WHAT’S NEW IN CRUISING?
There’s still no confirmed date for cruise ships to return to New Zealand waters but that doesn’t mean you have to put your dream holiday at sea on hold. Liners big and small are already back sailing around the world and, with our borders now open, it’s a great time to book.
To make your holiday even more exciting, why not book on one of the brand new ships launching this year? Here are four to check out.
1 Silver Dawn, Silversea
The 10th ultra-luxury ship to join Silversea’s fleet, and the third in its Muse-class series, Silver Dawn took its inaugural voyage on Friday, sailing from Lisbon to Rome. A hybrid of its sister ships Silver Muse and Silver Moon, it has features including a spa, eight dining options, a casino, pool deck and theatre lounge. Every suite has an ocean view; most have private verandahs. Even better, every suite has its own butler service, so you’ll want for nothing. Food and drink is included in your fare, and yes, that includes champagne.
Maximum capacity: 596
Sailing: Mediterranean, Caribbean
2 Wonder of the Seas, Royal Caribbean
Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas is the current holder of the “world’s biggest cruise ship” title, but Wonder will go one step further. Four per cent bigger than Symphony, it’s 362m long and 64m wide, with 18 decks, multiple restaurants, cafes and bars, three pools, three waterslides, an adults-only solarium, Broadway shows, zipline, surf simulator, laser tag, minigolf, rock-climbing walls, basketball court, iceskating rink, carousel, escape room . . . in fact, if you can think of it, Wonder of the Seas probably has it.
Maximum capacity: 6988
Sailing: Mediterranean, Caribbean
3 Norwegian Prima, Norwegian Cruise Lines
The first of six sister vessels in NCL’s new Prima Class scheduled to launch in the next five years, Norwegian Prima will have 13 different suite categories, and, according to NCL, more outdoor deck space than any other new cruise ship. You’ll also find lots of fun features like a three-storey go-kart track and 10-storey slide, a Las Vegas-style nightclub, open-air food hall and outdoor spa. Looking to capture a younger generation of cruise passengers, Katy Perry has been announced as the ship’s Godmother, and will officially launch the ship in Reykjavik, Iceland in August.
Maximum capacity: 3250
Sailing: Northern Europe, Caribbean
4 MSC World Europa, MSC Cruises
Although officially it’s not quite as big as Wonder of the Seas, MSC World Europa will come pretty close. Standing at 21 decks high, it will definitely be taller than Wonder, and MSC says the ship’s 11-deck dry slide, The Spiral, will be the longest at sea. Currently under construction, it’s due to launch in December and will be the cruise line’s first ship to be fuelled by liquefied natural gas (LNG), reducing its emissions. Features will include 13 dining venues, six pools and 14 hot tubs.
Maximum capacity: 6774
Sailing: The Gulf, Mediterranean