I was lucky enough to sail on all four of these incredible new cruise ships within the last few months. It was fascinating to see how these state-of-the-art cruise ships were similar, yet so different. Throw in all the perks, including Royal Genies and private dining, a dedicated bar and sun deck, and it’s clear why Royal Caribbean has some of the best suites at sea. Others operate vessels that are as luxurious as any upscale resort found on land. A few small luxury players such as Regent Seven Seas Cruises have ships with lavish suites that'll cost you as much as $11,000 a day.
Ship Size
All 2,747 rooms on Harmony of the Seas come in dozens of varieties that range from two-story suites to solo studios. Restaurants top the two-dozen mark, some included in the cruise fare, others bearing an additional charge. However, depending on the size of the ship, they could be farther from entertainment and dining areas. On big ships, there may be 10 or even more flights of stairs between your cabin and the pool, sun deck, buffet, and other amenities found at the top of the ship. There will be elevators, of course, but you should expect queues at busy times. The newest, largest cruise ships such as Royal Caribbean's 'Icon of the Seas' offer a huge range of ...
Silversea Cruises
In my experience, Norwegian Viva felt the most crowded of any of these ships. The massive cruise ship can hold 7,600 guests at maximum capacity and nearly 10,000 people in total when counting the crew members. She features eight different, distinct neighborhoods onboard with unique experiences for its many guests to enjoy. When it comes to size, Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas cannot be beaten - literally. Measuring 1,200 feet long with 20 decks towering above the sea, Icon of the Seas is large and in charge. Finally, Norwegian Cruise Line debuted Norwegian Viva as the second ship in its groundbreaking Prima Class in August 2023.
New to the fleet
Having never seen the musical before, this was a highlight of the cruise for me. However, Norwegian Viva’s other entertainment was disappointing in comparison. One evening, the main production show was the game show Press Your Luck while one night lacked entertainment entirely. Finally, Carnival Jubilee’s ship design is equally as family-focused as Icon of the Seas.
I tried the newest ships from Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Norwegian. Here’s how they compare
As cruise ships get bigger in size, cruise lines are expanding their entertainment offerings thanks to more space and larger crowds to accommodate. Norwegian Cruise Line has proved it’s the clear leader when it comes to solo travelers. Cabins are cleverly designed, proving efficiency doesn’t have to be boring.
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Carnival Sunrise
Carnival's most popular ship, Mardi Gras is named after Carnival's first Mardi Gras ship, which retired in 1993. One of the most obvious upgrades on the newer Mardi Gras is BOLT, the first roller coaster at sea. It also includes Carnival's first-ever Grand Central Atrium, complete with three-story walls of glass overlooking the sea. Of course, sticking to Carnival's brand, the vibe onboard still skews upbeat (in other words, it's a party). For scenic cruises, such as those in Alaska or the Norwegian fjords, a balcony might be worth the splurge to enjoy the magnificent views in relative peace. A balcony breakfast while sailing along a fjord will be an experience to remember.
Destination-focused cruisers will appreciate the variety of itineraries on Norwegian Viva. This is a great option for families wanting to have diverse itineraries with a kid-friendly approach. However, Viva's design fell flat for me and the lack of entertainment was disappointing. Overall, Celebrity Ascent offers a solid round-up of both complimentary and specialty dining, along with one of the best buffets at sea.
Discovery Princess: Refined and Relaxed for Lovers of Classic Cruise Style
Celebrity Ascent leans heavily into the innovation side compared to onboard thrills. Since the ship was designed for a more upscale, adult experience, Celebrity Ascent doesn’t have the kid-friendly thrills. However, Indulge Food Hall is perhaps one of the cruise line’s best dining experiences ever created - even better, it’s included in the cost of your cruise. With multiple stations serving up international cuisine through the touch of a tablet, the dining experience is unmatched.
You can find a designated neighborhood just for families in Surfside, a suspended beach club at The Hideaway, the FlowRider surf simulator, and so much more. Similarly, Celebrity Ascent showcases a strong assortment of production shows and headliner entertainment across the board. You might not find full-scale Broadway shows or ice skating spectacles, but Celebrity Ascent brings entertainment to new heights for the cruise line. Between theatre shows like the incredible Awaken to aerialists in the transformative Eden venue, Celebrity’s newest ship is a strong contender for best entertainment. Compare cruise ship sizes by length, weight (tonnage), height, width/beam.
As for specialty dining, you will find a mix of new experiences coupled with Royal Caribbean staples. For example, the Empire Supper Club is a new, ultra-luxurious dining experience that costs $200 per person, while Chops Grille is the cruise line’s specialty steakhouse. It, however, has been revamped to include the line's first-ever butcher's display. Considering this was a brand-new ship class, Icon of the Sea’s design was heavily hyped. Royal Caribbean built its newest class to feature the best of the cruise line’s design. In my opinion, Icon of the Seas has a delicate balance of its colorful, carnival-style design while finding space for modern, elegant touches.
Those who are a fan of Galveston will appreciate that Carnival brought their newest ship to Texas. One of the most important factors to consider when booking a cruise is your budget. Inherently, new cruise ships will usually be the most expensive ships to cruise on due to increased demand. While Norwegian Viva is much smaller than both of these ships, the ship packs a punch for onboard thrills. Unfortunately, most of the attractions cost extra, such as the Viva Speedway go-kart racing, technologically immersive Tee Time miniature golf, and the virtual world in the Galaxy Pavilion.
Both of these massive cruise ships have everything you could want on a cruise ship; however, be prepared to fight crowds during popular events. Compared to her sister ship, Norwegian Viva is actually designed to be 10% bigger than her sister ship, Norwegian Prima. With 3,099 passengers at maximum capacity, this modern cruise ship has a little bit of something for everyone’s family. Our Cruise Ship Comparison Tool will let you see the differences between two ships. Look at the differences in size, number of guests, types of food, and various activities. We also help you compare how much is included so you know how much you might end up spending on board.
Instead, you can enjoy the engineering marvel of the Magic Carpet, which is a cantilevered platform that serves as a top-deck bar in the evening and tender launch during the day. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed the entertainment on all four of these ships. I was least impressed with the entertainment on Norwegian Viva, although Beetlejuice was fantastic. Fans of upscale hotel chain Ritz-Carlton will feel at home on one of this line's yacht-like vessels.
Operating a fast-growing fleet of tough but upscale expedition ships (none carrying more than 264 passengers), Ponant is known for voyages to places like Antarctica and the Arctic. This France-based line is a specialist in expedition cruising, a type of cruising that involves traveling to remote, hard-to-reach places on small, hardy vessels that carry their own landing craft. They boast a glass wall that opens from the top to create a balcony-like effect. Designed to be a cut above mainstream options such as Carnival while remaining relatively affordable, this Miami-based "premium" line is known for some of the most stylish big ships at sea. For big-name performances, Norwegian Viva offered the nearly full-length Broadway musical, Beetlejuice.
I tried the newest ships from Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Norwegian. Here's how they compare - Cruise Blog
I tried the newest ships from Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, and Norwegian. Here's how they compare.
Posted: Wed, 17 Apr 2024 12:57:15 GMT [source]
In particular, one of the best improvements with newer ships is the availability of casual eateries onboard. To accommodate families, Norwegian Viva has crammed in kid-friendly activities like a go-kart track and virtual reality space. I’d argue Norwegian Viva has more design flaws that create more cramped spaces. Popular areas onboard, such as theatre shows, the pool deck, and the buffet, struggled to accommodate the passenger flow. Keep in mind, Celebrity Ascent is the only new ship that was not designed for families.
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