Cruise ships getting too big to fit in the Panama Canal
In the cruise business, big mega-ships keep getting bigger. Here’s a compilation of coming attractions from several news sources:
Royal Caribbean’s Liberty of the Seas, launching 19 May, will be the largest passenger ship in the world. It will have capacity for more than 3,600 passengers. It’s the second of the Ultra Voyager-class.
Carnival Freedom, launching 5 March, will hold 2,974 passengers. The Conquest-class ship is too big to fit through the Panama Canal.
Princess Cruises’ Emerald Princess, launching in the spring, will hold 3,100 passengers and is considered a Caribbean-class vessel due to its size. It won’t fit through the Panama Canal.
In October, Norwegian Cruise Line will launch the Norwegian Gem, which will have a capacity for 2,384 people. This will be the third in the Norwegian Jewel series with about 540 staterooms and suites that have private balconies.
Cunard plans to launch the Queen Victoria on 11 Dec., designed for 2,000 passengers. About 86% of the cabins will be outside cabins, more than two-thirds with private verandas. In September, 2004, the design was enlarged from its original plan for 1,968 passengers. This ship will be able to use the Panama Canal and will make a variety of cruises, from ocean crossings to round-the-world cruises.
Costa Cruises is planning a 3,000-passenger ship called the Serena and MSC Cruises’ Orchestra ship will hold about 2,550 passengers.
Report by David Wilkening
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