Growth and change once again mark the upcoming winter-spring cruise season. The ships coming on line in the next few months continue the trends of the last few years.
Ships in the Caribbean are becoming ever-bigger, while an expanding fleet of small ships are offering prospective passengers intriguing, exotic ports. New lines, higher levels of luxury, innovative designs and some extensive refurbishments complete the roster of changes.
Most developments are in the warm waters of the Caribbean and Mexico, the most popular winter and spring destinations.
The 960-passenger Crystal Harmony made her inaugural voyage in July. She`s the first ship of the new Los Angeles-based, Japanese-owned Crystal Cruises. The $200 million vessel brings a new level of luxury to the large ship market, a luxury marked by spaciousness, a variety of dining and entertainment options, high level service and outstanding cuisine.
There`s plenty of room on the 49,400 gross-registered ton ship for socializing or solitude. The ship`s four 948-square foot Crystal penthouses are the largest accommodations afloat, and more than 50 percent of the 480 staterooms have private verandas.
Two restaurants-one Italian, the other Oriental-are available on a reservation basis at no additional cost.
The Crystal Harmony sails 10-day Panama Canal cruises between Acapulco and San Juan until April, when she heads for the Mediterranean and Northern Europe. Fares for the canal cruises range from $2,450 to $9,500, including air fare.
All fares listed in this story are per person, double occupancy.
Also launched in July in the Mediterranean, the Crown Princess makes her inaugural North American cruise on Sept. 26.
At 70,000 tons and with a passenger capacity of 1,590, she`ll be the largest ship in the Princess fleet.
The Crown Princess has a distinctive sleekly curved hull, topped by a forward dome. This is the design of noted architect Renzo Piano, best known for his work on the Pompidou Center in Paris. The dome is a multi-purpose space, housing a casino, dance floor, bar and observation area.
Suites, mini-suites and 134 outside cabins have private verandas, and the ship carries a million dollar collection of contemporary art.
The Crown Princess sails on seven-day eastern and western Caribbean departing from from Ft. Lauderdale, $1,295 to $2,985, including air.
On Oct. 13, the Norway will emerge larger than ever from a $40 million refurbishment program.
Two glass enclosed decks will be added to house 135 luxury staterooms. Many of the new suites will have balconies, and the large owners` and grand deluxe suites will have floor-to-ceiling windows.
An elaborate 6,000-square-foot Roman Spa will offer an extensive line of treatments and facilities, available on a fee basis through half-day to six-day packages. Another 4,000-square-foot health and fitness center is available at no extra charge and has a 12-person Jacuzzi and a new jogging track.
New also on the renovated ship will be Le Rendezvous, an intimate (126 people) supper/dance club serving a la carte dinners.
The Norway will continue her pattern of seven-day Caribbean cruises from Miami, $1,195 to $5,495, including free air from most gateway cities.
Royal Caribbean Cruise Line has new ships, a renovation of the Viking Serenade and changes in fleet deployment on its schedule.
Jumbo ships
On May 5, the huge 2,354-passenger Monarch of the Seas will begin its regular series of Sunday departures from San Juan for the southern Caribbean, $1,195 to $3,330, including air. Sixty-two suites will have private balconies and the forward cafe, overlooking the bow, will be glass-enclosed.
There`s a battle for the biggest in the Caribbean, with the Monarch of the Seas and the Norway claiming to be the largest cruise ship. It`s a battle of terminology. In size, the Norway is largest with 75,000 tons versus the Monarch`s 74,000 tons. The Monarch wins in passenger capacity, with 2,354 passengers. The Norway can carry 2,000.
Once the Monarch is in place, some of the other RCCL ships will move to new cruising grounds.
With the Monarch replacing her on the San Juan run, the 1,026-passenger Song of Norway will move to Los Angeles to begin, on April 27, seven-night cruises to Mexico for $1,030 to $2,545, including air fare. In early May, the ship will head to Alaska, then resume the Mexico run in fall.
The Song of Norway, in turn, will replace the Viking Serenade, which is slated for a $75-million refurbishment in San Diego. The present car decks
(used when the ship sailed as the Stardancer) will be converted into passenger accommodations, adding 260 cabins, raising capacity to 1,500. RCCL`s hallmark Viking Crown Lounge will be built on the ship`s funnel stack.
On May 27, after refurbishment, the Viking Serenade will replace Admiral Cruises` (a division of RCCL`s parent company Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd.)
Azure Seas on the three- and four-night run to Mexico from Los Angeles, $465- $1,345, with air.
Azure Seas transfer
The Azure Seas will then be transferred to Ft. Lauderdale for year round seven-night eastern Caribbean cruises beginning May 19. Prices will range from $945 to $1,945, including air.
The 1,606-passenger Nordic Empress joined the RCCL fleet last June. The ship features a nine-deck high atrium with windows six decks high on each side, many multi-level spaces, including the dining room, disco, show lounge and casino.
The ship makes three- and four-night cruises to the Bahamas from Miami. Cost for four nights is $585 to $1,645, with air.
The battle for being the biggest will become more confusing June 2 when Carnival Cruise Line`s Ecstasy comes on line with a 2,600-passenger capacity and weighing in at 70,000 tons.
The Ecstasy will carry a cityscape theme, but with architect Joe Farcus`s imaginative use of unexpected materials, the ship won`t resemble any city you know.
As on the sister ship, the Fantasy, the six-deck high Grand Atrium will feature computerized color changing neon. But on the Ecstasy, the architect is adding automated fiber optic lighting to give the illusion of thousands of twinkling stars.
The Ecstasy will sail alternating eastern and western Caribbean routes every Sunday from Miami. Prices will range from $995 to $2,395, including air. Carnival`s Mardi Gras is being repositioned from Port Everglades to Port Canaveral. Beginning March 31, the Mardi Gras will join the Carnivale in making three- and four-day cruises to the Bahamas. These cruises may be combined with land packages at Disney World and other central Florida attractions for five-, six- or seven-day vacations.
Lines change names
Other changes on the cruise scene include disappearance of one line`s name and the introduction of a new name.
Commodore Cruise Line and Bermuda Star Line have consolidated under the Commodore name. Two ships have been renamed, but itineraries remain the same. The Caribe makes year-round seven-day cruises from Miami to the eastern and western Caribbean ($945 to $1,645 including air). The Enchanted Isle
(formerly the Bermuda Star) sails from San Diego to Mexico in winter and spring, and the Queen of Bermuda (to become the Enchanted Odyssey on Nov. 3 cruises from New Orleans to Mexico in winter and spring. Fares for seven-day cruises on the latter two ships are $995 to $1,995, excluding air.
The new name on the seas is Seawind Cruise Line, whose Seawind Crown is scheduled to begin cruising on Dec. 2. The ship is currently sailing as the Aegean Dolphin. With 576 passengers on an 11,200-ton ship, this one is going to feel cramped.
Seventy percent of the cabins are outside, officers will be Greek, the crew will be international.
The Seawind Crown will sail on seven-night runs to the far south Caribbean out of Aruba. Average per diem fare will be $250.
Another new ship will appear in December. It`s the CostaMarina, moving to the Caribbean for the winter, after an inaugural season in the Mediterranean. The 772-passenger ship features a glass domed atrium extending over three decks of glass walls.
Seven-day alternating eastern and western Caribbean cruises begin Dec. 16 from Port Everglades, $1,095 to $2,170, including air.
Costa, along with some other lines, has some interesting developments that parallel changes in the international political scene.
A Soviet venture
Costa`s parent company, Costa Crociere, is joining a Soviet shipping company to launch a new four-ship cruise line, Prestige Cruises. The line will operate in Europe, including the Black Sea and Soviet Baltic.
Costa`s Danae and Daphne will be transferred to Prestige. The Danae will make the move in November, continuing her Mediterranean and Far East itineraries. The Daphne will join in mid-1992, to be followed in early 1993 by two Soviet ships, the Feodor Dostoevsky and the Maxim Gorky.
Giving more evidence to the rise in popularity of travel in Eastern Europe, three ships are being built for cruises along the Elbe River, port calls in East Germany.
On March 30, the 150-passenger Prussian Princess will begin cruises on the Elbe, round trip from Hamburg, with side trips to Prague and Berlin. Fares will range from $1,385 to $2,050, excluding air.
KD German Rhine Line`s two new vessels, each holding 120 passengers, will begin Elbe River cruises in late spring. There will be seven-day cruises between Lauenburg and Bad Schandau and five-day cruises between Magdeburg and Bad Schandau. Fares will be approximately $225 per day.
While Caribbean ships battle to be the biggest, the fleet of globe-spanning small ships continues to grow.
For those who like luxury and big ship amenities-pool, casino, health club, night life-and small ship camaraderie, the Song of Flower fits the bill. This 228-passenger ship (former the Explorer Starship) has been refurbished and has just begun targeting the North American market for its cruises through Southeast Asia.
This ship is Japanese-owned, but the shipboard product is designed for American tastes. Officers are Norwegian, the staff European. The ship has a very high level of service, single, open seating dining, excellent cuisine and all outside cabins.
Fares for a seven-day cruise between Bali and Singapore range from $1,950 to $3,710, including drinks and gratuities, excluding air.
Salen Linblad`s Frontier Spirit is the first expedition cruise ship to be built in 16 years. The 164-passenger vessel will make its maiden voyage from Guam on Nov. 8.
During her first season the Frontier Spirit will sail to Tasmania, New Zealand, the South Pacific.
A 17-day Great Barrier Reef cruise costs $5,075 to $7,595, excluding air. Two more 100-passengers vessels are joining the Renaissance fleet, adding trips in Africa, the Black Sea and Mediterranean to the line`s globe spanning itineraries.
Renaissance trips feature unusual ports, cruises that emphasize destination, without bypassing luxury.
Fares for a 13-day Mediterrean package-11 days on the ship, four nights on land-range from $4,120 to $5,305, including air from New York. (From Chicago, there is a $250 air fare supplement.)
