2012’s new ships, by order of delivery, are Disney Fantasy, sister of Disney Dream (Meyer Werft); Oceania Cruises’ Riviera, sister of Marina (Fincantieri’s Sestri Ponente); Costa Fascinosa, sister of Costa Favolosa and seventh in a series (Fincantieri’s Marghera); and MSC Divina, sister of MSC Splendida and third in the Fantasia class (STX France).
Next are AIDAmar, sister of AIDAsol and sixth of seven Sphinx-series ships (Meyer Werft); Carnival Breeze, sister of Carnival Magic and third in the Carnival Dream series (Fincantieri’s Monfalcone); and Celebrity Reflection, sister of Celebrity Silhouette and the fifth and final Solstice-class ship (Meyer Werft).
Altogether, the newbuilds comprise just over 19,000 lower berths.
By tonnage, MSC Divina is largest (140,000gt), followed by Carnival Breeze (130,000gt), Disney Fantasy (128,000gt), Celebrity Reflection (126,000gt), Costa Fascinosa (114,500gt), AIDAmar (71,000gt) and Riviera (65,000gt).
Disney Fantasy will have abundant distinctions from 2011’s Disney Dream. They range from new pool deck features to dining and entertainment innovations. Like its sisters, Costa Fascinosa is designed by Joe Farcus, but the interiors will have a look inspired by fascinating people and things from epic movies. A new feature on MSC Divina will be an infinity pool, and the decks are named after Greek gods, reflecting the ‘divine’ theme.
From a technical perspective, AIDAmar’s funnel sports the latest technology for waste-heat recovery, ensuring greater energy efficiency. And Costa Fascinosa has a new Digi Mobile platform to enable passengers to use their smartphones and other hand-held devices to access the interactive television system in their cabins to view schedules and services and make bookings.
Of the 2012 field, Disney Fantasy has numerous differences although Disney Cruise Line has been mightily pleased with Disney Dream. Why make changes?
‘We’re Disney. We don’t like to repeat ourselves,’ Joe Lanzisero, creative svp for Walt Disney Imagineering, the lead designer for the newbuild, told Seatrade Insider at a preview some months ago. The company also has a loyal fan base with a high number of repeat cruisers and likes to show them something a little different from ship to ship, Lanzisero said.
Instead of Disney Dream’s Art Deco and Admiral Donald Duck, the new ship has an Art Nouveau atrium lobby with a statue of Mademoiselle Minnie Mouse.
Disney Fantasy’s adults’ entertainment district will be restyled into an area called ‘Europa’ with the ambiance conveying a night out in Europe. The new Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique will make over children into princesses or pirates, and an interactive detective game involving Enchanted Art stars The Muppets. There will be new musicals including ‘Aladdin’ and a teen coming-of-age tale, ‘Wishes.’ A reinvented Animator’s Palate restaurant will turn diners into animators.
Fresh pool deck features include the AquaLab, a water play area near the entrance to the AquaDuck water coaster, an additional family wading pool with a fountain feature and a new adults-only retreat, Satellite Falls on Deck 13.
With its added accommodations, MSC Divina will become the highest capacity ship in MSC’s fleet. In addition to a luxurious MSC Yacht Club with suites, butler service and other special amenities, the newbuild will have Aurea Suites that come with a wellness package at the Aurea Spa. This includes unlimited access to the Thermal Suite, a personal consultation, a 30-minute facial treatment and a solarium session.
For Carnival Breeze, the new lead architect is Hamburg’s Partner Ship Design, the firm that created several spaces on Carnival Magic including the RedFrog Pub. (Carnival veteran Joe Farcus masterminded two key venues, the theater and the casino.)
The ship’s new look will combine bright colors and soothing pastels, with iconic images of palm trees and other tropical elements adorning the corridors. Contemporary furnishings and light fixtures are planned. Like Carnival Magic, Carnival Breeze will sport a pub, the SportSquare recreation complex, Cucina del Capitano family-style Italian restaurant and a WaterWorks park.
With its additional deck, Celebrity Reflection will offer the line’s first Signature Suites and AquaClass Suites and the top-flight Reflection Suite featuring a sea-view bathroom extending over the edge of the ship, among other novelties.
Located in a key card-access area of the 14th deck, the five Signature Suites and the Reflection Suite will enable a family or group of up to 26 to have a private, six-suite experience. The suites have Reverie bedding, a patented sleep system with a premium mattress that can be customized.
Celebrity Reflection also will present an additional eight Sky Suites, 19 extra ConciergeClass staterooms and 11 more inside staterooms, bringing the accommodation total to 1,515.
‘We gave a great deal of thought to how to ideally accommodate everything we’re adding,’ said Celebrity president and ceo Dan Hanrahan. ‘We’re widening the ship slightly, enabling us to introduce each of these exceptional new venues without compromising an inch of Celebrity’s premium space ratio and traffic flow.’
More sun loungers and expanded theater and restaurant seating are planned to handle the higher passenger count.
Of the 2012 field, Riviera has perhaps the fewest changes from its sister. As Frank Del Rio, chairman and ceo of Prestige Cruise Holdings, put it: ‘Riviera has a tough act to follow. Marina is just about a perfect vessel.’
Riviera will have a slightly reconfigured Canyon Ranch SpaClub, with a larger gym, narrower passageways and more comfortable changing rooms, and the ceiling height will be raised on Deck 14, the location of specialty restaurants Polo and Toscana and the coffee bar, Baristas.
Otherwise, Riviera will offer the same 10 restaurants as Marina, including six no-charge gourmet spots such as a French bistro by master chef Jacques Pépin and Red Ginger, the pan-Asian venue that has been Marina’s hottest ticket. There will be no changes to the suites, with the top categories furnished by Ralph Lauren at Home or custom-designed by Dakota Jackson.
Naming festivities for 2012 newbuilds that have been announced include Riviera on April 19 in Monte Carlo, Costa Fascinosa on May 6 in Savona, Italy; AIDAmar on May 12 in Hamburg (in the presence of sisters AIDAluna, AIDAblu and AIDAsol); and MSC Divina in Marseille on May 26.
Disney Fantasy begins revenue cruises from Port Canaveral on March 31, and is expected to be named in New York although that has not been disclosed. Nor have the naming venues/dates been told for Carnival Breeze, which begins sailing from Venice in early June before homeporting from Barcelona for the summer and then year-round from Miami, or for Celebrity Reflection, scheduled to enter service Oct. 12 in Amsterdam.
In addition to 2012’s ocean-going ships, a number of river vessels will debut in various spots around the globe. A great deal of attention is focusing on the Mississippi River where the Great American Steamboat Co. is bringing back the largest paddlewheeler ever built, American Queen, in April, and American Cruise Lines is introducing the newbuild Queen of the Mississippi in August.
