Category: Cruise Lines & Ships

Icon of the Seas launched this year as the world’s largest cruise ship. It holds 7,600 passengers when full. That is not a typo. Royal Caribbean built this ship for people who want everything. Eight neighborhoods. Six water slides. The largest waterpark at sea. Multiple pools including an adults-only area. Rock climbing walls. Mini golf.…

Icon of the Seas launched in January 2024 as the world’s largest cruise ship. It holds 7,600 passengers when full. That is more people than live in most Ohio towns. The ship runs seven night Caribbean cruises from Miami year round. Royal Caribbean built it with families in mind. There are six water slides including…

Virgin Voyages launched with big promises about disrupting cruising. Three years later, they are still working out the kinks. Their adults-only concept remains their strongest selling point. The ships look fantastic. Modern design, clever use of space, and restaurants that actually serve good food. The crew energy feels genuine rather than forced. Wi-fi works better…

Celebrity’s Edge class ships get talked about a lot. Usually that means overpromising and underdelivering. Not this time. These ships genuinely changed how cruise ship design works. The Magic Carpet moves up and down the side of the ship. Infinite Verandas open your stateroom to the ocean with the push of a button. The Retreat…

MSC Cruises spent years trying to crack the American market with mixed results. European guests loved the formal nights and late dinners. Americans wanted burgers at 6 PM and flip flops in the main dining room. The Swiss-owned line has quietly made changes. Their newer ships like MSC Seashore and MSC Seascape cater more to…

Norwegian’s Prima and Viva ships are what happens when cruise designers ask “What if we made everything bigger?” then actually do it. These ships pack 20 restaurants, multiple go-kart tracks, and virtual reality experiences into floating cities that hold 3,215 passengers. The Prima Speedway wraps around the funnel. The Ocean Boulevard promenade circles deck 8…

Icon of the Seas launched in January 2024 as the world’s largest cruise ship. It holds 7,600 passengers when full. That’s roughly the population of a small Ohio town floating around the Caribbean. The ship has everything you’ve heard about. Eight neighborhoods. The largest waterpark at sea. An ice skating rink. Multiple pools including one…

Norwegian’s newest ship Viva launched last year with the usual fanfare about being bigger and better than everything before it. Most of that was marketing noise. But this ship does something different that matters. Viva was built specifically for the Mediterranean. The outdoor spaces actually work for European ports. The Haven suites face inward to…

Most cruise lines claim they’re revolutionizing cruising. Virgin Voyages actually meant it. Their adults-only ships ditched the buffet for 20+ restaurants. No kids means no screaming at 6 AM by the pool. Their crew gets tipped through an automatic service charge system instead of the awkward cash-in-envelope dance. The Scarlet Lady and her sister ships…

Most cruise lines claim to be revolutionary. Virgin Voyages might actually be onto something. They launched in 2021 with a simple premise: what if we built cruises for adults who think cruises are terrible? No kids under 18. Ever. The dining is genuinely good instead of buffet acceptable. The shows skip Broadway knockoffs for actual…