Undoubtedly, one of the best parts of cruise vacations is the freedom to relax in the lap of cruise ship luxury. Cruise ship getaways are like vacations inside vacations—not only do you have the exciting shore excursions to look forward to, but the boat itself is a hub of entertainment, comfort, and glamour. And while almost any cruise ship out there is great for this, it’s no secret that the newer the ship, the better it is. A newer ship usually means more amenities, and more amenities—provided they’re done right—mean more luxury.
Lucky for anyone planning upcoming cruise vacations, a list of new cruise ships of 2015 was recently released. These new ships are worth keeping an eye on and may offer some of the best features on the sea today.
2015’s New Ships
Many different cruise lines will be introducing new ships this year, including Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, and Viking. Here are some of the new ships that will be setting off on their maiden voyages later this year:
P&O Cruises’ Britannia (March)
In addition to being the biggest ship available in the U.K., the Britannia also gets bragging rights for the fact that it is the first British ship to feature an onboard cooking school. The ship also features special, improved rooms for solo travelers, a TV studio, and a supper club, among many other exciting features.
Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas (April)
The Anthem of the Seas will be like an amusement park on water—seriously. There will be a trapeze school, bumper cars, and a skydiving simulator, just to name a few of the ship’s new attractions. Anthem of the Seas will also feature new restaurant options and is being called a “smart ship” because it will feature such advanced technology, including “smart” wristbands that can be used to open doors and place orders.
Viking Star (May)
This is Viking’s first ocean cruise ship. Until now, Viking has been known solely for its top-of-the-line river cruise ships, but this new vessel boasts the most modern extravagances, including free Wi-Fi, a fire pit, an infinity pool that is partly suspended from the back of the ship for added thrills, and a full promenade deck that circles the ship.
Norwegian Escape (October)
The Escape will be the largest ship in the Norwegian fleet, with room for 4,200 passengers. There will be a number of all-new bars and restaurants, an expanded private section for VIP passengers, and an expanded and improved section for solo travelers as well. The Escape will be Norwegian’s largest ship with advancements in every area.
Together, these ships give all cruise passengers something to look forward to this year. Cruise guests deserve every bit of glamour that they can get, and it’s nice to see that these cruise lines are going to bring more excitement, charm, and beauty to their already-thrilling lines of ships.
But is that enough?
Despite Advancements, Accidents Still Happen
Unfortunately, even the newest, most state-of-the-art cruise ships can house serious dangers. As more advances start to appear on board cruise ships, they inevitably bring with them more risks. For instance:
- More extreme rides and attractions mean more opportunities for malfunctions and injuries
- More pools mean more opportunities for slips and falls or even drownings
- More passengers mean increased opportunity for the spread of illness
- More balconies mean increased chances for falls
- More restaurants and new cuisines mean more possibilities of food poisoning
- More passengers mean more work for security personnel, and with thousands of passengers on board, it can be difficult to keep track of everybody
Unfortunately, there is no end to the list of possible dangers that you may find on board cruise ships. Added flair is nice, but if your luxury vacation is rocked by a traumatic event, none of that will matter to you or your loved ones.
A cruise ship’s number one priority should always be to keep its passengers safe.Click To Tweet Cruise lines and their staff have an obligation to their passengers to keep them free from harm. But even though cruise ships have certainly come a long way in recent years, they can never be completely free from danger.
If you wind up a victim of cruise ship negligence that results in an accident, injury or illness to you or someone you love, you could be entitled to compensation. But only if you act fast and find someone who knows the ins and outs of maritime law. Get your life back on track and protect the lives of future cruise passengers by holding cruise lines accountable.
About the Author:
Andrew Winston is a partner at the personal injury law firm of The Law Office of Andrew Winston. He has been recognized for excellence in the representation of injured clients by admission to the Million Dollar Advocates Forum, is AV Rated by the Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory, and was recently voted by his peers as a Florida “SuperLawyer”—an honor reserved for the top 5% of lawyers in the state—and to Florida Trend’s “Legal Elite.”
