in the luxury segment, with seven upscale vessels set to enter service.

In addition to Viking, other brands taking delivery of high-end newbuilds include Emerald Cruises, Explora Journeys, Atlas Ocean Voyages and Regent Seven Seas Cruises.

Marking Orient Express’s official debut, the OE Corinthian is also set to enter service in 2026, kicking off the company’s first-ever cruise program.

The industry is welcoming several large ships next year as well, including the Legend of the Seas.

Currently being built for Royal Caribbean International at the Meyer Turku in Finland, the 250,000-ton vessel will be the second in the company’s Icon-class series.

Norwegian Cruise Line and TUI Cruises are also welcoming large vessels to their fleets with the debuts of the Norwegian Luna and the Mein Schiff Flow.

Continuing its record-breaking World class, MSC Cruises is set to take delivery of the MSC World Asia from the Chantiers de l’Atlantique.

Other ships entering service include the Adora Flora City, which will become the largest cruise ship ever built in China, and the Magellan Discovery, which was designed to offer expedition cruises in Antarctica.

According to CIN’s independent research, the new ships will add roughly 38,000 berths to the industry in 2026.

With an average size of 112,377 tons and an average cost of $805,066,667, the newbuilds will cost over $12 billion.

Celebrity Cruises has ordered 10 river ships

The premium cruise line said it would bring “the elevated design and sophistication of the Edge series ocean ships to the river”. 

 

Celebrity River Cruises’ debut programme will start in 2027. 

 

Jason Liberty, Royal Caribbean Group president and chief executive, said: “With about half of our guests having experienced or intending to vacation on a river cruise, we know they will enjoy Celebrity’s elevated offering on the river.

 

Liberty believes the move will help the group "deepen customer engagement and further our ability to keep guests within our ecosystem of vacation offerings". 

 

"We are the best in the world at delivering the vacation of a lifetime, and this is the latest example of how we are building the capabilities to deliver a lifetime of vacations," he added. 

Celebrity president Laura Hodges Bethge said: "We’ve redefined travel on the ocean with our best-in-class hospitality, award-winning food and beverage experiences, and elevated design and style. 

 

"We’re thrilled to bring these experiences to the river and combine them with authentic, destination-rich itineraries that will give our guests an experience unlike any other."

Port Everglades: New Lines, New Ships and a New Terminal

Port Everglades: New Lines, New Ships and a New Terminal

Port Everglades is kicking off the 2023-24 cruise season by welcoming new cruise lines and ships, and establishing itself as a new homeport for Disney Cruise Line, according to a press release.

“We could very well top our 4 million passenger record, although our ‘official’ projected number is conservatively estimated at some 3.7 million embarking and disembarking guests,” said Port Everglades CEO and Port Director Jonathan Daniels.

“As a trend, we are seeing more luxury ships such as Viking and Ritz-Carlton, and shorter itineraries from Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and Disney,” Daniels added.

So far this season, which started in October, Port Everglades has welcomed first calls from Viking’s expedition ships Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris, Viking Mars, as well as Phoenix Reisen’s Artania.

Beginning November 20, 2023, the Disney Dream will homeport year-round in a specially designed cruise terminal dedicated for Disney Cruise Line guests. The partnership with Disney includes a 15-year agreement with one ship to be homeported in Port Everglades year-round and joined by a second, seasonal ship, to be announced, in 2025.

Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Ascent debuts at Port Everglades with two 3- and 4-night preview sailings in November 2023 before being named at Port Everglades on December 1, 2023, and embarking on her inaugural Caribbean season with alternating 7-night Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries. Celebrity Ascent is the fourth ship in Celebrity’s Edge Series class, and one of seven Celebrity ships to sail from Port Everglades this season.

The Silver Nova will be named at Port Everglades on January 4, 2024. This will be the first ship to use liquefied natural gas (LNG) as its main fuel at Port Everglades.

Royal Caribbean International’s Oasis-class Symphony of the Seas will shift to Port Everglades after returning from Europe in November 2023 and will sail alternating 6- and 8-night cruises to the Caribbean.

Azamara also joins the Port Everglades fleet for the first time with the arrival of the Azamara Onward on November 30, 2023. Azamara Onward will finish the 2024 season at Port Everglades with an inaugural 155-night World Voyage departing January 5, 2024, visiting over 40 countries with 22 overnight stays and 27 late nights in port.

Port Everglades said it also looking forward to having a busier than usual summer 2024 with five cruise ships including Celebrity Beyond (7-days), Celebrity Reflection (3- and 4-days), Disney Magic (3-, 4- and 5-days), Enchanted Princess (7-days), and Freedom of the Seas (7 days).

Princess Cruises will homeport the brand-new Sun Princess at Port Everglades beginning in October 2024. The Sun Princess, the first in the line’s new Sphere class, will be Princess Cruises’ first LNG-fueled ship and its largest, accommodating more than 4,000 guests.

The newly rebranded luxury line Crystal recently announced that it will move from Miami and begin homeporting from Port Everglades in November 2024, with the completely refurbished Crystal Serenity.

Port Everglades has completed a study to add shore power to the port’s eight cruise terminals, which will allow cruise ships to use electricity while idling in port instead of burning fuel. The study was performed by Moffatt & Nichol, a global infrastructure advisory firm working in cooperation with Florida Power & Light (FPL), Carnival Corporation, Disney Cruise Line and the Royal Caribbean Group. The recommended plan is capable of delivering up to 16 megawatts of electricity simultaneously to each of the eight terminals in accordance with IEC/IEEE 80005 standards.

The projected cost for the project, including the estimates for FPL supply and distribution system upgrades, is approximately $20 million per cruise terminal, for a total cost of $160 million. The project is expected to be financed through federal and state grant funds, contributions from FPL, the participating cruise lines, and Broward County. Implementation will occur in phases. The earliest construction could occur is mid-2024 with all phases completed by the end of 2027, the port said.

Carnival Corporation to Trim Down Cruise Newbuilding Pace

 to Trim Down Cruise Newbuilding Pace

Carnival Corporation will decelerate its new building pace in an effort to not only moderate supply growth, but keep spending down, according to Josh Weinstein, president and CEO, speaking on the company’s year-end and fourth-quarter earnings call.

Weinstein said that the company didn’t expect to take delivery of any new ships in 2026, and beyond that, would only build two ships a year going forward.

“Going forward, we are committed to using our expected cash flow strength to repair the balance sheet over time, and we’ll be disciplined and rigorous in making newbuild decisions accordingly,” he said.

“We have just four ships on order through 2025, plus our second incredible Seabourn luxury expedition ship to be delivered in 2023.

“This is our lowest order book in decades,” Weinstein continued. “We don’t expect any new ships in 2026 and anticipate just one or two new builds each year for several years thereafter.”

Left on the Carnival orderbook through 2025 are the Carnival Jubilee, Cunard’s Queen Anne, the Sun Princess, another Princess newbuild that has yet to be named and the Seabourn Pursuit.

No new builds are on order for the company’s other brands including Holland America Line, AIDA Cruises, P&O Cruises and P&O Cruises Australia. Carnival’s joint venture with China State Shipbuilding Corporation was not mentioned.

With more old ships exiting combined with recent deliveries and the upcoming new build schedule, the company expects about 25 per cent of its capacity to be what it considers new ships in 2023.

That means an eight-percentage point increase in balcony cabins across the fleet, and differentiated onboard experiences resulting in greater onboard revenue.

Making a run at the cost-conscious consumer

Making a run at the cost-conscious consumer

At a time when other river cruise lines are scaling back on growth, French river cruise company CroisiEurope this week announced it will launch seven new river cruise vessels this year and next.

Granted not all seven are full-size European river cruise ships — two are 22-passenger canal barges, and one is launching on the Mekong — but still, seven ships is worth noting, especially for a company many of us here in the U.S. didn’t know much, if anything, about as recently as a couple years ago.

By the time these seven vessels are launched, CroisiEurope will have 46 company-owned vessels in its fleet. In 2014, the company carried some 200,000 cruise passengers (compared to the approximately 250,000 passengers carried by Viking River Cruises), although only about 8,000 to 9,000 of those hailed from the U.S. But CroisiEurope is growing its U.S customer base, and quickly.

So, what's the deal with Croisi? Well, the company saw an opening at the lower end of the river cruise market and it is clearly going after it. For a long time, river cruising has grappled with a reputation of being a bit pricey. Travel agents would lament that while they wanted to sell more river cruises, especially since the very inclusive vacation style generally offers lofty commissions, not all of their clients could afford it.

Therein lies the opportunity for CroisiEurope, which after 40 years of building river cruise ships in Europe, is banking on its home-turf shipbuilding ties and a more pared down version of river cruising to bring lower prices to market. And while CroisiEurope’s older vessels do not compete with the sleek newbuilds being churned out by U.S.-facing river cruise lines such as Viking, AmaWaterways, Avalon, Uniworld and all the rest, the company has upped its ship design game and its newest batch of river cruise ships is focused on chicer interiors and enhanced amenities.

Another line going after this segment with arguably even chicer ships is Emerald Waterways, the lower-priced sister brand to Scenic. And it is having a good deal of success too. Having only launched in 2014, Emerald is on pace to have seven river cruise ships in Europe by 2017 (its fifth vessel, the 182-passenger Emerald Belle, was slated to launch this spring, but has been set back by a fire in the shipyard).

As river cruising piques more travelers’ interests, and the travel style opens up to a wider audience, there is clearly going to be more demand for and thus greater opportunity to provide a more accessible river cruising experience.

Viking to Launch American River Cruises from New Orleans

Viking to Launch American River Cruises from New Orelans

ON 24 FEBRUARY 2015.

Today, Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisana and Viking Cruises Chairman Torstein Hagen announced the selection of New Orleans as the homeport for Viking River Cruises’ first North American river cruise itineraries, starting in late 2017.

The Mississippi River cruises will operate from docking facilities near the French Quarter in New Orleans. According to the Governor, Viking’s new service will result in the creation of 416 new direct jobs for Louisiana-based operations and vessel crews, with an average salary of $40,000, plus benefits; and the Louisiana Economic Development (LED) estimates the project will result in an additional 368 new indirect jobs, for a total of more than 780 new jobs in the Southeast Region of the state.

Plans call for the construction of six new vessels over the next three years at an estimated cost of $90 million to $100 million per vessel, all of which will be built in U.S. shipyards and crewed by U.S. citizens. The vessels will be owned by Tennenbaum Capital Partners, a Los Angeles-based alternative investment management firm, and time-chartered to Viking.

Viking River customers are expected to travel to New Orleans from across the U.S., Europe and beyond, and bring new business to hotels, restaurants, museums and other attractions in the city, expanding sales for local merchants. More than 90 percent of sales created by the project are expected to come from out-of-state customers.

With the launch of cruise operations on the Mississippi River in late 2017, two boats will be deployed per year, for a total of six new boats in the first three years. Cruises will take passengers on a journey along the Mississippi River from New Orleans to itinerary stops in St. James, East Baton Rouge and West Feliciana parishes; continuing upriver to Memphis, Tennessee; St. Louis; or St. Paul, Minnesota, depending on the season.

The specialty-built riverboats will have a full complement of luxury amenities and host up to 300 passengers.

LED began discussing expansion possibilities with Viking in November 2013. To secure the project, the State of Louisiana offered the company a competitive incentive package that includes a $4.5 million performance-based grant for site preparation at the company’s docking locations in Louisiana. The company also will receive the customized solutions of the nation’s No. 1 state workforce development program, LED FastStart®, which will include partnerships with the Louisiana Workforce Commission and local educational institutions.

“Having the top river cruise company homeport in New Orleans will be an outstanding chance to tell the story of the Louisiana renaissance to the world,” said President and CEO Michael Hecht of Greater New Orleans Inc. “Viking River Cruises choosing greater New Orleans is a testament not only to our culture and river, but also to our outstanding teamwork at the state, regional and local level. GNO Inc. is proud to have been an integral part of the team that met with Viking on two continents to bring them to New Orleans."

“We are thrilled by the choice of the Port of New Orleans as Viking’s initial entry into the North American market,” said Port of New Orleans President and CEO Gary LaGrange. “Viking is one of the premier cruise brands throughout Europe and Asia. Their worldwide reputation underscores New Orleans as a destination city for both international and domestic leisure travelers. The Board of Commissioners of the Port of New Orleans has worked with the Viking team for nearly two years to determine the proper venue for the new ships within the port and along the Mississippi River, and we couldn’t be happier to add Viking to the port’s cruise portfolio.”

“Viking River is an exciting and compelling addition to the opportunity-rich New Orleans destination,” said President and CEO Stephen Perry of the New Orleans Convention and Visitors Bureau. “They will bring a diverse domestic and international clientele drawn not only to enjoyment of the river through cruising, but to the New Orleans part of their visit in this historic capital of American music and food as well.”

“It was an honor to be part of Governor Jindal’s recent economic development trip to Europe, encouraging companies to locate in our great state,” said Chairman Greg Rusovich of the Louisiana Board of International Commerce.

“The decision to locate Viking’s North American homeport in New Orleans speaks to the operational capabilities of our port, the expertise of our hospitality workforce and the increasing popularity of river cruising around the globe,” said executive board Chairman Henry Coaxum of the New Orleans Business Alliance. “We welcome Viking to the New Orleans business community and look forward to its success.”

For Carnival Corp., ship orders continue conservative growth

Carnival Corp. enters the year with a larger order book after announcing contracts for two new ships to be delivered in 2018.

Carnival Cruise Line will get its 26th ship, one with a design similar to the 3,954-passenger Carnival Vista, which is scheduled for delivery in April 2016.

Holland America Line (HAL) will get a second in its Pinnacle class of ships, which was started with the 2,650-passenger Koningsdam due in February 2016.

In a conference call with Wall Street analysts, Carnival Corp. CEO Arnold Donald declined to specifically answer a question about the cost of the two ships, which will be built by Italy’s Fincantieri shipyard.

According to cruise industry publications, the Vista’s cost has been estimated at $780 million, the Koningsdam’s at $518 million.

Donald said the two ships continue the policy of measured growth that Carnival Corp. has hewed to since the 2008 recession. It now has 10 ships on order, which Donald said is roughly one for each of its brands over the next four years.

Combined with the exit of older ships such as the Ocean Princess and Costa Celebration, overall capacity is set to grow just 2% next year.

Donald said the ongoing substitution of larger, innovative, more efficient ships for smaller, less efficient ones “will enhance the return potential of our fleet over time.”

During the conference call to discuss fiscal fourth-quarter and year-end results, Donald said Carnival is forecasting company-wide net revenue yields will improve 2% this year, up from 0.9% in 2014.

The meager yield improvement still led to a 14.4% increase in net income for the year, a rebound from 2013 when profits fell 16.8% in the wake of the Carnival Triumph engine room fire.

Net income for the fiscal year ended Nov. 30 was $1.2 billion, or $1.59 a share, up from $1.1 billion, or $1.39 a share, a year earlier. Total revenue advanced 2.6%, to $15.9 billion.

“Looking back at the full year, we turned the corner in 2014 with improved earnings and positive yields,” CFO David Bernstein said during the call.

Despite more capacity than demand in the Caribbean and Japan and the loss of high-yield itineraries due to geopolitical issues, Carnival Corp. still had over $1 billion in free cash flow in 2014.

Carnival Corp. is ready to unleash a January advertising blitz that will culminate in a 60-second ad during the Super Bowl on Feb. 1. The ads will encompass all of Carnival Corp.’s brands, not just Carnival Cruise Line.

Donald said the company’s planned ad spend in 2015 will be 25% higher than it was in 2012.

“Our 2015 marketing program is designed to reach the new-to-cruise market, including directing them to the experience that best resonates with their vacation preferences,” Donald said. “The focus of all these efforts is to create relative scarcity by driving demand for our brands that far outpace the supply, ultimately leading to higher yields.”

Donald hailed new leadership at Carnival and HAL, saying newly named Carnival President Christine Duffy’s “front-of-house skill set” will complement the operational team already in place, and that HAL President Orlando Ashford has “a great history and track record of high-performance culture change.”

Asked about the potential for Cuba to emerge as a cruise destination, Donald said there are 11 Cuban ports that could handle cruise ships but that the one at Havana is limited to smaller ships because it has a relatively shallow draft and can’t be dredged because of tunnels running beneath it.

He said opening Cuba would allow for some very fuel-efficient new itineraries and stimulate demand from past passengers to the Caribbean, adding there is “no question” that if the embargo is lifted, Cuba would be “a tremendous opportunity.” 

14 amazing cruises setting sail in 2015

It's going to be a big year for travelers who love cruising.

Not only will 2015 see the launch of a number of spectacular new cruise ships, but the opening of new routes will make some of the world's most remote places significantly more accessible.

We asked some of the travel world's top cruise experts to share their picks for the hottest cruise itineraries of 2015 and the ships that will be sailing them.

A smaller boat lets travelers get closer to Alaskan wildlife.

Alaskan Dream Cruises

In 2015, cruise ships will be pushing deeper into the wilderness than ever before, and this particular sailing offers some great wildlife-spotting opportunities on a smaller boat.

"This Alaskan Dream Cruises sailing includes complimentary shore excursions designed to showcase true Alaskan adventures and the native heritage," says Annie Scrivanich.

"Departures coincide with seasonal changes and animal migrations for the best weather and animal viewing opportunities. If you're only going to visit Alaska once, this itinerary is your best bet."

Windstar Cruises: Star Breeze

The latest addition to Windstar Cruises' fleet, Star Breeze has fans of European cruises particularly jazzed.

Among the top picks is the 10-day Sicilian Splendors cruise, which takes in Rome, Catania, Valletta, Gozo, Trapani, Sorrento and Capri.

"We're all very excited about the new Windstar Star Breeze," says Scrivanich.

"This new power yacht holds a maximum of 212 guests and provides new opportunities for those looking for a European cruise on a smaller ship."

Viking Cruises: Viking Star

This Viking Cruises tour takes in the best of Europe's northern cities, including Bergen, Stockholm, St. Petersburg, Helsinki, Tallinn, Gdansk, Berlin, Copenhagen and Stavanger.

But it's the boat that experts are most excited about, as it will be Viking Cruises' first ocean-going ship.

The 47,800 gross tonne ship will have 464 cabins and accommodate 928 guests

"I'm really looking forward to Viking Cruises' Viking Star, which sets sail in 2015," says cruise journalist and Telegraph Travel cruise specialist Jane Archer.

"It's a brand new ship and the mockups look amazing."

Other itineraries available on the Viking Star include Mediterranean and western European tours.

Enroute to Japan, it's only fitting Diamond Princess offers a sushi bar.

Princess Cruises: Japan Getaway

Fancy checking out Japan but short on time?

Then consider stepping aboard one of the many cruise ships heading there in 2015.

"Japan is one to watch for 2015 and into 2016," predicts cruise journalist Archer.

"A lot of people want to visit but are nervous because of the language, food and very different culture.

"Having a cruise ship for a base helps to give confidence and means they can visit several ports on one holiday."

Princess Cruises' Diamond Princess ship has two Japan Getaway itineraries on offer in 2015.

There's a 16-day Grand Japan and Taiwan tour setting sail in May, followed by an 11-day tour of Japan, China and Southeast Asia that hits the seas in September.

Royal Caribbean: Quantum of the Seas

Next year, some of the biggest cruise operators will be making an extra effort to entice Asian passengers onto their ships.

This includes Royal Caribbean, which is sending its newest and most hi-tech ship, Quantum of the Seas, to China.

"Asia continues to grow as an emerging market cruise lines want to invest in, especially in 2015," says Michelle Fee, chief executive of Cruise Planners.

"The new Quantum of the Seas will be based in Shanghai, as part of an effort to introduce the Asian traveler to cruising."

The ship's five-night Fukuoka and Busan cruise departs Shanghai on August 3, 2015, and takes in Fukuoka, Japan and Busan, South Korea before heading pack to its starting port.

Compagnie du Ponant: Le Lyrial

This exciting cruise itinerary makes the cut in part because the mode of transport is so fantastic.

"Compagnie du Ponant is introducing its newest luxury expedition ship, Le Lyrial, in spring 2015," reveals Richard West, founder of Explorcruises.com.

"It's exciting because it's a truly luxurious expedition-style small ship".

The Athens to Dubrovnik itinerary is a seven-night cruise that sets sail in August, taking in the highlights of the Croatian coast before heading to Greece.

Uniworld River Cruise: Splendors of Egypt and the Nile

Cruise companies pulled out of Egypt en masse due to the recent turmoil, but in 2015, it will be possible to cruise the Nile once again.

"Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection has re-launched a sailing along Egypt's great Nile River on board the elegant, all-suite River Tosca, with cruises starting in October 2015," says Fee of Cruise Planners.

"Egypt is an awe-inspiring destination and travelers can experience its culture on a 12-day program with luxury accommodation."

P&O Britannia

Here's one for those who consider themselves a bit of a foodie.

P & O's Cookery Club, on its new Britannia ship, allows guests to hone their culinary skills alongside some of the world's top chefs.

"P&O Cruises' culinary offerings on-board their new ship Britannia are particularly exciting," says Adam Coulter, editor of Cruise Critic.

"The line has enlisted the help of a number of celebrity chefs to create the first cookery school on-board a British ship."

Chefs leading workshops will include Marco Pierre White, Atul Kochar and wine guru Olly Smith.

The vessel will spend its first year touring waters around the Caribbean, Baltic and Mediterranean.

Bagan, Myanmar will be a popular destination for river cruises in 2015.

Wendy Wu Tours: Irrawaddy Voyager

"In 2015 we'll see more luxury ships are moving into Burma [Myanmar]," says Peter Lynch, editor of website Cruise Passenger.

"It's a country filled with wonderful people and astonishing historic sites."

One such cruise is Wendy Wu's 12-day Irrawaddy Voyager sailing, which takes in Kyauk Myaung, where traditional Myanmar 50 gallon water pots can be seen, the magnificent wooden Bagaya Monastery and the U Bein Bridge (the world's longest teak wood bridge) as well as Bagan, where there are 2,000 Buddhist structures scattered across a vast plain.

Norwegian Cruise Lines: Norwegian Escape

"Norwegian Cruise Lines are launching the Norwegian Escape in 2015, which was named by consumers via a Facebook contest, so travelers are already invested in it," says Cruise Planners' Fee.

"The Norwegian Escape will be the largest ship in the Norwegian Cruise Lines fleet and features The Haven, which is almost like a separate ship, with luxury suites, private dining and more."

One of the most popular cruise routes is predicted to be its Eastern Caribbean itinerary, which sails out of Miami.

CroisiEurope: Loire cruise

Cruise fans have been eagerly awaiting this particular outing because the boat will use paddle wheel technology to allow it to navigate the shallow waters of the Loire, and overnight cruises along the river haven't been possible until now.

"I'm especially excited about the new Loire cruises because it's a river which has yet to be explored," says Cruise Passenger's Lynch.

"Paddle ships will allow this to be done for the first time in 2015."

Crystal Symphony was designed with a focus on fitness and wellness.

Crystal Cruises: Best of the Baltic

Proving that cruises are no longer just about eating a lot of food and not doing very much, Crystal Cruises is just one operator offering passengers the chance to work off those calories -- in this case, with a 90-minute run around St. Petersburg during its "Best of the Baltic" cruise from Stockholm to Copenhagen.

"There is a growing focus on fitness and wellness, both through facilities on board and excursions ashore, such as Crystal Cruises' excursions for runners," says Edwina Lonsdale, chief executive of Mundy Cruising.

Azamara Club Cruises: Bali & Great Barrier Reef

The introduction of this new 14-night cruise of Bali and the Great Barrier Reef is another indicator of a cruise trend we'll see in 2015.

"Australia and New Zealand cruises are becoming more popular," says Sean Keddy, cruise expert at travel agency Love Holidays.

"I suspect this is mainly due to an increased interest from the local markets, but this does allow passengers from Europe and the U.S. more choice and competitive pricing."

Crystal Cruises: Northwest Passage

Sometimes tropical destinations just don't do it for would-be cruisers. For those who have some cash to splash, there's Crystal Cruises' new 32-day Northwest Passage cruise, which will set sail in 2016.

It starts in Alaska and finishes in New York, getting there via Nunavut, Greenland and Maine.

"For those interested in a genuine Alaska cruise experience, this itinerary offers a great blend of scenic highlights, wildlife viewing opportunities, off-the-beaten-track excursions and unique ports of call," says Scrivanich of Cruise Specialists.

Cruise lines hone hashtag marketing for new ships

"About to sail on the magnificent #regalprincess WYWH" -- @mickyarison

FORT LAUDERDALE -- The day before the Regal Princess naming ceremony, the excitement that accompanies a ship's inaugural was starting to build. As guests of Princess Cruises stepped off the gangway and into the atrium, they began greeting friends, taking in the sights and sounds and pulling out their cellphones for a few selfies and snaps of the atrium.
For many, the resulting Instagram/Twitter/Facebook post was finished off with the hashtag #regalprincess.

At a table on the atrium's first deck were two passengers with laptops out. One was Sara Dunaj, Princess Cruises' social media manager. The other was Simon Duvall, also known as@simontravels and the host of #CruiseChat, a weekly Twitter chat about cruising.

"The Regal Princess hashtag," he said, "is about to blow up tomorrow."

A few years ago, with the advent of live Web streaming, consumers and agents could witness in real time the special events surrounding a ship launch: the entertainment, the CEO and captain making speeches, the bottle-breaking and the streamers flying.

But today, launching a new ship is a social media conversation, begun years before the vessel actually hits the open seas. A cruise line will begin using a hashtag -- #regalprincess or #quantumoftheseas, to name the two most recently christened ships -- and then seed social media with posts about the construction progress, itineraries and onboard innovations. Bloggers and social media influencers, not to mention the traditional news and trade media and everyday cruise fans, will pick up on the posts and rebroadcast them to their own friends and followers.

The result, cruise executives say, is a boon in terms of marketing for the ship and the brand. The resulting pins or posts, meanwhile, are marketing that will live on as cruisers contemplate a cruise on the #carnivalbreeze or #norwegiangetaway.

"I think at this point, social is ... one of the most important elements of marketing a new ship launch," said Gordon Ho, Princess' chief marketing officer. "So in terms of magnitude, we spend so much time thinking about how our ship launch and marketing activities are going to be social."

"Heading to NY to rejoin #norwegianbreakaway. Anything you haven't seen yet that you'd like a picture of?" -- @nclandy, May 6, 2013, Twitter
Social media "has become a critical aspect of telling a story of a new ship to consumers, to trade," said Andy Stuart, Norwegian Cruise Line's executive vice president of global sales and passenger services. "It's expected. And it's an opportunity to engage with a much broader audience in different ways and across different platforms."

Norwegian took advantage of the siren call of social media in a big way when it debuted the Norwegian Breakaway in New York in May 2013. The line opened up the WiFi networks so they were complimentary to guests, and it invited nontraditional media to the ceremony -- "people only telling the story through social media," Stuart said.

A week after the ceremony, Norwegian and its communications partner, MTN, said that the line had set a "new record" for social media usage at sea during the inaugural events in New York from May 8 to 12.

"The result generated more than 429,755 Facebook visits over the five-day period, and Instagram registered more than 56,862 visits and 1,715 pictures uploaded with the hashtag #NorwegianBreakaway," the companies said. "Guests utilized Twitter onboard, and as a result, Norwegian received a record number of mentions and retweets about the content shared from Norwegian Breakaway."

Duvall said he considered the Breakaway to have been the first big-ship launch to embrace the social media and blogger community by inviting social media influencers onboard and promoting the #norwegianbreakaway hashtag.

"Oasis and Allure of the Seas were the beginning," he said. "It wasn't such a critical piece of it back then. It was the beginning of the trend."

A suddenly dominant tool
If the Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas, in 2009 and 2010 respectively, were the beginning of the trend, there were several subsequent ship launches, such as from Celebrity or Disney, that showed up on major platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Pinterest. On the rivers, attendees at the multiship inaugural for Viking Cruises tapped out observations on their phones using the term #vikingchristening.

In June 2012 for the Carnival Breeze launch, Carnival Cruise Lines teamed up with cruise newbie and former "American Idol" contestant Janell Wheeler, who documented a trip to see the ship fresh from the yard on Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest and YouTube.

Flash forward to November 2014: Media interested in attending the Quantum of the Seas' inaugural cruises in New York last weekend were asked to provide their Twitter handles as part of the preregistration process.

"Our #FiatAtSea campaign is one way we generated buzz to launch #MSCDivina"--@KenMuskat #CSM2014 #cruisemkt" -- MSCCruisesUSA, March 11, Twitter

For its introduction of the MSC Divina to the U.S. market last fall, the MSC Cruises team saw big results from a social media campaign: It loaded a bright red Fiat 500 onto the Divina and tracked the car and the ship as they made their way from Italy to Florida.

Every day, the ship's photographer took a picture of the port -- Malta, St. Thomas -- then sent the pictures out on MSC's Facebook page and on Twitter with the hashtag #fiatatsea. When the Divina entered Miami, it was escorted by a fleet of specially equipped Fiat 500 watercraft cars, with the hashtag emblazoned on the side, that appeared to drive on the water's surface -- a photo perfect for sharing.

"We got so many people talking about us," said Ken Muskat, executive vice president of sales, public relations and guest services for MSC in the U.S.

Five bloggers were invited the day before the Divina's arrival. The day of the inaugural there was a social media meet-up onboard with a stream of live tweets that ended in fireworks (the fireworks photos went viral, Muskat said). Free WiFi was provided for agents and other guests onboard to share their thoughts and photos.
From Nov. 12 through 23, 2013, the period surrounding the ship's arrival, MSC said the hashtag #mscdivina generated 5,585 tweets and 1.5 million impressions on Twitter. Overall that month, the likes and followers of the line's Facebook and Twitter pages grew 10%.

With an inaugural cruise a brand can only carry as many press, agents and guests as the berths can hold. But Muskat said social outreach is a way to build buzz and reach a global audience in real time. Muskat, a self-proclaimed Twitter addict, said the platform enables him to have a personal relationship with agents.

"And then there's the crew," he added. "They were the first ones tweeting."

"The Love Boat cast is naming #RegalPrincess today! RT if you're dreaming of 'love, exciting and new!'" -- @princesscruises, Nov. 6, Twitter

Last week, as the Regal Princess was counting down to its naming ceremony with the cast of "The Love Boat" and VIP celebrities from the show, the tweets and Instagram posts started flying fast and furious, right down to the posts about getting ready to board and pictures of the ship in Port Everglades.

Selfies with "The Love Boat" cast. Photos of the cabins. The atrium. The spa. The ceremony itself, followed by the fireworks.

Once the ship left port on a short preview cruise, the tweets and photos switched to the sail-away and a day trip to Princess Cays. More food, onboard entertainment, then regretful goodbyes -- an entire cruise to be lived vicariously through social media.

One of Princess' social media goals, Ho said, was to create "stories that are sharable;" for example, the cast of "The Love Boat," who together named the Regal Princess, or the line's new Chocolate Journeys program with chocolatier Norman Love.

"Inherently, chocolate is something that can be shared abundantly," he said.

(I recalled my brief trip to the Regal Princess: Crew had passed out a complimentary cabernet-and-chocolate pairing, and I had instantly -- automatically? -- snapped a picture of my wine glass and chocolate and shared it via Twitter.)

A versatile social toolbox
Each platform offers a slightly different tool.

"On Facebook, we've been focusing on imagery, because it's such an image-driven thing these days," Princess' Dunaj said. "On Twitter, we're able to do a lot more live activity, so that's where we're doing the live tweeting of the event." Instagram, of course, is "entirely visual," and the line created a series of videos to drive buzz for the Regal on YouTube.

A hashtag's activity can be measured by several metrics, including impressions, which means, roughly, the number of times a tweet with a hashtag could have been seen by a person with a Twitter account. Princess Cruises, for example, has 73,300 followers on Twitter, so each time @princesscruises tweets something, that tweet garners 73,300 impressions. On a busy hashtag, it doesn't take long for the impressions number to reach into the millions.

Princess said last week that using analytics that enabled it to search for "#regalprincess," "Regal Princess" or "The Love Boat," from Nov. 4 through Nov. 11 it recorded more than 83 million Twitter impressions. More than 850 photos were hashtagged #regalprincess.

Companies are measuring social media returns on a more long-term basis -- not just one hashtag but several iterations, and not just the hashtags but also what the tweets say.

This enables them not only to respond quickly to a problem or "like" a compliment but also to tailor and refine content to what users want to see.

"I'll be on it on the 18th! YAY!" -- Chris Voegele, Nov. 7, Facebook

"Only a few more days of anticipation, Chris! How excited are you to join us onboard?" -- Royal Caribbean International

The Quantum of the Seas has been billed as the most highly anticipated new ship of the year, so it's not surprising to see a flood of information showing up as a constant stream on the social media "dashboard" on Royal's public relations site.

"It's been four years since we launched a new ship, and the whole online landscape has changed," said Tracy Quan, Royal Caribbean's associate vice president of global corporate communications.

"Right from the very beginning, we knew we had to do it differently than just doing traditional launches; we knew we had to leverage all the social channels out there."

Royal, which has also refined the art of the "reveal" -- i.e., producing a splashy event to draw attention to new facilities or programs onboard -- incorporated social media. For example, company President Adam Goldstein co-hosted a Google Hangout to coincide with the reveal of its Dynamic Dining program (aka #dynamicdining on #quantumoftheseas).
For travel agents, in addition to being able to repost, repin or retweet Royal's public posts, Royal said there have been daily Quantum-related posts on the Facebook page of Vicki Freed, the senior vice president of sales and trade support and service, and Freed conducted a Facebook chat with travel partners earlier this month.

It also houses social media sample copy and images on its LoyalToYouAlways.com trade site for agents to share with clients. A Facebook campaign for the trade is forthcoming.

The line has refined some of its early strategies from the Oasis and Allure debut. For example, on the Quantum debut it's partnering with "experience advisors" outside of the travel industry to extend its reach, such as Michael Schwartz of the Michael's Genuine gastropub on culinary (4,000-plus Instagram followers, to use one statistic), former NFL linebacker Dhani Jones on sports and fitness (75,000 followers on Twitter) and HGTV personality Genevieve Gorder on cabin decor (70,000 likes on Facebook).

"It's not about who we know; it's about who they know, who they reach," Quan said. "So they can just amplify. ... In our bid to always try to expand our audience reach, we want to be able to speak to new-to-cruisers."

It has also continued to post making-the-ship videos to YouTube, but the company has been publishing shorter videos, which Quan said was more in line with viewer preferences today.

On Royal Caribbean International's YouTube channel, a video about the robotic bartender in the Quantum's Bionic Bar had been viewed nearly 10,000 times as of last week; a video titled "All New Technology Onboard Smartship Quantum of the Seas" posted in August has been viewed more than 42,000 times.

Quan said the videos serve two purposes: to satisfy media and consumers who are hungry for new content and also to serve as story ideas.
"If we talk about the behind-the-scenes on the making of the Bionic Bar, we get media who wouldn't typically cover us, like the tech media, approaching it," she said. "How did we come up with the concept? How did we come up with the development?"

And of course, during the ship launch this weekend the line threw down the barriers to the wireless network to enable all who sailed onboard to Facebook, Instagram, tweet, Vine and pin to their hearts' content.

Halo effect

Stewart Chiron, aka the Cruise Guy (@cruiseguy) and the owner of Leisure Pros, was one of the social media aficionados fresh off the #regalprincess who last week was readying for #quantumoftheseas.

"Social media is so vitally important to businesses today to get your messages out and communicate with people," he said. The Quantum, he said, "is going to have a halo effect. It is going to be able to showcase what cruising is all about."

J.D. Andrews, a travel videographer and photographer who goes by @earthxplorer, said that when he's onboard, he "constantly" posts on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook with his phone (and shares more "professional" photography on his website, earthxplorer.com, when he gets home). He doesn't have a minimum or maximum number of posts or a concrete plan. "The only 'plan' I've ever had is to share my adventure, the things that I find fun and interesting," he wrote in an email.

Andrews, who said he had been using social media since 2007, said he loved the interaction with followers: "they can ask me questions in the moment, and if I don't know it's easy enough to find them the answer."

He said he thought that change has come to the cruise industry. "It seems that, finally, each cruise line has come to their own 'tipping point,' either by necessity or trying to keep up with their competition, and it's about time. It's the only way to post what your company is doing, assist in customer service and share the exciting world of travel directly to your consumer.

"And it's free."

Old Ships vs. New Ships: What's in a Cruise Ship's Age?

Old Ships vs. New Ships: What's in a Cruise Ship's Age?

New ships always seem to get the spotlight, touting outrageous onboard additions that strive for the consumer "wow" factor. But what about their tried-and-true fleetmates -- a mix of vessels that have long since paid their dues and the hot new ships from a few years back? Sure, newer ships are often larger and more packed with diversions for every age and taste, but they can also be expensive and crowded, and as with anything new, there are sometimes bugs to be worked out. Older ships might show wear and tear, but cruise lines have been investing millions to keep their entire fleet outfitted with modern amenities and popular attractions. To help you decide whether new is better or old is the way to go, we've compiled a list of elements to consider before making a choice, addressing key points like amenities and price. Check out the key contrasts below. Ship Size New: As a rule, newer vessels are larger. It makes sense: As more bells and whistles are added, more space is needed to contain them. Although ship sizes vary widely across various fleets, a number of vessels have launched in the last decade that can carry what amounts to the population of a small city. Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas, the largest ships afloat, each comprise 17 decks and have room for 5,400 passengers. For purposes of comparison, Majesty of the Seas, the oldest ship in the Royal Caribbean fleet, has 12 decks and holds 2,350 passengers -- less than half the capacity of the Oasis-class ships. Other lines have followed suit: Ships in Carnival's 14-deck Dream Class each carry 3,690 passengers, and those in Norwegian's 18-deck Breakaway Class accommodate 4,028 cruisers. You can easily get lost, though you are less likely to be alone. Old: Old stalwarts, which are smaller in size and lighter on fanfare, offer more relaxing and intimate experiences. Sure, they still have plenty of glitz, but passengers don't have to feel like they're missing as many marquee activities if they choose to curl up in a lounge with a good book or veg out by the pool for half a day. Old ships are also more likely to have quieter spaces like libraries and card rooms. Smaller ships suit travelers who don't like large crowds, have trouble traversing the long decks of the biggest ships and don't want to think about which of the five different sun deck areas they should utilize. But watch out -- some cruise lines have refurbished their older ships to add more cabins, both cutting back on available public areas and squeezing more people into the space that's left. Cabins New: As ships' public areas become more glitzy and glamorous, so do their cabins. One trend we've seen with newer ships is an increase in the number of balcony accommodations, but although they've increased in number, many have also decreased in size. Take, for example, the balconies on Royal Princess and Regal Princess. Balconies on these twin ships, the newest in Princess' fleet, average 41 square feet -- smaller than those found on the line's older ships. And the suites on new ships possess lots of wow factor, from cantilevered, glassed-in showers to Ralph Lauren décor and multiple levels of living space. Beyond standard verandahs, cabins that specifically cater to certain groups are all the rage. From solo cabins (Norwegian Epic, Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway; Quantum of the Seas) and two-deck suites (Oasis of the Seas, Allure of the Seas and Quantum of the Seas) to inside staterooms with virtual scenery (Disney Dream and Fantasy, Quantum of the Seas), specialty cabins have stolen the spotlight. New ships also tend to have more connecting cabins and family cabins and suites, perfect for larger travel parties. Old: Older ships are generally the way to go if balcony space is important to you. However, you'll have to book early; while balconies might be bigger, verandah cabins make up a smaller percentage of stateroom inventory on older ships. (Some older ships have had balcony cabins added during dry dock.) The plethora of cabin categories on newer ships might also make your head spin, so if you just want to keep it simple, consider an older ship. Carpeting and soft furnishings like curtains and bedding are upgraded frequently during refurbs; despite that, keep in mind that older ships might show signs of wear -- scuffs, dings, outdated bathrooms -- that newer vessels don't. Top-Deck Amenities New: For active types or adults traveling with children, newer ships offer far more in the way of outdoor fun. Norwegian's two newest vessels, Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway, have ropes courses that are enough to make anyone dizzy -- no fear of heights required. Meanwhile, Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas have zip lines and surf simulators, and Quantum of the Seas brings skydiving to the high seas for the first time by way of an outdoor simulator. In terms of water-based fun, Carnival offers the WaterWorks aquapark on its Dream-class vessels. The open-deck expanse is a haven for anyone who enjoys waterslides, featuring the Twister, a 303-foot-long corkscrew tube; the Drainpipe, a 104-foot tube that empties into a giant funnel; and two side-by-side racing slides. Old: While most older ships offer mild outdoor pursuits like mini-golf, shuffleboard, Ping-Pong and possibly basketball, they're much more low-key than newer ships. With swimming pools as their focus, they offer ideal spots for passengers to laze the days away in the sun, drinks in hand. That said, several lines have chosen to add some of the more popular upper-deck offerings to their older ships. Take Princess, for example, which has added Movies Under the Stars movie screens to most pool decks in its fleet after a successful debut on Caribbean Princess in 2004. Then there's Carnival, which took its popular new Guy's Burger Joint and Blue Iguana Cantina eateries and added them to the pool decks on most ships during its massive Fun Ship 2.0 upgrades. The line has also added waterslides to all ships in its fleet. For their parts, Royal Caribbean and Norwegian have installed rock climbing walls on many of their vessels. Dining New: Newer ships have lots of space to dedicate to dining. Sure, all vessels offer main dining rooms, but new concepts like Royal Caribbean's Dynamic Dining (where there's no set main dining room and cruisers can choose from a number of free and for-fee options) and Carnival'sAmerican Table (a revised list of comfort-food menu items that come in larger, shareable portions) are putting a new twist on traditional dinner options. Many specialty venues have been added on newer ships, as well, and you'll have no trouble finding everything from Italian and Asian to French and seafood, most with cover charges but some without. Some ships, like Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Getaway, have even added dinner theater options, which include dinner and a show for a fee. If you've got a sweet tooth, watch out for gelato bars and specialty cake shops enticing you to snack between meals. Old: Older, smaller ships tend to have more limited alternative dining options. But that's a plus for passengers who prefer to avoid the nickel-and-diming associated with for-fee eateries, or those who prefer a smaller number of venues from which to choose. While some older vessels have gotten new dining additions, most remain pleasantly bare bones. Activities & Entertainment New: Fun pursuits abound on newer ships, and they include some pretty incredible pastimes like parades, character breakfasts, roller skating and even bumper cars. Toss in some top-notch entertainment that rivals what you'd find ashore, and you're in for an impressive cruise. AquaTheater, aboard Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas and Allure of the Seas, features high-dive performances set against the backdrop of the ship's wake. Additionally, the line has added Broadway shows on four of its newest ships: Quantum of the Seas ("Mamma Mia!"), Allure of the Seas ("Chicago"), Oasis of the Seas ("CATS") and Liberty of the Seas ("Saturday Night Fever"). Norwegian has gone the same route, featuring "Legally Blonde" on Norwegian Getaway and "Rock of Ages" on sister ship Norwegian Breakaway. Other enticing options include added-fee dinner theater aboard Norwegian Getaway (Illusionarium), Norwegian Breakaway and Norwegian Epic (Cirque Dreams and Dinner). One downside to these events is that, for many of them (even if they're free), tickets are required and can run out quickly. Old: Entertainment aboard older ships is a bit more standard: Broadway revues, magicians, comedians and the like. However, several lines have brought their most recent offerings to older vessels. Most notably, Carnival added the Punchliner Comedy Club by George Lopez to most of its ships, in addition to "Hasbro, the Game Show," where participants play giant versions of classic board games -- like SORRY! and Connect 4 -- on stage. The line also debuted its Carnival Live series of for-fee concerts aboard Carnival Fantasy and a handful of other ships in the fleet. Holland America has also livened up its entertainment across its family of vessels by adding Dancing with the Stars at Sea. Based on the popular TV show, the competition pits willing passengers against one another in a dance-off. Norwegian has plans to roll out its popular O'Sheehan's pub (which offers free grub and for-fee arcade games) on a couple of its older vessels. Not to be outdone, Royal Caribbean has added performances by aerial acrobats to its entertainment lineup on some of its more seasoned ships. Itineraries and Pricing New: Because many passengers are willing pay a premium for the privilege of sailing on a newer ship, fresh-from-the-shipyard vessels are often based in the biggest markets. (Think Caribbean and Mediterranean.) The cruise lines have to fill all those thousands of berths, so you typically won't find new ships on niche itineraries. In addition, huge ships like Oasis of the Seas are too big to dock at certain ports or sail through tight channels like the Panama Canal, so they are also constrained by their size. The combination of popular ports and a ship full of the latest innovations means cruise lines will ask top-dollar for cabins -- and get it. The best cabins on these ships will also sell out more quickly than their fleetmates'. While you won't find a lot of itinerary variety, it might not matter; many passengers would rather spend the time onboard taking in all the new attractions. Old: Cruise lines have huge fleets these days -- Carnival has more than 20 ships sailing -- so the majority of their voyages are on older ships. These vessels sail every type of itinerary imaginable, from weekend cruises to multi-month round-the-world cruises. If you want to sail the islands of Hawaii or French Polynesia, ogle the scenery in Alaska or the Norwegian fjords, or head somewhere exotic like Asia or Australia, you'll likely need an older ship. Typically, the very oldest ships in the fleet will be employed on shorter cruises from drive-to ports. These ships lend themselves perfectly to the cause, as they generally lack the extensive number of amenities that keep passengers busy during longer sailings on newer vessels. Pricing for older ships is often very itinerary dependent. An older ship sailing a well-traveled route will be lower than for a newer ship on a similar itinerary. On the flip side, exotic destinations or popular, short-season itineraries can pull in higher cabin fares.