2009 Best New Cruise Ships

Competition has always been and always will be the main driving force of the cruise industry! Despite the harsh economic conditions, some 18 new vessels will be launched within the end of this year.

Some budget priced for the mass market, others ultra-luxury for the well-to-do, all those new boats are coming with tons of stunning amenities, cool features and innovations in order to entice customers and keep the industry afloat.

Here is the top 10 list of New 2009 Cruise Ships according to a Forbes Traveler.com survey.

Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas

Launching in late 2009, Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas will be the largest cruise ship in the world,  understating the idea of over-the-top. Some 16 decks and 2,700 guest rooms will accommodate 5,400 passengers. The behemoth is divided into seven neighborhoods to make navigating easier. Passengers can speed along the first zip line at sea, strung nine decks above the boardwalk. The ship’s AquaTheater—host to diving spectacles—will be the deepest pool afloat.

For more information: Oasis of the Seas

Celebrity Equinox

Celebrity made a splash last year with the debut of the Solstice. August 2009 sees the launch of her sister ship, the Equinox. Particularly luxurious additions are AquaClass staterooms that allow special access to the AquaSpa, and draw on wellness elements for decor, too—fresh flowers, daily fruit bowls, plush robes and more.

For more information: Celebrity Cruises

Seabourn Odyssey

Seabourn’s June launch of the Odyssey marks the first addition to the ultra luxury cruise market in six years. The 11,000-square-foot spa—with a thalasso whirlpool and private spa villas available for hire to guests—will be the largest of any luxury ship. Multi-course meals offered on guests’ verandas are another new offering. The maiden sail will carry 450 passengers from Venice to Istanbul.

For more information: Seabourn Odyssey

Silversea Cruises Silver Spirit

The Silver Spirit, Silversea Cruises’ first new build since 2001, debuts this December with the largest staterooms in the fleet—nearly all of them have private teak verandas. All that extra space accommodates a sophisticated supper club concept, with live music and dancing to accompany dinner, as well as a new Asian restaurant.

For more information: Silversea Cruises

Costa Cruises Costa Luminosa

Set for a June launch, the Luminosa  will feature a Formula One simulator, 4-D cinema (whatever that is) and an 18-hole golf simulator. She’s a beauty, with mother-of-pearl and ebony fittings, and joins her sister ship, Pacifica.

For more information: Costa Cruise

Carnival Dream

The latest addition to Carnival’s Fun Ship fleet will debut with a Mediterranean cruise, but the Carnival Dream will ultimately call Port Canaveral home, with Caribbean ports of call. The ship will have the largest spa in the Carnival fleet, with overhanging scenic Jacuzzis and a VIP treatment suite. The kid-friendly factor gets taken up a notch with the ambitious Waterworks play area, complete with enormous twisting water slides.

For more information: Carnival Dream

Viking Legend

The spring debut of the Viking Legend will mark the introduction of the largest river cruise suites in Europe. All rooms have exterior views, with balconies or picture windows—all the better for taking in the postcard scenes on tours through Slovakia, Holland and Austria. One new perk you can’t see: a propulsion system for the engine that’s not only greener, but quieter, too.

For more information: Viking River Cruises

Pearl Seas Cruises Pearl Mist

This luxury cruise market newcomer, the Pearl Mist, launches in July with room for just 210 pampered passengers. Pearl Seas looks to put a boutique spin on well-traveled routes in the Caribbean, Great Lakes, Canadian Maritimes and New England. All suites are oversized with private exterior balconies.

For more information: Great Lakes Cruising

MSC Splendida

Touting “six-star service” for “demanding guests”, the MSC Splendida will join her sister ship, the MSC Fantasia. It will feature a VIP club and 24-hour butler service for 99 suites. The Top Sail Lounge, with its Skydome, will allow for dining under a dome of sparkling stars. Launching from Barcelona in summer 2009.

For more information:  MSC Cruises

MS Swiss Jewel

Tauck’s MS Swiss Jewel launches in April, offering the roomiest suites (300 square feet) in the Tauck fleet with a capacity of just 118 guests for a more intimate setting than most river-going ships. Walk-in closets, marble baths and panoramic windows are among the amenities to enjoy as you cruise through cities such as Amsterdam, Budapest and Prague.

For more information: Tauck

Source: http://www.forbestraveler.com