Tomorrow, the world’s largest cruise ship, Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, will arrive in Miami for the first time. The ship’s estimated arrival time is between 6 a.m. to 7 a.m. EST.
Royal Caribbean is throwing an arrival party for Icon of the Seas at the Perez Art Museum starting at 7 a.m. It is open for anyone who would like to attend and is located at 1103 Biscayne Blvd, Miami, FL 33132.
Michael Bayley, President and CEO of Royal Caribbean International, posted the following on his Facebook page giving details of this arrival party for Icon of the Seas.
“Wednesday morning we have a huge celebration planned for all of our shoreside teams and guests and loyalists are also welcome to see this historic occasion — look for us waving from ICON as we arrive into Miami. Let’s wake up the whole city with our excitement for the Icon of Vacations’ arrival home. There’s going to be games, breakfast bites, live music and giveaways every 15 minutes, so be there at 7 a.m. sharp Wednesday, January 10 at Perez Art Museum Miami for the arrival of our Icon of the Seas!”
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For those who don’t live in the Miami area, you will be able to watch the ship come in on a couple of the live webcams that overlook PortMiami.
The most popular webcam is from PTZtv that is located on top of the Intercontinental Hotel. You can watch the stream on YouTube here.
A second livestream is operated by Cruise Ships Live and it looks right down the main channel of PortMiami. You can view it on YouTube here or through the embedded video below.
Icon of the Seas will sail her inaugural cruise in two weeks, but will first host a few media cruises.
The least crowded cruise ships are the ones with the most space per guest, measured by the passenger space ratio: a ship’s gross tonnage divided by its guest count at double occupancy. Small luxury ships score between 70 and over 100. The roomiest mainstream ships, such as Disney’s newest ships and Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, score in the mid-50s. Most Carnival ships sit around 32 to 34.
Below we explain how the ratio works and compare 21 current ships, worked out from published tonnage and capacity figures as of October 2026. We also cover the things the ratio does not tell you, which can matter just as much once you are on board.
What Is the Passenger Space Ratio?
The passenger space ratio (PSR), also called the space-to-guest ratio, is a quick way to compare how much room each guest gets on different ships. The formula is simple:
Space ratio = gross tonnage ÷ guests at double occupancy
Gross tonnage (GT) sounds like weight, but it is not. It measures a ship’s total enclosed volume, so it covers cabins, restaurants, theatres, corridors, crew areas and machinery spaces. One gross ton is roughly 100 cubic feet (about 2.83 cubic metres) of enclosed space. Open decks are not counted.
Double occupancy means two guests in every cabin. Cruise lines use this figure as their standard capacity, and it is the fairest basis for comparison. In practice many cabins hold a third or fourth guest, which is why the figures in our second table also matter.
As a rough guide:
Under 30: likely to feel busy at peak times
30 to 40: typical of high-capacity mainstream ships
40 to 50: roomy for a big ship
50 to 70: premium and upper-premium territory
70 and above: luxury ships, where queues are rare
Cruise Ship Space Ratio Comparison (2026)
We worked out every ratio in this table ourselves, using each ship’s gross tonnage and standard (double-occupancy) capacity from the cruise lines, shipyard announcements and reputable maritime sources. Published figures can differ slightly between sources, and refits change them, so treat the ratio as accurate to within a point or so.
Ship
Cruise line
Gross tonnage
Guests (double occupancy)
Space ratio
Ilma
Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
46,750
448
104.4
Silver Ray
Silversea
54,700
728
75.1
Seven Seas Grandeur
Regent Seven Seas
55,254
746
74.1
Explora I
Explora Journeys
63,900
922
69.3
Disney Destiny
Disney Cruise Line
144,000
2,508
57.4
Allura
Oceania Cruises
68,000
1,200
56.7
Queen Mary 2
Cunard
149,215
2,695
55.4
Viking Star
Viking
47,800
930
51.4
Disney Adventure
Disney Cruise Line
208,108
4,222
49.3
Legend of the Seas
Royal Caribbean
250,800
5,610
44.7
Icon of the Seas
Royal Caribbean
248,663
5,610
44.3
Norwegian Aqua
Norwegian Cruise Line
156,300
3,571
43.8
Celebrity Xcel
Celebrity Cruises
141,420
3,260
43.4
MSC World America
MSC Cruises
216,638
5,228*
41.4
Sun Princess
Princess Cruises
177,882
4,300
41.4
MSC Seashore
MSC Cruises
170,412
4,540
37.5
Rotterdam
Holland America Line
99,935
2,668
37.5
Norwegian Getaway
Norwegian Cruise Line
145,655
3,963
36.8
Carnival Celebration
Carnival Cruise Line
183,521
5,374
34.1
Carnival Paradise
Carnival Cruise Line
71,925
2,124
33.9
Carnival Venezia
Carnival Cruise Line
135,225
4,208
32.1
*MSC does not widely publish a double-occupancy figure for MSC World America, so we used two guests in each of its 2,614 cabins.
A few things stand out. The two biggest ships in the world, Royal Caribbean’s Icon-class ships, have more space per guest than many smaller ships. Disney’s ships have the most space of any mainstream line because the line designs its cabins for families and counts only two guests per cabin in its standard figure. Carnival is at the bottom of the major US lines on almost every ship, old or new.
Smaller luxury ships offer far more space per guest than mainstream megaships. Photo: UMUT 🆁🅰🆆 on Pexels
The Least Crowded Cruise Ships and Lines
Luxury lines: the most space per guest
If crowds are your main worry, a luxury ship is the surest fix. Ritz-Carlton’s Ilma works out at over 100 gross tons per guest, more than three times the figure for a typical Carnival ship. Silversea’s Silver Ray (about 75), Regent’s Seven Seas Grandeur (about 74) and Explora I (about 69) are not far behind. These ships also carry far more crew per guest, so you will rarely wait at a bar or for a table. If you are choosing between the top lines, our Silversea vs Seabourn comparison covers the differences beyond space.
Upper-premium options at a lower price
Oceania’s Allura (about 57) and Viking’s ocean ships (about 51 on the original Viking Star design) offer generous space and an adults-focused feel for less than full luxury fares. Viking does not allow guests under 18, which also keeps pool decks quiet.
Least crowded mainstream cruise lines
Disney Cruise Line: Disney Destiny and Disney Wish work out at about 57, the best of any big-ship line. Disney Adventure, which started sailing from Singapore in March 2026, comes in at about 49.
Cunard: Queen Mary 2 (about 55) is an ocean liner built with wide public rooms and long promenades. Cunard’s newer Queen Anne is far less roomy, at about 38.
Royal Caribbean: Icon of the Seas and Legend of the Seas, delivered in June 2026, both sit around 44 to 45.
Norwegian and Celebrity: Norwegian Aqua (about 44) and Celebrity Xcel (about 43) are among the roomiest new ships from these lines. Older Norwegian ships, such as Norwegian Getaway (about 37), are tighter.
Princess and Holland America: Sun Princess (about 41) and Rotterdam (about 37.5) have middling ratios. They often feel calmer than the numbers suggest because they carry fewer children and have less going on at night.
The Most Crowded Cruise Ships Among Major Lines
At the other end of the scale, Carnival’s ships are consistently the most densely filled among the big US lines. Carnival Venezia, which was built as a Costa ship and now sails from New York, works out at about 32. Carnival Celebration (about 34) and the older Carnival Paradise (about 34) are similar. MSC’s Seaside-class ships, such as MSC Seashore (about 37.5), are also on the busier side.
A lower ratio does not mean a bad cruise. Lower density is one reason these lines can offer low fares, and many guests are happy with a lively ship. A low space ratio is not the same as poor reviews, either: for ships that guests rate badly, see our separate guide to the worst cruise ships based on real reviews.
Pool decks are where a low space ratio is felt most on a sea day. Photo: Stephan Leuzinger on Pexels
Why a Full Ship Can Feel Much More Crowded
This is the part most space ratio lists skip. Cruise lines quote capacity at double occupancy, but many cabins sleep three, four or more. During school holidays family ships often sail well above their double-occupancy figure. The table below shows what happens to the ratio when every berth is filled.
Ship
Ratio at double occupancy
Maximum guests
Ratio when completely full
Icon of the Seas
44.3
7,600
32.7
Disney Destiny
57.4
4,116
35.0
Disney Adventure
49.3
6,700
31.1
Celebrity Xcel
43.4
3,937
35.9
MSC World America
41.4
6,764
32.0
Carnival Celebration
34.1
6,500
28.2
Carnival Venezia
32.1
5,260
25.7
Carnival Venezia drops to about 26 when completely full, and Disney Adventure’s large number of family cabins means its ratio falls from 49 to about 31. Icon of the Seas falls from 44 to about 33. Ships rarely sail with every bunk taken, but summer, spring break and Christmas sailings come closest. If you want space, pick term-time dates when fewer cabins hold third and fourth guests.
Other Factors That Affect How Crowded a Ship Feels
Layout and flow. Ships divided into “neighborhoods”, such as Royal Caribbean’s Oasis and Icon classes, spread people out. Ships with one central atrium and a single main pool deck bunch people together.
Number of venues. More restaurants, bars and pools mean shorter queues, even with the same ratio. Buffets at breakfast and pools at noon on sea days are the usual pinch points.
Itinerary. Port-heavy cruises empty the ship each day. Sea days and short weekend cruises fill pool decks.
Private enclaves. MSC Yacht Club, NCL’s The Haven and Celebrity’s Retreat give suite guests their own pools, lounges and restaurants, so their space ratio is far better than the ship average. For everyone else on board the ratio is slightly worse, because the enclave takes space out of the shared areas.
Crew-to-guest ratio. More crew means faster service, quicker embarkation and fewer queues, which feels like more space.
Ship design. Some of the tonnage is behind the scenes, such as large theatres, water parks or big crew areas. Two ships with the same ratio can feel quite different.
How to Find a Less Crowded Cruise
Check the space ratio first. Divide the gross tonnage by the double-occupancy capacity on the line’s ship page.
Sail outside school holidays. Late April to May and September to early December are usually quieter on Caribbean and Mediterranean routes.
Choose longer cruises. Sailings of 10 nights or more attract fewer families and fewer short-break party groups.
Use port days. Staying on board when most guests go ashore gives you pools, spas and lounges almost to yourself.
Eat at off-peak times. Late breakfast, an early lunch or the main dining room instead of the buffet avoids the worst queues.
Consider a suite enclave on a big ship if you want megaship attractions with a quiet place to retreat to.
FAQs
What is a good passenger space ratio on a cruise ship?
Below about 30 tends to feel busy, 35 to 45 is typical for modern mainstream ships, and 50 or more feels noticeably spacious. Luxury ships usually sit between 60 and 100-plus.
Which cruise ships are the least crowded?
By the numbers, small luxury ships such as Ritz-Carlton’s Ilma, Silversea’s Silver Ray, Regent’s Seven Seas Grandeur and Explora I have the most space per guest. In the mainstream market, Disney’s Wish-class ships and Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 score highest.
Which mainstream cruise ships are the most crowded?
Carnival ships generally have the lowest ratios among big US lines, from about 32 to 34 at double occupancy. Carnival Venezia works out at about 32, and drops to around 26 if every bunk is filled.
What month are cruise ships least crowded?
Ships are usually fullest during school holidays: summer, Christmas, New Year and spring break. Sailings in late April and May, or September to early December (outside Thanksgiving week), tend to carry fewer children and fewer third and fourth guests per cabin, so the ship feels quieter.
Is a bigger cruise ship more crowded?
Not necessarily. Icon of the Seas carries far more people than Carnival Paradise, yet it has more space per guest. The ratio, the layout and how full the ship is matter more than raw size.
There’s almost a 0% chance you’ll be “bumped” from your cruise. And even if a cruise line does overbook your cruise, leaving you behind, the likely compensation should definitely ease the pain.
Don’t let your cruise ship sail away without you. Photo Credit: Cruise Fever
Many people didn’t think this was even possible before news reports out of Brisbane, Australia started circulating last November.
Headlines were made when Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas set sail from Brisbane, leaving behind several passengers with confirmed bookings. At least 11 cabins that had been booked by potential passengers were given to other cruisers.
The affected customers received a letter from the cruise line outlining their options due to the oversold ship. One option was to wait on standby for a possible stateroom assignment. A couple of waiting families or groups were ultimately allowed to board, but when the ship reached capacity, these 11 remaining parties were left to make other arrangements.
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The impacted guests were ultimately offered a full refund, in addition to future cruise credit equivalent to their original cruise fare. They even received an included beverage package – not a bad consolation prize.
How is a cruise ship overbooked?
Because of the high demand the cruise industry has seen in 2023 and well into 2024, cruise lines allow for a few extra bookings on a ship, knowing that some last-minute cancellations will open up staterooms.
The reality is it’s a high priority for these cruise lines to sail at full capacity, getting the most out of every sailing.
Often a cruise ship will sail at 105% or greater capacity. This simply means that all of the cabins are occupied, and some have more than two guests in a stateroom, since double-capacity figures are used to reach that 100% figure.
While not common, incidents like the one on Quantum of the Seas are not exclusive to Royal Caribbean. Fortunately, there are ways to reduce your risk of being affected by overbooking:
How to avoid getting bumped on an overbooked cruise?
The Royal Caribbean customers who were bumped from their ship in November of 2023 had something in common. They had booked staterooms with a “guaranteed fare”.
Cruise lines will offer these guaranteed prices at a lower rate if you allow them to assign you a cabin at a later time. You get to choose a cabin category at a lower price, and you’re “guaranteed” that category.
Keep in mind that these are the “leftover” cabins after all the other passengers have chosen their own staterooms.
Most know the risk is getting a location that’s less than ideal, but very few know it could also mean they could get bumped off an oversold ship because of it. Although again, this is a very rare occurrence.
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Avoid guaranteed fares
Choosing your own stateroom can keep this from happening to you. It really shouldn’t happen in the first place, and some cruise lines are trying to address the issue as demand for cruising continues to heat up.
But if you have picked out and paid for your specific stateroom rather than a guaranteed cabin category, you won’t have to worry about being bumped off the list.
Check in early
If you do decide to book a cruise with a guaranteed fare, you should take care of check-in as early as possible. I always set a reminder on my calendar on the exact date that I can check in online.
The exact number of days before a sailing that you can check in varies by different cruise lines.
With Royal Caribbean you can check in 45 days before a cruise and with Carnival it’s 14 days. But double-check with your particular cruise line.
The check-in process will expedite the cabin selection process and you will be less likely to get the dreaded cruise bump.
And thirdly, always pay the extra money for travel insurance. It might seem like a waste of money or excess spending at the time, but one incident like this will make it all worth it.
Even though those bumped cruise travelers were given a refund and future cruise credit, they still incurred other travel costs that they were not anticipating.
In addition to trip interruption coverage, cruise travel insurance can give you peace of mind if something comes up at the last minute and you need to cancel your cruise.
It’s unlikely this will ever happen to you, but if it does here are a few pointers.
Stay calm, be polite and talk it out – While it’s no fun to miss your cruise, keeping your cool and having a friendly conversation with the cruise line can really help. Just tell them clearly what you’d like (maybe a refund, or sailing on another day) and see what they can do. You might be surprised.
Understand your options – Whether it’s a full refund, future cruise credit, or a rebooking, make sure you know all of your options first.
Negotiate – While the cruise line will present initial options, you have the right to discuss additional possibilities. Politely present alternative sailings you find suitable or inquire about compensation for non-refundable travel arrangements impacted by the overbooking.
While overbooking is rare it can happen. Embracing early booking, strategic cabin selection, and awareness of cruise line policies. This way you can minimize the risk and maximize your chances of a worry-free cruise.
If these kinds of incidences happened more regularly, it would only incentivize trying to get bumped in order to enjoy some of the make-goods that are often offered by cruise lines. But with cruise lines trying to take advantage of the strong demand for cruising, it’s likely this could happen again in 2024.
A cruise line has added visits to ports that aren’t seldomly visited by cruise ships on new itineraries in 2024 and 2025.
Oceania Cruises, a premium cruise line from Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings, has announced new cruise itineraries that will visit seldom visited ports in Africa and Asia over the next two years.
These new cruises include a 59 day voyage that visits off-the-beaten path ports. The cruise will take place on Riviera departing from Barcelona, Spain. After a visit to the Canary Islands, the cruise ship will head down the coast of Western Africa visiting ports in Senegal, Gambia, Ghana and Namibia.
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After an overnight stay in Cape Town, the ship will head to Madagascar, Tanzania, the Maldives, Thailand, and Malaysia before arriving in Singapore.
These new cruises will range from 27 to 59 nights in length visiting Europe, Asia, and Africa.
All guests sailing on these new cruises benefit from Oceania Cruises’ simply MORE offering. It includes:
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Shore excursion credit of up to $2,600 per stateroom
Free roundtrip airfare
Free airport transfers
free Champagne, wine and more during lunch and dinner
Free soft drinks and specialty teas and coffees
Free gourmet specialty dining
Free unlimited WiFi
Frank A Del Rio, President of Oceania Cruises, gave the following statement about the new cruises: “These longer, destination-immersive voyages offer curious, well-traveled guests the chance to explore some of the most off-the-beaten-path ports in the world, all from the elegant surroundings of Riviera. Sailing from Europe to Asia, via both coasts of Africa, is a true bucket list journey, combining iconic cities and unknown gems, with our incredible onboard service and the best value in luxury cruising, these voyages are hard to resist”.
All cabins on Riviera have been reimagined and standard staterooms measure 291 square feet.
Oceania Cruises is one of the world’s leading destination and culinary focused cruise lines.
The cruise line has eight ships in their fleet, with the largest carrying just 1,250 guests.
Royal Caribbean’s newest cruise ship, Icon of the Seas, will arrive in the U.S. for the first time this week. The vessel is the largest cruise ship ever built and is scheduled to arrive in Miami on Wednesday, a few weeks ahead of its inaugural cruise.
Royal Caribbean will be hosting an Icon arrival party at 7 a.m. on Wednesday at PortMiami. There will be games, breakfast bites, live music and giveaways every 15 minutes. The event will take place at the Perez Art Museum Miami.
Icon of the Seas is the largest cruise ship ever built and the first ever to be over 250,000 gross tons in size. The ship has more than 40 dining and beverage venues and the cruise line is calling it the ultimate vacation.
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Icon of the Seas will sail its inaugural cruise from Miami on January 27, a week long cruise to the Eastern Caribbean. The ship will first host a couple three night preview sailings for media and travel agents so they can get a first hand look at the world’s largest cruise ship.
Icon of the Seas will be christened in Miami on January 23 by soccer legend Lionel Messi.
The cruise ship is divided up into eight neighborhoods including a new one that is just for families.
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Icon of the Seas has everything from record breaking waterslides to the largest swimming pool at sea. There are more than 28 cabin types to choose from, something for everyone.
One of the most unique features on the cruise ship will be the AquaDome, located on the top front. The AquaDome will feature incredible diving shows in the AquaTheater that will have everything from robots to skateboarders. It also contains the cruise line’s first food hall.
Entertainment is promising to be unlike anything we’ve ever seen on a cruise ship. Icon of the Seas will be the first to feature The Wizard of Oz that will be one of four signature stage shows.
The ship’s next level AquaDome will feature 75 world class performers. There’s also an ice skating rink and 50 live musicians will perform around the ship.
Royal Caribbean took the best of all their cruise ships and put them into Icon of the Seas.
The cruise line took delivery of the ship in late November and has spent the past month and half preparing the vessel for its inaugural sailings.
Icon of the Seas will homeport in Miami for at least the next two years. The ship will rotate between week long cruises to the Eastern and Western Caribbean. All of the ship’s cruises from Miami will visit CocoCay, Royal Caribbean’s insanely popular private island in The Bahamas. View Cruises Offered on Icon of the Seas
Icon of the Seas Utopia of the Seas, Brilliant Lady, and Disney Treasure.
Caribbean & Bahamas
Icon of the Seas
While Icon of the Seas was just delivered to Royal Caribbean International at the end of last year, it will officially enter service for the cruise line on January 27th of this year.
It is the largest cruise ship in the world, beating out the previous title holder, Wonder of the Seas. The 250,000+ gross ton ship will homeport at PortMiami, offering 7-night sailings to the Caribbean, including Perfect Day at CocoCay.
Utopia of the Seas
The last of the Oasis-class vessels with Royal Caribbean, Utopia of the Seas will enjoy its inaugural cruise on July 22nd of 2024.
With the addition of Icon of the Seas and Utopia of the Seas in 2024, Royal Caribbean will increase their passenger capacity by 11,278 (at double capacity).
Utopia of the Seas will sail out of Port Canaveral, offering 3- and 4-night sailings to the Bahamas and Perfect Day at CocoCay.
Disney Treasure
Sister ship to Disney Wish, Disney Treasure is set to enter service on December 21st, 2024. The ship will offer 7-night sailings out of Port Canaveral. Disney Treasure’s maiden voyage will be in St. Thomas on Christmas Day.
Brilliant Lady
After being delayed on its delivery in 2023, Virgin Voyage’s Brilliant Lady has still postponed bookings for 2024. Itineraries that were set for sailings out of San Juan have been removed from the cruise line’s website, and it’s unclear if and when they will open again. Read more on this here.
Silver Ray, Ilma, Explora II,Viking Vela, and Sun Princess — All ships starting their maiden season in the Mediterranean in 2024.
Mediterranean
The Mediterranean will have the most new ships added to its waters with the new class of 2024, with 5 ships being sent to the popular destination.
Sun Princess
The largest ship Princess Cruises has ever built, the 175,000 gross ton Sun Princess, is set to debut on February 8th, 2024.
The vessel will sail from Barcelona to Rome on a 10-night inaugural cruise and will offer various itineraries throughout the Mediterranean Sea that are 10 – 31 nights in duration.
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In the Fall of 2024, Sun Princess will then reposition to Port Everglades with cruises to the Caribbean.
We recently had the chance to visit Sun Princess in the shipyard as it was being built. You can check out some pictures we took while on the tour here.
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Silver Ray
Debuting on June 3rd, 2024, Silversea’s eco-conscious Silver Ray, sister to the 2023 Silver Nova, sets sail with one of the industry’s greenest profiles. Its inaugural season unfolds in the Mediterranean, offering 728 guests all-suite luxury and immersive exploration, powered by clean LNG.
Silver Ray will offer 7, 12, and 23 night sailings throughout the Mediterranean. Sailings will start in ports that include Southampton, Lisbon, Rome, Venice and Athens.
Explora II
The luxury line owned by MSC Group will be debuting a second ship with Explora Journeys in 2024. Explora II will offer its first cruise on August 11, 2024, starting in Barcelona and finalizing in Rome (Civitavecchia).
The 922-capacity luxury cruise ship will offer 6- to 30-night sailings in 2024, with a 39-night sailing in February of 2025 that starts and ends at PortMiami.
Ilma
The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection will christen Ilma in 2024. The 224-suite superyacht, boasting the highest guest-to-space ratio at sea, embarks on its inaugural Mediterranean season in September.
Ilma, which means “water” in Maltese, begins offering sailings in the Mediterranean. It will then sail on a Transatlantic from Lisbon to San Juan, Puerto Rico on November 1st, 2024, offering sailings in the Caribbean.
Viking Vela
Viking Vela will be the 10th ocean ship to debut with Viking, when it enters service on December 12th, 2024. The 988-guest capacity ship will sail from Rome to Barcelona on a 7-night journey.
Shortly after, in January of 2025, Viking Vela will begin offering sailings to Northern Europe, with ports of call in Norway, Netherlands, Sweden, and Iceland.
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Mein Schiff 7 – Photo Credit: Meyer Turku
Northern Europe
Mein Schiff 7
TUI Cruises, a cruise line based in Germany, will be adding a 7th cruise ship to their fleet with Mein Schiff 7 in June of 2024.
The 2,900-guest capacity 110-gross-ton vessel will sail its maiden season in Northern Europe and the Baltic Sea before being repositioned to the Canary Islands for the winter cruise season.
Photo courtesy of American Cruise Lines
United States
American Liberty
Built for sailing rivers and waterways, the 109-guest capacity American Liberty built for American Cruise Lines will be offering sailings to New England starting on June 27th, 2024. The ship will homeport in Boston, Massachusetts, providing 7-night cruises to Plymouth, Cape Cod, Martha’s Vineyard, and Newport.
In August, American Liberty will sail out of Providence, where it will offer 7-night sailings before repositioning to Charleston where the ship will offer sailings along the coastlines of South Carolina, Georgia, and Florida.
American Legend
The American Legend, a new 109-guest cruise ship built in the US for American Cruise Lines, sets sail in 2024 on its inaugural cruise. Following its sister ship, the American Glory, it will offer intimate cruises along the Florida Gulf Coast & Keys and Chesapeake Bay.
Multiple Destinations
Queen Anne
Cunard Line will be debuting a brand new ship for the first time in 10 years with the introduction of Queen Anne.
The 113,000 gross ton cruise ship will offer sailings starting on January 11th of 2024. Homeporting in Southampton, the 3,000-guest vessel will visit the Canary Islands, and also offer Mediterranean cruises, transatlantic crossings, and even Caribbean ports of call.
Queen Anne is the cruise line’s 249th ship to sail under the Cunard flag.
Carnival Cruise Line is currently offering a “No One Does Bonus Savings Like Carnival” promotion that adds in a bonus perk to go along with 35% off cruises and other special savings.
Carnival Cruise Line offers cruises from more homeports in the U.S. than any other line. To kick of 2024, Carnival is offering a combination of four deals in one that includes a bonus 4-category upgrade when sailing on one of their ships. This “No One Does Bonus Savings Like Carnival” includes the following:
Up to 35% off cruises Deposits reduced to as low as $50 per person Up to $150 in onboard credit Bonus: Up to a 4-category upgrade Good on Carnival cruises through April 2026 Sale ends on January 6, 2024 View Best Prices on Carnival Cruises
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Onboard Credit offer is provided as a credit to your Sail & Sign account of $12.50 per person up to $25 per stateroom on 2-5 day sailings, $25 per person up to $50 per stateroom on 6+ day sailings, and up to $75 per person up to $150 per stateroom on select sailings.
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$50 per person deposit is applicable to 2-9 day cruises (Excluding all Alaska, Europe, Celebration, Mardi Gras, and Jubilee sailings).
Cabin upgrades are automatically assigned at the time of booking. They are based on availability in like-to-like categories only (interior to interior, ocean-view to ocean-view, and balcony to balcony).
Offer is applicable on Carnival cruises through April 2026, where Early Saver is available. Request rate code OJS.
For complete terms and details of this latest sale from Carnival Cruise Line, visit Carnival.com or contact your preferred travel professional.
Cruise ships are often compared to small cities and the newest vessels are so large, there is often too much to uncover in just a week’s time.
However, even the world’s most seasoned cruisers may not be aware of some hidden features onboard these ships.
Photo credit: Cruise Fever
There are numerous secrets cruise lines won’t tell you, so no matter how many times you set sail on the high seas, you may never uncover them. There are, however, hidden places onboard you never knew existed, cruise lines aren’t advertising, but aren’t exactly keeping secret either.
To really be in the know, we’ve complied a thoughtful list of the 9 places on a cruise ship you never knew existed. Think jail cells, and morgues (yes, you read that correctly!), to private areas for crew members no passenger would ever enter, and more.
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Here are the places no passenger would ever embark upon, and until now, would probably never have thought existed.
That’s right – you have the ability to be arrested and jailed at sea. Though, it isn’t as commonplace as you might think, so don’t panic yet.
Certainly, most people don’t go on vacation with the thought or even the intention of getting arrested, but unfortunately, it happens, and cruise ships need to be prepared. These cells, or ‘the brig’ as it’s referred to in nautical terms, are located on one of the most bottom decks of the vessel near the security office.
Passengers can find themselves in the brig if they commit a serious offense, such as being belligerent, or violent – minor offenses will not land you here. Should you find yourself in the brig, you can expect to be forcibly removed at the next port of call where you’ll deal with local authorities. Finding your way back home will be up to you.
2. A Morgue
It may come as a (disturbing) surprise to learn that all oceangoing cruise ships are legally required to have a morgue and to carry body bags on board. Most morgues are small with rooms for three to six bodies, depending on the overall size of the vessel.
Cruise lines are in the business of being proactive and this is one of the many ways they go about exercising that protocol. While nobody has a desire to discuss death, especially while on vacation, it is a necessary reality to be prepared for under all circumstances.
Due to the mean demographics of cruise passengers being the elderly, the possibility of death during a cruise is a real potential. Therefore, it is imperative that cruise lines be prepared under these considerations.
The pool decks are grossly advertised by the cruising industry, as this is where most passengers spend a majority of their cruise vacation. However, there are hidden pools in areas where guests will never experience, as they were never intended to.
Crew members are forbidden from mingling in areas where passengers dwell, so cruise lines had to get creative when carving out spaces just for them. Crew members are often onboard for months at a time, and enjoy similar pleasures like swimming as guests do, which is where hidden swimming pools entered the picture.
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Surprisingly, there are actually several decks on the lowest levels of the vessel designated just for crew members that guests would never have access to.
Speaking of these hidden decks, you’ll find a lot more than rows of interior cabins for crew members. As stated, the crew is typically working onboard for months on end and therefore, cruise lines had to provide accommodations.
You’ll often find (online that is, as passengers aren’t permitted in these areas) bars, restaurants, recreation and lounge areas in addition to the aforementioned hidden pools. The crew members refe5r to their bar as the “OB” meaning, “Officer’s Bar”. Rumor is drinks are a lot cheaper below deck.
Next time you’re onboard and see a “Crew Only” sign displayed, you may have a faint idea of what’s behind it.
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5. Ultra-Luxe Suites
Disney Wish Tower Suite. Renderings courtesy of Disney Cruise Line
Have you ever wondered where the rich and famous stay when they cruise? Most cruise lines don’t exactly advertise these rooms to the general public, but they’re definitely on board and often in plain sight.
For example, on Disney Cruise Line’s newest vessel the Wish, there is a Wish Tower suite. You won’t find this room available on the Disney Cruise Line reservations website, but it’s available to make your cruise more magical – and more luxurious.
This mega suite is a nearly 2,000 square foot (so, basically the size of a single-family home) two floor, four bedroom accommodation with Moana theming throughout. If you want to access this room, you’ll have to take the private elevator on the 10th and 11th floors, which are purposely hidden.
On most vessels, accessing the bow will be a no-go, as it’s a restricted area for guests, however, this isn’t always the case. Though hidden, some ships do have entrances to the bow for passengers to safely access and utilize throughout the duration of their cruise.
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Princess Cruises is a mainstream cruise line that allows guests to freely roam the bow and enjoy the breathtaking views while the ship is sailing. The best times to do so are when sailing away from different ports, and during sunrise, or sunset.
For ships that do not allow bow access, the TV in your cabin will most likely come equipped with a bow cam. This will give you real time views of the ocean from the comfort of your stateroom.
7. Larger Staterooms in the Same Category (And the Same Price)
Photo credit: Cruise Fever
All the seasoned cruisers will know the best ways to go about securing a larger stateroom within the same category to avoid paying an upcharge. So, how could two rooms within the same category be different sizes? We’ll give you all the details cruise lines never wanted you to know.
When booking your next cruise, the best way to secure a larger balcony stateroom without digging deeper into your pockets is to look for a ‘hump room.’ These rooms are located in the middle of the ship where the vessel curves and the hull jets out. This means you will secure a larger balcony with panoramic views and therefore, a larger cabin.
Keeping in mind that these rooms sell out quickly, this tip will most likely only come in handy if you’re booking early.
If you’re onboard and know you’re going to be cruising again, cruise experts recommend booking your next one before disembarking. Why? For the discounts you can only secure onboard.
Cruise ships often have a sales desk located on the main hub level where all the action is. Making a stop here can make all the difference between what you’ll pay for your next cruise by purchasing onboard in advance. The sales offered here are stated to be top-tier and not available anywhere else, to anyone else.
Plus, what a better way to get over the post-cruise blues than by booking another cruise?
With so many passengers on board (think: thousands) it is imperative that the laundry facilities be paramount to keep up with the influx of dirty linens.
On the lowest decks, there are industrial-sized folding machines that work automatically day and night to press and fold sheets, towels, tablecloths and more!
While it’s not surprising to learn of the efficiency of the laundry system on board, as cruise ships are known to be organized and efficient, it is cool to think of how these operations work behind the scenes.
Final Thoughts
Next time you take a cruise vacation, you’ll likely be overwhelmed at all of the seemingly endless array of things to see, do, eat and experience. When considering all of your options, it’s impossible to consider what’s going on behind the scenes, or below deck.
Now that you’re aware of some of the places on a cruise ship you never knew existed, you can surprise some of your fellow passengers while on board!
Viking, one of the world’s leading river and ocean cruise lines, is offering a special “Discover More” sale this month on all of their cruises.
From now through January 31, 2024, Viking is offering discounted cruise fares, up to free airfare, and $25 deposits on all itineraries. This sale includes river, ocean, and expedition cruises.
Viking offers cruises to all seven continents and each year they visit more than 500 ports in 85 countries. Their ships spend more time in port than most cruise lines. This allows you to explore new destinations without being rushed. They also include one free shore excursion in every port of call.
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Torstein Hagen, Chairman of Viking, gave the following statement: “For more than 26 years, we have invited curious travelers to explore the world in comfort. We focus on the destination, and we design travel experiences for the thinking person. This approach has always allowed our guests to discover more history, science and culture when they travel with us. As this new year begins, we look forward to welcoming returning guests back on board, as well as introducing new travelers to the Viking way of exploration.”
Viking’s Discover More sale is available to North American residents to both new and returning guests.
A Taylor Swift fan cruise will depart on a Royal Caribbean cruise ship this summer for a five night cruise to the Western Caribbean.
The Summer Era Cruise will take place on Royal Caribbean’s Mariner of the Seas and will depart from Galveston, Texas on June 15, 2024. The cruise is being hosted by Quality Travel and there are limited cabins left on this unique sailing.
Prices start at $863 per person for an interior cabin and go up to $1,426 per person for a balcony stateroom (based on double occupancy). The cruise will visit Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico and will also have two sea days.
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The Summer Era Cruise is a fan sponsored event and since it’s not affiliated with Taylor Swift, she will not be on the cruise.
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The group has reserved event space on the ship for specialty activities. Those booked with the group will enjoy Swiftie Surprises; Swiftie Sips, goody bags, trivia, bingo, theme nights, tours, karaoke, bracelet exchanges, dance parties, PJ party, prizes, door decorating contests etc.
Parker Landry, a co-host for the cruise, gave the following statement: “I’ve always adored Taylor. I mean how could you not? My goal is to spread her name and music by creating genuine, enjoyable activities that represent all her music stands for and the things she has done like the Eras tour. We won’t just have a dance party; each activity will be based on a piece of her work or music, like Mirrorball, Lover, or bracelet making. I will incorporate activities that genuinely represent Taylor’s kindness and heart. I’m extremely thankful that girls like me have a role model like Taylor to look up to, and I will carry on her culture and vibes throughout the cruise.”
For more information on this Taylor Swift fan cruise, you can visit their website here.
