1 2 3
4 5 6
Contact an
AMA Travel cruise
specialist to plan
your 2018 sailing:
AMATravel.ca/
Cruise
1. Carnival
Horizon
The latest launch
from Carnival
carries nearly
4,000 passengers
and is bound
to make a big
splash. Dr. Suess
WaterWorks, the
ship’s onboard
aqua park, features
twisting slides and
loads of Suessical
silliness. The family
focus continues
with IMAX and 3D
movie theatres,
and a Lip Sync
Battle stage show.
Grownups can
slip away to the
Havana Bar & Pool
for chilled mojitos,
and relax at the
adult-only Serenity
Retreat, with
plush loungers
and spa-worthy
cuisine. The ship
set s sail in March
2018.
Ship Shape
AMA Travel cruise specialists get early access to new ship launches,
so they can share insider info with you. Here, cruise specialist Shawnda
Beaudoin previews six new ocean liners that you can book now for 2018
2. Royal
Caribbean
Symphony
of the Seas
The world’s largest
cruise ship, weigh-
ing a whopping
230,000 tons, sets
sail to Europe this
spring and the
Caribbean next fall.
Every room comes
with a view: Inside
cabins feature
virtual balconies:
floor-to-ceiling
HD screens that
display real-time
images of the
ocean and ports.
The balconies
mean you don’t
have to sacrifice
a view for the
affordability of an
inner stateroom.
Another cost-
saving innovation:
more single-
occupancy cabins.
Sailings begin
in May 2018.
3. Norwegian
Bliss 4. MSC
Seaview 5. Celebrity
Edge
Purpose-built for
cruising Alaska
and the Caribbean,
the ship features
a 1,860-square-
metre observation
lounge to soak
in stunning 180-
degree views.
Curl up in a cozy
armchair or sofa
to do some whale
watching in Alaska
or see dolphins
frolic in the warm
waters of the
Caribbean. The
ship offers a large
selection of single
cabins, which cater
to the needs and
comfort of solo
adventurers during
these bucket-list
sailings. There’s
also an exclusive
solo-travellers’
lounge. The Bliss
launches in May
2018. As its name sug-
gests, the mission
of MSC’s newest
ship is to give pas-
sengers as many
sea views as possi-
ble—courtesy of a
glass-railed prom-
enade circling the
perimeter of the
ship. The view is
also paramount
at restaurants,
bars and lounges,
which have been
specially designed
to face out onto
the open sea.
While it may
sound like an adult
playground, the
ship is perfect for
families too, with
its onboard water
park and sports
courts. Italy-based
MSC will launch
the ship primarily
from Miami, start-
ing in June 2018. Dubbed the most
innovative new
cruise ship, it was
engineered and
built using 3D
imaging. Among
its many high-
tech features are
infinity veranda
staterooms, in
which a fully
retractable glass
wall opens to turn
the cabin into an
open-air living
space. Another
cutting-edge
design is the
“magic carpet,”
a deck that
extends over water
to host pop-up
restaurants, bars
and themed
parties. It can also
be used on lower
decks to increase
accessibility in
port. Launching
December 2018.
6. Holland
America
Nieuw
Statendam
The line’s latest
mid-size ship
accommodates
2,650 passengers,
with staterooms
designed to suit an
array of travellers.
You’ll find every-
thing from single
cabins to typical
two-person state-
rooms to family
suites accom-
modating up to
five guests. To
appeal to younger
passengers and
multi-generation
groups, Holland
America designers
created contem-
porary interiors
and family-friendly
amenities, like bas-
ketball courts and
a digital workshop.
Sailings commence
in December.
»
AMA InsIder
Fall 2017
33