New Cruise Ships on the Horizon for 2011
When you’re looking for a cruise line job, it’s a good idea to keep up with industry happenings.
Knowing what cruise ships are on the horizon will help to focus your job search as some of these new ships will carry thousands of passengers meaning they’ll also require thousands of crew to fully staff them.
AIDA: AIDAsol
German cruise line AIDA will launch their eighth ship, the colorful AIDAsol, in April of 2011. Featuring 1,097 passenger cabins, seven restaurants, and twelve bars, the AIDAsol will sail an itinerary across Northern Europe from its home port in Kiel, Germany.
AMAWaterways: AMAKatarina and AMALotus
Popular luxury European river cruise line, AMAWaterways, is set to launch two new ships in 2011: AMAKatarina, 212-passenger ship based out of Moscow sailing Russian Rivers; and the AMALotus, sailing the Mekong River through Vietnam and Cambodia.
Avalon Waterways: Panorama
Avalon Waterways is launching its European river cruise ship, Panorama, in May 2011. Offering only 66 all-suite cabins, there’s also room for 47 crew members on board as the Panorama sails from its home base of Amsterdam, Holland, to Budapest, Hungary, following a 14-day itinerary.
Carnival Cruise Lines: Magic
The latest vessel in the Fun Ship series, Carnival Magic, will set sail on May 1, 2011, for its summer in the Mediterranean; Carnival Magic will reposition to the Caribbean for the winter season starting November 14. With a total passenger capacity of 6,000 people, the ship features 1,845 cabins for guests along with an additional 746 cabins for crew.
Celebrity Cruises: Silhouette
As part of their Solstice Class series, the Silhouette is the latest addition in the Celebrity fleet. The Silhouette will carry almost 2,900 passengers with reported crew numbers varying from 999 to 1,227. The Silhouette will sail July 23, 2011, on its inaugural Mediterranean itinerary transitioning to the Caribbean in November.
Compagnie du Ponant: L’Austral
The French company Compagnie du Ponant is known for its luxurious mega yachts which cater to an upscale clientele. L’Austral is the latest edition to this elite fleet; it features a 264 passenger capacity along with 139 crew members. L’Austral will sail its first Mediterranean itinerary out of its home port of Venice, Italy, on April 27, 2011.
Costa Cruises: Favolosa
This ever growing Italian cruise line is introducing the 15th addition to its fleet, the Costa Favolosa featuring a passenger capacity of 3,780 along with 1,068 crew members. The Grand Inaugural Cruise sees the Costa Favolosa sailing roundtrip from its Venice home port to the Mediterranean on July 7, 2011.
Disney Cruise Line: Dream
Their first new ship in ten years, the Disney Dream offers cabins for over 4,000 passengers with an additional 1,458 crew members to keep everything running smoothly. The Disney Dream sets sail on its maiden voyage January 26, 2011, to the Bahamas out of its home port in Port Canaveral, FL.
Oceana Cruises: Marina
The Marina is a mid-size ship featuring room for 1,250 passengers plus an additional 800 crew members. The Marina will set sail on January 22, 2011, from Barcelona, Spain, to Miami, FL; she’ll then sail onto San Francisco, the Caribbean, and then back to Barcelona on March 28.
Seabourn: Quest
The Seabourn Quest is a luxury 225-suite ship whose pre-inaugural cruise takes place June 9, 2011, in the Mediterranean. After a summer in Europe, the Quest and her 330 crew members will reposition to the Caribbean on November 23.
Uniworld: River Antoinette
Known as the ‘world’s only boutique cruise line’, Uniworld is launching their newest fleet addition, the River Antoinette, on March 27, 2011. This 164-passenger ship will be based out of Basel, Germany, as it sails itineraries along the Rhine River.
About the Author
Connie Motz is a Freelance Writer and author of Travel Writer, as well as a former Certified Travel Consultant for 14 years.
Her love of cruising led to her certification as an Accredited Cruise Counsellor with Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA). As a passenger, Connie has travelled on over 25 cruise ships!
With over 13 years freelance writing experience, Connie has written extensively about traveling and has been published in newspapers, periodicals, and on many internet websites. Follow Connie on Twitter!
