Cruise ships have introduced some wild and wonderful attractions in the last few years, including dodgem cars, ten-storey slides, skydiving simulators and go-kart racing tracks.
But 2020 will reach new heights with the first rollercoaster at sea on Carnival Mardi Gras.
Another hotly anticipated ship will be Scarlet Lady, the first launch from Sir Richard Branson’s new brand Virgin Voyages, featuring a tattoo parlour, drag queen breakfasts and champagne served at the shake of a smartphone.
But if you prefer the Antarctic to the Caribbean, luxury expedition ship Crystal Endeavor will have two helicopters, two submarines and an underwater scooter.
In his annual preview, Dave Monk takes a look at what’s on the horizon in 2020…
Mardi Gras
Line: Carnival Cruise Line
Tonnage: 180,000
Passengers: 5,282
Debut: November
Special features: Buckle up for the first rollercoaster at sea – an 800ft-long ride that will take you 187ft above the waves at speeds of up to 40mph.
Guests will control how fast the ride goes, from thrilling spins round the funnel down to a gentle sightseeing pace.
On the green front, 20-deck Mardi Gras will be the first cruise ship in North America powered by liquefied natural gas, which is much more environmentally friendly than diesel.
The ship, being built in Finland, will begin sailing from Port Canaveral after a European season was cancelled following delays at the shipyard.
Scarlet Lady
Line: Virgin Voyages
Tonnage: 110,000
Passengers: 2,770
Debut: February in Dover and Liverpool
Special features: The first cruise ship from Sir Richard Branson is bound to shake up the industry in the same way he did with airlines.
The adults-only Scarlet Lady will have ‘RockStar’ suites, a tattoo parlour and a vinyl record shop, as well as more than 20 eating venues – but no buffet.
All the restaurants, soft drinks, tips and WiFi are included in the fare.
Every voyage will call into a new resort, the Beach Club on Bimini island, where celebrated record producer Mark Ronson will occasionally guest-star as a DJ.
Celebrity Apex
Line: Celebrity Cruises
Tonnage: 129,500
Passengers: 2,900
Debut: April in Southampton
Special features: After the launch of the pioneering Celebrity Edge in 2018, Celebrity Cruises is following up with a sister ship, Celebrity Apex, to be named in Southampton in April.
Like its predecessor, Apex will have ‘infinite balconies’ – electric windows that wind halfway down to give sea views and fresh air while making the living space bigger.
Another key feature is the tangerine-coloured Magic Carpet restaurant that moves up and down between decks on the outside of the ship. The Eden three-storey venue at the stern of Celebrity Apex is just one of the 29 places to eat on board.
Crystal Endeavor
Line: Crystal Cruises
Tonnage: 20,000
Passengers: 200
Debut: August
Special features: Fitted with two helicopters, two submarines and an underwater scooter, Crystal Endeavor will be the first expedition ship from the luxury Crystal Cruises brand.
The German-built ship with all-suite, butler-serviced rooms, will take guests to the Arctic, Northeast Passage and Antarctica, as well as warmer places such as Indonesia, the Great Barrier Reef and the Canary Islands – but the first voyage will be in Japan.
As well as six restaurants, the ship will have a variety of elegant public lounges.
MSC Virtuosa
Line: MSC Cruises
Tonnage: 177,000
Passengers: 4,888
Debut: November
Special features: The sixth ship to be launched by MSC Cruises in three-and-a-half years, Virtuosa will be a twin to Grandiosa, which became the biggest ship in the fleet in 2019. Like its sister, Virtuosa has a spectacular 305ft-long LED dome over its shopping and dining promenade.
Entertainment includes two new Cirque du Soleil At Sea productions in a specially equipped theatre.
As well as five speciality restaurants, the ship will have an English pub and French bistrot plus the signature crystal-encrusted staircases.
Guests can use Formula 1 simulators, play on full-sized bowling alleys and shoot zombies in a virtual cinema. One striking feature on deck is a hot tub that arches round in a semi-circle to fit more people in.
Iona
Line: P&O Cruises
Tonnage: 184,000
Passengers: 5,200
Debut: Southampton in May, christening in July
Special features: This widely anticipated new ship will be the largest ever for the British-based line.
A four-screen cinema, fun food options and ‘pop-up’ performances will all feature on Iona, which will be launched in May and christened in July with a week-long festival starring the likes of Clean Bandit, Jo Whiley, Sara Cox, Trevor Nelson and Alex James.
The ship, powered by more environmentally friendly liquefied natural gas, will also feature a three-deck atrium and SkyDome, a space for relaxing in all weathers which will also host entertainment such as aerial performers and a wealth of live acts.
Enchanted Princess
Line: Princess Cruises
Tonnage: 139,000
Passengers: 3,660
Debut: Christening in Southampton in June
Special features: Enchanted Princess will be the cruise line’s first ship to be named in Britain since Kate, Duchess of Cambridge, smashed the bottle on Royal Princess in 2013.
Like many of its sister ships, Enchanted Princess will offer the Ocean Medallion, a wearable device the size of a 10p coin, which opens your cabin door as you approach, lets you track friends and family around the ship and also allows you to order drinks, food and things like suntan lotion to any location on the ship.
After the naming ceremony, Enchanted Princess will head to the Med for the summer.
Seven Seas Splendor
Line: Regent Seven Seas
Tonnage: 55,000
Passengers: 750
Debut: February
Special features: The ship that could be even more opulent than the one dubbed ‘the most luxurious ever built’ will take to the seas early in 2020.
Seven Seas Splendor, a sister ship to Seven Seas Explorer, launched in 2016, features a $10,000-a-night top suite that boasts its own spa retreat with sauna, steam room and massage area. The room’s pampered guests even have access to a private dining room.
The rest of the 750 passengers don’t miss out, either, as they have the choice of seven restaurants. No expense is spared, with almost 500 crystal chandeliers and more than an acre of marble used around the ship.
Supermodel and actress Christie Brinkley will christen Seven Seas Splendor in Miami on February 21.
Evrima
Line: Ritz-Carlton
Tonnage: 26,500
Passengers: 298
Debut: June
Special features: The first of at least three ultra-luxury yachts from the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Group will launch in June.
The 298-passenger ship will be all-suite with private terraces, floor-to-ceiling windows and high ceilings – some rooms will be two-storey loft suites.
Guests will be able to dine at the speciality restaurant Aqua, enjoy the spa and go on immersive excursions.
Every suite has a personal concierge and the yacht will have one of the highest crew-to-guest ratios at sea.
The ship will sail voyages of between seven and ten nights to the Med, northern Europe, the Caribbean, Latin America, Canada and north-eastern US.
Odyssey of the Seas
Line: Royal Caribbean
Tonnage: 169,000
Passengers: 4,200
Debut: November
Special features: Whether you want to drive bumper cars, soar from a flying trapeze or battle your friends at glow-in-the-dark laser tag, the SeaPlex arena on Odyssey of the Seas is the space for you.
Elsewhere there’s a skydiving simulator, a surf machine, a 40ft rock wall and a trampoline experience with a VR headset.
There is also the North Star – a glass pod that lifts passengers 300ft above sea level.
Sun lovers will enjoy a two-level pool deck while foodies will lap up the selection of restaurants, including teppanyaki, Italian and Far Eastern food.
Odyssey will be based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, sailing to the Caribbean before heading to Europe in 2021.
Sea Cloud Spirit
Line: Sea Cloud Cruises
Tonnage: 4,000
Passengers: 136
Debut: August
Special features: For those that enjoy the authentic side of cruising, Sea Cloud Cruises is adding a third tall ship to its fleet. It claims to be the only cruise line in the world where the sailing is still done traditionally by hand.
The new 450ft three-masted sailing ship, carrying up to 136 guests, will join its two sister vessels, one dating back to 1931.
The small luxury ship will have balcony suites, a spa, fine and casual dining, and be able to visit smaller, lesser-known ports. For the first time on a sailing ship, there will be a lift connecting the different decks. Sea Cloud Spirit will also have a choice of fine dining in the restaurant and or casual food on the lido deck.
Silver Moon
Line: Silversea Cruises
Tonnage: 40,700
Passengers: 596
Debut: August
Special features: Silver Moon is a sister to the luxurious Silver Muse, launched in 2017 – and a third ship, Silver Dawn, is already on order for 2021.
A new feature will be Silversea’s new culinary programme, S.A.L.T. (Sea and Land Taste), that aims to showcase food cultures from around the world. Guests will be able to enjoy fine cuisine in eight restaurants, from hot rocks at The Grill to Japanese fare in Kaiseki, before dining in the S.A.L.T. Kitchen, with a constantly changing menu reflecting the destinations.
Silver Moon will spend her inaugural season in the Mediterranean before moving to Central and South America.
Spirit of Adventure
Line: Saga Cruises
Tonnage: 58,000
Passengers: 999
Debut: Dover in August
Special features: Saga may be aimed at the over-50s but the arrival of Spirit of Adventure means the line now has two sparkling new ships after the christening of Spirit of Discovery in Dover last year.
Unlike Saga’s older ships, now being retired, every cabin has a balcony. However, Spirit of Adventure will be different from its sister, offering new venues and speciality dining venues including a modern Nepalese restaurant, Khukuri House, inspired by Gurkha heritage.
Fridtjof Nansen
Line: Hurtigruten
Tonnage: 20,899
Passengers: 530
Debut: April
Special features: Like its predecessor, Roald Amundsen, this ship in the Norwegian Hurtigruten fleet will be a hybrid powered by both diesel and electricity, allowing it to sail silently and emission-free in sensitive areas like the Arctic and Antarctic. Before its inaugural voyage from Hamburg, the 530-passenger ship is sailing three five-night preview cruises for invited guests from London, Liverpool and Portsmouth in March.
Other ships being launched this year include Costa Firenze, from Italian line Costa Cruises, as well as expedition ships Le Bellot and Le Jacques Cartier (Ponant), National Geographic Endurance and Quark Ultramarine.
Dave also writes about cruising on his award-winning blog, shipmonk.co.uk.
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source https://metro.co.uk/2020/01/02/rollercoaster-tattoo-parlour-submarines-underwater-scooter-amazing-features-spot-new-cruise-ships-2020-11989475/
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