Cruise lines unveil plans for fleet improvements, building of new vessels
Carnival first to add Cuba to itinerary, Norwegian adds private isle off Belize
Every March, Seatrade holds a three-day conference — Seatrade Cruise Global — in southern Florida. This year, 800 of the cruise industry’s exhibitors from 93 countries converged on Fort Lauderdale.
There’s no doubt that cruising is more popular than ever before. Capacity of boats cruising the Caribbean is well surpassing the 2,000 mark, and in 2015 traffic was up 6.2 per cent to 27.4 million passengers for European cruises, it was reported during the conference.
Cunard Cruise Line led with announcements of major enhancements to both its venerable Queen Mary 2 and the Queen Victoria. Britannia Club staterooms are said to be popular on the Queen Elizabeth and the QM2, so when the Queen Victoria goes into dry-dock in June, she will be outfitted with Britannia staterooms.
Meanwhile, the Queen Mary 2’s dry-dock appointment has been set for May 27 and will last three weeks — to be “re-mastered,” as the British put it.
That means 15 new solo cabins (do I hear some cheers from single travellers?) and a kennel expansion for cruising dogs and cats will be added ... plus improvements in the culinary area and a promise that all state- rooms will be refit before her 2017 world tour.
AmaWaterways said that they will up its solo-cabin ante by removing all single supplements on some Europe and Asia cruises for 2016 and 2017 in select cabin categories.
Cruise-line CEOs then took the stage to unveil some details about plans for upcoming new-builds. All together the major lines and some of the smaller ones have 35 new builds either started or in the development stage and all will be sailing by the end of 2020. And that doesn’t include river ships.
This, however, is worrying some about the capacity in the shipyards for new builds. “You’re going to see a more balanced approach to building new ships,” said Frank Del Rio of Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings. “More dollars will flow toward maintaining the existing fleet.”
Added Carnival Corp.’s Arnold Donald: “We have no choice. The fastest we can grow is about six per cent a year, even with the largest ships, and there are only so many shipyards.”
While Canadians have enjoyed Cuba for decades, it’s a big deal for Americans to have the chance to visit.
Hiccups notwithstanding, the battle to be the first U.S. ship cruising to Cuba in a half-century has been won by Carnival Corp.’s Fathom brand. History will be made on her first Cuban cruise, May 1 from Miami to Havana, Cienfuegos and Santiago de Cuba.
Another first: Norwegian’s private-island destination, Harvest Caye in south Belize. In mid-November, it will be the first cruise-line built port opened since Carnival Corp. opened Amber Cove on Dominican Republic’s northern coast last year.
Harvest Caye will have plenty of whiz-bang stuff in its 130-foot tall Flighthouse, including a 3,000foot zip-line course, tandem-style zip-lining, suspension bridges and free-fall jumps. There will also be a ropes course over part of a saltwater lagoon that will offer kayaking, paddle boarding, canoeing and electronic boats to keep it environmentally friendly.
Interactive wildlife programs will include the opportunity to learn about local plants and animals, including the endangered scarlet macaws and toucans, national birds of Belize.
If none of that interests you, there are cabanas, pools and beaches at this Norwegian piece of paradise.