Meet the New Cruise Ships of 2019

Cruising an ocean liner is generally a great experience no matter the age of the ship. Some people even prefer older ships because they like the layout and features better. But just like a new car, it’s exciting to cruise on a new ship. You won’t be short on choices as several major cruise lines have scheduled maiden voyages for their new ships in 2019. Let’s talk about it!

Viking Ocean Cruises’ Viking Jupiter

Maiden Voyage: February 16 Viking Jupiter will be just as luxurious as her sister ships and with a passenger capacity of just 930, guests will enjoy an attentive staff and plenty of room in the public areas to take in the scenery. Like last year’s Orion, Jupiter will have more time in ports and you’ll get shore excursions that are included in the price.  Also included will be beer and wine with lunch and dinner and WiFi access.  Like its other ocean siblings, cabins on Jupiter will be larger than the average cruise ship cabin with its smallest cabin coming in at 270 sq. ft. Jupiter will sail a variety of itineraries ranging from 7- to 28-nights that include the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, and South America. VIDEO: Viking Jupiter Float Out

MSC Cruises’ MSC Bellissima

Maiden Voyage: March 4 The Bellissima is the second Meraviglia-class ship to launch since 2017.  Like its sister MSC Meraviglia, it’s bigger than the line’s other ships.  She will have all the same bells and whistles the MSC Seaview had like the Aquapark, splash pool, “Himalayan Bridge” skywalk, 4D cinema, bowling alley, and race car and flight simulator.  Bellissima will also have the exclusive Cirque du Soleil at Sea shows performed in a venue designed just for the show. What’s new is Zoe, MSC’s state-of-the-art, in-cabin digital cruise assistant available in seven languages.  ? Bellissima will operate 7-night sailings in the Mediterranean. VIDEO: MSC Bellissima Virtual Tour

Costa Cruises’ Costa Smeralda

Maiden Voyage: October 20 This is Costa’s largest ship ever, hosting more than 5,000 passengers.  The Colosseo, a piazza-like space, will be three-stories lined with bars and lounges.  A three-deck area at the back of the ship with glass floors will give you the feeling of flying over the ocean.  There’ll also be a walkway at the highest point of the ship.  Smeralda will have multiple Italian eateries as well as a Japanese-inspired teppanyaki restaurant. The most interesting feature is CoDe, the onboard design museum.  The museum will feature furniture, lighting, fabrics, and accessories from some of the best-known names in Italian design including Molteni & C, Roda, Flos, Dedar and Rubelli. Smeralda will operate five- to seven-night sailings in the Western Mediterranean. WEBSITE: Costa Smeralda

Princess Cruise Line’s Sky Princess

Maiden Voyage: October 20 Like the previous ships of the Royal class, Sky Princess will boast a spacious pool deck, a giant spa, and a cafe-lined Piazza.  What’s new are the Sky Suites that will offer 270-degree views from the top of the ship and accommodate up to five people.  They will be the largest balcony cabins in the Princess fleet. Sky princess will have a new aft pool called Wakeview, more jacuzzis and more private cabanas. Sky Princess will sail seven- and 14-night voyages in the Mediterranean, then reposition in December to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to operate week-long voyages to the Caribbean. VIDEO: Introducing Sky Princess

Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Encore

Maiden Voyage: November 2 This is Norwegian’s sixth ship in seven years.  They are serious about ocean cruising!  Encore is set to boast the largest racecourse at sea with over 1,150 feet of track.  There will be four sections of the track that will extend beyond the sides of the ship (scary but fun!). Encore will also have an open-air laser tag arena, a 10,000-square-foot virtual reality complex with interactive games, a water park with two multistory water slides, a restaurant-lined boardwalk, AND you’ll be able to take in a show of the Tony Award-winning production show “Kinky Boots.” Encore initially will operate seven-night voyages to the Caribbean out of Miami and reposition in April of 2020 to New York to operate a series of seven-night voyages to Bermuda. VIDEO: Norwegian Encore Activities & Entertainment

MSC Cruises’ MSC Grandiosa

Maiden Voyage: November 10 The Grandiosa will be a stretched version of the mega-ship Meraviglia, the first in the new Meraviglia Plus class of ships.  With the extra space, the grand interior promenade, covered in a “digital sky,” will include two more restaurants.  There will also be a water park, a race car simulator, a flight simulator, and an XD cinema.  You’ll also be able to take in a show of Canada’s famous Cirque du Soleil. Grandiosa will operate seven-night sailings in the Western Mediterranean that feature calls at Barcelona, Spain; Marseille, France; Genoa, Civitavecchia (the port for Rome) and Palermo, Italy; and Valletta, Malta. VIDEO: MSC Grandiosa Coin Ceremony

Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Panorama

Maiden Voyage: December 11 The Panorama will be Carnival’s first new ship to be stationed on the West Coast in twenty years.  As the sister ship to the Vista and the Horizon, Panorama will have a lot of the same amenities.  You’ll have Guy’s Pig & Anchor Bar-B-Que Smokehouse|Brewhouse, a massive waterpark and the pedal ride around the top of the ship. Here’s what’s new: a decktop trampoline park – a first for the cruise industry. Panorama will sail seven-night voyages to the Mexican Riviera year-round from Long Beach, California VIDEO: Carnival Panorama: Journey to the Coin Ceremony   Do any of these ships catch your fancy? Me? I plan to try them all! Would I be Your Cruise Girl if I didn’t? ? Which ship are you dying to board?