A trio of spectacular new megaships have set sail in recent weeks – Harmony of the Seas, Ovation of the Seas and Carnival Vista – and 17 more ships carrying 3000-plus passengers will launch over the next three years.
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But wait. Cruising really isn't all about enormous resort-style ships though there's plenty to choose from if that's your thing.
But there is also a growing demand for a more intimate style of cruising with an impressive number of new (and refurbished) small and mid-size vessels coming our way.
Holland America Line's newest ship, MS Koningsdam, was christened on May 20; accommodating 2650 passengers – these days a quite modest capacity in comparison to Royal Caribbean's Oasis-class ships, which can carry more than 6000 passengers.
Viking Cruises' second ocean-going ship, the 930-passenger Viking Sea, also made its debut in May. Ponant recently announced it is building four new 180-passenger luxury expedition ships (the first is due in 2018); and bookings are open for Scenic's 228-passenger "discovery yacht" Scenic Eclipse, which is due make its maiden voyage in August 2018.
It all adds up to more choice for cruisers. Here's how to find the right size of ship – long, short or tall – to suit you.
THE BEST SIZED SHIPS IF YOU... CRAVE NON-STOP ACTION
The world's biggest, newest cruise ships have become resort-style destinations in themselves. You'll find hair-raising water slides, challenging ropes courses, surf simulators, flying foxes, bowling alleys and just about anything you can think of for thrill-seekers.
An action-packed nightlife is part of the package on contemporary megaships – they offer everything from Broadway-style production shows to intimate live music shows, stand-up comedy and late-night clubbing.
And if you like bar-hopping and eating out every night at a different venue, you'll have numerous bars and eateries to choose from and to work off the excess on in state-of-the-art gyms and extensive spas.
THE CRUISE DIRECTOR'S PICKS
Royal Caribbean's 4180-passenger Ovation of the Seas
HIGHLIGHTS Sky-diving simulator, roller-skating rink, 18 restaurants, Music Hall for live performances and parties
WHERE Australia, December 2016-February 2017, returning in November 2017; see royalcaribbean.com.au
Norwegian Cruise Line's 4200-passenger Norwegian Escape
HIGHLIGHT The Waterfront outdoor dining complex, 21 bars and lounges, and the Snow Room.
WHERE Caribbean and Bahamas; norwegiancruiseline.com.au
Carnival Cruise Line's 3954-passenger Carnival Vista
HIGHLIGHTS Launched in May; Sky Ride, IMAX theatre, themed parties, high-tech shows, Havana Cabins and pool complex.
WHERE Mediterranean, Caribbean; carnival.com.au
THE BEST SIZE SHIP IF YOU'RE A... SOCIAL SOLO TRAVELLER
Single cruisers in their 20s and 30s will enjoy large ships that offer lots of activities where it's easy to meet other fun-loving solos. A handful of ships have single cabins, which means you don't have to pay a single supplement for occupying a twin-share cabin on your own; Royal Caribbean's Oasis and Quantum class ships have a number of regular and "virtual balcony" single cabins and they are now available on Explorer of the Seas, which will be back in Australia for the 2016-17 season.
If a quieter shipboard life is more your style but you still like mixing and mingling, look for ships that run hosted events for singles plus onboard classes and events where you'll meet like-minded people. While it's often easier to meet people on smaller ships by virtue of their size (Azamara Club Cruises, Oceania Cruises) Celebrity and Princess' large and mid-size ships are renowned for their enrichment programs.They are also more affordable than small, luxury ships carrying just a few hundred passengers.
THE CRUISE DIRECTOR'S PICKS
NCL's 4100-passenger Norwegian Epic
HIGHLIGHTS 128 Studio cabins, 5 pools, 21 restaurants, high-energy entertainment
WHERE Mediterranean and Caribbean; norwegiancruiseline.com.au
SHIP Azamara Club Cruises' 686-passenger Azamara Journey
HIGHLIGHTS AzAmazing Evenings, overnights in ports, nearly all-inclusive fares.
WHERE Worldwide; in Australia February and March 2017;azamaraclubcruises.com
Celebrity Cruises' 2850-passenger Celebrity Solstice
HIGHLIGHTS CelebrityLife's Taste, Learn, Revive and Play program; 10 dining venues, 14 bars, clubs and lounges.
WHERE Australia, NZ, Pacific Islands, November 2016-April 2017; Hawaii and Alaska; celebritycruises.com.au
THE BEST SIZE SHIP IF YOU'RE A... 50+ COUPLE OR SINGLE CRUISER
Whether large, mid-size or small, ships that are child-free or geared for grown-up cruising are the go for babyboomers. Cunard's three queens are perennially popular with retirees for world voyages – generally, the average age of cruisers on board goes up the longer (and more expensive) the cruises are. Look for lines that offer enrichment programs that include expert speakers; hands-on arts, food and wine classes; dancing; a good range of excursions; and adults only "retreats". Check out Princess, Holland America Line, Celebrity, Azamara and Oceania Cruises; also consider river cruising.
Four lines operate adults-only cruises: Viking Ocean Cruises, and the UK-based Voyages to Antiquity, Saga Cruises and P&O Cruises' Adonia, Arcadia and Oriana.
THE CRUISE DIRECTOR'S PICKS
Cunard's 2620-passenger Queen Mary 2
HIGHLIGHTS 15 new single staterooms post- May makeover, Planetarium, biggest library at sea, traditional afternoon tea.
WHERE Worldwide, from home-port of Southampton in the UK; cunardline.com.au
HAL's 2650-passenger MS Koningsdam
HIGHLIGHTS Launched in May, expanded Culinary Arts Center, World Stage theatre, three-venue Music Walk.
WHERE Northern Europe, Caribbean, Bahamas; hollandamerica.com
Viking Cruises' 930-passenger Viking Sea
HIGHLIGHTS Launched in April, all-balcony cabins, contemporary interior design, spa with Snow Grotto, Wintergarden, long stays in port.
WHERE Mediterranean, Baltic, Northern Europe; vikingcruises.com.au/oceans
THE BEST SIZED SHIP IF YOU'RE A... CULTURE VULTURE
Smaller ships and those that appeal to the 50+ age group will also suit you, as will many of the itineraries offered by luxury lines such as Crystal Cruises, Regent Seven Seas, Seabourn and Silversea. Likewise, expedition companies Lindblad and Ponant specialise in cultural as well as adventurous voyages (often the same thing), with teams of onboard experts to enhance the experience.
River cruises in Europe, Russia, South America, China and South-east Asia take you to the heart of destinations that are rich in history; check out major lines Avalon Waterways, APT, Aqua Expeditions, Scenic, Viking and Uniworld.
THE CRUISE DIRECTOR'S PICKS
Voyages to Antiquity's 386-passenger Aegean Odyssey
HIGHLIGHTS Onboard lecture programs, library, shore excursions and gratuities included in fare, evenings and overnights in port.
WHERE Mediterranean, Africa, India, South-east Asia; au.voyagestoantiquity.com
Botanica/APT's 114-passenger Caledonian Sky
HIGHLIGHTS Famous and "secret" gardens, art, culinary and history cruises, onboard lecturers, botanical guides, inclusive fares.
WHERE Mediterranean, Northern Europe; botanica.travel Princess Cruises' 2,706-passenger Diamond Princess
HIGHLIGHTS Onboard Japanese dining and tea ceremonies, varied itineraries (including Cherry Blossom), extensive choice of shore excursions.
WHERE Japan, Korea, Taiwan; princess.com
THE BEST SIZED SHIP IF YOU'RE A... SMALL FAMILY GROUP ON A BUDGET
Go local to save on expensive airfares and look at taking a short cruise, say, three to five days. P&O and Carnival's Australia-based ships are big enough to offer plenty of free activities to keep kids and adults entertained and, in the summer, Royal Caribbean's ships cruise out of Sydney and Brisbane. They are bigger and offer more facilities but you have to add a compulsory gratuity charge to the cost of the fare.
Join cruise lines' and cruise travel agencies' mailing lists to be alerted for special deals and last-minute getaways; and find out before you book how many extra charges you might be up for (activities, drinks, shore excursions). Shopping around is top of your To Do list.
THE CRUISE DIRECTOR'S PICKS
P&O Cruises' 1500-passenger Pacific Aria & Eden, Pearl (1800), Dawn (2000) & Jewel (1950)
HIGHLIGHTS Four age-specific kids' clubs included in fare, Edge Adventure Park, kid-friendly menus, family cabins and activities.
WHERE Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands, PNG, South-east Asia; www.pocruises.com.au
Carnival Cruise Line's 2124-passenger Carnival Legend & Carnival Spirit
HIGHLIGHTS Green Thunder waterslide, mini-golf, sports court, seven included eateries, kids' clubs, Dr Seuss character events.
WHERE Australia, New Zealand, Pacific Islands; carnival.com.au Ship: Captain Cook Fiji's 130-passenger Reef Endeavour
HIGHLIGHTS Choice of three-, four-, seven- and 11-night cruises, water activities and excursions included in fare, visits to island villages and schools, family cabins.
WHERE Fijian islands; captaincookcruisesfiji.com
THE BEST-SIZED SHIP IF YOU'RE AN... EXTENDED FAMILY GROUP LOOKING FOR A BIG TRIP
Multi-generational cruises are an increasingly popular holiday option and there are lots of ships that have facilities for everyone from age two to 82. Check out those that offer non-stop action (see above), and most major lines' mid-size and large ships. These have enough space to pack in adults-only retreats, age-appropriate kids' clubs, activities that range from rock-climbing walls and zip-lines to seniors' computer classes and gourmet food and wine tastings, and enough dining options to please everyone.
An adventure cruise on a smaller ship is well worth considering for multi-gen group; they're not cheap but for family bonding there's nothing like taking a journey that involves wildlife sightings, exciting Zodiac trips and lots of fun learning experiences. Lindblad Expeditions and Un-Cruise Adventures offer a range of cruises geared up for family members of all ages.
THE CRUISE DIRECTOR'S PICKS
MSC Cruises' 3959-passenger MSC Preziosa
HIGHLIGHTS Kids under-13 cruise free, Tiki Bar for kids and teens, Doremi Castle aqua park, MSC Yacht Club's exclusive accommodation and facilities.
WHERE Mediterranean; msccruises.com.au
SHIP Princess Cruises' 3,600-passenger Regal Princess
HIGHLIGHTS Dedicated kids' spaces, spectacular shows, extensive range of accommodation, multiple dining choices, Lotus Spa.
WHERE Caribbean, Northern Europe; princess.com
NCL's 2186-passenger Pride of America
HIGHLIGHTS Refurbished in May, versatile accommodation options, 19 eateries, kids' and teens' clubs, sports court, two pools.
WHERE Hawaii, weekly cruises year-round; norwegiancruiseline.com.au
THE BEST SIZED SHIP YOU'RE TAKING A... ROMANTIC CRUISE FOR TWO...
Whether it's your honeymoon, wedding anniversary or an indulgent getaway for two, there's something irresistibly romantic about a sea voyage. Smaller ships that don't cater for children are ideal and if masts and acres of canvas are included, the romance factor is upped even further. Windstar Cruises' fleet of boutique-size motor-sailing and yacht-type ships fit the bill, and Oceania Cruises' six small to mid-size ships are designed for sophisticates and renowned for fine dining. And, of course, Princess Cruises will forever be known for its role in The Love Boat. Today, Princess ships offer the Ultimate Balcony Dining service for loved-up couples –a lobster and Champagne dinner served course by course on your own private balcony.
THE CRUISE DIRECTOR'S PICKS
Paul Gauguin Cruises' 332-passenger Paul Gauguin
HIGHLIGHTS Watersports marina, three dining venues, spa, service, day on a private island, all-inclusive fares.
WHERE Tahiti, French Polynesia, Fiji, and the South Pacific; pgcruises.com
SeaDream Yacht Club's 112-passenger SeaDream I & II
HIGHLIGHTS Sleeping under the stars, watersports marina, Top of the Yacht bar, service, cuisine, private-yacht atmosphere.
WHERE Caribbean, Mediterranean, transatlantic; seadream.com
SHIP Star Clippers' 170-passenger Star Clipper
HIGHLIGHTS A traditional sailing ship with modern facilities, indoor-outdoor bars, two pools, flexible schedules, relaxed ambience.
WHERE Mediterranean, South-east Asia; starclippers.com/au/
THE BEST-SIZED SHIP IF YOU'RE A... UNASHAMED LUXURY LOVER
When only the very best suites, restaurants, amenities and service will do, you have to go five star (or at the very least, four star-plus). Only a few ships attain this lofty accreditation in the 2016 Berlitz cruising "bible"; among them are Hapag-Lloyd Cruises' Europa and Europa 2 (5-plus stars each), Crystal Serenity and Crystal Symphony, SeaDream I and II, and the ships of Regent Seven Seas Cruises, Seabourn and Silversea.
Uber-luxury line Crystal Cruises is expanding at a rate of knots and by 2019 will launch six new European river ships, a 200-passenger expedition vessel and the first of three 1000-passenger "Exclusive Class" ships that will have permanent "residences". Oh yes, and a private jet.
THE CRUISE DIRECTOR'S PICKS
Regent Seven Seas' 750-passenger Seven Seas Explorer
HIGHLIGHTS Launching in July, all-suite, all-balcony, all-inclusive, gourmet dining, most opulent of the fleet's four five-star ships.
WHERE Mediterranean, Caribbean; rssc.com
Seabourn's 600-passenger Seabourn Encore
HIGHLIGHTS Launching in December, enhanced version of Seabourn's three Odyssey-class ships, elegant contemporary design.
WHERE Middle East, Australia, Asia, Mediterranean; seabourn.com Crystal Cruises 922-passenger Crystal Symphony
HIGHLIGHTS Spacious decks and interiors, fine dining, including Silk Road and The Sushi Bar by Nobu Matsuhisa, imaginative excursions.
WHERE Worldwide; crystalcruises.com
THE BEST SIZED SHIP IF YOU'RE AN... ADVENTURE-SEEKER
We're talking soft adventure rather than hardcore expeditions; there is enormous demand among the babyboomer generation for cruises that take you to less-travelled destinations on small or boutique-sized ships that can visit places that are inaccessible to resort-style megaships.
Lines that provide adventurous itineraries on comfortable or seriously luxe ships include those that suit Luxury Lovers [see above], plus Aqua Expeditions (on the Amazon and Mekong rivers), Hapag-Lloyd Cruises' expedition ships Bremen and Hanseatic, Lindblad's fleet of 13 owned and chartered ships, Celebrity' Cruises' Xpedition (Galapagos Islands) and APT's Island Sky, Caledonian Sky and Hebridean Sky.
THE CRUISE DIRECTOR'S PICKS
Coral Expeditions' 72-passenger Coral Discoverer
HIGHLIGHTS Purpose-built for cruising tropical regions, Xplorer expedition vessel, Australian crew and expedition teams.
WHERE The Kimberley, PNG, South-east Asia; coralexpeditions.com
Ponant's 224-264-passenger L'Austral, Le Boreal, Le Lyrial, Le Soleal
HIGHLIGHTS World's newest luxury expedition ships, stylish interiors, 90 per cent balcony cabins, two restaurants, bilingual French/English crew.
WHERE Worldwide, including Polar regions; en.ponant.com
Lindblad Expeditions' 96-passenger National Geographic Endeavour II
HIGHLIGHTS US$10 million being spent on upcoming refurbishment, Ecuadorean crew and expedition teams, glass-bottom boat, kayaks.
WHERE Galapagos islands year-round, from November; au.expeditions.com
THE BEST SIZED SHIP YOU LIKE TO GET... OFF THE BEATEN TRACK...
Expedition voyages to the world's most remote destinations on boutique to small-sized ships are for you. Cruise lines that operate adventure cruises (see above) also offer more challenging expedition cruises that can involve trekking, diving, climbing and even ice-camping. Companies such as Active Adventures, Aurora Expeditions and Chimu Adventures charter purpose-built and/or converted research ships in the Polar regions, South America, Alaska, the Russian Far East, the South Pacific, Canada and Cuba. One Ocean owns and operates two ships in Antarctica and the Arctic, the 96-passenger Akademik Ioffe and 92-passenger Akademik Sergey Vavilov; North Star Cruises' 36-passenger True North is among the boutique vessels that cruise the Kimberley.
For a comprehensive list of expedition-cruise operators, see expeditioncruising.com
THE CRUISE DIRECTOR'S PICKS
Hurtigruten's 822-passenger/35-car MS Trollfjord
HIGHLIGHTS Visits to remote coastal villages, cruising fjords and Lofoten Islands, newest ship in fleet, two-deck Panorama lounge.
WHERE Norwegian coast year-round; hurtigruten.com
Aranui Cruises' 254-passenger Aranui 5
HIGHLIGHTS Launched 2015, working freighter and passenger ship visits remote islands, 60 balcony cabins, pool, Marquesan crew.
WHERE Marquesas Islands, French Polynesia; aranuicruises.com.au
Australis' 210-passenger Stella Australis
HIGHLIGHTS Three- to seven-night trips, stops at Cape Horn National Park, multi-lingual expedition team, all-inclusive fares.
WHERE Patagonia, Cape Horn; australis.com
How's this for size?
In terms of ships, what does "large", "mid-size", "small" and "boutique" mean? According to the 2016 Berlitz Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships, large ships accommodate 2,001-6,500 passengers; mid-size accommodate 751-2,000; small accommodate 251-750; and boutique 50-250.
SIZING UP EUROPE'S RIVER SHIPS
Crystal Cruises' newly refurbished Crystal Mozart is the biggest; accommodating 160 passengers, it is almost double the width of the others. Starting in July, Crystal Mozart will sail round-trips on the Danube from Vienna.
At 80 square metres, Crystal Mozart's two-bedroom suite is the most spacious on Europe's river ships; Scenic Jasper and Scenic Opal's Royal Panorama Suites come in at a generous 44 square metres.
Most vessels are about the same size – 12 metres wide, 135 metres long and three decks high – to fit through locks and underneath bridges. Look for passenger numbers if you want an uncrowded ship; Tauck's ships take 130, Viking Longships up to 190.
Viking River Cruises boasts the biggest fleet in Europe, with 64 river ships in total, 52 of which are Longships. It christened six ships in March and its seventh for the year, Viking Osfrid, is now sailing on the Douro in Portugal.
At the smallest end of the scale are river barges. Operated by companies such as Outdoor Travel, Croisi-Europe and European Waterways, they accommodate from four to 24 passengers.
