What was then a mere handful of transatlantic liners has been supplanted by a flotilla of sophisticated passenger ships that are as much resorts as they are transportation, with vessels whose facilities and activities are designed to appeal to savvy travelers and novices, cozy couples and tech-mad kids, singles and multigenerational families.
Cuisine at sea is also as inventive—and varied—as at fine restaurants in major cities. Windstar Cruises and SeaDream are just two of the many lines whose chefs lead culinary foraging excursions; Oceania Cruises takes the trend up a notch by including onboard cooking classes and local chefs and restaurateurs as guides. Holland America has added vegetarian menus and a dinner presenting dishes from six continents in a single meal. Celebrity Cruises is bringing its snappy Qsine eatery (think sushi lollipops) to several ships. Among the many lines with wine-themed cruises is AmaWaterways, which offers sailings that highlight vintages of the Rhine and Rhône, and Paul Gauguin Cruises, on which experts from Napa wineries come along for the ride.
Even island-hopping cruises have become far more than a floating antidote to a winter chill. Magic shows (Crystal Cruises), true high-speed Internet access (Royal Caribbean), and aromatherapeutic yoga classes (Princess) are just a few of this season’s new shipboard amenities. And in an effort to outdo one another, ships have become floating resorts with endless (and over-the-top) offerings: a golfing simulation of Scotland’s Old Course, a zipline above a courtyard rimmed with staterooms, bowling lanes, art studios, and, soon, a boardwalk set over the sea.
The print version has cameos of new ships launched or to be launched in next year for every type of traveler
- Disney Fantasy
- Oceania Riviera
- Carnival Breeze
- Celebrity Reflection
- Uniworld River Orchid
- Norwegian Breakaway
- Royal Princess
- Ponant Le Soleal
- Viking Longships (in photo)
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