Five ocean liners, 18 river
vessels and a luxury expedition
yacht are set to debut this year.
TRAVELLERS can look forward to many
exciting developments in cruising over the next
12 months, with two-dozen ship launches and
unique onboard features.
Most of the newbuilds are coming to
Europe’s rivers, and 10 are from the same
company: Viking River Cruises.
Viking’s latest river vessels will be identical,
each carrying 190 passengers along the Rhine,
Main and Danube, with the first three to be
christened in March.
The earliest to debut on the ocean, in April,
is NCL’s Norwegian Breakaway.
Based in New York, the 4,000-passenger
megaliner will raise the bar for entertainment
with the Broadway show ‘Rock of Ages’.
Higher levels of accommodation will include
access to The Haven featuring a private pool,
hot tub, fitness area and ‘courtyard valet’.
One of the most innovative debuts is
Princess Cruises’ 3,600-passenger Royal
Princess, which has a glass-bottomed walkway
and bar extending from the top deck over the
side of the ship, only 40 metres above the
waves.
Sailing from June, it will also introduce the
Princess Live television studio at sea, hosting
concerts, comedy and cookery shows, filmed in
front of an audience and broadcast live
throughout the ship.
MSC Cruises is introducing the 3,500-
passenger MSC Preziosa, featuring the Yacht
Club, a Bali-style spa, the longest single-rider
waterslide at sea, an infinity pool and adultsonly
area.
The highlight of the small ships is Hapag-
Lloyd’s 516-passenger, all-suite, all-balcony
Europa 2.
Positioned as the modern sister ship of the
award-winning Europa, it has eight gourmet
restaurants and all cruises will be conducted in
English.
Australia’s APT and Europe’s AmaWaterways
will jointly unveil AmaVida in March on
Portugal’s Douro River and AmaPrima in April
on the Danube.
Avalon Waterways’ Avalon Artistry II and
Avalon Expression are set to follow, boasting
large suites and wall-to-wall opening
panoramic windows.
Scenic Tours’ seventh ‘space-ship’, Scenic
Jewel, will operate Amsterdam to Budapest.
In July, Ponant Cruises’ Le Soleal, a 264-
passenger expedition yacht, will commence
luxury expeditions to the Arctic.
The remaining newbuilds, rarely marketed in
Australia, include AIDA Cruises’ AIDAstella,
Orient-Express Hotels’ Orcaella and Vantage
Travel’s River Explorer and River Navigator.
