Carnival Cruises: Still King of the Hill
October 04, 2005
How does the world's largest and most popular cruise operator get even bigger? How about add another ship! Carnival Cruises' family is growing even more, and they're hoping that you like the new addition to their family. Slated to be launched in spring 2008, the 112,000-ton Carnival Cruises ship will not only be the largest ship in the Carnival Cruises fleet, but will also have some of the most inventive features yet seen in Carnival Cruises.
The Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri will be constructing the 3006-passenger ship as part of a five-ship agreement made between the shipbuilder and the cruise line in 2004. The other vessels in the contract included the 110,000-ton Carnival Freedom, as well as ships for Princess Cruises, P&O Cruises, and Cunard, all of which are owned by Carnival Corporation.
Fincantieri, a company which has been in service since 1907, has constructed over 7,000 ships, including ferries, speed boats, even surface combatants, auxiliary ships, and submarines. Of course, they have many cruise ships credited to their name, as well, including Carnival Valor, Carnival Conquest, Carnival Destiny, Holland America ms Zuiderdam, and both Disney ships, Magic and Wonder, and others.
But with this latest design, they have given Carnival Cruises a ship that will feature some of Carnival's most ambitious onboard attractions to date. The yet-unnamed ship will have a 17,800-sq ft spa that includes a thermal suite, health and beauty rooms, and Carnival Cruises' first thalasso therapy pool, a pool that uses different properties from the sea, like fresh sea water and seaweed, in combination with heat to relax the body.
It wasn't clear at first, however, if the new ship would become part of the Carnival Cruises fleet or part of one of the other brands that Carnival Corporation owns. "Originally, we envisioned this ship would be designated for one of our European brands. However, Carnival Cruise Lines continues to perform at a very high level and based on the tremendous consumer demand for its products, we now believe that this specific tonnage would be best utilized for Carnival's North American market," said Mickey Arison, Carnival Corporation & plc chairman and CEO.
Most likely, this ship will travel to Carnival Cruises' Caribbean destinations, but as with all things in life, that's subject to change. (Perhaps ports of call in Alaska or even Hawaii will be in the picture—who knows!) One thing that's not subject to change, however, is the fact that this ship will offer guests some amazing new features.
Besides the huge spa, Carnival Cruises passengers will find a 5,500-sq ft children's playroom (perfect for cruise vacations with little ones), an exciting water play area, four pools, and a sports deck featuring bleacher seating; the latter will provide guests with a chance to participate in games and events, as well as simply play the part of spectator. All of these new features ensure that young and old will have an opportunity to make the Carnival Cruises experience their own. Of course, the ship will still feature Carnival's great restaurants, accommodations (1,503 to be exact, over a 1/3 of which will feature balconies), and entertainment from which you can choose.
This ship has yet to be constructed, so there are no bookings available. (I know—we're sorry to get you so excited.) Still, rest assured that Cruise Network Cruise Specialists will be here to offer you the best deals available, as well as the best service in the business, when the ship is finally launched.
