New Cruise Ships

The cruise industry is ever changing and the competition to have the biggest and best ships is fierce. So it should come as no surprise that every year one or more of the top cruise lines announces the arrival (or soon to be arrival) of the latest and greatest ocean liner. Wouldn’t it be great to see these new cruise ships before they actually hit the scene? You can if you know where to look! Before we take a look at some of the top websites for information about and pictures of new cruise ships, first, here is a bit of news on just a few of the new cruise ships slated for arrival over the next several years.

Disney Cruise Line plans to add two new cruise ships to its fleet in 2011 and 2012. Meyer Werft Shipyards of Papenburg, Germany will build the ships and each ship will weigh in at 122,000 tons. Disney’s current ships are 83,000-tons each. The new Disney cruise ships will have 1,250 staterooms with room for 4,000 guests compared to Disney’s current 877 staterooms with room for 2,400 guests.

The new Disney cruise ships will stick to Disney’s traditional Mickey Mouse color scheme of black, white, red, and yellow combined with art deco touches of 1930’s ocean liners. The new ships will stand two decks taller than Disney Wonder and Magic, and they will have much more room for verandahs – and then some!

Royal Caribbean plans to introduce the world’s first $1.24 billion cruise ship in 2009. The $1.24 billion new Royal Caribbean cruise ship will belong to the new Genesis Class. It is currently called “Project Genesis” and it will weigh in at a whopping 220,000 tons. This new cruise ship it will accommodate 5,400 passengers. The only other ships on the planet with this kind of tonnage, and worth billions of dollars are military vessels and submarines.

Top Websites for New Cruise Ships

There are many great websites available that offer photos of new cruise ships (and all cruise ships) as well as unique galleries featuring photos of different elements of the ship such as decks, staterooms, fitness areas, lounges, restaurants and more. There are several standouts in the bunch offering photos of the exterior of the new cruise ship, and tours of the decks, cabins, lounges and bars, restaurants, spas, fitness facilities, and common areas. Some even offer photos of meals and buffet layouts. Some of the most popular cruise ship photo websites include: ShipParade.com, Cruise411.com, CruiseMates.com, and CruiseCritic.com.

ShipParade.com is an “online magazine dedicated to cruise ships.” At ShipParade.com, visitors should visit the ShipAlphabet section to access the most up to date photos of cruise ships and photos of new cruise ships. Visitors can also browse through more than 250 cruise ships currently in service. In addition to gorgeous photo galleries for each individual ship and thousands of cruise ship photos, the site also includes ship facts, ship reviews, and valuable cruise tips. Visitors can also tour various destinations and photos of ports, and the site highlights a special cruise photo each week. ShipParade.com also has links to most major cruise lines and some lesser known cruise lines that are listed among ShipParade’s favorites.

Cruise411.com features all of the tools and information needed to choose the right cruise line and ship for your cruise vacation. Cruise411.com features photos, 360° tours and movies. Visitors to the site can simply choose the cruise line and ship that interests them, then search through photos, take tours, and watch movies about the ship and cruise line. The site also features cruise reviews, a booking search engine, deck plans, customer reviews, cruise brand overviews, information about cruise ports, destinations, and shore excursions. After browsing through pictures of cruise ships, visitors can even select the ship they are interested in and plan their cruise entire cruise at Cruise411.com. Cruise411.com also features some of the lowest prices on the market.

CruiseMates.com galleries are a combination of photos from users and various cruise lines. In addition to photos of cruise ships and ports, CruiseMates.com also features a quick search for discounted cruises up to 75%, news and features, ship reviews, shop and compare, message boards, and cruise ratings. Visitors can even create their own cruise photo gallery.

CruiseCritic.com offers crisp photos of cruise ships along with informative articles and reviews. When you visit the site, go to the features section on the menu and scroll down to “Shipyard Snapshots.” Here, you will find photos of a variety of different major cruise ships including interior and exterior images, pictures of common areas, restaurants, cabins, spas, and more. CruiseCritic.com is a news and reviews site, so other major features include planning tools, message boards, articles, destination search, detailed information about cruise styles, and listings for cruise deals.

TIP: Already have a favorite cruise ship in mind? Visit the cruise lines website to take a virtual tour!