We're accustomed to a wonderful variety of new ships to look forward to each year, but 2010 promises to deliver an absolutely bumper crop of newbuilds, as much for their variety as anything else.
From the 150,000-ton
Norwegian Epic (above, with its Aqua Park) and the 220,000-ton
Allure of the Seas (sister to the recent
Oasis), to the boutique little
Independence of
American Cruise Lines (3,000 tons) and the chic
Le Boreal of
Compagnie du Ponant (10,600 tons), this is a line-up that truly offers something for everyone.
The year starts with the latest vessel for
Costa Cruises, the
Costa Deliziosa, a sister to the
Luminosa and the second in this intermediate class of ship for the Italian-based line.
MSC Cruises then add the
MSC Magnifica, the fourth in their Musica-class vessel, and their 10th ship in all. Quite an upgrade on their traditional, three-ship fleet of just nine years ago!
Celebrity follow up with
Celebrity Eclipse in April, the third in their growing and impressive Solstice-class, and, in the same month,
P&O Cruises add their biggest ship to date, the 116,000-ton
Azura.
May should be a big month for small-ship lovers, with the arrival of the
Independence to boost their unique style of American river and coastal cruising. This will be the third vessel of this style and it is obviously proving a big successful with those who enjoy their cruising small-scale.
Le Boreal is the other attractive smaller option, with a truly sumptuous new look for this chic French line. Well worth considering in 2010.
The pace doesn't slow down in June, though, as we welcome the huge
Epic of
NCL (their biggest-ever ship) and the
Seabourn Sojourn of the
Yachts of Seabourn, who made a huge splash (ho, ho!) in 2009 with their
Odyssey, a ship hailed as a real 'game-changer' in the deluxe end of the cruise market.
Holland America join the newbuild party in July with their
Nieuw Amsterdam, an old name for their latest and possibly their smartest (and the fourth ship actually to bear that name) to date. A sister to the
Eurodam, this will be the 81st vessel to enter HAL service. Quite a run!
The autumn sees the arrival of
Allure of the Seas, and the second of the mind-boggling Project Genesis series of Royal Caribbean. Our
World of Cruising magazine hailed
Oasis as 'the world's first space ship' recently, as a tribute to both the space-age look and huge amount of space involved in this vessel, and
Allure should provide more of the same. Or, as I said last month - It's a cruise ship, Jim, but not as we know it!
One ship which I will be eagerly awaiting is the new
Marina of
Oceania Cruises in October, with this smart, upmarket line promising to deliver a mid-range ship full of innovation and style and providing a real challenge to the ultra-deluxe lines but with a slightly lower price tag. Definitely one to watch.
Finally, venerable
Cunard will debut their latest offering the new
Queen Elizabeth toward the end of the year, a 92,000-ton vessel that will maintain the line's great tradition but build on the modern styling that the
Queen Victoria showed us last year, or 'the gracious new Cunarder,' as they like to say.
So, if that little lot isn't enough to get everyone excited about the possibilities for cruising in 2010, I don't know what will.
Merry Christmas everyone, and a happy Cruise New Year!
