the new ring in
As 2015 rolls on, new cruise ships prepare to roll out of the world’s shipyards. Maria Harding previews
C
ruise buffs who like to be the fi rst onboard a sparkling new ship will be spoilt for choice this year.
Seven new ocean-going cruise ships are due to
enter service – one more than in 2014. And though two of them – AIDA Cruises’ 3,300-pas- senger AIDAprima and Tui Cruises’ 2,500-passen- ger Mein Schiff 4 – are destined for the German market, that still leaves UK travel agents fi ve new ships with which to tempt their clients. First off the block will be P&O’s €560 million Britannia, the largest cruise ship ever cus- tom-built for the British market, which enters service out of Southampton in March. Upscale operator Ponant Cruises launches its
new €140 million Le Lyrial in May and the same month will see river specialist Viking Cruises branch out into ocean cruising with the launch of its new Viking Ocean division and its fi rst
ship, the US $399 million Viking Star. May also sees the launch of Anthem of the Seas, Royal Caribbean International’s second $1.3 billion whopper, which shares eyeboggling features with its 2014-launched sistership Quantum of the Seas.
But what makes Anthem special is that it’s the
fi rst brand new megaship RCI has dedicated to ex-UK operation right from its launch date. And as summer 2015 draws to a close,
Norwegian Cruise Line has one more treat in store; the October launch of the innovative, €700-million Norwegian Escape.
P&O Cruises BRITANNIA 141,000 tons; 3,611 passengers P&O will smash British bubbly rather than Champagne across Britannia’s prow at her launch, in line with its creation of a UK-dedicated mega ship which celebrates the very ‘Best of British’. Several British ‘Food Heroes’, including wine
expert Olly Smith and celebrity cook James Martin have put their stamp on the new vessel. Martin has created The Cookery Club, where passengers can enhance their culinary skills, while Smith caters for wannabe wine buffs in The Glass House.
Master baker Eric Lanlard will titilate tastebuds with his own onboard patisserie, while Indian food specialist Atul Kochhar showcases his creations at the Sindhu restaurant, and gala night menus will be created by Marco Pierre White. Britannia’s maiden season takes her from Southampton to the Mediterranean, Norway, the Canaries and the Baltic, and will fea- ture short ‘taster’ cruises and a round-Britain sailing. She will spend winter 2015/16 of- fering 15-night Caribbean fl y/cruises from Barbados. 0843 374 0111.
pocruises.com
Ponant Cruises LE LYRIAL 10,700 tons; �264 passengers Le Lyrial is the latest of four sister ships built for the French company and, like the rest of the fl eet, has an interior designed by Jean-Philippe Nuel,
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