New cruise ships will have waterslides and ice-skating rings

Ten new ships will make their maiden voyages for nine different cruise lines next year. Some design highlights:

§ Each of the public rooms of the 110,000-ton Carnival Freedom will take on a different historic theme, from ancient Babylon to Art Nouveau, from 18^th-century France to the disco scene of the 70’s. On deck, guests of all ages will be entertained by the 214-foot waterslide and the Carnival Seaside Theater, showing movies, sports events and concerts on a 270 square foot LED screen.

· The Emerald Princess, newest of the so-called Grand-class ships, will feature an array of new casual dining options and entertainment possibilities, including a 300-square-foot “Movies Under the Stars” screen.

· The Royal Princess–originally the Renaissance R8—will return to sea with more than a quarter of the ship’s 355 cabins sporting balconies. Because of its smaller size, the vessel will be able to visit unusual ports of calls in exotic destinations.

§ Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas will be the largest cruise ship ever built. She will feature an ice-skating rink, rock-climbing wall, onboard wave generator for surfing and hot tubs that extend over the ocean. There will be shopping opportunities in the Royal Promenade, ship-wide Wi Fi capabilities, and even a Ben & Jerry’s ice cream shop.

Report by David Wilkening