- Four of cruise industry’s leading brands – AIDA Cruises, Carnival Cruise Line, Holland America Line and Seabourn – from the world's largest leisure travel company will debut new ships in 2018
- Ground-breaking new ship designs reinforce company’s commitment to exceeding guest expectations with innovative and entertaining onboard offerings
- Company set to add 18 new cruise ships to industry’s largest fleet between 2018 and 2022
Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), the world’s largest leisure travel company, yesterday announced it will launch four new cruise ships in 2018 across four of its 10 leading global brands – Carnival Cruise Line, America’s most trusted and popular line; Holland America Line, one of cruising’s most popular premium lines with a 145-year history; Seabourn, the leader in small-ship, ultra-luxury cruising; and AIDA Cruises, the leading cruise brand in Germany.
The new ships are part of Carnival Corporation’s ongoing fleet enhancement strategy with 18 new ships scheduled for delivery between 2018 and 2022 – creating excitement in the vacation market and continuing to exceed guest expectations while accelerating demand for cruising, the fastest growing segment in the vacation industry.
"On top of the three new ships we launched in 2017, we look forward to the delivery of four more spectacular ships that will help us continue providing extraordinary cruise vacations at an exceptional value for our guests,” said Roger Frizzell, chief communications officer for Carnival Corporation. “The new ships also demonstrate our long-term strategy to build highly efficient, innovative and state-of-the-art ships that offer our guests the latest in onboard features and amenities, while creating excitement in the marketplace that will continue to inspire more travelers to consider cruising as a vacation option.”
Frizzell added: “Our fleet enhancement program enables us to manage the overall fleet by aligning new ship deliveries with our strategy for measured capacity growth over time, while also refurbishing existing ships and phasing out less-efficient vessels. It is a successful approach that helps us meets our number one priority – to consistently exceed our guests’ expectations.”
Carnival Corporation’s four new cruise ship additions for 2018 include:
Carnival Cruise Line: Carnival Horizon – Expected launch date in April 2018
As the 26th ship for Carnival Cruise Line, the largest and most popular individual cruise line in the world, Carnival Horizon will offer a number of unique innovations, including the first Dr. Seuss WaterWorks aqua park, the line’s first teppanyaki dining venue and Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse | Brewhouse, a new restaurant that combines BBQ offerings created by Food Network star Guy Fieri along with four specifically designed craft beers brewed at an onboard brewery.
Carnival Horizon will also offer many of the popular indoor and outdoor dining, bar, entertainment and activity options that debuted in 2016 on its sister-ship, Carnival Vista, such as the bike-ride-in-the-sky SkyRide attraction and an IMAX Theatre.
Guests can also enjoy a wide range of accommodations including spa cabins with exclusive privileges at the luxurious Cloud 9 Spa, extra-roomy staterooms in Family Harbor, and tropical-inspired Havana staterooms and suites with exclusive daytime access to a Cuban-themed bar and pool.
The 133,500-ton Carnival Horizon will debut with a 13-day Mediterranean cruise from Barcelona in April 2018 – the first of four round-trip departures from the port. Carnival Horizon will then reposition to the U.S. with a 14-day transatlantic crossing from Barcelona to New York May 9-23, 2018, positioning the vessel for a summer schedule of four-day Bermuda and eight-day Caribbean departures from the Big Apple. Carnival Horizon will shift to Miami to launch a year-round schedule of six- and eight-day Caribbean cruises beginning Sept. 22, 2018, and will also offer a special two-day cruise to Nassau from Miami Sept. 20-22, 2018.
Seabourn: Seabourn Ovation – Expected launch date in May 2018
Following in the footsteps of its highly successful sister ship, Seabourn Encore, launched in early 2017, Seabourn Ovation is set to debut in May 2018. Designed by design icon Adam D. Tihany, the ship will feature contemporary interiors, modern design elements and innovations consistent with Seabourn's reputation for understated elegance and impeccable service. Seabourn Ovation will round out the current planned expansion of the line's award-winning and highly acclaimed fleet.
The fifth all-suite ship in Seabourn’s fleet, Seabourn Ovation will carry just 600 guests, based on double occupancy. The ship offers a number of in-suite amenities to provide guests with a "home away from home" onboard experience including a private veranda in each suite. Guests will also find a number of innovative offerings and programs, including “An Evening with Tim Rice,” the new theater-style experience created exclusively for the line in association with Belinda King Creative Productions, and through the brand’s partnership with Sir Tim Rice, the acclaimed English musical theatre lyricist of Broadway, West End and film. The experience highlights some of his most loved work – from “Jesus Christ Superstar” to “Aladdin” and “The Lion King.”
The vessel is a continuation of Seabourn’s legacy as the world’s finest ultra-luxury cruise line, known for its luxurious accommodations, extraordinary level of service, exceptional dining and unrivaled spa facilities. Seabourn is consistently ranked among the world's top travel choices by professional critics and readers of prestigious travel publications such as Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler.
Following the ship's delivery, Seabourn Ovation will embark on an 11-day inaugural voyage departing May 5, 2018, from Venice, Italy, to Barcelona. The ship will spend the majority of her maiden season cruising the waters of Northern Europe, offering a variety of Baltic and Scandinavian cruises, which will include the line's signature three-day stay in St. Petersburg, Russia.
Seabourn Ovation will also sail on longer 14-day voyages, visiting the majestic Norwegian fjords and British Isles. Select sailings will also include the Ventures by Seabourn program, which are optional for-charge expedition-style excursions featuring a team of experts, Zodiacs and kayaks with a focus on allowing guests to experience nature up close.
AIDA Cruises: AIDAnova – Expected launch date in December 2018
Arriving in late 2018, AIDAnova will be the first cruise ship fully powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG), the world’s cleanest burning fossil fuel, with nearly zero emissions. This ship will be the first in the cruise industry to use LNG to generate 100 percent of its power both in port and on the open sea – an innovation that will reduce exhaust emissions to help protect the environment and support Carnival Corporation's aggressive sustainability goals.
AIDAnova’s next-generation, fully LNG-powered design is an evolution from the brand’s previous award-winning class of ships that includes AIDAprima and AIDAperla, the first two cruise ships in the world to use LNG while in port. AIDAnova will be followed by six additional fully LNG-powered ships scheduled to be delivered across several Carnival Corporation brands by 2022.
AIDAnova marks a new generation of AIDA Cruises ships that combine innovative design with state-of-the-art technology to provide even greater onboard comfort – the onboard brewery featuring the first-ever beer garden, the beach club and Four Elements, complete with three water slides, in addition to a new escape room for puzzle lovers and 360-degreee Theatrium and Studio X, a TV studio at sea.
Highlights include 20 different stateroom types, ranging from a two-deck penthouse suite to spacious family and patio cabins to comfortable single options with a balcony. The ship will also feature the Body & Soul Spa, spanning two decks and offering over 80 treatments from around the world. For the first time, the ship has two private outdoor sun islands for couples; an all-new concept with 17 restaurants – five specialty restaurants, six à la carte restaurants, five buffet restaurants and one snack bar; 23 bars offering a variety of culinary trends from around the world; and the new Time Machine restaurant, blending experience and culinary art to take guests on a dinner trip through time.
In its debut season starting in December 2018, AIDAnova will offer seven-day trips around the Canary Islands. Prior to the Canary season, AIDAnova will make a stop in Hamburg, and will visit the Hanseatic City on the Elbe before setting off toward Gran Canaria.
Holland America Line: ms Nieuw Statendam – Expected launch date in December 2018
Nieuw Statendam is the second Pinnacle Class ship for Holland America Line, joining ms Koningsdam, which launched in April 2016.
The 99,500-ton ship is the ultimate expression of the brand’s evolution, with grand light-filled spaces; visual drama; and sumptuous interiors inspired by the fluid curves of musical instruments. created by leading hospitality designer Adam D. Tihany and designer and architect Bjorn Storbraaten.
The ship will carry 2,666 guests and feature fine-dining options at alternative restaurants Sel de Mer, a French seafood brasserie, and Tamarind, an Asian fusion concept, in addition to the Grand Dutch Café with traditional Dutch treats and European beer.
Onboard entertainment will include the popular Music Walk area featuring all genres of music showcased in venues including Lincoln Center Stage, Billboard Onboard and the dynamic B.B. King’s Blues Club. With the 270-degree LED projection at World Stage, show-time performances will immerse the audience in panoramic visual and sound effects. The ship will also launch with the newly created Exploration Central’s hub located in the Crow’s Nest, now a comprehensive resource and engagement center with interactive screens and a Virtual Bridge.
Holland America Line's first ship to be called Statendam sailed in 1898, and this will be the sixth ship in the company's history to carry the name. In combining the Dutch word for "new" with the classic "Statendam," Holland America Line is celebrating the company's past, present and future.
Nieuw Statendam is scheduled to depart Dec. 5, 2018, on its maiden voyage with guests – a 14-day transatlantic crossing to Fort Lauderdale. The ship will then spend the winter season cruising roundtrip from the South Florida port on seven-day Caribbean itineraries, with select three-, four- and 10-day options.
Source: Carnival Corp