Carnival Cruise Line was voted the best cruise line of 2022 by Cruise Hive readers, with 32% of the votes. 2022 is also the 50th anniversary year for Carnival, making this achievement even more special.
The Cruise Ship Awards are an annual event, and this year, readers could type in the name of any cruise line to cast their vote, making sure that the vote included all eligible cruise lines.
Carnival Votes Best Cruise Line of 2022
The Miami-based cruise line has received more votes than rival lines such as Royal Caribbean and Norwegian in the annual Cruise Ship Awards. The cruise line, which has gone through an eventful 2022, is the Best Cruise Line of 2022, according to Cruise Hive readers.
It has been an extraordinary year for Carnival Cruise Line. After a challenging year post-global pause in operations, the popular cruise line is back stronger than ever. America’s cruise line celebrated its 50th anniversary, which started with various events ashore and onboard and included some spectacular ship meet-ups around the Caribbean, Pacific, and the Bahamas.
Photo Copyright: Cruise Hive
The 50th Anniversary celebrations concluded with the launch of the cruise line’s second Excel-class LNG-powered cruise ship, Carnival Celebration, which also won the Best New Cruise Ship of 2022 category.
Carnival Celebration‘s sister ship, Mardi Gras, also came out on top in a different category. Mardi Gras was voted the best cruise ship of 2022, beating out competition from other top cruise lines. Mardi Gras features a number of innovative features, such as the first roller coaster at sea and several dining options from popular chefs.
In 2022, Carnival Cruise Line also introduced a new initiative called Carnival Fun Italian Style and took possession of the former Costa Luminosa and renamed it the Carnival Luminosa. The Carnival Luminosa offers a unique cruise experience focusing on Italian culture.
However, the true nature of Carnival Fun Italian Style will become apparent when Carnival Venezia joins the fleet next year. Carnival Cruise Line concludes the successes it booked this year with the win of the Best Cruise Line Award, taking home 32% of the votes.
Carnival Cruise Line has won the Cruise Hive Ship Awards multiple times since 2018, only missing out in 2020 as there were no awards that year due to the industry suspension.
Royal Caribbean and Norwegian Complete the Podium
In second place in the Cruise Hive’s Cruise Ship Awards was Royal Caribbean, with 23% of the votes. Royal Caribbean is known for its innovative ships and wide range of activities and amenities.
In third place was Norwegian Cruise Line, with 13% of the votes. Norwegian is known for its Freestyle Cruising concept, which allows passengers to have a more flexible and customizable vacation experience. Fourth place went to Celebrity Cruises, with 8% of the votes. Celebrity is known for its luxury cruises and top-rated dining options.
Carnival Cruise Line was a clear winner in the awards, with a strong showing in multiple categories. Its 50th anniversary was marked by the successful launch of the Carnival Celebration and rave reviews for Mardi Gras, as well as the introduction of the Carnival Fun Italian Style initiative and the launch of Carnival Luminosa.
With its wide range of new ships, initiatives, and fun atmosphere onboard, it’s no wonder that Carnival Cruise Line was voted the best cruise line of 2022.
Royal Caribbean’s Perfect Day at CocoCay has been voted Best Cruise Line Private Island of 2022 in Cruise Hive’s annual Cruise Ship Awards. The island oasis in the Bahamas also earned the coveted title in the 2021 awards.
Perfect Day at CocoCay Wins Again!
Perfect Day at CocoCay has again been voted top in the Best Cruise Line Private Island award category, getting 34% of the vote. Carnival Corp’s Half Moon Cay was a very close second, coming in with 33% of votes (it also won second place in 2021), and MSC Cruises’ Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve was third, with 7% of votes.
Other private islands in the competition were Disney Cruise Line’s Castaway Cay, Norwegian Cruise Line’s Great Stirrup Cay and Harvest Caye, Royal Caribbean’s Labadee, in Haiti, and Princess Cruises’ Princess Cays.
Voting for the 2022 awards opened up in September, with readers being able to make cast a single vote in each of the eight categories. Any suspicious or repeated votes were not included in the final result. The awards have been running since 2014 and, each year, are open for Cruise Hive readers. You can check all the results so far right here.
CocoCay Offers Multiple Beaches, Thrill Rides
Perfect Day at CocoCay is located in the Berry Islands of the Bahamas, about 55 miles north of Nassau. A major $250 million refurbishment in 2019 transformed the island, and it reopened to Royal Caribbean cruise guests in 2020. Among the upgrades was an exclusive VIP area, Coco Cay Club, which wowed guests with floating cabanas.
In fact, the cabanas made CocoCay the first cruise line private island to feature the overwater luxury amenity. The club complex also has an infinity pool and an exclusive restaurant.
Photo Courtesy: Royal Caribbean
CocoCay has three beaches and a slew of water activities in its Thrill Waterpark, offering the biggest wave pool in the Caribbean, and 13 waterslides, including Daredevil’s Peak, the tallest waterslide in North America at 135 feet high.
The Splashaway Bay children’s water park, a 1,600-foot-long zip line, Oasis Lagoon, which is the largest freshwater pool in the Bahamas, plus helium balloon rides and other adventure activities are offered.
The island’s South Beach area is geared toward sports lovers, and features volleyball, soccer, and basketball courts, plus equipment for paddle boarding and kayaking. The private island is available only to Royal Caribbean cruise guests. Its pier accommodates two ships, and no tendering is required.
Half Moon, Ocean Cay Are Runners Up
Coming in a hair’s breadth (1 percentage point) behind CocoCay, second-place winner Half Moon Cay is located midway between Eleuthera and Cat Island in the Bahamas, about 100 miles southeast of Nassau.
The Carnival Corp island, comprising 2,400 acres, has a water sports center for adults and the Half Moon Lagoon Aqua Park for youngsters, featuring slides and a pirate ship. Horseback riding on the beach is a featured activity, and a food pavilion and bar, plus other eateries and shopping opportunities are offered as well.
Photo Credit: KaryBntz / Shutterstock.com
There are no docking facilities at Half Moon Cay, so cruise guests board tenders to reach the island. Ships from multiple Carnival cruise brands call at the island.
Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve was the third-place winner in the cruise awards, with 7% of votes. Located about 65 miles east of Miami, the island has eight beaches on its 95 acres.
The island does not have a waterpark or thrill rides, but offers water sports such as snorkeling, plus soccer and volleyball courts, massage huts on the beach, a Bahamian shopping village, and entertainment including a Junkanoo Parade, beach. Picnics, and a Luna Libre Party. MSC guests are transported to the island by tender.
Carnival Cruise Line’s Carnival Celebration has been voted the Best New Cruise Ship of 2022 in Cruise Hive’s annual Cruise Ship Awards. The 5,374-guest ship was in competition with nine other new vessels that debuted during the year.
Carnival Celebration received 34% of the votes for Best New Cruise Ship of 2022, coming in ahead of second-place Wonder of the Seas, a Royal Caribbean ship that garnered 26% of the votes, and Norwegian Cruise Line’s Norwegian Prima, which received 14% of the votes.
Other ships that competed for the Best New Cruise Ship of 2022 award were P&O Cruises’ Arvia, Celebrity Cruises’ Celebrity Beyond, Princess Cruises’ Discovery Princess, Disney Cruise Line’s Disney Wish, Viking Cruises’ Viking Mars, and MSC Cruises’ MSC Seascape and MSC World Europa. Readers could only cast a single vote in each category.
Carnival Celebration is the largest ship in the Carnival Cruise Line fleet, with a gross tonnage of 183,521, 19 decks, and 2,600 staterooms. The ship was built by Meyer Turku in Finland at the cost of $1 billion.
Voting for the 2022 awards opened up in September, with readers being able to make cast a single vote in each of the eight categories. Any suspicious or repeated votes were not included in the final result. The awards have been running since 2014 and, each year, are open for Cruise Hive readers.
Carnival Celebration Sails the Caribbean From PortMiami
Carnival Cruise Line took delivery of Carnival Celebration at the shipyard on November 2, 2022, and she then became the first new Carnival ship to arrive in the UK in 20 years, sailing her inaugural cruise from Southampton, England, on November 6, 2022. The maiden voyage included port calls in La Coruña and Vigo, Spain; Funchal (Maderia), Portugal; and Tenerife (Canary Islands), Spain.
The ship arrived in Miami on November 20, following her transatlantic cruise from England. Sailing from Terminal F at PortMiami, the ship is operating a winter series of Eastern and Western Caribbean cruises.
Carnival Celebration features 13 bar/lounges and eight specialty restaurants: Bonsai Sushi, Bonsai Teppanyaki, Cucina del Capitano, Emeril’s Bistro 1396, JavaBlue Cafe, Rudi’s Seagrill, The Seafood Shack, and Fahrenheit 555 Steakhouse.
Carnival Celebration’s attractions include BOLT: Ultimate Sea Coaster, which was voted the Best Cruise Ship Feature in the Cruise Ship Awards. The roller coaster, located in the Ultimate Playground portion of the ship, lets guests soar 187 feet above the sea and reaches speeds of 40 MPH. BOLT beat out second-place winner Royal Caribbean’s Ultimate Abyss and third-place winner Norwegian Cruise Line’s Go-Karts in the 2022 award category.
Photo Credit: Jouni Niskakoski / Shutterstock
Carnival Celebration’s Ultimate playground area also is home to the ship’s water park, mini golf courses, sports courses like a basketball court, and a ropes course.
Carnival Cruise Line’s third Excel-class ship, Carnival Jubilee, is under construction at the Meyer Werft shipyard in Papenburg, Germany. It is scheduled to debut in late 2023 and be home-ported in Galveston, Texas.
Carnival Panorama, the third newest ship in the Carnival Cruise Line fleet, is currently sailing a 7-day Mexican Riviera cruise from Long Beach, California. During the voyage, the captain informed guests the vessel was suffering from an issue affecting the ship’s maximum cruising speed.
Ports of call on this voyage include Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, and Cabo San Lucas. However, the call to Cao San Lucas was shortened due to the engine issue so the vessel could reach Long Beach on time.
Carnival Panorama Suffers With Cruising Speed
Carnival Panorama will be departing from Cabo San Lucas at 2 PM instead of the previously scheduled 7 PM. This schedule change is being made in order to allow the ship to return to Los Angeles in time for its next voyage on December 31. The reason is an engine issue that is preventing the Vista-class cruise ship from sailing at maximum cruising speed.
While the safety of guests and crew is not affected in any way, the news will be disconcerting for guests with the issues that are plaguing airports in the US due to the Southwest Airlines cancellations.
Photo Credit: Khairil Azhar Junos / Shutterstock
In a letter provided onboard dated December 28, Captain Carlo Queirolo explained the decision:“As I shared in my announcement earlier, the ship is experiencing an issue that is impacting its cruising speed. While our team works on a plan to complete repairs, it is necessary for us to depart Cao San Lucas earlier than planned. We will now be departing at 2:00 PM, and all guests must be back onboard by 1:30 PM, ship’s time.”
The captain further informed guests that any pre-purchased Carnival Shore excursions would be modified to accommodate the changes to the day in Cabo San Lucas.
Carnival Panorama departed from the port of Long Beach on Christmas Eve, December 24. Since then, the vessel has visited Mazatlan and Puerto Vallarta. After the call to Cabo San Lucas, she is due to set sail to Long Beach, where she will arrive on the morning of December 31.
Second Time Carnival Panorama Experiences Engine Issues
This is not the first time that the Carnival Panorama has experienced an issue with its engines. In August 2021, the ship faced a similar problem that resulted in itinerary changes, on a similar itinerary.
The engine issues seem to be specific to the Vista-class ships. In 2021, Carnival Horizon suffered engine issues affecting maximum cruising speed.
Photo Credit: mikeledray / Shutterstock
Cruise Hive reported a similar issue with the Carnival Dream, which was also in August but back in 2019. In June 2019, sister ship Carnival Vista also had an issue with its maximum cruising speed resulting in changes to its itinerary.
It still needs to be clarified what the cause of the current engine issue is, although engineers are trying to correct the issue onboard.
Carnival Panorama first began sailing in December 2019 and is the third newest ship in the Carnival Cruise Line fleet. The cruise ship is 133,500 gross tons and has a double occupancy capacity of 4,008 guests.
Whether the following cruise will be affected by engine issues is unknown. Previously when Vista-class cruise ships suffered engine issues, the solutions ranged from a simple fix to going for a dry dock for repairs.
Norwegian Cruise Line is making changes to its housekeeping services onboard its ships to prioritize environmental sustainability and adapt to the evolving preferences of its guests, the cruise line said in a statement sent out to crew members.
Starting in January 2023, the company will adjust the current daily stateroom (turn-down) service provided to guests in all cabin categories below a Suite level.
Guests staying in Studio, Inside, Oceanview, Balcony, and Club Balcony Suite will receive once-daily stateroom service. The policy is expected to be rolled out across the fleet by March 2023.
More Cuts to Norwegian Cruise Line Onboard Services
Norwegian Cruise Line is already not the cheapest cruise line to sail with. The cruise line recently increased the gratuity amounts for guests, making cruising onboard even more expensive. However, that doesn’t stop Norwegian Cruise Line from further cutting back on the service it offers.
Starting in January 2023, Norwegian Cruise Line will no longer offer guests a twice-daily turn-down service if they stay in any cabin category besides suite level or The Haven. The cruise line said in a statement that it had made the change based on environmental choices and guest preferences.
Image Courtesy: Norwegian Cruise Line
Norwegian Cruise Line said:“Over the last two-plus years, the collective hospitality industry has evolved tremendously. From airlines, hotels, and cruise lines, a new travel environment has emerged with renewed preferences in all aspects of the guest’s travel experience.”
“Environmental sustainability is on stage more than ever and will continue to play a crucial role in all business practices now and into the future.”
Norwegian Epic will be the first Norwegian Cruise Line ship to implement the new housekeeping policy on January 8, followed by Norwegian Sky on January 13, Norwegian Jewel on January 14, and Norwegian Sun and Norwegian Breakaway on January 15. The final ship to adopt the new policy, Norwegian Pearl, will do so on March 31, 2023.
The company believes that reducing the frequency of housekeeping services will not only help to reduce its environmental impact but also give guests more control over their personal space and allow them to customize their onboard experience. However, it soon becomes clear that this is another cost-cutting exercise from Norwegian.
Crew Positions Axed and Salaries Reduced
In addition to these changes, Norwegian Cruise Line is also adjusting its onboard positions. The position titles “Stateroom Steward” and “Junior Stateroom Steward” will no longer exist and will be adjusted to a singular position titled “Stateroom Attendant.”
Although this change will result in an increase in salary for the current Jr. Stateroom Stewards, it will mean scaling down the wages for the current Stateroom Stewards.
Photo Credit: Melissa Mayntz
According to the company, “The elimination of these positions will phase out over time, allowing Stateroom Stewards to complete their current contract. The Jr. Stateroom Stewards onboard will be promoted to Stateroom Attendants on dates according to the implementation dates of the new structure.”
Adjusting onboard positions and salary restructuring is meant to create a more streamlined and efficient system, where crew members will likely have fewer cabins to service.
However, it is debatable whether this is a fair way of dealing with crew members who often have worked for many years to reach the position and salary they currently have.
Norwegian Cruise Line has made several changes to its company structure recently. A few weeks ago, the cruise line’s parent company Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, announced a 9% reduction of its shoreside staff. A few days after that announcement, the cruise line itself announced a significant increase in gratuity charges.
Thousands of cruise ship passengers have not been able to fly to their cruise embarkation port or arrived too late in the wake of the issues Southwest Airlines caused in the United States this week.
Cruise passengers booked with Southwest Airlines this week will have to wait a few more days for relief as the airline continues to struggle with what US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg called a total system breakdown.
Southwest Airlines Causes Chaos for Cruise Passengers
Southwest Airlines cancelled 15,700 flights since winter weather began disrupting air travel on December 22 across the US. The issues with one of the largest airlines in the country mean that hundreds of cruise passengers have missed their intended departure onboard a cruise ship.
Others have had to drive hundreds or thousands of miles by car or were lucky enough that a cruise ship delayed departure. Others have struggled to find their way home after disembarking from a ship.
One person who disembarked a cruise ship in Fort Lauderdale traveled for five days to make it home to Kansas, according to CNN: “We were fortunate because we were in Fort Lauderdale. My family lives in the Tampa bay area, so we were able to rent a car to go see my family for Christmas. We’ve seen a lot of families who are sleeping on the floor, and it just breaks my heart.”
Southwest Airlines CEO Bob Jordan released a video message on Wednesday, reassuring customers that they were doing everything possible to get back on track. However, Jordan confirmed that the flight operated would be operating a rescued schedule so that it could reposition crew and planes so that full operations could return next week.
On the heels of wide-scale disruptions, we're working diligently to Safely recover our operation & accommodate displaced Customers & Crews. We know this is unacceptable & sincerely apologize. If your travel was impacted, explore self-service options here: https://t.co/B6L8HR9Yqcpic.twitter.com/mLWndYMned
Angry cruise passengers have been venting on social media, not just toward the airline but to cruise lines too. Many cruisers had been waiting for so long to take a cruise vacation following the global pandemic and the cruise industry shutdown. Only recently have cruise lines really been fully back sailing, and it’s the first holiday season where the entire fleets are back sailing.
@RoyalCaribbean we stood by you during the pandemic and continued to cruise and now your failing us. @SouthwestAir canceled my flight and we missed ship. You won't give us future credit for another cruise. Done with cruising. This was my 10th cruise , no more!
Two teachers from Wisconsin were due to sail on their Honeymoon cruise. However, they were told their flight had been cancelled, and their luggage was stuck outside in the snow.
The couple managed to make it back home by flying on a different airline while having to forfeit their cruise and having no clue what happened to their luggage.
Hi @Southwestair! Here are the medallions required to board the Caribbean cruise I didn’t board and paid for. When you canceled our flight, we lost our connection from California to Florida, and close to $6,000 was paid to @PrincessCruises. pic.twitter.com/ePNmB8mVTc
These are just some of the hundreds of reports that can be found online. The impact of the issues at Southwest Airlines goes, of course, much further. Hundreds of thousands of people are affected, airports are overloaded with travelers that have no idea what their options are, and all the while, customer support at Southwest is severely lacking.
Cruise lines have been filling the void wherever possible. Carnival Celebration‘s departure was delayed until 5 PM to give some guests a chance to reach the ship. However, a reported 500 guests did not make it to the vessel in time.
Photo Courtesy: Carnival Cruise Line
Most cruises that sailed in the last couple of days and those sailing in the days leading to the new year have been and will be affected to some degree.
US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has called the situation unacceptable, while the department of transport has sent out a tweet, saying: “USDOT is concerned by Southwest’s unacceptable rate of cancellations and delays & reports of lack of prompt customer service. The Department will examine whether cancellations were controllable and if Southwest is complying with its customer service plan.”
Unfortunately, those booked on a Southwest Airlines flight in the coming days will find no comfort in those words. The airline has said it will need at least several days to come to grips with the flight cancellations and arrange crew so that flights can fly on time. In the meantime, Southwest will fly only 30% of their scheduled departures.
For those scheduled to sail in the coming days, it means finding an alternative way of making their way to the various homeports around the United States. In one of the busiest times of the year for cruises, Southwest Airlines could not have chosen a worse time for this breakdown.
The question is whether cruise lines can offer some flexibility for affected guests to rebook their cruises. This would be a viable option for those who booked their flights through the cruise lines. Those that booked independently will likely need to address their travel insurance.
With two Carnival Cruise Line cruise ships winning the most anticipated cruise ship category in the last two years, it was time for Royal Caribbean to step up to the plate and deliver. And deliver the Miami-based cruise line did with Icon of the Seas.
The largest cruise ship ever constructed, Icon of the Seas, will set sail in early 2024. Built as the ultimate family vacation, the cruise ship is packed with innovation and thrills, including the largest pool at sea and the biggest waterpark ever constructed on a cruise ship.
The World Awaits Icon of the Seas‘ Arrival
Icon of the Seas from Royal Caribbean International has been named the Most Anticipated New Cruise Ship in the 2022 Cruise Hive Ship Awards, receiving 37% of the votes.
Icon of the Seas will enter service in the first months of 2024, after a delay from its originally planned late 2023 launch, with a tentative sail date of Saturday, January 27. The cruise ship will operate from PortMiami, sailing on seven-day cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean, all with a call to Royal Caribbean’s private island, Perfect Day at CocoCay.
In second place in the awards was the Carnival Jubilee, with 32% of the votes. Carnival Jubilee is the sister ship to Carnival Celebration, the winner in 2021, and Carnival’s Mardi Gras, the winner of the most anticipated cruise ship category in 2020. Carnival Jubilee will operate from the Port of Galveston starting December 23, 2023.
In third place came Norwegian Viva, with 11% of the votes. The sister ship to Norwegian Prima will begin operations in August of 2023, sailing in the Mediterranean through October, before heading to the Caribbean for a season of sailings from San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Other ships in the vote included the Celebrity Ascent, Brilliant Lady, Explora I, MSC Euribia, Seven Seas Grandeur, Silver Nova, Viking Saturn, and Vista from Oceania Cruises.
Voting opened in September of the year on Cruisehive.com, with readers allowed to cast one vote in a range of eight categories.
The World’s Largest Cruise Ship
The first of three Icon-class cruise ships, Icon of the Seas is the largest cruise ship ever built. The vessel is currently under construction at the Meyer Turku shipyard in Finland. This shipyard has now won the most-anticipated cruise ship award with a vessel constructed in Finland for three years running.
The first LNG-powered cruise ship for Royal Caribbean International reached a critical stage in her construction earlier this month when she was floated out for the first time on December 9.
Photo Courtesy: Meyer Turku Shipyard
From the largest pool to the biggest waterpark with six slides, Royal Caribbean thought of everything when it comes to entertainment and thrills onboard Icon of the Seas. The cruise ship will also have a never-seen-before entertainment venue onboard with Aquadome.
Shows include high divers from a pair of 60-foot high diving platforms, slackliners, and robots, along with 3-D flying aerialists. Special effects include high-definition screens, fog and smoke, lighting and water effects, and much more.
Construction will likely end in May or June next year, at which point the vessel will begin sea trials. This will take some time, seeing as Icon of the Seas is first in class, and systems need to be thoroughly tested before she can be released.
Two more Icon-class cruise ships are scheduled to be built in the coming years and are expected to enter service in 2025 and 2026, respectively.
When you’re standing at the back of an endless food hall queue, you may wonder just how many people can fit on a cruise ship. Cruise ship capacities will vary according to the ship’s size, age, and design. So, what is the average capacity of a cruise ship?
The average capacity of a cruise ship is about 3,000 guests. With cruise ships becoming larger and containing more attractions, this number may rise significantly in just a few years. While this number seems high, depending on the time of year, what is being offered, and the location, the cruise ship may not be running at full capacity. For some of the largest cruise ships in the world, the capacity is often over 6,000.
At the end of 2021, 323 cruise ships were being operated globally. The combined capacity was 581,200 passengers. In 2011, over 19 million guests were traveling worldwide. Cruise Lines International Association cites that in 2019, 29.7 million people went on a cruise.
Most of these passengers embarked from North America, with over 15.4 million cruisers setting out from here. The second most popular place of embarkation was Europe, with 7.7 million travelers leaving from here.
The most popular destination was the Caribbean, Bahamas, and Bermuda, with almost 12 million visitors. Asia and China followed with almost 4 million people.
With So Many Passengers, Will I Experience Shortages?
If you are concerned about shortages when it comes to dining, entertainment, or activities, rest assured there is enough for everyone on board. Dining rooms, buffets, and restaurants are strategically placed throughout the ship. So, while the lines may appear long, the guests you’re seeing are just a smaller sampling of those on board.
The only time capacity may genuinely be an issue is with entertainment and specialty dining. These two areas, determined by popularity, may require reservations to be made in advance to secure your spot. This is often done before boarding or first thing when you get on board.
Photo Credit: GSPhotography / Shutterstock.com
You often book when you first arrive if you have purchased a package. Guests can also book in advance to ensure they attend a specific event or visit a specialty restaurant.
Cruise lines build more elaborate ships each year to compete for guests. Some modern cruise ships have included onboard racetracks, elaborate sea planetariums, higher-end features, facilities, technology, and amenities. With this, they incorporate more rooms to ensure they can fit the most people.
As of January 2022,Wonder of the Seas has the largest passenger capacity, with a total capacity of 6,988 passengers. The ship is owned by Royal Caribbean and was completed at the beginning of 2022. At 1,188 feet in length, it began operations in March 2022 and is the fifth cruise ship in the Oasis class.
Photo Courtesy: Royal Caribbean
Allure of the Seas (6,780 passengers)
Allure of the Seas was constructed in STX Europe shipyards in Turku, Finland. It was the second in the Oasis Class and launched in 2010. At double occupancy, it can hold 6,780 guests.
Allure is a luxurious cruise ship with two-deck dance halls, an ice skating rink, a theater accommodating 1,380 seats, a concierge club/spa, and fitness facilities. There are an impressive 25 specialty dining options.
Oasis of the Seas (6,780 passengers)
Oasis of the Seas was the first ship in Royal Caribbean’s Oasis Class. It was the largest vessel when it launched in 2009 and is now the third largest in the world. It has a passenger capacity of 6,780, making it equal with Allure of the Seas.
It has 16 passenger decks and offers two-story lofts plus luxury suites for passengers. Oasis of the Seas was the first to feature an outdoor Aqua Theater, an eatery in the Central Park neighborhood, and an open-air corridor. This cruise ship has a glass-covered solarium equipped with a pool, a zipline, surf simulators, and rock-climbing walls.
MSC World Europa (6,774 passengers)
This highly anticipated new ship for 2022 is the first ship in the MSC Cruises World Class series. World Europa is LNG-powered with a cruising speed of 22.7 knots and can carry 6,774 passengers.
MSc World Europa (Photo Copyright: HasanZaidi / Shutterstock)
It has a futuristic exterior and interior design with a 295’ long promenade. Half of it is covered using Meraviglia-class LED screens. The other half is open air with spectacular ocean views. There are 2,633 staterooms, and each passenger deck has the name of an international city.
Additional features include a quiet zone with adults-only pools, a family zone with rollerblading and bumper cars, and the fleet’s biggest water park.
Harmony of the Seas (6,687 passengers)
Another ship in the Oasis Class series, Harmony of the Seas, was launched in 2016. It contains 2,747 staterooms containing virtual balconies and can hold 6,687 guests with double occupancy. Its features include Central Park, Boardwalk, Vitality at Sea (a spa and fitness center), Entertainment Place, and the Royal Promenade.
Symphony of the Seas (6,680 passengers)
The sixth largest ship is Royal Caribbean’s Symphony of the Seas at 6,680 passenger capacity. It is 1,188’ in length and 238’ in height and weighs an impressive 228,081 gross tonnage. One of the nicest features of this ship is the way it is organized into seven neighborhoods.
It offers a glow-in-the-dark laser tag adventure, the Ultimate Abyss, the tallest slide at ten stories in height, and FlowRider, a surf simulator.
Costa Smeralda (6,554 passengers)
Originally named for the Emerald Coast of Sardinia, this cruise ship is LNG-powered and technologically advanced. Costa Smeralda launched in 2019 and travels through the Mediterranean Sea. It was touted as the “smart floating city, ” providing luxury to its guests and helping the environment by reducing its carbon footprint.
Photo Credit: Stefano Garau / Shutterstock.com
Costa Toscana (6,554 passengers)
The Costa Toscana launched in 2022 and is the second ship in Costa Cruises’ Excel class. This ship is also LNG-powered and is similar in passenger capacity and size to the Costa Smeralda. The centerpiece of the Toscana is the Colosseo, where guests can experience themed bars and live entertainment. It contains 11 restaurants plus snack bars and 19 bars and lounges.
It also contains a sushi bar called the Sushino at Costa. After dinner, guests can enjoy a leisurely stroll on the Volare Skywalk, the tallest area of the cruise ship. This area is over 213’ above sea level.
Carnival Mardi Gras (6,465 passengers)
Mardi Gras is another LNG-powered ship. It was constructed by Meyer Turku Shipyard and launched in December 2020. Carnival Cruise Line incorporated a state-of-the-art medical center to test and care for passengers who are ill. This ship was a tribute to the TSS Mardi Gras of 1972.
Photo Courtesy: Carnival Cruise Line
MSC Grandiosa (6,334 passengers)
This giant ship launched in 2019 in the Meraviglia Plus – A-Class. The MSC Grandiosa was built to be larger than its predecessor MSC Meraviglia, launched two years prior. It contains 2,421 cabins with the biggest shopping area inside a cruise ship.
Final Thoughts
Just seven years ago, the average capacity of a cruise ship was half of what it is today. With advances in engineering and technology and the continual drive to be bigger and better than the rest, the number of guests a cruise ship can accommodate has doubled.
While you may think larger ships mean longer wait times for events, specialty restaurants, or meals in general, this isn’t the case. With larger passenger capacity, ships can offer a greater diversity of experiences for guests, meaning there is generally never a shortage. Cruise lines have ensured they can provide guests with an over-the-top experience each time.
The Cruise Hive Cruise Ship Awards are an annual event recognizing the best in the industry, as voted on by Cruise Hive readers. One of the most closely contested categories is Best Homeport, which recognizes the top ports that serve as the starting point for cruise vacations.
This year, Port Canaveral came out on top, earning 24% of the votes and taking the first-place spot. It is the third year in a row that Port Canaveral has taken the top spot, followed closely by Miami and Fort Lauderdale.
Port Canaveral is the Best Homeport in the United States
Located on the east coast of Florida, Port Canaveral is the second busiest cruise port in the world and is home to many of the industry’s top cruise lines, including Carnival Cruise Line, Disney Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, and Royal Caribbean International.
Port Canaveral offers easy access to more than 50 destinations, including the Caribbean, Bahamas, and Eastern and Western Mexico.
The easy access, short transfer from the airport, parking availability, and easy access to Orlando’s many theme parks mean that some of the millions of guests sailing from Port Canaveral each year have dubbed it the best Cruise Homeport in the Cruise Hive Ship Awards 2022.
Voting started in September 2022 on the Cruise Hive website. Readers have been able to cast a single vote in each of the seven categories. The final results do not include any repeat votes or suspicious activity.
Coming in second place with 22% of the votes was PortMiami, also known as the “Cruise Capital of the World.” Located on the southeastern tip of Florida, PortMiami is the busiest cruise port in the world.
In third place with 11% of the votes was Port Everglades, located in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It is the third busiest cruise port in the world and is home to various cruise lines, including Carnival, Celebrity, and Royal Caribbean.
Photo Credit: Robert Michaud / Shutterstock
In fourth place, we find the first non-Florida port, the Port of Galveston, Texas, with 8% of the votes. Located on the Gulf of Mexico, the port is becoming increasingly popular, with more cruise lines stationing bigger and newer vessels in the last year. These include Allure of the Seas, Norwegian Prima, and from next year, Carnival Jubilee.
It’s no surprise that these four ports took the top spots in the Best Homeport category, as they are all major players in the cruise industry and offer a wide range of destinations for travelers to choose from. Together they serve more than 15 million cruise passengers each year.
Port Canaveral’s Unique Growth
Port Canaveral might be the second biggest cruise homeport worldwide today, but it wasn’t always like that. The port began operations in 1953 as a cargo and naval port. The first cruise terminal opened in 1982.
Carnival Cruise Line became the first cruise line to use Port Canaveral as a homeport in 1990 permanently. Disney Cruise Line followed in 1998, and Royal Caribbean in 2000.
Photo Credit: Melissa Mayntz
Today, Port Canaveral is home to six cruise terminals and was the first port in the United States to welcome and refuel the environmentally friendlier LNG-powered Excel-Class cruise ship Mardi Gras in 2021. The $163 million terminal, berth, and 1,800-vehicle parking garage was the largest capital project in the Port’s history.
Port Canaveral had 792 cruise ship calls and 4.1 million passengers during the 2021-22 financial year, the first full year of operations since the global pause in operations. For the 2022-2023 financial year, that number is expected to increase to 904 cruise ship calls and 5.8 million passengers.
