In the ever-evolving and expanding cruise universe, pioneering trends in ships, itineraries, and amenities has proven an effective lure to reel in new cruisers. Here are five current cruise trends that we absolutely love—along with one that we could easily do without.
1. Tropical Islands You Can Only Visit on a Cruise
Billionaires, step aside: Those fantasies of sailing into your own private isle are now well within reach, thanks to the increasing number of cruise lines offering guests exclusive port experiences in tropical locales. Norwegian Cruise Line’s Harvest Caye, in southern Belize, debuted in November, granting cruisers access to a private beach, massive pool with swim-up bar, water sports lagoon, zip-lines, eco-tours, and snorkeling adventures over the world’s second-largest barrier reef. (Though first time cruisers should take note: If you’re looking for culture, you probably won’t find it on a private beach.) In November 2018, MSC Cruises opens its Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve in the Bahamas, equipped with several sandy beaches, snorkel-ready coral reefs, and various dining, spa, and entertainment options. Ocean Cay will join other existing private cruise lines in the Bahamian isles that are in the midst of major upgrades, including Norwegian’s Great Stirrup Cay, Holland America’s Half Moon Cay, and Royal Caribbean’s CocoCay.
2. Celebrity Chefs Continue to Heat Up Cruise Ship Kitchens
Cruise ships aren’t losing any steam when it comes to celebrity chef-helmed kitchens. In just the last two years, we’ve seen names like Thomas Keller of The French Laundry join Seabourn, Iron Chef Jose Garcés team up with Norwegian, Curtis Stone get onboard with Princess, and Guy Fieri expand his presence on Carnival. Soon joining ranks will be Japanese-American chef-restaurateur Roy Yamaguchi, who’s launching a pan-Asian eatery, Asian Market Kitchen, complete with a sushi, sashimi, and raw bar, as well as teppanyaki grills, on MSC Cruises’s new MSC Seaside come December. Also noteworthy is Windstar’s recently launched partnership with the James Beard Foundation, which highlights special guest James Beard-associated chefs aboard voyages in its new James Beard Foundation Culinary Cruise Collection, which feature cooking demos, market tours, recipes, and tastings.
3. Cuba Cruising Booms Amid New Travel Restrictions
Despite the Trump administration’s June 2017 announcement tightening travel restrictions to Cuba—outlining that cruise lines must participate in one of 12 approved forms of travel to Cuba, like the “people to people” cultural exchange program, and that cruisers are prohibited from spending money on any Cuban government-run facilities once there—the cruise momentum that’s been building for the long-off-limits island shows no signs of slowing down, with invested cruise lines unwavering for the foreseeable future. Book while you can, as it’s unclear if more stringent Cuban travel regulations are forthcoming. Newcomers offering inaugural Cuba-inclusive itineraries to U.S. travelers since December 2016 include Azamara, Carnival, Lindblad Expeditions, Norwegian, Oceania, Pearl Seas, Ponant, Regent Seven Seas, and Royal Caribbean; Holland America joins the lineup later this year.
Oceania is just one of a slew of cruise lines now heading to Cuba.
4. Mississippi River Cruise Options Surge
American cruisers are demanding more river cruise options and more drivable port locations that don’t require long-haul flights. The cruise industry has responded where these demands meet, with a surge in close-to-home river cruise offerings right here in the U.S. The Mississippi is a hotbed of activity: Newcomer French America Line launched its luxe Louisiane in October, and American Queen Steamboat Company will introduce its second paddle-wheeler, (the all-suite American Duchess), this August. American Cruise Lines debuted a third paddle-wheeler, the America, on the Mississippi last year, with plans to add on a fourth European-style riverboat there in fall 2018. Also in the pipeline is the Delta Queen Steamboat Company, which hopes to run its 1920s steamboat paddle-wheeler, the Delta Queen, on the river by next summer; long-established Viking River Cruises has also teased Mississippi River plans in the making, though no details or timeline have been released for the line just yet.
5. An Increase in Immersive Shore Excursions
Cruise lines are going beyond the scrape-the-surface, herded-group, motor coach sightseeing excursions of yore to offer the more in-depth, experiential shore tours their customers crave. Look out for “boutique” excursions, focused on premium, intimate, and exclusive in-port experiences (head out truffle-hunting with trained dogs in the Slovenian countryside with Silversea, or go snorkeling to harvest pearls in Tahiti with Windstar, for example) aboard lines like Crystal, Disney, Holland America, Oceania, Regent, Silversea, Viking, and Windstar. Notably, Azamara, Celebrity, and Regent have debuted special lines of culinary-themed outings in recent years, while Oceania and Regent rolled out new wellness-angled shore excursions just this year. Companies like Azamara, Celebrity, Crystal, and Princess, meanwhile, have been enhancing opportunities for overnight or late-night port calls, too, affording cruisers more time to experience the local nightlife, restaurant, and performing arts scenes that emerges after sunset in port.
…and One We Hate: Room Service Fees Roll Out
It’s buzzkill enough to rack up a slew of budget-busting “extras” (à la gratuities, shore excursions, and alcoholic beverages) during your cruise vacation, but it’s even worse when something that had long been offered on a complimentary basis–like room service–suddenly starts accruing fees. Royal Caribbean is the latest line to begin charging such a fee, with a $7.95 charge per room service order applicable since March. It matches an unwelcomed trend that’s emerged over the last few years: Norwegian implemented a similar $7.95 flat fee on orders; Celebrity charges a $4.95 surcharge for orders placed between 11 p.m. and 6 a.m.; and Carnival now lists some individual menu items (like chicken wings or personal pizzas) at a charge as well.
