THE COMING OF LARGER and FANCIER CRUISE SHIPS

 Well, Barbenheimer was boffo.  

It’s also the first time that one movie opened to more than $100 million and another movie opened to more than $80 million in the same weekend. When all is settled, it will likely turn out to be the fourth biggest box office weekend of all time with over $300 million industry wide.

We're avoiding crowds and paying less by going to this double-bill tomorrow.

Cruise ships are getting larger and larger.  From Wikipedia:

In the two decades between 1988 and 2009, the largest cruise ships grew a third longer (268 m to 360 m), almost doubled their widths (32.2 m to 60.5 m), doubled the total passengers (2,744 to 5,400), and tripled in volume (73,000 GT to 225,000 GT).  As of January 2022, the largest cruise ship, Wonder of the Seas, has a gross tonnage of 236,857, is 362 metres (1,188 ft) long, 64 metres (210 ft) wide, and holds up to 6,988 passengers.^[6][7]

Now, the biggest one of all-time, having five times the tonnage of the Titanic--which in 1912 was the largest ever--will very early next year be launched.   Icon of the Seas (IotS) is 1,198 feet long, with 20 decks, carrying 7,600 passengers and 2,350  crew members.

• The largest six cruise ships will then all be owned by Royal Caribbean.  
• While the photo to the left is not particularly showy, IotS will, indeed, be colorful.

• On deck 5 is what they refer to as Central Park.

• 
  When first announced last October, to sail in the Caribbean, the cheapest room (interior) was $1,537.  This is now up to $1,851 for a seven-day cruise.  Seems nevertheless attractive at $264/night, if you don't mind 10,000 on the ship.
• This massive ship will for a while be stuck in the Caribbean.
• 1,198 feet long, carrying 7,600 passengers and 2,350 crew members.
• Watch this video.

Remember when Cunard had those magnificent liners?  

• Well, more recently, the Queen Mary 2 was christened in 2004 and is #37 in size and 1132 feet long.
• The Diamond Princess we will again board in October is only 952 feet long, and is not close being in the top 61.
• The Regent Seven Seas Explorer we took from Dubai to Singapore was 734 feet long.
• The Seabourn Odyssey, home of our 53-day cruise, is only 650 feet long.

So who runs what, and which cruise line carries the most passengers/year?

• #1  Carnival Corporation with 5.8 million passengers/year.
• Costa
• Princess
• Holland America
• P&O
• Cunard
• Seabourn
• 
  #2  Royal Caribbean, 3.3 million passengers/year.
• Royal Caribbean
• Celebrity
• Silversea
• Azamara
• #3  MSC, 1.4 million

• 
  #4  Norwegian, 1.3 million passengers/year.
• Norwegian
• Oceania
• Regent Seven Seas
• Crystal belongs to Genting Hong Kong and all of Viking's ships carry 0.14 million passengers/year.

The Points Guy has the nine most exciting new cruise ships of 2023:

• The MSC World Europa will be their first megaship, designed to go head-to-head with those Oasis-class Royal Caribbean ships, like the Icon of the Seas,  

• 
  While somewhat lighter in weight, will have 21 decks, 3 more than those others, and 13 dining venues.
• Plus, the Explora 1, an all-new luxury line of MSC Cruises.
• MSC is part of the Mediterranean Shipping Company, which is the second-largest business in container transport with 570 of these ships.

• 
  Owned by Italian Gianluigi Aponte, who has a net worth of $13.2 billion, making him the 126th richest in the world.
• Previously, mostly catered to Europeans.

• 
  Oceania has a new upscale Vista.
• Will be the first of their Allura Class.
• Will have Broadway quality shows.
• Every cabin will have a balcony.
• 12 culinary venues to improve their already world-class cuisine reputation.
• Watch Vista.

• 
  Silversea has Silver Nova.
• Bigger than predecessors.
• Will be asymmetrical, as will the dining, etc.
• 728 passengers.
• All suite ship, with the smallest cabin at least 357 square feet.
• Will start in the Mediterranean and move to the Caribbean in the winter.

• 
  Norwegian Viva could first sail next month.
• Second Prima class ship
• Smaller than other vessels, but with over-the-top amenities.
• Activities and entertainment will be flashy.
• Will begin in the Mediterranean, then move to the Caribbean in the winter. 

• 
  Seven Seas Grandeur will be the third of its class.
• Fall/Winter first sail.
• 750 passengers, or 375 rooms, each a suite.
• Will be so luxurious that it will verge on the ridiculous, with cabins fancy and really, really fancy, with the Regent Suite measuring 4,443 square feet for $11,000/night.
• Will start in the Caribbean, moving to Europe in the Summer of 2024.

• 
  Celebrity Ascent will be another Edge class ship, but larger.
• December 2023.
• 3260 passengers.
• In the Caribbean.

• 
  Carnival Jubilee of the Exel-class.
• December 2023.
• Will be Carnival's biggest ship.
• Will have roller coasters reaching speeds of 40 MPH and a giant water park.
• 6630 passengers.
• In the Caribbean.

Then there will be 10 new stunning ships in 2024.  But I'll let you view the article for details.

Tomorrow I'll reach into the past and share an adventure I had on the Norwegian Pride of America, with golfing as the primary attraction.  Why?  Because I'm inserting various cruise and travel postings over the next week or two, and the simple fact that we today made a reservation to board this same ship on September 2. 

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