A bounty of new ships
Does size really matter? Cruise specialist Royal Caribbean (royalcaribbean.com) answered the age-old question this year when it launched Wonder of the Seas, the biggest cruise ship ever built. Joining the four earlier Oasis Class ships, Wonder
– which holds close to 7000 people – is 18 decks high and 362 metres long, each space filled with a dizzying array of entertainment opportunities, including surfing simulators, an ice-skating rink, multiple pool areas, miniature golf, a zip-line and 25 dining options. And new to those enjoying Mediterranean and Caribbean itineraries on Wonder is Playscape – an underwater-themed world dotted with slides, climbing walls and games.
What happens when you take the world’s top non-cruise architects and designers (everyone from Tom Wright of Burj Al Arab fame to award-winning British designer Kelly Hoppen), add partnerships with the likes of Goop’s Gwyneth Paltrow and employ America’s first female captain of a megaship, Kate McCue? You have Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Beyond (celebritycruises.com), a 17-deck, 3260-passenger vessel launched to much fanfare in April and with good reason. The latest in the Edge series of ships, Beyond features Le Voyage, acclaimed chef Daniel Boulud’s first-ever restaurant at sea, plus Aqua Sky Suite, a new class of accommodation that marries the best of the brand’s AquaClass staterooms with the services and amenities of The Retreat – Celebrity’s exclusive “resort within a resort”.
Other highly anticipated launches include the 2024 arrival of Queen Anne by Cunard (cunard.com) and Vista, the first new build in 11 years to join the fleet of luxury cruise line Oceania (oceaniacruises.com). It sets sail in April 2023.