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Until recently, the line had resisted the trend among major brands to build even bigger vessels that offer a supersized megaresort-at-sea experience. This year will be a big one for new cruise ships, with three major vessels on the way that promise to break new ground in cruising. If you're looking for the best Royal Caribbean ship for solo travelers, you'll want to start with Quantum of the Seas and its Quantum-class sisters.
New to the fleet
That said, Freedom of the Seas still has a huge amount to offer for all sorts of travelers, from couples to families with kids. The ship was, notably, the first in the Royal Caribbean fleet to feature a FlowRider surfing simulator on its top deck — now a signature attraction for the line. “There’s also a greater space ratio onboard, allowing for less crowding and more space for guests to spread out and enjoy,” she says. Get to know the best cruise ships in a variety of categories, based on member review ratings for cruises taken in the last year. With each new ship, Carnival packs more and more into its fares – with fewer upcharges than most lines.
Virgin Voyages
Windstar Cruises' luxury small ships call on 150 ports throughout Europe, Central America, the Caribbean, and the South Pacific, and there's no way you'll go hungry on the journey. Exquisite onboard menus have been designed by acclaimed chefs from Michelin-starred restaurants. On Splendor you’ll find crystal and glass chandeliers aplenty, an extensive art collection, and enough Carrara marble to fill a football field and then some. Sit in a silk-covered chair in the elegant Chartreuse dining room, where a tuxedo-clad waiter will serve a truffle-enhanced tart and you can imagine yourself in a grand hotel in Paris. Enter the Prime 7 steakhouse, where at the bar you’ll pass art pieces by Joan Miró and Picasso.
Virgin Voyages' Resilient Lady
I suggest accompanying the head chef as they gather ingredients at local markets. The ship is slated for a two-part redesign of public spaces in 2024 and suite updates in 2026, which will likely make a good thing even better. Being onboard feels like a special occasion, especially if you join the crowd in the ship’s chandeliered Queens Room ballroom, where passengers can dance to a live big band in a throwback to the golden era of travel. The ship operates in traditional style, meaning you dine based on your type of accommodation. At the high end, Princess and Queens Grill guests can access exclusive restaurants where they can order tableside preparations such as Dover sole.
Silverseas Cruises’ “Silver Nova”
The crew outdid itself the next day at White Bay Beach on Jost Van Dyke, the smallest of the British Virgin Islands. A barbecue feast awaited us, along with beach loungers, steel-drum entertainment, and all the paddles and water toys from the ship. Later, we wandered down the beach to find a young yacht crowd, groups of friends who have rented their boats, all knee-deep in their mojitos.
Quantum of the Seas: Best ship for solo travelers
A new juice bar and a cafe near the main pool will serve healthy dishes, and the ship's spa is being built as a temple to wellness. Like Carnival Celebration, Carnival Jubilee measures 183,521 tons, putting it in a tie with the former ship for the position of biggest vessel ever to sail for Carnival (at 181,808 tons, sister ship Mardi Gras is slightly smaller). Carnival Celebration and Mardi Gras, notably, are a whopping 35% bigger than the next-biggest Carnival ships currently afloat, and they are bigger than all but a dozen other cruise vessels in the world. For the most part, its top deck only offers pools, whirlpools and sunning areas, as is typical for ships built in the 1990s.
"T+L readers rave about the consistency of Viking's vessels and their Scandinavian design," cruise expert Fran Golden reported when Viking once again topped T+L's World's Best Awards last year. Viking came in at No. 1 in T+L's best mid-size ship category and river cruise category. Golden said the WBA Hall of Fame honoree's 50 river "longships" are "light-filled floating boutique hotels." Plenty of family-friendly cruise ships have waterslides, but few have six — or even one that requires a multi-person raft. You’ll feel a deeper connection to the sea, and there’s a certain pleasure from being docked in chic little ports among the superyachts or anchored in a remote bay far from the crowds.
The Best New Cruise Ships of 2023 - Travel + Leisure
The Best New Cruise Ships of 2023.
Posted: Tue, 16 Apr 2024 14:00:00 GMT [source]
The live jazz bar
I spent my time there perched at one of its in-water loungers, contently splashing my legs around the water, wondering if I actually hated cruises. I was on the maiden voyage of the 360-foot Sakara, a December 2023 sailing with the added glamor of a Champagne christening in San Juan, Puerto Rico, led by the ship’s godmother Kelly Craighead. She is president of Cruise Lines International Association, the industry’s leading trade organization. You could also save money by booking a saver fare offered by some cruise lines.
Everything from shore excursions, Wi-Fi, and laundry to gratuities, top-shelf liquor, and business-class international flights are included with Regent Seven Seas Cruises' fares. While each luxurious suite features ocean views, nothing beats the view from the epic 4,000-square-foot, two-bedroom Regent Suite, which has two wraparound balconies, three walk-in closets, two Picasso lithographs, and a grand piano. At 250,800 tons, Icon of the Seas will be the biggest cruise ship ever built, and it'll be chock-full of more amusements, restaurants, bars and entertainment venues than any cruise vessel ever.
Plus, sailing in or out of PortMiami as the city unfolds or fades in the distance is one of the most magical moments in cruising. Virgin perfected onboard entertainment in 2023, introducing fresh, eye-popping shows like Lola's Library and Persephone. The ship's 2023 Eastern Mediterranean itineraries match its beachy vibe, and the detox-retox atmosphere carries over to ports like Santorini and Mykonos, thanks to exceptionally generous shore time. It should fit in well Down Under, where it just redeployed for its inaugural season there. The 1,196-foot-long, 20-deck Icon of the Seas is packed with bars, restaurants, and things to do.
With this class, the experience has more to do with the ports the ships visit than the onboard experience. In designing the vessels, Royal Caribbean took a page from solo-targeting Norwegian Cruise Line's playbook and added several cabins specifically for solos. Quantum of the Seas offers 28 of these dedicated studio cabins, each measuring from 101 to 119 square feet.
This is the 15th iteration of the list compiled by the online cruise community’s international team of cruise experts. "The cruise itself was absolutely perfect. Nice weather, great excursions, beautiful scenery, nice ship and excellent staff." Meena Thiruvengadam is a lifelong traveler and veteran journalist who has visited more than 50 countries across six continents. Her writing has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, Departures, TripSavvy, and other publications. On Virgin Voyages, an entire cruise line designed around the 18-and-over set, adults are sure to have some fun.
The included food options are tasty and satisfying, the drink packages remain reasonably priced and there’s nonstop entertainment and activities all day. Whether you’re with friends, a significant other or your family, you’re bound to have a good time, with minimum damage to your wallet. Nearly every cruise line offers a high standard of onboard service, but Holland America Line’s gracious crewmembers craft something truly special. Service is thoughtful and casually personal, with crewmembers remembering names and preferences. The genuine care and thought put in by each crewmember is what keeps Holland America’s loyal passengers coming back – and it’s exactly that atmosphere that keeps crews coming back year after year, too.
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