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Tuesday, August 07, 2012

Coming Soon: The Next Generation Of Cruise Ships


The current generation of new cruise ships -- designed before the 2008 economic bust but not delivered until 2010 or later -- is just starting to feel comfortable to many of us. But a whole new generation of vessels designed after 2008 and reflecting the new economic realities is right around the corner.

These next-generation ships will start arriving as soon as April 2013, with three cruise lines introducing new models by June. These new ships are bigger than average, but not the biggest, and their facilities are somewhat more compact. But most importantly, they embody a new ethos, striving to provide the kind of cruise experience that gives passengers what they want but still keeps the cruise lines profitable.

These new cruise ships will fit more passengers into ship sizes that used to feel pretty roomy. But the new “snug fitting” designs don't necessarily mean ships will feel overly crowded. After a few design generations, the cruise lines now seem to have a handle on maximizing the efficiency of space. In an automobile analogy, we may be losing the bench seats and tail fins, but we are getting bucket seats and computer-aided entertainment centers.

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3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Who the hell can afford a cruise , oh I forgot , the hispanics and the other minority. They need to spend their money they get from robbing banks etc.

Anonymous said...

I'm white, but I don't agree with that at all. If you are going to be racist be a real racist and name the minority you are referring to. There are bums and heroes in all races.

Cathy said...

actually cruising isn't all that expensive. i thought it was until friends of ours suggested going last year. we went on a carnival cruise. left out of baltimore (so no airfare was involved) and went to florida & 2 stops in the bahamas. for around $2500 we had a fantastic 7 day vacation for a family of 3. that included gifts & stuff that we purchased while on/off the boat. we definitely intend to cruise again!