Cruise Ships

It’s your chance to win a place in cruise history. P&O Cruises is inviting its guests and members of the public to suggest a suitable name for its new ship, launching in 2020. At 180,000 tons and carrying 5,200 passengers, this will be Britain’s biggest cruise ship and it therefore deserves a name that is worthy of its size and credentials. The competition to name the ship will run on P&O Cruises’ website and through social media channels from today and a panel of experts will consider all entries. The winning name will be announced next year. To help inspire [...]

The newest member of Royal Caribbean International’s Oasis class of ships is one step closer to her April 2018 debut. With exterior construction now complete, Symphony of the Seas has been floated out of dry dock at the STX France yard in St Nazaire to begin the next phase of interior construction. Ten months of intensive work remain to be completed before the ship leaves the yard. Symphony will spend her inaugural summer season cruising in the Mediterranean, calling on ports in Barcelona and Palma de Mallorca, Spain; Provence, France; Florence/Pisa, Rome and Naples, Italy. She will then cross the [...]

There’s something of the blushing bride about 2017’s newest cruise ship, MSC Meraviglia, which was christened by Sophia Loren last weekend in the French port of Le Havre. At 171,598 tons and capable of carrying a maximum 5,714 passengers in 2,244 cabins it’s the biggest vessel launched in 2017 and becomes the fourth-biggest cruise ship of all time. But it’s not size that matters in this case – it’s the something old, something new, borrowed and blue. Blue in the funnels high up above Deck 19, more than 200 feet above the waves. Old in the names given to the decks, [...]

Some of London’s finest hotels and restaurants have provided inspiration for the interior design of Spirit of Discovery, the new ship being launched by Saga Cruises in 2019. The luxury boutique vessel, carrying fewer than 1,000 passengers is the first to be purpose built for the line whose previous ships have included hand-me-downs from Cunard (Saga Ruby, Saga Rose) and Hapag-Lloyd (Saga Sapphire). Tantalising glimpses inside the new ship were revealed this week. The Outside Lido (above) has a luxurious seating area allowing passengers to enjoy al fresco dining and breathtaking views throughout their trip. It will also play host [...]

Silversea Cruises’ new flagship, Silver Muse, has successfully completed her sea trials during which rigorous assessments of speed, vibration, noise, endurance, and propulsion were conducted. The ship, in the final stages of construction at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Genoa, will be formally christened in Monaco on April 19. “The successful completion of sea trials marks yet another significant milestone in Silver Muse’s development. In just a matter of weeks we will be welcoming guests from around the world on board the newest member of the Silversea family, with our new flagship set to offer the highest expression of excellence in elegance and comfort at sea,” said Roberto Martinoli, CEO at Silversea Cruises. Calling at [...]

Saga has released images of its first new build cruise ship, due to be launched in summer 2019. The name of the 999-passenger vessel has not been confirmed, but it is being referred to in-house as Project Olympic. Construction will begin soon at the Meyer-Werft shipyard in Papenburg, north Germany. It will be overseen by new build director David Pickett who has joined Saga from Carnival UK where he worked on P&O’s Britannia, Azura and Ventura. Every one of the Saga ship’s 540 cabins and suites will have its own balcony and 15 per cent of the accommodation will be [...]

Passengers will have to wait two years before they can book a holiday on P&O Cruises’ newest ship, and the maiden voyage won’t be until 2020, but the first hints of what the vessel will have in store were revealed last night. The venue was the spectacular Sky Garden at the top of London’s Walkie Talkie building – appropriately enough for a ship that will have its own Sky Dome, an all-weather entertainment space with a pool and a stage. The other main feature of the 5,200-passenger ship will be a broad half-mile Promenade – or Lanai Deck – that [...]

Two expedition ships being built for Hurtigruten will bear the names of Norway’s most influential Polar pioneers – Roald Amundsen and Fridtjof Nansen. The vessels, with a striking design created by Rolls-Royce in collaboration with Norwegian yacht designer Espen Øino, are scheduled for delivery in 2018 and 2019. A second pair is expected to follow later. Driven by hybrid technology with the option for short periods of fully battery-powered propulsion, the ships will have ice-strengthened hulls and are designed to carry 530 passengers. Most of the 265 cabins will have their own balconies. Large observation platforms will be a feature [...]

Norwegian exploration travel company Hurtigruten has ordered two new explorer ships to be designed and developed by Rolls-Royce. The 600-passenger vessels, to be built at a Norwegian shipyard, will be customised for adventure-rich expedition voyages in the Arctic and Antarctic regions, as well as along the Norwegian coastline. The deal – the largest in the company’s 120-year history – will see the ships delivered in 2018 and 2019. Hurtigruten holds an option for a further two ships Set to offer a host of activities for adventure seekers, from climbing and kayaking to rib-tours, whale and sea eagle safaris, the new [...]