Large-scale cruise ships (+ 3.000 passengers)
Costa Cruises is an Italian shipping company, and you notice its origins on all its ships and through all its facilities, with extraordinary southern charm, timeless elegance and attention to detail. The range of restaurants is overwhelming, with delicious dishes by renowned chefs and the 'Destination Dishes' that are a culinary taste of the next day's destination. Every cruise with Costa will be an incredible journey full of different flavours, from the wine bars and themed restaurants to a gelato or Nutella pancake, and finally a delicious aperitif at sunset. Costa is also particularly child-friendly with an inviting range of child-sized facilities, including a kids' club, entertainment, pirate ship pool, and customised dishes.
The newest flagship, the Costa Toscana, is the perfect holiday destination in itself for 6,522 passengers who love Tuscan culture, spectacular shows, designer boutiques and pleasant nooks in which to blissfully dream away or meet new people. There is also a full commitment to sustainability, with new Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) engines that are 100% responsible for the ship's propulsion.
Large-scale cruise ships (+ 3.000 passengers)
For all Disney fanatics, a cruise experience on one of Disney Cruise Line's 5 cruise ships is a must. The Disney theme prevails everywhere on board, making it a true paradise for small and not so small children.
Last year, this shipping company welcomed a new world-class ship. The fifth ship in its fleet is the Disney Wish, where the popular stories of Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, and Pixar are brought to life with unique shows. The new cruise ship for 4,000 passengers surprises its guests with amazing gastronomic and entertainment offerings, combined with innovative design and cutting-edge technology. For instance, you can be part of a theatrical dining experience themed "Frozen", taking you to the enchanting Kingdom of Arendelle. Queen Anna and Kristoff are celebrating their engagement and have invited you to join them. Behold festive musical performances by Elsa and Olaf while you feast on tasty dishes prepared by Oaken himself. It’s a dinner to die for.
From luxurious restaurants and elegant lounges to expansive pool areas and children's zones, everyone can find their favourite type of magic to enjoy aboard the Disney ships.
Large-scale cruise ships (+ 3.000 passengers)
The American shipping company Norwegian Cruise Line, known as NCL for short, offers very accessible cruises to all corners of the world. They live up to their slogan 'Free at Sea' with no set dinner times, formal evenings, or dress code. On every Norwegian ship, there is at least one buffet restaurant, several main restaurants and a snack bar open 24/7. All included in the price! And then there are the speciality restaurants that offer you the best of all world cuisines, from French and Italian to Japanese and Brazilian. These are not included in the price, but definitely recommended.
Do yourself a favour and go for the Free at Sea upgrade. Subject to a small surcharge, you will then enjoy the open bar formula, free excursions, free speciality restaurants and free wifi.
With the Norwegian Prima, this shipping company launched the first of its six new Prima-class ships, joined this year by the Norwegian Viva. These are innovative ships in terms of décor, gastronomy, cruise experience, entertainment, and sustainability. These ships, with space for 3,099 passengers, excel with a 360° walk at sea along the new Ocean Boulevard and with the Indulge Food Hall, ideal for putting your taste buds to the test. And then there are the infinity pools, the Mandara Spa, and fast water slides.
Large-scale cruise ships (+ 3.000 passengers)
Princess Cruises is an American shipping company and became world-famous in 1977 with 'The Love Boat', a TV series about life aboard a large cruise ship. This shipping company offers discovery cruises to all corners of the world aboard 16 ships. The Sky Princess, the most recent ship, accommodates 3,660 passengers and excels with contemporary design, a superbly crafted entertainment programme, and a host of options for culinary escapades.
'Dine My Way' is all about personalising your dining experience. You can easily customise your dining time each day, whether you opt for the general restaurant (which is included) or the speciality restaurants (for which you pay a small surcharge). Princess Cruises is also strong in land programmes that allow you to extend your cruise before or after. A brilliant example is Princess Cruises' own lodges, buses and panorama train in Alaska, Australia, and South America.
The shipping company will soon welcome its 16th ship, the Sun Princess, our very first ship that will be powered by liquified natural gas (LNG).
Large-scale cruise ships (+ 3.000 passengers)
Royal Caribbean Cruises has consistently profiled itself as one of the most innovative players in the cruise industry over the past 50 years. For instance, this shipping company built the first ship with a full theatre, and an atrium that stretched over several decks. Today, Royal Caribbean's resort ships offer the most impressive amenities from ice rinks and ziplines to surf simulators and cart circuits. These cruise ships are, therefore, particularly suitable for children. They offer lots of entertainment for all age groups, including a kids' club with as many as seven age groups.
Its newest ships are truly floating resorts, and that certainly applies to the Oasis & Quantum class, the largest cruise ships in the world. The 26 cruise ships exude a casual atmosphere with high-quality service. On board the Oasis of the Seas and the Allure of the Seas, even Central Park in New York has been recreated. More than 17,000 real plants and shrubs were used for this purpose! In the H2O Zone, water cannons and interactive fountains provide spectacular water fun for all ages, not to mention the spectacular shows, not only on the stage, but also on the ice and in the water.
The very latest ship, Wonder of the Seas, accommodates 6,988 passengers who will definitely be eyeing up the Aqua Theatre, the Bionic Bar with its futuristic bartenders, the surf simulator, and the 22 restaurants.
